Westmeath Vs Dublin - Croke Park

[Rossfan]

. There are only 32 counties. Being the best of 10 bum counties is far from inspiring.

Only 28 clubs in Ros - probably less in Longford/Laythrum/Fermanagh- yet we have 3 grades.
Maybe let the B Counties at it but let the Winner or the  2 Finalists get into a "Round of 12" before the Quarter Finals ?

[From the Bunker]

But the beauty of the Intermediate Championship  would mean that the minnows were in it from the beginning. They could not complain that they were to good for this tier. The proof of being good enough would be in winning and gaining promotion to the Senior Ranks. And it would mean something to the county to be back with the Big Boys!

The one thing the minnow wants to do is get a big county and feckin turn them over. They forget all the hammerings but the odd win will never be forgotten.

Of course, everybody likes to turn over a (so called) Big county. But the hidings some of these counties get can't be good. Year in year out. 

[muppet]

No!!!!!!!! (That's what Ulster says).

We played in the Tommy Murphy Cup and I stood in Croke Park cheering as we lifted the cup but it meant nothing, really.

I was happy when we won the Christy Ring but it meant nothing, really.

Don't pretend that winning stupid cups mean anything.

Everyone should have the same fair crack at Sam, ye shower of elitist bastids.

We always get bate..........but we love it.

P.S. I was there when we got to the Ulster Final, I was there when we beat Galway in the qualifiers, I was there when we beat the Dubs in hurling. Let me tell ye, there is no feeling like it.

I don't like the way they attach legendary names to 2nd level competitions.

Christy Ring would never have played in the Christy Ring Cup.

They should use appropriate names for 2nd level competitions such as The Joe Brolly Mug or The Sludden Spoon.

[Syferus]

As a Dublin supporter, I feel tonight was a hollow victory. Its certainly done our championship aspirations no good whatsoever. It would have been far more advantageous to our preparations if the game was played in Mullingar. Croke Park was like a morgue tonight, no athmosphere. It would have been a great spectacle for those present and the TV viewers if the game had of been played in Mullingar. It would have been a closer game also.

I have to say Jim Gavin is a brave man. He left 6 or 7 lads  with AI medals on the bench tonight and played kids. Not sure if its good enough to beat the likes of Donegal, far too open at the back. Great to watch though.

As regards Westmeath, they are not as bad as the scoreline suggests. They would probably go close to  beating Kildare.

Westmeath wouldn't come within an ass's roar of Kildare performing at their usual championship level.

[gwan-ye-boy-ya]

forget mickey mouse cups.. open draw is way to go. sure at least(in a group of 4) a county would get 3 good games and could build on that. as for derbies and the like , thats the fun of the open draw, seeing whom youll get.
no matter what ye say a 32 divided by 8 groups of 4 will bring in more revenue than excising format.

[Zulu]

There's a simple solution, link the league and championship. Job done, all problems solved. Why it hasn't happened is beyond me.

[Drummerboy]

As a Dublin supporter, I feel tonight was a hollow victory. Its certainly done our championship aspirations no good whatsoever. It would have been far more advantageous to our preparations if the game was played in Mullingar. Croke Park was like a morgue tonight, no athmosphere. It would have been a great spectacle for those present and the TV viewers if the game had of been played in Mullingar. It would have been a closer game also.

I have to say Jim Gavin is a brave man. He left 6 or 7 lads  with AI medals on the bench tonight and played kids. Not sure if its good enough to beat the likes of Donegal, far too open at the back. Great to watch though.

As regards Westmeath, they are not as bad as the scoreline suggests. They would probably go close to  beating Kildare.

Westmeath wouldn't come within an ass's roar of Kildare performing at their usual championship level.

What exactly is Kildares usual championship level. They lost to a division 3 team last year.

[Syferus]

As a Dublin supporter, I feel tonight was a hollow victory. Its certainly done our championship aspirations no good whatsoever. It would have been far more advantageous to our preparations if the game was played in Mullingar. Croke Park was like a morgue tonight, no athmosphere. It would have been a great spectacle for those present and the TV viewers if the game had of been played in Mullingar. It would have been a closer game also.

I have to say Jim Gavin is a brave man. He left 6 or 7 lads  with AI medals on the bench tonight and played kids. Not sure if its good enough to beat the likes of Donegal, far too open at the back. Great to watch though.

As regards Westmeath, they are not as bad as the scoreline suggests. They would probably go close to  beating Kildare.

Westmeath wouldn't come within an ass's roar of Kildare performing at their usual championship level.

What exactly is Kildares usual championship level. They lost to a division 3 team last year.

Why are so many people so annoyed by Kildare that it blinds them to their position in the grand scheme of counties?

[Hardy]

I understand and accept the logic of the back door/qualifier system and the benefit of more games, etc., and it's all logical and sensible. But there's still something wrong when a championship game effectively means nothing and both teams are still in the championship when it's over and nothing really is different as a result of the match. It impacts for me most of all when Meath play Dublin. It doesn't matter anymore who wins. There's something fundamental wrong with that and with the loss of the blood and thunder, all or nothing quality that these matches used to have. Gone forever.

[Dinny Breen]

As a Dublin supporter, I feel tonight was a hollow victory. Its certainly done our championship aspirations no good whatsoever. It would have been far more advantageous to our preparations if the game was played in Mullingar. Croke Park was like a morgue tonight, no athmosphere. It would have been a great spectacle for those present and the TV viewers if the game had of been played in Mullingar. It would have been a closer game also.

I have to say Jim Gavin is a brave man. He left 6 or 7 lads  with AI medals on the bench tonight and played kids. Not sure if its good enough to beat the likes of Donegal, far too open at the back. Great to watch though.

As regards Westmeath, they are not as bad as the scoreline suggests. They would probably go close to  beating Kildare.

Westmeath wouldn't come within an ass's roar of Kildare performing at their usual championship level.

What exactly is Kildares usual championship level. They lost to a division 3 team last year.

Why are so many people so annoyed by Kildare that it blinds them to their position in the grand scheme of counties?

Kildare were beaten by a Division 2 team last year Meath and a Division 1 team Cork. The year before 2 Division 1 teams Dublin and Donegal, the year before that Division 3 Louth and Divison 2 Down and the year before that 2 Divison 1 teams Dublin and Tyrone and finally in 2008 a Division 4 team Micklow and a Division 1 team Cork.

So under McGeeney 6 defeats to Division 1 opposition, 2 to Division 2 and 1 each to Division 3 and 4.  So they are the facts and people can make from that what they want.

It's always easier to be critical than correct.

[Jinxy]

I understand and accept the logic of the back door/qualifier system and the benefit of more games, etc., and it's all logical and sensible. But there's still something wrong when a championship game effectively means nothing and both teams are still in the championship when it's over and nothing really is different as a result of the match. It impacts for me most of all when Meath play Dublin. It doesn't matter anymore who wins. There's something fundamental wrong with that and with the loss of the blood and thunder, all or nothing quality that these matches used to have. Gone forever.

If we had a decent team it'd matter Hardy.
Unfortunately they are 10 points+ a better team than us in recent years which means they play in 3rd gear and our lads play like they don't think they can win it anyway.
Back in 2005 and 2007 we had hugely competitive Meath v Dublin games, but we had the likes of GG, Fayser, Moyles and Crawford and what seemed to be a promising bunch of youngsters (Bray, Byrne, Farrell, Ward, Joe etc.).
We had the odd good day since but that was more by accident than design.

[From the Bunker]

Kildare were beaten by a Division 2 team last year Meath and a Division 1 team Cork. The year before 2 Division 1 teams Dublin and Donegal, the year before that Division 3 Louth and Divison 2 Down and the year before that 2 Divison 1 teams Dublin and Tyrone and finally in 2008 a Division 4 team Micklow and a Division 1 team Cork.

So under McGeeney 6 defeats to Division 1 opposition, 2 to Division 2 and 1 each to Division 3 and 4.  So they are the facts and people can make from that what they want.

It's always easier to be critical than correct.

A mixed bag. I'd look from a different angle. How many Division One (and possibly Division Two) teams have been beaten by Kildare under McGeeney? Not many i'd say?

Ah, I'm not going to go on a Top table rant but Kildare have not beaten Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Tyrone, Cork, Donegal or Mayo in Championship football, Granted they have not met Mayo or Kerry. But for me until they beat one of these they are not in the top mix for an AI. Jez, I don't consider Mayo in the to mix and they have beaten a couple of those.

[seafoid]

I understand and accept the logic of the back door/qualifier system and the benefit of more games, etc., and it's all logical and sensible. But there's still something wrong when a championship game effectively means nothing and both teams are still in the championship when it's over and nothing really is different as a result of the match. It impacts for me most of all when Meath play Dublin. It doesn't matter anymore who wins. There's something fundamental wrong with that and with the loss of the blood and thunder, all or nothing quality that these matches used to have. Gone forever.

If we had a decent team it'd matter Hardy.
Unfortunately they are 10 points+ a better team than us in recent years which means they play in 3rd gear and our lads play like they don't think they can win it anyway.
Back in 2005 and 2007 we had hugely competitive Meath v Dublin games, but we had the likes of GG, Fayser, Moyles and Crawford and what seemed to be a promising bunch of youngsters (Bray, Byrne, Farrell, Ward, Joe etc.).
We had the odd good day since but that was more by accident than design.

Maybe it was better pre QFs when if you had a bad team you'd get it over with in one match.

[Dinny Breen]

Kildare were beaten by a Division 2 team last year Meath and a Division 1 team Cork. The year before 2 Division 1 teams Dublin and Donegal, the year before that Division 3 Louth and Divison 2 Down and the year before that 2 Divison 1 teams Dublin and Tyrone and finally in 2008 a Division 4 team Micklow and a Division 1 team Cork.

So under McGeeney 6 defeats to Division 1 opposition, 2 to Division 2 and 1 each to Division 3 and 4.  So they are the facts and people can make from that what they want.

It's always easier to be critical than correct.

A mixed bag. I'd look from a different angle. How many Division One (and possibly Division Two) teams have been beaten by Kildare under McGeeney? Not many i'd say?

Ah, I'm not going to go on a Top table rant but Kildare have not beaten Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Tyrone, Cork, Donegal or Mayo in Championship football, Granted they have not met Mayo or Kerry. But for me until they beat one of these they are not in the top mix for an AI. Jez, I don't consider Mayo in the to mix and they have beaten a couple of those.

Absolutely fair comment.

However people need to stop judging Kildare against Leinster titles and All-Irelands, that is short-term and not the only barometer of success. If you judge Kildare against it's history and it's footballing culture this is a very successful Kildare team.

Kildare are trying to shake of the weight of our tradition and our history, so some people might judge McGeeney on the lack of silverware or the failure to beat a Dublin or a Kerry but what McGeeney is changing is our culture, he is building a legacy and has created a path way from u14 to Senior. We are the only county at under-age in Leinster that can go toe with the Dublin juggernaut. We won't win an All-Ireland this year or next year and it will probably take another manager to move us on but Kildare are getting there inch by inch and as long we stay on the coat tail of Dublin football there will be more good days than bad days.

[Dont Matter]

Ok so we're all sick of these one sided games but we don't want to send teams into weaker competitions meaning we wont see any shocks in the championship. Some would like an open draw for championship but we don't want to lose the provincial championship. We want to go back to old fashioned knock out competition but we also want teams to get extra games.
Bit of a conundrum. How do we keep everyone happy? Well I'm just milling around for a few hours till the matches start later so I will come up with the perfect solution right now! That's right I will come up with a solution that makes everyone happy. Dont matter to save the day. I will make a new thread about it. If I can't come up with a solution I wont make a new thread and this post will be deleted post haste.