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It's a sellout ?

Is this the first real knockout game between Galway and Mayo since the back door qualifiers were introduced?

If Cork can beat Mayo then they have a good chance against Roscommon.

It wouldn't be a surprise if one or two of these games went to penalties. I fancy Kildare, Tyrone, Roscommon and Mayo but all of the games could go either way.

[over by the end of July is shocking]

I've decided to wait on Killarney for next weekend rather than go to Leitrim this weekend. What a shitty ground and venue for such a game, the low crowd and slow uptake in tickets says it all. Was not a game for Croker either as it would only have been 1/3 full...possible double header with 50-60k but the ideal ground would have been Brefni Pk or Tullamore etc. Anyway I expect Armagh to put up another gallant performance but still lose and play Kerry the following weekend which will probably be the end of their season (hope i'm wrong on both). This format is crap and fully expect change next year...The dates are a load of bollix...The Inter County season to be over by the end of July is shocking...

Why do you say that? The vast majority of players are club players and they deserve a decent, proper structured season. We need to give it another year or 2 but the split season looks good so far. The games coming thick and fast is brilliant and means the season isn't stretched out for no reason.

The only thing keeping any interest in this league it the Celtic Rangers sectarian rivalry. Nobody is watching for the quality of the football or the quality of the competition.

Both Celtic and Rangers would immediately be top half of the overrated epl even without the injection of tv money.  With tv money Celtic would be in the top 4 without a doubt. They have fans all over the world. Just last year Rangers reached the final of the europa league and were only beaten on penalties. The epl representatives who were good enough to be top 6 in england fell by the wayside beaten by better teams from so called lesser leagues.

Gallen is a serious operator class he deserved MOTM.

Tremendous game between 2 good attacking sides. Derry could've scored 3 or 4 more goals and Donegal should've had another couple. Lots of great points taken also. Great to see football played like that with 2 teams going for it.

Not much fight in Armagh at present. Very disappointing.

O'neill deservedly sent off. He's a liability, should've been sent off v Derry. Brilliant footballer if he concentrated on that.

Money racket. 24 matches to eliminate four teams....

I like the idea of it. If only 2 teams were to go through in each group it could lead to a really good team going out unfairly eg Mayo beat Kerry in the first game, mayo already qualified put out a complete reserve team for last game and Kerry get eliminated as a result. We want to see the very best teams in the last 4. Last season Derry got a record points total in division 2 but weren't promoted because an already promoted Galway side put out a reserve side v Roscommon. That's why it's good that 3 go through, to avoid that kind of scenario.

On paper this should be a very close game, in reality I'm not so sure.

Armagh could have won the ulster final against a below par Derry team on the day, but ill discipline and too many main players losing their nerve come penalties cost them. Then they just squeeze past Westmeath. It feels like the confidence is low and I don't think they have the scoring threat they think they have.

Tyrone on the otherhand, have had a poor start to the year but showed against Galway that they have improved during the break. They will take confidence from the manner of defeat when down to 14 men (and indeed 13 for a while).  I saw them against Kerry and they really were excellent that day. So they have show how capable they are against the top teams.

As much as I like to see Tyrone get beat, I think they'll win this one reasonably well.

The only provincial winner to win their first group game was Galway. Tyrone missed a big opportunity in that game as Galway were there for the taking and tyrone had weeks to prepare.

I think you are seeing a drop off in Derry due to the absence of Gallagher. Both Donegal and Derry now have caretaker managers and the uncertainty can't be good for either team. That game will not be one for the purist and I'd predict a horrible spectacle and the fact that it is in Ballybofey there won't be much in it. If Derry get out with any sort of victory they would sign up for that now.

Yeah that's my take too.
Earlier in the year I would have had us in with a real chance of an AI. Now, it wouldn't surprise me if we finished 3rd in the group and got knocked out in the QF.
The loss of Gallagher is huge for this team in terms of the intensity he drew out of the players. That has definitely been missing the last 2 games.

Gallagher prepared the team for the Armagh - i appreciate he wasn't at the game but it was always going to be a tight game. If Brendan Rogers had of fisted the point over the bar near the end we'd probably have won by 3 points and everyone would say it was a great performance. Levels definitely dipped for the Monaghan game, who were excellent on the day, had 4 weeks to prepare and played us in their last game. We would have found that game tough under RG too. Every provincial finalist underperformed in the 1st round of group games.

I'm still expecting us to beat Donegal but probably not as hopeful of a long run in the AI as i was pre RG scandal but we'll see. The last day out, of our key players only McGuigan has performed near the level we have become accustomed to so I am still expecting an improvement in the next 2 group games.

I see Vinney Corey isn't happy with the scheduling as it gives Clare an advantage this week (2 week rest). He wasn't too bothered about it last week.

To be fair if done right every team woud be getting at least two weeks between every game.

If done right every team would get one weeks rest and that would be fair. If there was 2 weeks rest between all games then the club season would end up very short.

Enda McGinley predicting our demise already . . .

https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0525/1385632-mcginley-derry-dip-possible-in-group-stages/

McGinley is a very good pundit but hopefully he's wrong on this one. I heard last week that Mcwilliams had a nasty leg injury but he's getting closer to fitness again.

I don't know who wanted more matches but here they are. They will suit a team like Tyrone who can experiment with different ideas and no jeopardy.,
Tyrone used the qualifiers to do something similar in 05 and 08. Galway can use the time to fix problems as well.

Poor enough game between 2 very defensive sides. The conditions made it a tough watch. Tyrone were very cynical and Galway weren't far behind.

Could only purchase General Admission for the Monaghan game in Celtic Park (and for some reason they are more expensive than the Ulster Final)

Now, I can't see any confirmation anywhere from the clubs/county/Ticketmaster, but I'm assuming that this means that it is going to be a free for all like the league games - First come, first served for the covered stand.

I was thinking the same. Price is ridiculous tbh. £5 for kids fair enough, but they are going to put a lot of people off attending 3 games at that price.
Especially as these games are going to be almost meaningless for the most part.
Derry v Monaghan has a bit of drama to it I suppose with us already having played, but generally, win one game and you've qualified.
Bit of an OG on pricing I think.

Top group and you get a home quarter final and a week off. I don't think any team which doesn't top their group has a realistic chance of winning Sam.

Armagh should have no bother here - will win with a good bit to spare. Other two matches will be a different challenge.

Good game for Armagh to get going again after their devastating defeat in the Ulster final. I hope they go for a more positive attitude after dragging Derry down into an arm wrestle at Clones. They have some really good attacking players and they should try to play to those strengths.

He's a class forward no doubt but showed leadership?Really? Forwards are meant to take on defenders and score,simple. I do hope Armagh revert to the playing style of last year. Mimicking Derrys style will get them only so far before they are embarrassed like Derry were last year against Galway and this year in the div. 2 final against Dublin. Armagh are better than that. They were great to watch until this year. The fear of losing perhaps? Two young relatives  of mine were taken to Croke park last year for their  first  time  to watch the Galway Armagh game and were completely blown away by the spectacle. They started training with a local club this spring and spent every session without once kicking a ball..A modern well paid manager in charge and they were taught none of the basic skills. They watched two games on tv , one involving Donegal and the other involving Derry. They are now playing soccer. This is the problem with people like RG and many others at club and county level all over Ireland. They are destroying a great game and they even don't care.

You just stick to the apples, you'll get sick eating all those sour grapes.

Watched it on the iPlayer at 2.51.30 Rian lifts his jersey while talking to David Gough and points to his chest. Gough will obviously have mentioned it in his report.

It's very clear from the footage that O'Neill deserves a ban. It's a very aggressive push in McGuigans back which could've caused a serious injury and then he wraps his arms around Shane's neck and pulls him in.