All Ireland Championship 2025.

[seafoid]

People need to stop bringing Div 1 teams and Div 2 teams to make a point.  The last two All Ireland champions was won by teams that played their spring football in Div 2 and Derry reached back to back All Ireland semi finals having played in Div 2 both years. It's a last 16 now down to the last 12. There isn't much of gap if any at all between those battling relegation in Division 1 and those pushing for promotion to Div 1. 

Would be nice to see a shock or two this weekend but the 4 favourites Donegal,Galway,Dublin,Kerry should win,  what shape they'll be in for the following week against a rested Monaghan,Meath,Tyrone,Armagh remains to be seen.

2 weeks of rest aren't going to make much difference to Meath or Monaghan.

[Armagh18]

I'd worry about Armagh defensively particularly if MCCambridge injury was bad. That said I don't think Armagh have put two good half's back to back yet. If they do that they could be hard beaten.

Armagh are easily the best defence left in the championship. I can't think of one better than them.

I'm not sure I agree. McKay is a big miss as Will McCambrdige and Burns be if they aren't able to return. I'd play McCormack ahead of McGrane but that may be my club loyalty showing

Is Burns injured too? Didn't know that.

They both limped off so I think it's hoped they'll be ok but you never know. I had read that McKay highly unlikely to feature this year but others were expecting him back this past weekend so hard to know.

I thought Burns was taken off due to the card. God help us against that Kerry forward line if those 2 are out. McKay was on the 26 last week so must be close.

Well he was limping going off and after the match although he didn't have any viable strapping or the like.

Soupy out for the season too I understand.

Heard earlier he will be grand. Rumour mill lol.

[Armagh18]

People need to stop bringing Div 1 teams and Div 2 teams to make a point.  The last two All Ireland champions was won by teams that played their spring football in Div 2 and Derry reached back to back All Ireland semi finals having played in Div 2 both years. It's a last 16 now down to the last 12. There isn't much of gap if any at all between those battling relegation in Division 1 and those pushing for promotion to Div 1. 

Would be nice to see a shock or two this weekend but the 4 favourites Donegal,Galway,Dublin,Kerry should win,  what shape they'll be in for the following week against a rested Monaghan,Meath,Tyrone,Armagh remains to be seen.

Nobody at the start of the championship would have predicted those 4 sides to be in the prelim quarters.  Football can be hard to predict!

You wouldn't many probably expected that four to be group winners. Real open championship with 2010 vibes off it when we got four All Ireland semi finalists that didn't win their provincial championship that summer. 

For the same to happen this year Tyrone,Monaghan,Armagh,Dublin to reach the last 4?

That'd be fairly possible

[Cunny Funt]

2 weeks of rest aren't going to make much difference to Meath or Monaghan.

Disagree. The rest will give both a better chance of winning their All Ireland quarter than if they had three matches in consecutive weekends and then playing a rested opponent.

[David McKeown]

I'd worry about Armagh defensively particularly if MCCambridge injury was bad. That said I don't think Armagh have put two good half's back to back yet. If they do that they could be hard beaten.

Armagh are easily the best defence left in the championship. I can't think of one better than them.

I'm not sure I agree. McKay is a big miss as Will McCambrdige and Burns be if they aren't able to return. I'd play McCormack ahead of McGrane but that may be my club loyalty showing

Is Burns injured too? Didn't know that.

They both limped off so I think it's hoped they'll be ok but you never know. I had read that McKay highly unlikely to feature this year but others were expecting him back this past weekend so hard to know.

I thought Burns was taken off due to the card. God help us against that Kerry forward line if those 2 are out. McKay was on the 26 last week so must be close.

Well he was limping going off and after the match although he didn't have any viable strapping or the like.

Soupy out for the season too I understand.

Heard earlier he will be grand. Rumour mill lol.

When I saw him he had a cast on so who knows

[Captain Obvious]

It is very difficult to really judge Tally on the season. On paper, ok no victories but there were some signs that the team can still be dangerous. I dont see him being the man to win an Ulster or reach an All Ireland final. Tactically he is a level or two below the real elite managers.

In saying all that any team with McCluskey, McEvoy, McKinless, Glass, Rogers, McFaul, E.Doherty and McGuigan can be a threat to anyone on their day.

Is it worth persevering with Tally for another year? Well the real question should be- after the disastrous managerial hunt last year can we really do any better???

Depends on what the Derry players want?

Last year under Mickey Harte  Derry topped the Division one table, won the league final/title and in the championship reached the All Ireland Quarter final.  This year a big regression under Tally finished bottom of Division one table without winning a game and championship a group stage exit. 

[joemamas]

2 weeks of rest aren't going to make much difference to Meath or Monaghan.

Disagree. The rest will give both a better chance of winning their All Ireland quarter than if they had three matches in consecutive weekends and then playing a rested opponent.

Agree, the pace of the "new game" is not comparable to what went before where teams could keep a possession for two minutes at a time, passing back and forth between the 50's.

If any of the winners of next weekend are involved in a close game, i.e.  down to last five minutes, you would feel it will have to have some impact in a game a week later on a pitch like croke park, especially as they have gone through a very difficult games this past weekend.

[Armagh18]

2 weeks of rest aren't going to make much difference to Meath or Monaghan.

Disagree. The rest will give both a better chance of winning their All Ireland quarter than if they had three matches in consecutive weekends and then playing a rested opponent.

Agree, the pace of the "new game" is not comparable to what went before where teams could keep a possession for two minutes at a time, passing back and forth between the 50's.

If any of the winners of next weekend are involved in a close game, i.e.  down to last five minutes, you would feel it will have to have some impact in a game a week later on a pitch like croke park, especially as they have gone through a very difficult games this past weekend.

100% although it's unlikely that any of the prelims go down to the wire. Hopefully at least 1 of the underdogs can run it close

[seafoid]

2 weeks of rest aren't going to make much difference to Meath or Monaghan.

Disagree. The rest will give both a better chance of winning their All Ireland quarter than if they had three matches in consecutive weekends and then playing a rested opponent.

Neither Meath nor Monaghan are weapons grade. They won't get anywhere near Sam.

[seafoid]

Should Galway prevail over Down and the other 3 fancied counties go through, i think the players left standing for Galway would likely be meeting Monaghan in the quarters.
Down are evidently progressing. In the latter part of the 2nd half v Monaghan they were responding in kind, on the attack just 2 points behind and they get pulled up by the ref for a costly 2 point infringement. Nothing went right for Down in the last 1/4 except the gifted free awarded for O'Toole's non-foul, whereas everything else went right for Monaghan. IMO it could easily have been a one point game which could have gone either way.

Why do you think the theoretical quarter final would be Galway versus Monaghan?

A theoretical set of qf pairings

Armagh (can only) v Kerry

that leaves 3 pairs

Meath v Donegal (who have already played Monaghan and Tyrone)
Galway have already played Dublin
therefore Monaghan v Galway
and Dublin v Tyrone

Are there any other possibilities should the fancied 4 go through?
Possibly the Monaghan Donegal previous game doesn't count

GRMA

[David McKeown]

Should Galway prevail over Down and the other 3 fancied counties go through, i think the players left standing for Galway would likely be meeting Monaghan in the quarters.
Down are evidently progressing. In the latter part of the 2nd half v Monaghan they were responding in kind, on the attack just 2 points behind and they get pulled up by the ref for a costly 2 point infringement. Nothing went right for Down in the last 1/4 except the gifted free awarded for O'Toole's non-foul, whereas everything else went right for Monaghan. IMO it could easily have been a one point game which could have gone either way.

Why do you think the theoretical quarter final would be Galway versus Monaghan?

A theoretical set of qf pairings

Armagh (can only) v Kerry

that leaves 3 pairs

Meath v Donegal (who have already played Monaghan and Tyrone)
Galway have already played Dublin
therefore Monaghan v Galway
and Dublin v Tyrone

Are there any other possibilities should the fancied 4 go through?
Possibly the Monaghan Donegal previous game doesn't count

GRMA

Monaghan V Donegal game doesn't count so they could meet in the quarter finals

[Armagh18]

2 weeks of rest aren't going to make much difference to Meath or Monaghan.

Disagree. The rest will give both a better chance of winning their All Ireland quarter than if they had three matches in consecutive weekends and then playing a rested opponent.

Neither Meath nor Monaghan are weapons grade. They won't get anywhere near Sam.

I think they'll be very hard stopped. How many teams have ever beaten Dublin and Kerry in the one year? Us in 02 and Tyrone in one of their years? Not too many more I'd say. Neither of those will fear anyone coming through that prelim draw. 

[Cunny Funt]

2 weeks of rest aren't going to make much difference to Meath or Monaghan.

Disagree. The rest will give both a better chance of winning their All Ireland quarter than if they had three matches in consecutive weekends and then playing a rested opponent.

Neither Meath nor Monaghan are weapons grade. They won't get anywhere near Sam.

If I was to read back I bet you were saying something similar about Armagh this time last year,  after all Armagh back then hadn't reached All Ireland semi final for 19 years. 

[Main Street]

Should Galway prevail over Down and the other 3 fancied counties go through, i think the players left standing for Galway would likely be meeting Monaghan in the quarters.
Down are evidently progressing. In the latter part of the 2nd half v Monaghan they were responding in kind, on the attack just 2 points behind and they get pulled up by the ref for a costly 2 point infringement. Nothing went right for Down in the last 1/4 except the gifted free awarded for O'Toole's non-foul, whereas everything else went right for Monaghan. IMO it could easily have been a one point game which could have gone either way.

Why do you think the theoretical quarter final would be Galway versus Monaghan?

A theoretical set of qf pairings

Armagh (can only) v Kerry

that leaves 3 pairs

Meath v Donegal (who have already played Monaghan and Tyrone)
Galway have already played Dublin
therefore Monaghan v Galway
and Dublin v Tyrone

Are there any other possibilities should the fancied 4 go through?
Possibly the Monaghan Donegal previous game doesn't count

GRMA

Monaghan V Donegal game doesn't count so they could meet in the quarter finals

The pairing  possibilities were already sorted in a post last night
Though I fancy Down have the wherewithal to pull off an upset against Galway.

[SouthOfThe Bann]

Should Galway prevail over Down and the other 3 fancied counties go through, i think the players left standing for Galway would likely be meeting Monaghan in the quarters.
Down are evidently progressing. In the latter part of the 2nd half v Monaghan they were responding in kind, on the attack just 2 points behind and they get pulled up by the ref for a costly 2 point infringement. Nothing went right for Down in the last 1/4 except the gifted free awarded for O'Toole's non-foul, whereas everything else went right for Monaghan. IMO it could easily have been a one point game which could have gone either way.

Why do you think the theoretical quarter final would be Galway versus Monaghan?

A theoretical set of qf pairings

Armagh (can only) v Kerry

that leaves 3 pairs

Meath v Donegal (who have already played Monaghan and Tyrone)
Galway have already played Dublin
therefore Monaghan v Galway
and Dublin v Tyrone

Are there any other possibilities should the fancied 4 go through?
Possibly the Monaghan Donegal previous game doesn't count

GRMA

Monaghan V Donegal game doesn't count so they could meet in the quarter finals

The pairing  possibilities were already sorted in a post last night
Though I fancy Down have the wherewithal to pull off an upset against Galway.

So much to like about that Down team. It's a pity they got relegated they've real potential to stay at the top table.