all ireland football qualifiers 2017.

[seafoid]

So after round 3 there are 7 division 1 teams, 4 division 2 teams and 1 division 3 team left.

And Armagh should really be a division 2 team .

If it wasn't for those pesky kids they would have got away with it.

[Captain Obvious]

Any evidence that a majority of players and supporters wanted U21 kept?
I've not seen any  anyway.

Poor oul Paraic Duffy's seems to have taken over from the GPA as the bete noir of GAA Boarders.

Eyes and ears is normally enough evidence. Nothing poor about him just a bit of a smug dictator.

Nonsense. If you don't know what you're talking about perhaps you shouldn't highlight it.

In fairness what he said wasn't nonsense. The U21 All Ireland championship grade was very popular with supporters and players (past and present) and both have spoken out in big numbers at their dismay at this competition getting scrapped. Worst of all the Hurling U21 championship was kept while the football one is to be replaced by a diluted U20 version championship and to be played at this time of year.

[Zulu]

That doesn't make him smug or a dictator so it is nonsense. Besides, there are good reasons to move to U17 and U20 even if it is odd that hurling didn't change but I'm sure it will.

[Rossfan]

I hear very few people complaining about the U20 coming in.
The U21 didn't draw very big crowds so obviously wasn't all that popular with supporters.
And the U20 was VOTED IN BY CONGRESS which is the GAA's supreme authority.

[Captain Obvious]

I opened last two U-21 championship threads on here and they were very popular. Popular on other forums also.

Was arguably bigger crowds at U21 football championship games than a lot of senior qualifiers. Should be noted Mr Duffy was trying for a full decade to scrap the U21 grade, he finally achieved it by going around the country convincing enough county reps to accept his watered down U20 competition and the congress vote was formality after that.

One of the biggest disappointment i have about the GAA is its top brass ignoring players and supporters voice and IMO that is not the way things should be done in amateur game.

[Zulu]

If your county or club representatives don't represent you then that's something that needs to be addressed but isn't Duffy's problem. There're are very good reasons and medical support for the changes made. We were flogging some of our best players and the changes made needed to be done and are only the start of it. We still have a way to go.

[Main Street]

You can't fight in the wrong war room.

[Zulu]

We aren't in the wrong war room. If we had the balls to address the real issues then we could improve in a matter of months but people like Duffy have to move like molasses because GAA folk won't make the changes required.

[Main Street]

We aren't in the wrong war room. If we had the balls to address the real issues then we could improve in a matter of months but people like Duffy have to move like molasses because GAA folk won't make the changes required.

And what has the u21 u20 u17 to do with the sacred qualifier thread?

[Zulu]

Sorry, misunderstood. Fair enough!

[Owen Brannigan]

Are the round 4B qualifiers in Croke Park?

No reason to assume so unless Dublin are in the draw and even then they could be sent to Breffini Park to enjoy its unique traffic chaos. The 4A games are in Gaelic Grounds, Limerick and Markievicz Park, Sligo which are neutral and geographically acceptable.

[OgraAnDun]

Are the round 4B qualifiers in Croke Park?

No reason to assume so unless Dublin are in the draw and even then they could be sent to Breffini Park to enjoy its unique traffic chaos. The 4A games are in Gaelic Grounds, Limerick and Markievicz Park, Sligo which are neutral and geographically acceptable.

Unless I'm mistaken, Round 4B games are usually in a Croker as a double header on the saturday before the A side quarter finals on the Sunday. 4B qualifiers the 29th of July and quarters on the 30th.

[macdanger2]

Are the round 4B qualifiers in Croke Park?

No reason to assume so unless Dublin are in the draw and even then they could be sent to Breffini Park to enjoy its unique traffic chaos. The 4A games are in Gaelic Grounds, Limerick and Markievicz Park, Sligo which are neutral and geographically acceptable.

Unless I'm mistaken, Round 4B games are usually in a Croker as a double header on the saturday before the A side quarter finals on the Sunday. 4B qualifiers the 29th of July and quarters on the 30th.

Yeah, that's how it was last year anyway

[manfromdelmonte]

Are the round 4B qualifiers in Croke Park?

No reason to assume so unless Dublin are in the draw and even then they could be sent to Breffini Park to enjoy its unique traffic chaos. The 4A games are in Gaelic Grounds, Limerick and Markievicz Park, Sligo which are neutral and geographically acceptable.

Unless I'm mistaken, Round 4B games are usually in a Croker as a double header on the saturday before the A side quarter finals on the Sunday. 4B qualifiers the 29th of July and quarters on the 30th.

might not be, with U2 in Croker the weekend before

[mayo.mick]

Both 3B games are on Saturday 29th.
Both 4A games are on Sunday 30th. Venues times tbc.
Leinster and Ulster v 4B winners on the 5th Aug, venue &time tbc.