AIQF 2017 Tír Eoghain vs Ard Macha, Sat. August 5th @4pm

[RedHand88]

Anyone know how many tickets went on sale this morning?

Heard there were serious queues in some shops this morning for them

A friend was 8000 in the queue and got one of the last tickets (hill). They sold out shortly after that.

[Taylor]

Anyone know how many tickets went on sale this morning?

Heard there were serious queues in some shops this morning for them

A friend was 8000 in the queue and got one of the last tickets (hill). They sold out shortly after that.

Each person bought an average of say 2/3 tickets could be 20k.
Add to that the season tickets and bring a friend option and it could be at 40/50k tickets accounts for already.

Doesnt leave many for the clubs

[RedHand88]

Anyone know how many tickets went on sale this morning?

Heard there were serious queues in some shops this morning for them

A friend was 8000 in the queue and got one of the last tickets (hill). They sold out shortly after that.

Each person bought an average of say 2/3 tickets could be 20k.
Add to that the season tickets and bring a friend option and it could be at 40/50k tickets accounts for already.

Doesnt leave many for the clubs

You're right there. Although I think max season tickets per county is 2500 which only Dublin and mayo actually hit. Id hazard a guess at 7-8k season tickets for saturday. Even if they all brought the max 4 friends, It's still only 30kish. And how many season ticket holders will give up golden seats to get sitting beside the Jonny come latelys up above?

[lenny]

I agree, I reckon the dubs may have slept in here and won't have realised how many of us Ulster men have already snapped up the tickets. I would say Tyrone & Armagh will bring the guts of 40000 between them and if you factor Monaghan bringing 7500-10000 it won't leave the Dubs with much. I reckon there'll be 60000 in for first game...

You'll be lucky if there's 20-25k in for the first game. Overall I would expect a crowd of 60-65k with the majority drifting in towards the end of the first game.

This is an analysis based on Derry support levels!! Not valid.

I hope you're right because it makes for a better atmosphere and is much better for watching on tv also. I made my prediction because it seems like the crowds are way down this year for a lot of the games on tv.

[Redhand Santa]

I agree, I reckon the dubs may have slept in here and won't have realised how many of us Ulster men have already snapped up the tickets. I would say Tyrone & Armagh will bring the guts of 40000 between them and if you factor Monaghan bringing 7500-10000 it won't leave the Dubs with much. I reckon there'll be 60000 in for first game...

You'll be lucky if there's 20-25k in for the first game. Overall I would expect a crowd of 60-65k with the majority drifting in towards the end of the first game.

This is an analysis based on Derry support levels!! Not valid.

I hope you're right because it makes for a better atmosphere and is much better for watching on tv also. I made my prediction because it seems like the crowds are way down this year for a lot of the games on tv.

Other than the Ulster championship the attendances are well up this year. Hurling is way up with the run of Wexford and cork. In football qualifier attendances up too. Look at weekend past, the round 4 qualifier games attracted near 40000, previously they'd have got around 25000. The quarter final games involving Connaught and Munster teams usually struggles to break 25-30000, there was 66000 there yesterday. Leinster and Munster football finals well up on previous years too.

[Redhand Santa]

The Armagh fans seem to be struggling as to what angle they want to take on this game. On the one hand they want to play up to the fact that Tyrone are big favourites one of the best teams in country and they're only a wee division 3 outfit with no chance. On the other they can't help but think Tyrone are over rated and haven't been tested and that Armagh are much better than the league suggested with a better set of forwards than Tyrone and huge momentum behind them. They're saying the former whilst struggling to hide the latter.

[Ethan Tremblay]

Tyrone are favourites, they seem to have been consistently good all year, Armagh on the other hand haven't, but are putting it together now so on paper Tyrone are big favourites. 
Tyrone are playing with a swagger this season that is giving the perception they are the ones to knock Dublin of their perch, pundits are singing there plaudits to this degree to. 

In championship they haven't really been tested to be fair.  In a 1 point game how will they fair? 

Armagh's main test was Tipperary and Kildare.  Both matches could have went either way and Armagh prevailed in both.  My thinking on this match from an Armagh perspective is that Tyrone could very easily go out and blitz Armagh as they have been doing in the championship so far.  But if the games in the melting pot Armagh may have the mental resolve to see it through. 

[Jayop]

The Armagh fans seem to be struggling as to what angle they want to take on this game. On the one hand they want to play up to the fact that Tyrone are big favourites one of the best teams in country and they're only a wee division 3 outfit with no chance. On the other they can't help but think Tyrone are over rated and haven't been tested and that Armagh are much better than the league suggested with a better set of forwards than Tyrone and huge momentum behind them. They're saying the former whilst struggling to hide the latter.

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

[Sandy Hill]

Paddy Power's prices:
Tyrone 2/9
Draw 12/1
Armagh 4/1

It's not worth our while going up!

[naka]

Paddy Power's prices:
Tyrone 2/9
Draw 12/1
Armagh 4/1

It's not worth our while going up!

Agreed
We may just give up now😉

[armaghniac]

Paddy Power's prices:
Tyrone 2/9
Draw 12/1
Armagh 4/1

It's not worth our while going up!

Agreed
We may just give up now😉

They should lump the crowdfunding on at 4/1, if we win then we'll be well prepared for the semi, if not then we won't need it.

[Smokin Joe]

Paddy Power's prices:
Tyrone 2/9
Draw 12/1
Armagh 4/1

It's not worth our while going up!

Unbelievably Armagh were 3/1 on Betfair against Kildare last Saturday. 
Shows how much value that was when we are only 4/1 to beat Tyrone

[BennyCake]

Word on the street is Tyrone have been putting in double rosary sessions since the draw yesterday. They're shitting it, lads. We have this one in the bag!

[bennydorano]

The Armagh fans seem to be struggling as to what angle they want to take on this game. On the one hand they want to play up to the fact that Tyrone are big favourites one of the best teams in country and they're only a wee division 3 outfit with no chance. On the other they can't help but think Tyrone are over rated and haven't been tested and that Armagh are much better than the league suggested with a better set of forwards than Tyrone and huge momentum behind them. They're saying the former whilst struggling to hide the latter.

Very true.

I think Tyrone would have preferred Kildare tbh, they could do without the derby factor as it throws a bit of the unknown into the equation.

It's not a straightforward Div 1 v Div 3 game (well hopefully not).

[Redhand Santa]

The favourite tag doesn't always sit well with counties but Tyrone should have huge motivation for Saturday. They'll be out to avenge a poor quarter final record as Ulster champs and in particular last years loss to Mayo. Also that loss to Armagh in 2014 when similar big favourites was a big blow to the county and lead to a lot of re building and the introduction of Peter Donnelly, Tyrone will want to avenge that defeat. Finally the Derby factor which can never be underestimated.

Hopefully we bring our shooting boots to croke park this time round. I believe if we play to our ability we'll win the game and expose a number of Armagh weaknesses. An off day with poor shooting and things could be very close though.