All Ireland Championship 2025.

[screenexile]

Another great weekend of group games. What's the deal with next year? Has it been approved by Congress and nailed on or is there a chance it can be reveresed/not voted in?

It's a done deal

[An Watcher]

Out of interest, Armagh have won their group and if Donegal don't win theirs, can they potentially meet in the All Ireland quarters.  Or is it the case that provincial finalists can't meet?

[Gael85]

Out of interest, Armagh have won their group and if Donegal don't win theirs, can they potentially meet in the All Ireland quarters.  Or is it the case that provincial finalists can't meet?

I think they can meet in QF.

[armaghniac]

Out of interest, Armagh have won their group and if Donegal don't win theirs, can they potentially meet in the All Ireland quarters.  Or is it the case that provincial finalists can't meet?

I think they can meet in QF.

No,they cannot, unless it has changed from last year.
The four first-place teams from Round 1 (Group Stage) shall be drawn to play against the
four Preliminary Quarter-Finals winners, subject in the first instance to the avoidance of
repeat Provincial Final pairings and where possible repeat pairings from Round 1 (Group
Stage).

[Gael85]

Out of interest, Armagh have won their group and if Donegal don't win theirs, can they potentially meet in the All Ireland quarters.  Or is it the case that provincial finalists can't meet?

I think they can meet in QF.

No,they cannot, unless it has changed from last year.
The four first-place teams from Round 1 (Group Stage) shall be drawn to play against the
four Preliminary Quarter-Finals winners, subject in the first instance to the avoidance of
repeat Provincial Final pairings and where possible repeat pairings from Round 1 (Group
Stage).

No, you are correct.

[J70]

Cavan today: at home but vastly outnumbered in the stands, out-coached on the sideline and outclassed on the pitch. Yet another predictably horrific day at the office. This should ring alarm bells as to what's going on (or not) at county board level where exorbitant sums are being spent year-on-year, and what plans they have to rip it up and start again, but it'll be business as usual - reminiscing about Mick Higgins and the Polo Grounds and consoling ourselves that the minors made an Ulster final. Tyrone on a mission against us next week only promises another evisceration and misery, and probably the end of the road for Raymond Galligan, who tries hard, but has an absolutely abject championship record and evidently got the job too early.

From listening on the radio it sounded like the sideline bust-up and the general bad humour for a few minutes shortly before half time was the turning point. That and Donegal turning Cavan over after hooter and scoring the goal. You could hear the Donegal support really get behind the team.  It was one way traffic after that with the exception of a two minute spell early in the second where Cavan got a point and a two pointer from pressuring Mulreany's kick out.

[ONeill]

If Mayo beat Donegal (can happen) and Cavan beat Tyrone (can happen), then Donegal are out, which makes no sense atall.

[trileacman]

Another great weekend of group games. What's the deal with next year? Has it been approved by Congress and nailed on or is there a chance it can be reveresed/not voted in?

It's a done deal

What are we replacing it with?

[cavanmaniac]

J70, I feared once I saw Donegal getting a bit cranky and bringing a bit more heat that it would be the likely cue for our lads to fold. They just haven't the balls or the heart or any core of belief whatsoever, but to be fair it's been hollowed out of them over the years of toiling away and getting nowhere, the reasons for which are multilayered. However, no set of intercounty players worthy of the name, especially of a reasonable calibre and as experienced as Cavan's, should ever be on the end of two such almighty humblings as we've allowed Tyrone and Donegal to inflict. It's gone so bad now that this is allowed to happen and our county, that would once be in uproar over a display like that and talk about nothing else for weeks, will shrug collectively and move on. Hardly a murmur from the small support there today, fewer again the next day v Tyrone. I don't honestly think we can regard ourselves as a proper footballing county any more, so deep has the rot been allowed to take hold that it's met with fatalism and indifference. We need a revolution to sweep the boards clean and begin again but there doesn't even seem to be any acknowledgement this is a crisis.

[trileacman]

J70, I feared once I saw Donegal getting a bit cranky and bringing a bit more heat that it would be the likely cue for our lads to fold. They just haven't the balls or the heart or any core of belief whatsoever, but to be fair it's been hollowed out of them over the years of toiling away and getting nowhere, the reasons for which are multilayered. However, no set of intercounty players worthy of the name, especially of a reasonable calibre and as experienced as Cavan's, should ever be on the end of two such almighty humblings as we've allowed Tyrone and Donegal to inflict. It's gone so bad now that this is allowed to happen and our county, that would once be in uproar over a display like that and talk about nothing else for weeks, will shrug collectively and move on. Hardly a murmur from the small support there today, fewer again the next day v Tyrone. I don't honestly think we can regard ourselves as a proper footballing county any more, so deep has the rot been allowed to take hold that it's met with fatalism and indifference. We need a revolution to sweep the boards clean and begin again but there doesn't even seem to be any acknowledgement this is a crisis.

You're at the Roscommon/Meath/Cork/Down level of producing county footballers though. All proud football counties with AI wins but haven't produced an all-round, top level squad for 15 years (except cork 2005-2010) and with the most respect I don't see it changing soon. Its always gonna be a struggle for these to compete against the institutional advantages of the top 6 teams in the country (Kerry, Galway, Mayo, Dublin, Tyrone, Donegal). These counties have now ensured a coach/player conveyor belt that looks like it might sustain them at the top indefinitely.

I'm not disparaging any of those counties mentioned above but how do we raise their level to become consistent competitors even for a short period a la Monaghan, Derry and Armagh? What's the solution? What disappoints me most about modern football is how strongly tiered it has become. Gone are the days Fermanagh, Wexford, Westmeath, Tipperary, Sligo, Longford and Wicklow could get a decent team together and mix it with the best of them for 3-4 years, lifting the spirits of whole counties. Now there's a top tier of 6, a middle tier of Derry, Monaghan, Roscommon, Cavan who cant touch the top tier and a 3rd tier who can't get anywhere near the 2nd tier. I actually blame the 4 tier league system. I'd love a return to the 2 division structure.

[Champion The Wonder Horse]

If Mayo beat Donegal (can happen) and Cavan beat Tyrone (can happen), then Donegal are out, which makes no sense atall.

Mayo in massive diffs still. Tyrone will beat Cavan, which means if Mayo lose, they're gone on the head to head.

[Armagh18]

J70, I feared once I saw Donegal getting a bit cranky and bringing a bit more heat that it would be the likely cue for our lads to fold. They just haven't the balls or the heart or any core of belief whatsoever, but to be fair it's been hollowed out of them over the years of toiling away and getting nowhere, the reasons for which are multilayered. However, no set of intercounty players worthy of the name, especially of a reasonable calibre and as experienced as Cavan's, should ever be on the end of two such almighty humblings as we've allowed Tyrone and Donegal to inflict. It's gone so bad now that this is allowed to happen and our county, that would once be in uproar over a display like that and talk about nothing else for weeks, will shrug collectively and move on. Hardly a murmur from the small support there today, fewer again the next day v Tyrone. I don't honestly think we can regard ourselves as a proper footballing county any more, so deep has the rot been allowed to take hold that it's met with fatalism and indifference. We need a revolution to sweep the boards clean and begin again but there doesn't even seem to be any acknowledgement this is a crisis.

You're at the Roscommon/Meath/Cork/Down level of producing county footballers though. All proud football counties with AI wins but haven't produced an all-round, top level squad for 15 years (except cork 2005-2010) and with the most respect I don't see it changing soon. Its always gonna be a struggle for these to compete against the institutional advantages of the top 6 teams in the country (Kerry, Galway, Mayo, Dublin, Tyrone, Donegal). These counties have now ensured a coach/player conveyor belt that looks like it might sustain them at the top indefinitely.

I'm not disparaging any of those counties mentioned above but how do we raise their level to become consistent competitors even for a short period a la Monaghan, Derry and Armagh? What's the solution? What disappoints me most about modern football is how strongly tiered it has become. Gone are the days Fermanagh, Wexford, Westmeath, Tipperary, Sligo, Longford and Wicklow could get a decent team together and mix it with the best of them for 3-4 years, lifting the spirits of whole counties. Now there's a top tier of 6, a middle tier of Derry, Monaghan, Roscommon, Cavan who cant touch the top tier and a 3rd tier who can't get anywhere near the 2nd tier. I actually blame the 4 tier league system. I'd love a return to the 2 division structure.

Armagh have none of those in built advantages. We just have a once in a century man like Geezer who I guarantee will keep us knocking at the door of the top table as long as he breathes, added to a pure Crossmaglen/South Armagh attitude of f**k yous we'll go and win an all ireland anyway and that sprinkle of Lurgan quality.

[APM]

J70, I feared once I saw Donegal getting a bit cranky and bringing a bit more heat that it would be the likely cue for our lads to fold. They just haven't the balls or the heart or any core of belief whatsoever, but to be fair it's been hollowed out of them over the years of toiling away and getting nowhere, the reasons for which are multilayered. However, no set of intercounty players worthy of the name, especially of a reasonable calibre and as experienced as Cavan's, should ever be on the end of two such almighty humblings as we've allowed Tyrone and Donegal to inflict. It's gone so bad now that this is allowed to happen and our county, that would once be in uproar over a display like that and talk about nothing else for weeks, will shrug collectively and move on. Hardly a murmur from the small support there today, fewer again the next day v Tyrone. I don't honestly think we can regard ourselves as a proper footballing county any more, so deep has the rot been allowed to take hold that it's met with fatalism and indifference. We need a revolution to sweep the boards clean and begin again but there doesn't even seem to be any acknowledgement this is a crisis.

On the radio the commentator seemed to say that Murphy struck a Cavan player on the head (he got a yellow) and then went on to say he was remonstrating with the ref at half time. Was he lucky to stay on the pitch?

[Armagh18]

J70, I feared once I saw Donegal getting a bit cranky and bringing a bit more heat that it would be the likely cue for our lads to fold. They just haven't the balls or the heart or any core of belief whatsoever, but to be fair it's been hollowed out of them over the years of toiling away and getting nowhere, the reasons for which are multilayered. However, no set of intercounty players worthy of the name, especially of a reasonable calibre and as experienced as Cavan's, should ever be on the end of two such almighty humblings as we've allowed Tyrone and Donegal to inflict. It's gone so bad now that this is allowed to happen and our county, that would once be in uproar over a display like that and talk about nothing else for weeks, will shrug collectively and move on. Hardly a murmur from the small support there today, fewer again the next day v Tyrone. I don't honestly think we can regard ourselves as a proper footballing county any more, so deep has the rot been allowed to take hold that it's met with fatalism and indifference. We need a revolution to sweep the boards clean and begin again but there doesn't even seem to be any acknowledgement this is a crisis.

On the radio the commentator seemed to say that Murphy struck a Cavan player on the head (he got a yellow) and then went on to say he was remonstrating with the ref at half time. Was he lucky to stay on the pitch?

St Michael? I hope the ref stopped play to make sure his knuckles were ok after that?

[JoG2]

I know there are a few die hards on here but can anyone tell me what McFaul brings to Derry at this stage? I know he works his arse off but he was a complete non entity in the second half there today.

Mcguigan well worth a card of whatever colour in any babe be plays. Can't resist getting involved in messing. Also, shortly before he went off Walsh missed a 2 point effort and McEvoy made sure to let him know about and gave him a shove in the face. Wonder if he's feeling quite as chipper now considering how disastrous Derry were in front of their own goal.

Funny how different people call a performance of a player differently. McFaul was immense today, all day. He can be pounderous on the ball, but much more direct today. He was available consistently for the out ball. Covered runners and space, a huge shift.
Did feel like a loss, but when the dust settled there were so many positives today. A real championship game played in poor conditions. All the core men really stood up, but huge credit to McGurk and Higgins who had great games imo.