Messages

Monaghan will not be easy beat and have been like that for a long time now. I do still think Armagh will win but the winning margin is anyones guess...Armagh are so unpredictable but the last game v Down was the first in a long time where they kept the throttle down for the whole game.
I'll guess Armagh 2-20 Monaghan 1-18

Hoping we do similar, if we play to our best for 70 minutes we'll beat Monaghan, if we don't it'll be a total dogfight, we've never got anything easy against those huers.

Hopefully no extra time and certainly no fecking penalties. Looking like a nice day in the metropolis of Clones at least.

I can guarantee you there will 100% not be a penalty shoot out on Sunday.

There has to be a replay first.

Congrats Roscommon, thought Galway were in for a right trimming at half time. Game was lost in first half with the half arsed tactics of pressing Carroll's kickouts, Joyce 100% to blame for that; Setup was diabolical and should never happen again, can't win a game like that.

Who's the clown who said Comer knew what he was at, never a free in the first place. Watched the game with plenty of neutrals who wanted Roscommon to win who all agree Hurson was riding Galway. Thats not the 1st time Galway have been on the wrong end of a really poor decision by Hurson in the final moments.

But it's Galway's own fault, kickouts in first half  along with bizare selection of Molloy, Roche and O'Flaherty who were all poor come back to haunt Galway. Didn't expect any of 3 to see any game time never mind start, Molloy had a shocking league.

But there are positives, when early in the 2nd half when it looked like they'd be well beaten they dug in deep and dominated for 20 minutes and took control.

Just seen the kick out stats, says it all.

Was it not moved up because he was playing an advantage and then Comer didn't give the ball back rather than a foul by Comer? That's what I thought in real time anyway.

Thought was harsh originally but on watching the replay it's a foul. There would need be some type of directive coming from refs in advance of next season in relation to the continuous pulling and dragging at corners and maybe make an example of a few teams not complying in early weeks of season.

I'm not sure that would work because the potential penalties (pun intended) are very different. If you are harsh on punishing pulling then it encourages attackers to pull because the worst that will happen is a free out but for defenders the consequences are terrible.

I'd simply book every player who pulls. That's the only way I can think might stamp it out.

One of the issues I have with the condensed season is that I feel it takes away from the excitement and anticipation you used to get building to a big game. This system has amplified that particularly with the draw being made so early. Hopefully that improves when we get to the actual knockout rounds

I think the first thing that needs addressed is the ability of provinces to seed teams which directly impacts on the All Ireland series. For example had Cork drawn Kerry in an open draw in the Munster Semi final Cavan would now be in the Tailtean cup. That to me seems extremely unfair.

As does this idea of half avoiding repeat fixtures. Again impacted by seeding control by a province. It creates an unlevel playing field.

Disagree, don't think it helps the integrity of a competition if a Division 4 team by virtue of a lopsided  provincial draw ends up in the AI series, giving stronger teams an easy draw.

Take London the year they made it to the Connacht final (2012?). In this format that only benefits the teams that are drawn out against them. At least this year Down were excluded at the expense of Westmeath. Imagine they were excluded at the expense of London by virtue of wins over Sligo & Leitrim.

Ps - had Leitrim made the Connacht final this year, they would have been there on merit! 

So you think the integrity is maintained by ensuring that some team have an advantage over others on a non merit basis?  I'm really not sure I follow.

Why is any competition seeded? So the final has the best teams and the top seeds aren't knocking each other out only to leave a one sided spectacle in the final. Galway and Roscommon are there on merit.

The first round of the qualifiers is all the better not to have London  there because of a handy draw (say Leitrim & Sligo). The only beneficiary of that would be whoever draws them in rounds 1 and 2 as they might as well have a bye. You get an uneven contest and the overall tournament is skewed because other teams won't have a such a handy draw. 

The real question is why would you want teams in there that can't compete? I would seed based on league position by the way.

I don't want teams in there that can't compete. I want all teams to have as fair a crack as possible. 

It's not a level playing field for one side to have to win one game against any where between the 3rd and 5th best team in their province in order to guarantee the same thing that a team from Ulster  might have to beat the three best teams in their province to achieve.

I think any system for the all Ireland has to address this issue.

Personally I'd run the provincial competitions as a completely separate competition

I think the first thing that needs addressed is the ability of provinces to seed teams which directly impacts on the All Ireland series. For example had Cork drawn Kerry in an open draw in the Munster Semi final Cavan would now be in the Tailtean cup. That to me seems extremely unfair.

As does this idea of half avoiding repeat fixtures. Again impacted by seeding control by a province. It creates an unlevel playing field.

Disagree, don't think it helps the integrity of a competition if a Division 4 team by virtue of a lopsided  provincial draw ends up in the AI series, giving stronger teams an easy draw.

Take London the year they made it to the Connacht final (2012?). In this format that only benefits the teams that are drawn out against them. At least this year Down were excluded at the expense of Westmeath. Imagine they were excluded at the expense of London by virtue of wins over Sligo & Leitrim.

Ps - had Leitrim made the Connacht final this year, they would have been there on merit! 

So you think the integrity is maintained by ensuring that some team have an advantage over others on a non merit basis?  I'm really not sure I follow.

I think the first thing that needs addressed is the ability of provinces to seed teams which directly impacts on the All Ireland series. For example had Cork drawn Kerry in an open draw in the Munster Semi final Cavan would now be in the Tailtean cup. That to me seems extremely unfair.

As does this idea of half avoiding repeat fixtures. Again impacted by seeding control by a province. It creates an unlevel playing field.

The incident with McEntee yesterday was hilarious I thought.

Hats off to agent Tony. Played a blinder.

Even if he did confuse the referee into initially awarding Down the free kick

Good draw for Kerry and Donegal, loser likely to get a handy game against another loser and they then can't meet again until the final.

Surely that's not right??

I thought it was only avoidance of repeat pairings until the quarter finals

Happy enough with that draw. Some high quality matches there.

The incident with McEntee yesterday was hilarious I thought.

Yes indeed - 5 possible repeat pairings
Armagh v Tyrone
Roscommon v Mayo
Monaghan v Cavan/Derry
Dublin v Louth
Westmeath v Kildare

Westmeath v Meath also possible

Yes whoever a team draws tomorrow is who they will be playing regardless of result. The only advantage of a provincial winner is the same as a provincial loser and that is home advantage, whereas the Pot B team has a rest, less risk of injury, no red card risk, and 3 weeks to study opponent and attend match to study further. But it is what it is.

Madness

I thought the draw was supposed to be

Knocked out team a v Ulster winner
Knocked out team b v Ulster runner up.

In other words teams would know which of two teams they'd be playing until the final was decided.

Have they changed to all teams knowing tomorrow regardless of final results?

The 2 pointer has been a terrible rule, certainly in its current form. I'd understand if it had been from outside the 45 to actually encourage great scores-instead we have what were always routine points now worth double. Other than the solo and go I don't think any of the other rule changes have significantly improved the game-don't get me started on the 1v1 throw in!

Previously it was work the ball to death until you get into position for the percentage score, shots from outside the ark weren't exactly "routine" as they were low probability and therefore discouraged.

The problem is a lot of teams now seem to use them as their first option and if they can't get them then try to work a 1 pointer.

Statistically if they had the average probability that was half the probability of a 1 point effort they'd be the better choice.