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That a bad, England team, theyvtaje a pasting in the semi.

It's possible but despite any problems England have leading into WC's they always know how to win knock out games, so it wouldn't surprise me if they win the SF or at least get very close to doing so.

What overconfidence? All week long the analysis has been that the game was 50/50, Ireland marginal favourites if you had to choose.

They bottled nothing. Nobody in the rugby world is saying we bottled it. That appears to be the exclusive preserve of twats in the internet. They responded to every NZ try with one of their own. At the end of the day one top level rugby side lost a close match to another one which, because of the nature of the particular match, is absolutely gutting.

I think if you listen carefully to what came out of NZ, Ireland's overconfidence and celebrations post series win focused NZ.

Beating SA was a great win but the post match narrative about that resulting in an easier QF was laughable. I don't blame the players for that, more Irish rugby in general.

I agree there was some last minute analysis about the game being 50/50 but the overconfidence was still there and from a nation yet to win a knock out game or back up the confidence.

We can't complain now about the post match analysis. I agree it is gutting but we've been here before and it is very consistent.

We played well, miles better than we ever have in any previous QF, but make no mistake, we underperformed in certain areas and positions compared to our current exceptional standards. The morons will of course bang on about it being a bottle job etc, and it certainly wasn't that. New Zealand were excellent, especially at the breakdown, but the game was there to be won. No point pretending otherwise.

Mistakes that we'd never make, panic setting in early etc. We can rue the opportunity that Jordie Barret saved all we want but equally Smith had a clean intercept and was gone other than for slipping. That came from JGP pushing things too much with 30 mins left in the game.

It's fine margins at elite level sport. I wouldn't blame the players but after the relentless overconfidence from Irish rugby, we can't blame the rugby world from saying we bottled it.

Listening to rugby journalists this morning it's basically what they're saying when you factor where NZ and Ireland were this year. I'd like to see Irish rugby become humble, it might help the team to progress.

Too many lads glad Ireland lost, can't understand that attitude. Better u stick on the GAA thread.

I'm very disappointed but it's ok to say this happens every four years. It's like counties winning National Leagues and challenge games and then are left embarassed when teams are focused. There is a lot of great rugby to enjoy but we're unlikely to ever reach a WC semi final.

It's down to the draw. Ireland would beat Wales or Argentina pulling up in a quarter.

There is the over confidence again. I don't understand when we look at our record.

Both of them are very average and NZ will beat Argentina easily in the semi.
You'll make yourself a few quid if you fancy the Pumas to do something.

I agree NZ will beat Argentina but I'm just not convinced we would beat Argentina or Wales in a knock out WC game. We're very average ourselves at this level despite the hype.
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Too many lads glad Ireland lost, can't understand that attitude. Better u stick on the GAA thread.

I'm very disappointed but it's ok to say this happens every four years. It's like counties winning National Leagues and challenge games and then are left embarassed when teams are focused. There is a lot of great rugby to enjoy but we're unlikely to ever reach a WC semi final.

It's down to the draw. Ireland would beat Wales or Argentina pulling up in a quarter.

There is the over confidence again. I don't understand when we look at our record.

Both of them are very average and NZ will beat Argentina easily in the semi.
You'll make yourself a few quid if you fancy the Pumas to do something.

I agree NZ will beat Argentina but I'm just not convinced we would beat Argentina or Wales in a knock out WC game. We're very average ourselves at this level despite the hype.

We are very good at this level at the moment. We would easily beat Argentina or wales in a quarter or semi final.

I'm not so sure. Very good teams win QF's with an extra man over 20 minutes. You might be correct but until an Irish team proves it I think it's fair to say we're not at the required level to win knock out WC games.

We have to remember this is one of the weakest NZ teams ever, with a man down twice and still managed to beat us.

Too many lads glad Ireland lost, can't understand that attitude. Better u stick on the GAA thread.

I'm very disappointed but it's ok to say this happens every four years. It's like counties winning National Leagues and challenge games and then are left embarassed when teams are focused. There is a lot of great rugby to enjoy but we're unlikely to ever reach a WC semi final.

It's down to the draw. Ireland would beat Wales or Argentina pulling up in a quarter.

There is the over confidence again. I don't understand when we look at our record.

Both of them are very average and NZ will beat Argentina easily in the semi.
You'll make yourself a few quid if you fancy the Pumas to do something.

I agree NZ will beat Argentina but I'm just not convinced we would beat Argentina or Wales in a knock out WC game. We're very average ourselves at this level despite the hype.

Too many lads glad Ireland lost, can't understand that attitude. Better u stick on the GAA thread.

I'm very disappointed but it's ok to say this happens every four years. It's like counties winning National Leagues and challenge games and then are left embarassed when teams are focused. There is a lot of great rugby to enjoy but we're unlikely to ever reach a WC semi final.

It's down to the draw. Ireland would beat Wales or Argentina pulling up in a quarter.

There is the over confidence again. I don't understand it when we look at our record. The reality is we're not strong enough to compete when every Tier 1 team is focused at the same time. We'll be ok in the 6 Nations and test series between WC's which are enjoyable games to watch.

Too many lads glad Ireland lost, can't understand that attitude. Better u stick on the GAA thread.

I'm very disappointed but it's ok to say this happens every four years. It's like counties winning National Leagues and challenge games and then are left embarassed when teams are focused. There is a lot of great rugby to enjoy but we're unlikely to ever reach a WC semi final and the media should stop embarassing us with their over confidence.

First example of managing the schedule and planning performance for when it really counts.

Wales were over confident whilst it looks like Argentina had this weekend planned well in advance. I fear we could see a similar outcome later.

They need to release the handbrake and be more direct. Anyone remember when they beat Dublin in Croke Park in the league last year, playing more direct attacking style. Was outstanding performance.

I know it was early league match but how many teams can do that to Dublin in Croker, in that style. League or not. No doubt they are stronger defensively now but as others have said they need to merge a bit more between that and this year.

I think they're probably as good as most of the others outside Dublin and Kerry. Tyrone, Derry, Galway, Mayo, maybe Monaghan and Roscommon a a bit below.

This is the bonkers thinking I'm here for  You've just been beat by one of the teams that "maybe" a bit below you. If not further than a bit below you.

The reality is you've won sweet Fanny Adams and if they below you, beat them. In sport you earn reputation by beating teams and winning. Armagh got relelgated this year. In their group they struggled over Westmeath at home, got beat well by Tyrone and then popped Galway who haven't performed this year.  They had an easy path to an Ulster and then in two clutch games they choked when they seen the winning line. Armagh are exactly where they are. They aren't as good as the others or they'd still be playing.

Maybe so but I still think there is a lottery element to penalty shoot outs. It's a bit like when Mayo were getting to and losing All Ireland Finals. It's frustrating for Mayo fans but many other counties would like to be getting as far.

Armagh are getting to All Ireland QF's and competing at that level. Whatever is decided on for next season it isn't a bad base to start from and many other counties would be delighted to be competing at those levels. Armagh are certainly not being over run or beat out the gate in the latter stages of championship football.

There was some exceptionally lazy analysis by pundits before the Round Robin started about how "it was all a waste of time to only eliminate 4 teams".
It was as if they hadn't realised that finishing 1st was much better than 2nd and 2nd was a fair bit better than finishing 3rd given the structure of the PQFs and QFs.

I think too much is being made of the finishing positions in the round robins. Dublin and Kerry are way ahead of the rest and they managed the schedule knowing this fact.

Forget the league, provincial championships even the round robins, both knew they could do enough to qualify for the QF's when they'd peak. Mayo and Tyrone are ten points worse teams than both, I think we'll see Derry and Monaghan probably are as well. It won't make a difference they had two weeks break beforehand.

As much as I was glad Monaghan beat Armagh, I think Armagh likely would give Dublin a better game.

That said I don't think Derry or Monaghan will do any worse than the likes of Mayo and Tyrone showed this weekend. That was extremely disappointing by both sides who are much more fancied, many tipping them to win those games.

Monaghan will rightly be looking forward to semi final. I would rate Mayo stronger than Monaghan in championship football and if Dublin are as motivated and go at Monaghan like they did Mayo, it could be one of the biggest winning, All Ireland semi final margins ever.

I think Derry are better than Tyrone but I don't see them keeping a Kerry winning margin below 8 points.

It's going to be a classic All Ireland Final this year, can't wait for it.

Someone had to win but both teams were afraid to go for it. Saying that Armaghs refusal to push up with an extra man was ridiculous, especially as the black card straddled the break between normal time and extra time which meant that standing off was an instruction from the line, not something on field. A sad indictment of McGeeney I would say. But no doubt he will go another year.

In fairness to them they could never have foreseen a situation like that, if exactly the same thing had happened to them earlier in the championship they'd have discussed what they should have done in that situation and committed to taking the game to the opposition if it ever happened again, but what are the chances of playing the first period of extra time a man up due to a black card twice??

You aren't following what I am saying. The black card was given just before the end of normal time. The team and management then had a 10 minute break and a chance to organise for extra time. They clearly decided to sit off Monaghan. That's a very conservative thing to do and the net effect was both teams scored 1 point in that period so Armagh managed zero advantage from that period

To be fair Armagh hit two bad wides in that period from three early attacks. If they go three up then it's a big lead in that sort of game so I don't think you can blame management for that.

I would agree overall Armagh were too negative yesterday however some composure at key moments on the field they'd have won the match. Whatever the debate about tactics it went down to the lottery of penalties so I don't think the narrative can be Corey got his tactics totally correct and McGeeney got his totally wrong. Two even teams and Monaghan got the bit of luck to get over the line.

Think it's the end of the road for Kenny, that was a massive game and he failed miserabley. I am still an advocate of trying to play football as there's no future in hoofball but the truth is the team is a disorganised mess.

I've my doubts SK will be in charge by 2028 but I think Euro 28 is the FAI's priority. Last night was a tough away game not helped by the June schedule..

Results have not been great under SK however it requires a longer term plan to improve Irish soccer. SK's remit is to develop a pathway into the senior team by linking the different levels together. Players he has brought through will be internationals for the next ten years and I still think Irish soccer will eventually improve because of the work taking place now.

Why does Alliance HAVE TO decide to be Orange or Green?
Surely their whole point and reason for existence is that they're neither.

They don't have to but if in the event of a border poll they would need to chose a United Ireland or Union.. They could say we will leave it up to individual members to vote / canvas for what they want but then that causes a split in the party.

There'll be a split in the party either way if/when a border poll happens because if Party chose either side then members might get the hump and defect

It's called democracy. I don't know what Alliance would do but I presume they'd have a think tank producing balanced research on everyday issues. They would then provide space for their members and voters to make their own decision during the campaign debate. Most political parties don't have a specific directive on how to vote during referendum's.

[Mayo have looked a fair bit ahead in conditioning]

Not a great result for Mayo today despite the Farney heroics.

Joe Brolly was just saying in the paper today that Mayo were now the real deal and I believed him upto 2pm.

Mayo effectively turned it into a challenge match. In saying that despite a good league when the likes of Kerry, Dublin, Galway to name three get up to speed Mayo won't be near the All Ireland in my opinion. Mayo have looked a fair bit ahead in conditioning, maybe only matched by Derry.

Kerry, Dublin and Galway don't have to play a Division One team (who retained their Division one status) in a Championship match in 2 weeks time.

Good point and it's probably the reason Mayo are a bit ahead. However my point was it's all about the All Ireland for Mayo and I don't think they'll be near it when the other contenders catch up by June, early July.