Messages

1. Monaghan V Donegal / Sligo

2. Laois v Derry / Kerry

3. Galway v Meath / Tyrone

4. Cork v Louth / Dublin

Semi
1 v 3 & 2 v 4

Is this the way it is panned out?

It's an open draw for the quarter finals.

We think.

Don't like the thought of that! Chances we will have replays of provincial finals and earlier meeting in the championship, this makes ties boring and stale and takes the good out of scalps such as Sligo beating Galway. 2001 revisted me thinks....Derry tyrone/Galway Ros/ Meath W/wmeath

Old Colm O'Rourke/John O'Driscoll trick, 4 steps into the tackle and four out. Ref in the excitement of a player heading toward goal interprets it as a bounce of a solo!

1. Monaghan V Donegal / Sligo

2. Laois v Derry / Kerry

3. Galway v Meath / Tyrone

4. Cork v Louth / Dublin

Semi
1 v 3 & 2 v 4

Is this the way it is panned out?

Was always going to be a big ask for last years beaten finalists to push on again this year! Hunger is a strange thing, you just can't train it into a team! The early break will hopefully do us (mayo) some good. We have had a busy time the last 3 years and there has been big falls as well as some good scalps. But from team selection etc JOM has been looking to the future once we lost to Galway and the passage to AI Glory was by the scenic route. Being in Connacht and with the large player base, Mayo do not have to worry about the dog fights Leinster and Ulster teams face every year, so there will be Mayo team emerging again. Problem is to rise above the mediocrity that gets us to AI finals but no Sam. Finally, I would like to thank Nallen, McD, Brady and O'Neill for their contribution to Mayo football for a decade plus. Thanks lads! Also Best of luck to our conquerers Derry.

Did anyone see the Galway/Clare match. I missed the full coverage on Saturday evening, the highlights on Sunday afternoon and the highlights on the Sunday game. Did anyone see the 4 minutes devoted to Limerick and louth also!

Yeah, think its better to be put in the deep end early. If you get over it, it becomes more natural and the build up of (anticipation and fear) waiting the couple of years is gone! The biggest problem with any team/player is to nuture fear.

Yeah Sligo people, enjoy you moment in the Sun! I remember when Westmeath won the leinster in 2004 and Paudi asked for calm. He had no concept of a county winning their first provincial title (Granted he was looking at the bigger picture), But the moment was sort of lost. Galway are in a bit of bother, beating Mayo has been the height of their Championship success for some time now and we all know Mayo/Galway games are a strange type of animal usually having no bearing on who really is the better team championship wise. Like Armagh they have big calls to make on seasoned campaigners who either are not up to the challenge football or hunger wise anymore. Time to blood in the qualifiers! Once again well done Sligo, good to see the Mayo/Galway monopoly broken for once. Hope they get a kind draw, that provincial champions deserve.

Donegal peaked early this year, and are presently running on reserve. If they have any aspirations they should take care of a volitile WM outfit! Like Mayo, Galway, Cork and possibly Dublin they have a level of quality but you just expect them to implode when they meet a half quality team and questions are asked!

Well done SLIGO. Connacht Champions 2007! I wish RTE showed presentation!

Barry Moran effective in an akward way? caused levels of caos and troule. Still not the best under the high ball, but not a bad debut in the Full forward position, for a young (inexperienced) lad. McGarrity understandably looked a small bit off the pace and we had a ups and downs in the full back line. Cavan did alot of huffing and puffing but lacked the killer instinct points wise. McCabe was a powerhouse in Midfield and controled it. Mayos main positive was Pierce Hanley, bar the usual reliables. Here's to the next round!

Over-rated let the facts decide, of course if you take out all the "easy" All Ireland's when all the other great provincial champions were just brushed aside we were probably very overated. But we can only play whats put in front of us. We have lost 19 Senior AI finals as well by the way.

All-Ireland titles: 68

Senior: 34 - 1903, '04, '09, '13, '14, '24, '26, '29-32, '37, '39-41, '46, '53, '55, '59, '62, '69, '70, '75, '78-81, '84-86, '97, '00, '04, '06

Under 21: Nine - 1964, '73, '75-77, '90, '95, '96, '98

Minor: 11 - 1931-33, '46, '50, '62, '63, '75, '80, '88, '94

Junior: 14 - 1913, '15, '24, '28, '30, '41, '49, '54, '63, '67, '83, '91, 94, 2006

NFL titles: 18 - 1928-31, '59, '61, '63, '69, '71-74, '77, '82, '84, '97, 2004, 2006

Munster titles: 171

Senior: 72 - 1892, 1903-05, '08-10, '12-15, '19, '23-27, '29-34, '36-42, '44, '46-48, '50, '51, '53-55, '58-65, '68-70, '72, '75-82, '84-86, '91, '96-98, 2000, '01, '03, '04, '05, '07

Under 21: 24 - 1962, '64, '66-68, '72, '73, '75-78, '83, '87, '88, '90-93, '95-99, 2002

Minor: 39 - 1931-33, '36-38, '40, '41, '45-51, '54, '57, '58, '62, '63, '65, '70, '75, '78-80, '82, '88-90, '94, '96-98, 2001, 2002, '03, '04, '06

Junior: 37 - 1913-15, '24, '26-28, '30, '31, '34, '36, '38, 41, '46, '47, '49, '54, '56, '58-61, '63, '65, '67-69, '83, '85, '91, '94, '95, '97, '00, 2002, '03, '06

....and the wan Hurling title from 1891 which is wan more than Ulster has ever won
(Low blow KM but feck it you are supposed to be an arrogant animal so feck them all)

I agree that the above stats Senior AI wise are (Really) impressive. But Munster Hurling is not strong for nothing. Really Kerry have only one real challenge in Munster every year, Cork. This is no fault of their own but it puts them in the Celtic/Rangers model when counting titles within the provence. For a proud county to go so long without under 21, minor and Club All-Irelands says something about the other emerging counties and possibly the strenght of underage in Cork. Also only one u-21 Munster title in the last 8 years. Counting Junior titles always borders on the joke side as different counties have different rules for player qualification and some counties like Galway don't even bother with it! Still at Senior you cannot argue the record speaks for itself! And Senior will always be the BENCHMARK!

it's not Hill 16, it's Dineen Hill 16

True over the last 3 years Kerry has won 2 AI Senior titles. But at underage they are struggling to win Munster and AI Titles. The County has not won an underage AI title (u21/Minor) since the mid ninties and you have to go to the early 90's for a AI club title! This seems a strange lapse of time without titles for the so called kingpins. Am i being cruel or calling it as it is?

In south mayo gaelic is number one...soccer or any other sport cant come close.

I find unless soccer is played at the highest level its complete muck to watch, the premiership and i dont care what anyone thinks completely over hyped cant remember the last game i found exciting.

Soccer i'm afraid is more popular to play in ireland than gaelic football. Most statistics from the GAA for players include Hurlers, Camoige players, Handballers etc. I am From Mayo and involved in Soccer and Gaelic. Soccer used to be a joke in the county but has made great inroads. The Big soccer clubs are based in mostly Central and North Mayo. True you will not get many at games etc but it is becoming more popular and the facilities especially in Mayo where standards were set has seen a big upturn. The FAI are spending more time and money on training Coaches and have adapted UEFA badges. Anyone who says Soccer is not a tactical and skillfull game, clearly has never played other than a kick about in the back garden. Soccer presently is the number one game in the playground among boys and girls. Gaelic will always be my number one as it has more freedom in the use of more players, has the option of scoring points, no offside restriction, milder physical element and you can use your hands. It is more entertaining for the fan as there is more action. But it has evolved ito a present day game where alt of players have lost the art of (simply) soloing, kicking and fielding the ball. Many athletes who play the game can get away with speed and hand skills to cover up their lack of footalling skills.

Have to feel sorry for Kilkenny footballers. if there is a promotion from the TM to Senior Championship next season, could there not be a relegation/promotion from the TM to/from the Junior championship. e.g. Kilkenny to go down to Junior and the junior champions to be promoted (a stronger counties B team) to the TM. it would make the Junior championship stronger as well as the TM. This already happens in the womens game and seems to be successful!