Sam Maguire permutations

[yellowcard]

Kildare v Monaghan
Cork v Roscommon
Donegal vs Tyrone
Galway v Mayo

[tbrick18]

Kildare v Monaghan
Cork v Roscommon
Donegal vs Tyrone
Galway v Mayo

If I think Kildare are very strongly placed to beat Monaghan. Home game and have certainly improved over the year. Monaghan seem to be struggling to hit the heights they did against Derry earlier in the group stages.

Cork v Roscommon - earlier in the year you'd have had Roscommon nailed on for this one. Now I'm not so sure. Rossies are a little bit like Armagh and put a lot of emphasis on fitness and physicality, Cork have caught up on this aspect. Really a 50-50 game I think.

Donegal vs Tyrone - there always had to be 1 all-ulster clash. Again, earlier in the year you'd have said a hammering for Donegal. But they have been really good in their last two games against Derry and Monaghan. They kept mcguigan out of the game in the Derry match for large parts. If they can do that with Canavan (not sure if McCurry will be back) then I think Tyrone won't get the scores. Whereas Donegal seem to be getting scores from more areas and Gallen is in a good run of form. Not convinced on Tyrone at all, so I'm going with Donegal as they have that bit of momentum and a point to prove.

Galway v Mayo - both tipped by many for AI honours this year and both have been stuttering recently. Galway def struggling without Comer and it seems the squad depth may not be as good as we thought. Mayo have been disappointing over the last few games. Result will depend on who Galway have available. Full strength, Galway. Missing Comer, I'm going for Mayo.

So, that's Kildare, Donegal, Cork and Mayo.

QF draw:

Dublin
Derry
Armagh
Kerry

vs

Kildare
Donegal
Cork
Mayo

Realistically, after this last weekend Dublin and Kerry look like they are well ahead of the chasing pack.
Of the rest, I think Derry and Mayo/Galway are the only teams in with a half chance of competing with them.

[Estimator]

Do we know the quarter match-ups or is that another draw to be made?

Regarding the real Quarter Finals 
Going by the information on gaa.ie:

There will be no repeat pairings of the provincial finals - which can't happen now, with Derry and Armagh already in the quarter-finals, and 3 of the other provincial finalists are out - Sligo, Clare and Louth.

They will also try to avoid any clashes with Round One groups so:

Derry can't face Monaghan or Donegal
Dublin can't face Roscommon or Kildare
Kerry can't face Mayo or Cork
Armagh can't face Galway or Tyrone.

The teams in bold can be drawn against any other county not on the same line as them...

ie Derry could be drawn against Roscommon, Kildare, Mayo, Cork, Galway or Tyrone (results depending),
And if Donegal and Monaghan win, then that would reduce our options to Roscommon, Cork, Galway or Mayo

[yellowcard]

Kildare v Monaghan
Cork v Roscommon
Donegal vs Tyrone
Galway v Mayo

If I think Kildare are very strongly placed to beat Monaghan. Home game and have certainly improved over the year. Monaghan seem to be struggling to hit the heights they did against Derry earlier in the group stages.

Cork v Roscommon - earlier in the year you'd have had Roscommon nailed on for this one. Now I'm not so sure. Rossies are a little bit like Armagh and put a lot of emphasis on fitness and physicality, Cork have caught up on this aspect. Really a 50-50 game I think.

Donegal vs Tyrone - there always had to be 1 all-ulster clash. Again, earlier in the year you'd have said a hammering for Donegal. But they have been really good in their last two games against Derry and Monaghan. They kept mcguigan out of the game in the Derry match for large parts. If they can do that with Canavan (not sure if McCurry will be back) then I think Tyrone won't get the scores. Whereas Donegal seem to be getting scores from more areas and Gallen is in a good run of form. Not convinced on Tyrone at all, so I'm going with Donegal as they have that bit of momentum and a point to prove.

Galway v Mayo - both tipped by many for AI honours this year and both have been stuttering recently. Galway def struggling without Comer and it seems the squad depth may not be as good as we thought. Mayo have been disappointing over the last few games. Result will depend on who Galway have available. Full strength, Galway. Missing Comer, I'm going for Mayo.

So, that's Kildare, Donegal, Cork and Mayo.

QF draw:

Dublin
Derry
Armagh
Kerry

vs

Kildare
Donegal
Cork
Mayo

Realistically, after this last weekend Dublin and Kerry look like they are well ahead of the chasing pack.
Of the rest, I think Derry and Mayo/Galway are the only teams in with a half chance of competing with them.

I'm not sure that Dublin and Kerry are that far ahead. They both beat hapless opposition by cricket scores but we've learned nothing new about either.

Also if you claim that the only sides that have even a half chance of competing with them contain Derry, Mayo and Galway well what about an Armagh side who have already beaten Galway and drew with Derry. I'd put Armagh in that category now that we are straight into the quarter final. I still don't think we'll win it but we now have a great chance of getting to a semi final. 

[tbrick18]

Kildare v Monaghan
Cork v Roscommon
Donegal vs Tyrone
Galway v Mayo

If I think Kildare are very strongly placed to beat Monaghan. Home game and have certainly improved over the year. Monaghan seem to be struggling to hit the heights they did against Derry earlier in the group stages.

Cork v Roscommon - earlier in the year you'd have had Roscommon nailed on for this one. Now I'm not so sure. Rossies are a little bit like Armagh and put a lot of emphasis on fitness and physicality, Cork have caught up on this aspect. Really a 50-50 game I think.

Donegal vs Tyrone - there always had to be 1 all-ulster clash. Again, earlier in the year you'd have said a hammering for Donegal. But they have been really good in their last two games against Derry and Monaghan. They kept mcguigan out of the game in the Derry match for large parts. If they can do that with Canavan (not sure if McCurry will be back) then I think Tyrone won't get the scores. Whereas Donegal seem to be getting scores from more areas and Gallen is in a good run of form. Not convinced on Tyrone at all, so I'm going with Donegal as they have that bit of momentum and a point to prove.

Galway v Mayo - both tipped by many for AI honours this year and both have been stuttering recently. Galway def struggling without Comer and it seems the squad depth may not be as good as we thought. Mayo have been disappointing over the last few games. Result will depend on who Galway have available. Full strength, Galway. Missing Comer, I'm going for Mayo.

So, that's Kildare, Donegal, Cork and Mayo.

QF draw:

Dublin
Derry
Armagh
Kerry

vs

Kildare
Donegal
Cork
Mayo

Realistically, after this last weekend Dublin and Kerry look like they are well ahead of the chasing pack.
Of the rest, I think Derry and Mayo/Galway are the only teams in with a half chance of competing with them.

I'm not sure that Dublin and Kerry are that far ahead. They both beat hapless opposition by cricket scores but we've learned nothing new about either.

Also if you claim that the only sides that have even a half chance of competing with them contain Derry, Mayo and Galway well what about an Armagh side who have already beaten Galway and drew with Derry. I'd put Armagh in that category now that we are straight into the quarter final. I still don't think we'll win it but we now have a great chance of getting to a semi final.

You could be right on Dublin and Kerry, but Louth put it up to some of the top teams this year and got beat out the gate. Sligo have been improving too.
For me it feels like Dublin and Kerry have timed peaking until now. I hope I'm wrong.
The thing with Armagh is that they just beat a Galway side missing a lot of first teamers. I still think they are a fair bit behind a full strength Galway, but in saying that I guess this could be as strong as Galway get with the injuries. Of course Armagh in with a chance of semi's, but I still think the only teams that have the tools to stifle Kerry/Dublin are the 3 I mentioned.

[seafoid]

Kerry and Dublin are expected to kick on from now and are favourites with the bookies but it's not clear they can. Dublin are a long way off their peak and Kerry continue to rely on the same faces.

[Rudi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IRaS-Jf5XU&pp=ygUlZm9vdGJhbGwgY29taW5nIGhvbWUgcm9zY29tbW9uIGJhcmJlcg%3D%3D

Only 4 games to win, football is coming home

His optimism is a joy to behold. 

[Schkite]

If I think Kildare are very strongly placed to beat Monaghan. Home game and have certainly improved over the year. Monaghan seem to be struggling to hit the heights they did against Derry earlier in the group stages.

Kildare won't be at home though, they've nominated Tullamore to be the venue.

Hard to be overly optimistic for Monaghan given how we looked at the weekend, but it's the best draw we could have gotten so that will give us a boost. Also in true Monaghan tradition, we can't string 2 good performances together so we're probably due one here. Although even if we were to win, that would leave us shit out of luck in the quarters.

[J70]

Kildare v Monaghan
Cork v Roscommon
Donegal vs Tyrone
Galway v Mayo

FFS

They couldn't give us the Rossies for a bit of excitement and novelty?

[Laois Rising]

Kerry rely on the same faces?? From the game yesterday it would appear that all 15 starters and those that came on are contributing nicely. Geaney didn't play and he'll be chomping at the bit to get back in the next day as well. Half forwards of Spillane and Moynahan worked exceptionally hard tracking back and carrying the ball. Kerry, like Dublin, are timing their runs to hit form at the business end of the championship. For Mayo or Galway to win the All-Ireland from the position they are in now is asking a lot. It would require four big performances one after the other to win an All-Ireland which is a very tall task. Galway could potentially have to defeat Mayo, Kerry, Derry and Dublin in four consecutive games to win Sam. If they do achieve this feat it will be one of the most hard earned All-Ireland titles ever won. 

[bennydorano]

Bought the Irish Times this morning for a change of scenery, noticed they still have the semi final stages down in their fixture planner for  Connacht v Munster & Ulster v Leinster. I'm not sure this is the case tho? If it is presumably Armagh are now the 'Connacht' rep as well??

[armaghniac]

If I think Kildare are very strongly placed to beat Monaghan. Home game and have certainly improved over the year. Monaghan seem to be struggling to hit the heights they did against Derry earlier in the group stages.

Kildare won't be at home though, they've nominated Tullamore to be the venue.

Hard to be overly optimistic for Monaghan given how we looked at the weekend, but it's the best draw we could have gotten so that will give us a boost. Also in true Monaghan tradition, we can't string 2 good performances together so we're probably due one here. Although even if we were to win, that would leave us shit out of luck in the quarters.

The QF draw will be a complicated affair, if there is a wish to avoid previous pairings. For instance, if Galway and Tyrone win then Armagh would not play them, so Monaghan are much more likely to get Armagh which would probably seem within reach for them.

[tbrick18]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IRaS-Jf5XU&pp=ygUlZm9vdGJhbGwgY29taW5nIGhvbWUgcm9zY29tbW9uIGJhcmJlcg%3D%3D

Only 4 games to win, football is coming home

His optimism is a joy to behold. 

Brilliant! That's the characters that make being at a game special!

[thewobbler]

Can't help thinking Dublin were the real winners in today's draw.

One of the two teams capable of beating them will be gone this time next week, and the other one will likely be punctured from a do or die battle.

[5times5times]

Kerry
Dublin
Derry
Armagh

Kildare
Roscommon
Tyrone
Mayo

How does it work with QF pairings? Is it an open draw? Or any permutations of who each team played in group stages?