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You still can't answer why Meath and Kildare are broken but not other teams who are much closer to dublin - i.e. Derry and Kerry and Tyrone when they get themselves in gear will be there or thereabouts.

Teams get a huge confidence boost by winning their provincial championship and are much more primed for a crack at the Dubs than Leinster counties who have been crushed by the Dubs for over a decade. The demoralising effect of Dublin's dominance in Leinster also has a knock-on effect in the League - the imbalance of Ulster v Leinster teams in Division 1 being the prime example.

The provincial system exacerbates the problem with Leinster football. The Ulster Championship is the model for a proper Provincial competition. Connacht has Mayo, Galway & Roscommon in regular contention. Munster has Kerry, Cork and at times Clare or Tipperary. If Kildare and Meath were in Connacht or Munster I would say they would be quite competitive and in the shake-up quite regularly.

Bar the odd slip Kerry are regularly miles better than the rest in Munster although to a lesser extent than the Dubs. Weak excuse either way, no reason Meath shouldn't be a whole pile more competitive. 

It's all relative. Meath can keep the scoreboard looking ok for 20 minutes
Kerry are able to keep up with them for 72 minutes

The Sam Maguire can't be competitive if  one team has lost just 4 matches in 13 years.

They have lost finals though not in a while but they've either played mayo or just been a better team.

I still firmly believe that in their 6 in a row if they'd played Mayo more in semi finals they would not have 6 in a row.

they beat Kerry last year because they were better than them, they beat Tyrone because they were better, they beat Mayo because Mayo aren't good in finals. kerry would have beat them two years ago in a final because they were better.

Also Fenton, Kilkenny, McCarthy etc will drop off and drop off soon.

You still can't answer why Meath and Kildare are broken but not other teams who are much closer to dublin - i.e. Derry and Kerry and Tyrone when they get themselves in gear will be there or thereabouts.

I don't really know what you are looking here. Kick dublin out of the championship?

They will either have to subdivide Dublin or else spread Dublin players around other counties. The GAA doesn't have any solutions to this and it's not going to fix itself.  It's like the sludge in Lough Neagh in that regard.
There or thereabouts isn't good enough. Maybe a few more Sams and people will see what is happening.

They are currently at 1 in a row(out of 3). What does it matter whether it was a final or not where they were beat?

Dublin are 9 out of 13.

It matters because they don't lose finals. They are 9 out of 9 in finals.  If Derry get to the final to play Dublin they will lose just As Mayo, Tyrone and Kerry lost.
This is not about Derry.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2023/07/15/derry-scaled-heights-in-1993-when-savvy-boss-eamonn-coleman-made-the-difference/
"Enda Gormley remembers being struck by Coleman's implacable views on what would be good enough for Derry.".

He knew when they were ready because the standard was achievable. 
Mickey Harte has already lost a final to the Dublin machine.

The problem is much bigger than why don't Meath and Kildare take the finger out.
The system was broken long before Dublin finished the 6 in a row.

[it's fixed]

So what are you suggesting? Should there be a leinster championship without dublin or should there be no leinster championshipt?

It's broken so either it's dumped or it's fixed.

Dublin is out of control . The system worked as long as Dublin was disorganised. Sports often have this problem of a big population centre or financial centre that is disproportionate to the rest.  In Rugby it's England and France. The solution is to give the 6 teams the same money allocation, not to give England and France the money raised in their countries. 

I don't know exactly how US sport works in detail but they value competition very highly and have drafts to even out teams.

Something is going to have to be done with Dublin but until people demand change nothing will change. This is about power.

"Policies in motion tend to stay in motion ; to change the trajectory of a deeply embedded set of initiatives requires the application of political forces of equal motion "
Steve Walt

Fixed how?

How come other counties are not a million miles of Dublin yet Leinster counties are?

(I think Kildare's management team is broken for a start and if they fix that it may help...)

When is the last time Dublin were beaten in the all Ireland final ?You don't need to be a million miles away. One point is consistently enough. A one point hammering. Ask Mayo or Kerry.  As Dean Rock said he grew up dreaming of playing for Dublin and winning 6 in a row.

'Allude'

All Sunday Game analysts seem addicted to using it. Must get them a thesaurus.

great point

So what are you suggesting? Should there be a leinster championship without dublin or should there be no leinster championshipt?

It's broken so either it's dumped or it's fixed.

Dublin is out of control . The system worked as long as Dublin was disorganised. Sports often have this problem of a big population centre or financial centre that is disproportionate to the rest.  In Rugby it's England and France. The solution is to give the 6 teams the same money allocation, not to give England and France the money raised in their countries. 

I don't know exactly how US sport works in detail but they value competition very highly and have drafts to even out teams.

Something is going to have to be done with Dublin but until people demand change nothing will change. This is about power.

"Policies in motion tend to stay in motion ; to change the trajectory of a deeply embedded set of initiatives requires the application of political forces of equal motion "
Steve Walt

Great article/ piece with Jim Mcguinness in today's Irish News, a full throated defence of USFC & the provincial series. He made the point, that has been made here before, that counties trying to compete v Dublin and Kerry need financial support and development plans to make them competitive  again - as a better alternative to just scrapping them.

The provincial structure is broken and most people just want them moved to the start of the season. Most counties voted for a structure in 2021 which would see them be played first followed by a league based championship. Now we've ended up with a structure which tries to please everyone and is condensed into half the year despite having more games.

If most counties voted that it would have been seen with the vote The current structure we have was voted in by Congress and any change will have to be done via Congress again.

Anyone I have spoken to recently about this said that the system doesn't work. There is no objection to making time for clubs but they all say there are too many games in too short a time period. People hope Jarlath burns will put some smacht on things. 

Too many games doesn't wash. Nearly everyone thats ever played will say they'd far rather play more games rather than train for weeks on end behind games.

I predict a  grassroots movement for change at the next Congress.

Grassroots ?

Grassroots is the club's, son who are delighted with the defined split season

Not so happy are the paid shills and expensed intercounty managers who have had a bit of power taken away from them.

Oh and the prawn sandwich crew which live for the days in Premium in "Croker" and would struggle to find their nearest club grounds

Maybe the Club Players Association with its 25,000 members should come back into being to lobby every CLUB delegate before every county convention, should any motion to erode what has been hard won come before Congress

Everybody who follows county has a club and is grassroots. It is not one or the other. People are happy with more time for clubs but not with the state of the all Ireland- things like not playing in August and September, the rushed nature of things, the lack of joined up thinking.

The current all Ireland system is not a solution. And club vs county is not a culture war. Most people are both. They want an all Ireland system that works.

Go on then

Give us a system that "works"

Because all I'm seeing everywhere is a whole load of lads that are making money out of the game whinging

But not offering a lot of workable solutions

Have you ever come across Michael Foley's analysis? He did it in last Sunday's sunday times.
There are too many matches that don't mean anything. The league has been devalued.The championship has elements of the league. And there is no margin.  I think the club idea is fine. It's how the championship is run

This is what he said : 


"The GAA aren't quite there yet with running the provincial championship in early spring before stretching a league-based all Ireland championship from April to early august "

What would you think of that ?

Never before has Dublin been 1/50 to beat Meath. Colm has brought us back so much he's undone the foundations set in place by Andy and would rather give quotes in Latin than actually manage a team properly, he is blessed with some of the best players Meath have produced in over a decade. And is wasting it all. If Meath co board doesn't act at end of championship then is the supporters must vote with our feet.

I don't understand why Meath bother playing Dublin in Leinster. What is the point ? It isn't  a match . It isn't sport  Why don't they invalidate the match by playing with 16 players and hand the problem over to the Leinster council ? They are in the Sam  Maguire anyway.

Blaming Meath misses the point. How can they win ? They can't . The GAA has destroyed its own competition. 

In 6N, Italy were losers for years but due to the correct structures they made progress and won 2 matches this year. Compare their trajectory to that of the football teams in Leinster. 

I couldn't find another example from elite level sport of a team winning 13 championships in a row . County championships don't count.

Great article/ piece with Jim Mcguinness in today's Irish News, a full throated defence of USFC & the provincial series. He made the point, that has been made here before, that counties trying to compete v Dublin and Kerry need financial support and development plans to make them competitive  again - as a better alternative to just scrapping them.

The provincial structure is broken and most people just want them moved to the start of the season. Most counties voted for a structure in 2021 which would see them be played first followed by a league based championship. Now we've ended up with a structure which tries to please everyone and is condensed into half the year despite having more games.

If most counties voted that it would have been seen with the vote The current structure we have was voted in by Congress and any change will have to be done via Congress again.

Anyone I have spoken to recently about this said that the system doesn't work. There is no objection to making time for clubs but they all say there are too many games in too short a time period. People hope Jarlath burns will put some smacht on things. 

Too many games doesn't wash. Nearly everyone thats ever played will say they'd far rather play more games rather than train for weeks on end behind games.

I predict a  grassroots movement for change at the next Congress.

Grassroots ?

Grassroots is the club's, son who are delighted with the defined split season

Not so happy are the paid shills and expensed intercounty managers who have had a bit of power taken away from them.

Oh and the prawn sandwich crew which live for the days in Premium in "Croker" and would struggle to find their nearest club grounds

Maybe the Club Players Association with its 25,000 members should come back into being to lobby every CLUB delegate before every county convention, should any motion to erode what has been hard won come before Congress

Everybody who follows county has a club and is grassroots. It is not one or the other. People are happy with more time for clubs but not with the state of the all Ireland- things like not playing in August and September, the rushed nature of things, the lack of joined up thinking.

The current all Ireland system is not a solution. And club vs county is not a culture war. Most people are both. They want an all Ireland system that works.

The reality of the situation
Non-binary
Thon
The Late Late show was awful last night
Penalties
Go full Lidl today
Netanyahu
The Sunday Game only gave our county 15 minutes yesterday
Yes but it's better for the clubs
Seemingly
Surrogate
Low productivity
Subvention
Chicken fillet roll
5 for 25 voucher
Northern Ireland
Rain
Gonorrhea

Great article/ piece with Jim Mcguinness in today's Irish News, a full throated defence of USFC & the provincial series. He made the point, that has been made here before, that counties trying to compete v Dublin and Kerry need financial support and development plans to make them competitive  again - as a better alternative to just scrapping them.

The provincial structure is broken and most people just want them moved to the start of the season. Most counties voted for a structure in 2021 which would see them be played first followed by a league based championship. Now we've ended up with a structure which tries to please everyone and is condensed into half the year despite having more games.

If most counties voted that it would have been seen with the vote The current structure we have was voted in by Congress and any change will have to be done via Congress again.

Anyone I have spoken to recently about this said that the system doesn't work. There is no objection to making time for clubs but they all say there are too many games in too short a time period. People hope Jarlath burns will put some smacht on things. 

Too many games doesn't wash. Nearly everyone thats ever played will say they'd far rather play more games rather than train for weeks on end behind games.

I predict a  grassroots movement for change at the next Congress.

Playing games during storms is not advisable but the GAA has no margins..

https://twitter.com/RTEsport/status/1777438205714849817

Great article/ piece with Jim Mcguinness in today's Irish News, a full throated defence of USFC & the provincial series. He made the point, that has been made here before, that counties trying to compete v Dublin and Kerry need financial support and development plans to make them competitive  again - as a better alternative to just scrapping them.

The provincial structure is broken and most people just want them moved to the start of the season. Most counties voted for a structure in 2021 which would see them be played first followed by a league based championship. Now we've ended up with a structure which tries to please everyone and is condensed into half the year despite having more games.

If most counties voted that it would have been seen with the vote The current structure we have was voted in by Congress and any change will have to be done via Congress again.

Anyone I have spoken to recently about this said that the system doesn't work. There is no objection to making time for clubs but they all say there are too many games in too short a time period. People hope Jarlath burns will put some smacht on things. 

Missed the game as I am over here in Texas chasing total eclipse.

Longford crowd was poor. We are losing our support. Need a grassroots campaign to get supporters back.

That said, I knew we had little hope agin Meath. But to score 3-12 on them has to worry O'Rourke. If we score 3-12 then Dubs could score 400-800 next week.

5 week break to Tailteann - could lose half the panel to God-knows-anything!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOxhH8N3Bo

This was last week

Westmeath manager Dessie Dolan questioned the GAA's fixtures scheduling after his side won the Allianz Football League Division 3 title, just eight days before they have to play a Leinster SFC quarter-final.
"It is hectic," Dolan told RTÉ Sport. "This is our third week in a row and we're playing Wicklow in the championship next week. It's hard to believe the championship is only a week away after a national final.
"The winners play the following weekend as well, so there's the possibility of five weeks in a row. It is extremely busy.
"It's difficult to get the lads regrouped and focused for match after match after match but that's what we have to do.

Did Dessie not see the fixtures months ago and plan training etc accordingly?

He sounds like he only discovered the fixtures a week or 10 days ago!

The players are amateurs. The GAA expects punters to pay to watch dead rubbers in Leinster and teams who are not ready . Climate change is also in the mix now. If cows can't be allowed out of sheds presumably matches will have to be called off as well.

I was talking to a butcher today who said that it is crazy. The hurling final on Saturday would have been called off in the past but there is no margin in the schedule.