Championship Draw 2008 - Official Thread

[Farrandeelin]

Good man Mike, that's the way the rest of the country's thinking anyway. It's a pity you had to add that last sentence or two though!

P.S. it might be Mayo in the semi-final instead of Galway and we all know what happened the last time we met in a semi-final!

[supersarsfields]

My Predictions for Provincial winners

Leinster - Meath
Connacht - Galway
Munster - Cork
Ulster - Derry

I'll go for a completely different line-up

Leinster - Dublin
Connacht - Mayo
Munster - Kerry
Ulster - Tyrone

[mayoman dan]

P.S. it might be Mayo in the semi-final instead of Galway and we all know what happened the last time we met in a semi-final!
[/quote]      Good man yourself Farrandeelin    

[Kerry Mike]

it might be Mayo in the semi-final instead of Galway and we all know what happened the last time we met in a semi-final!

That's right you created a Kerry monster who have hockeyed Mayo 4 times since

[Hound]

I think Meath got the ideal draw in Leinster. Carlow - Wexford - Laois - Dublin (if it goes to form). A small step up with every game, ideal for building momentum and confidence.

I'd imagine Louth will give the Dubs a really tough game. I wouldnt be surprised if their whole focus for the next 6 months will be on that game. Beating the Dubs would be the best achievement for Louth in a long number of years, and if they do it they should be able to make the Leinster final, and with it a genuine chance of silverware.

[Louth Exile]

I think Meath got the ideal draw in Leinster. Carlow - Wexford - Laois - Dublin (if it goes to form). A small step up with every game, ideal for building momentum and confidence.

I'd imagine Louth will give the Dubs a really tough game. I wouldnt be surprised if their whole focus for the next 6 months will be on that game. Beating the Dubs would be the best achievement for Louth in a long number of years, and if they do it they should be able to make the Leinster final, and with it a genuine chance of silverware.

Meath couldn't have got an easier draw, mate told me last night that the times rank the counties the other week, they only went to 30!! The left out Kilkenny & Carlow. Wexford have been a bit of a bogey team for Meath and have the capabilities, as do Laois or Kildare.

Louth's first objective is actually going to be to get out of Div 3 in the league. Then I will imagine they will focus 100% on the Dublin game, no reason not too. The only thing about playing div 3 football is that they won't have any competitive games that will come near to the pace of a championship game against the Dubs. If there is one thing the Dubs are probably the best at in the country it is playing a high pace game.

[midLouth]

Dublin over power teams for 20 mins surges at a time, they just have to hope they do enough in those 20 mins. Think back to Mayo in 2006, they pushed seven points ahead after half time in the space of about 20 mins. Mayo kept at it and at it, eventually they got it back. Have Dublin changed all that much over the last year. If Louth can ride the storm out of the 20 mins blitz then we might be okay.

Louth Excile, ppl can talk about leagues all they want, if the current team does not do something in the championship soon then there will major questions to ask. Leagues are nice, Championships are gold and Louth have been waiting too long. 

[his holiness nb]

In fairness though ML, that was Mayos best performance in years to claw that back, according to most people anyway.

More times that not, the 20 minute burst is enough to put away most teams, who may claw some of it back but not enough.

Also this year showed me Dublin finishing strongly on a few more occasions than last year, Meath replay, Kerry game etc.

[midLouth]

It was the best match I ever saw. Mayo have put together some good performances over the years.

I agree usually the 20 mins is good enough to be fatal to other teams, just not good enough for the big guns such as Kerry, or Tyrone of old.