2008 NFL

[amallon]

How does the league work this year?  Do the top 2 teams in each division play off for the title?  Is it true that if any of the teams in Division 3 don't make the top half of the table they go straight into the Tommy Murphy cup when they are knocked out of their provincial championship?

[thejuice]

Nope, i do believe each division is seperate but i dont know myself whether the top 2 or 4 teams go into a knock out or what.

[Onlooker]

My understanding is that the 2 counties that are relegated from Division 3 and those that fail to win promotion from Division 4 are not allowed to play in the qualifiers unless they reach the provincial final and go straight into the Tommy Murphy Cup.  This is a desparately unfair rule, but there has not been any sign of a re-think despite criticisms from several Managers. County Chairmen and some Journalists.  The League finals will be contested by the Top 2 in each division, with no semi-finals.

[Rossfan]

Of the teams in last years TM Cup -can anyone tell me how many Qualifier games they won against non TM teams over the previous 6 years?
What's the point of a load of meaningless games in the Qualifiers with the same teams getting the same result year after year.?
Better to play in a Competition they have a realistic chance of winning ?
Now whether the League placings should be used to determine the TM teams is debatable. Perhaps some kind of points system based on the previous 2 years Championships would be fairer.
Also how about the TM Cup winners getting into Round 2 Qualifiers as a reward?
As for the NFL - Div 1 Tyrone to beat Mayo in the Final played in Hyde Park,Relegated Kildare and Laois.
Div 2 Dublin to beat Monaghan in the Final,(postponed so they can play it in Croke Pk) Ros and Cavan to go down.
Div 3 -Fermanagh  to beat Longford in the Final in Breffni Pk
Sligo and Leitrim to Div 4.
D4 - Offaly to beat Wicklow in the Final played in Portlaoise

[Blue06]

I think theres also promotion/relegation play offs as well between 3rd from bottom & 3rd from top.
This should mean competitive games right up to the last round.

[Maguire01]

Of the teams in last years TM Cup -can anyone tell me how many Qualifier games they won against non TM teams over the previous 6 years?
What's the point of a load of meaningless games in the Qualifiers with the same teams getting the same result year after year.?
Better to play in a Competition they have a realistic chance of winning ?
Now whether the League placings should be used to determine the TM teams is debatable. Perhaps some kind of points system based on the previous 2 years Championships would be fairer.
Also how about the TM Cup winners getting into Round 2 Qualifiers as a reward?
As for the NFL - Div 1 Tyrone to beat Mayo in the Final played in Hyde Park,Relegated Kildare and Laois.
Div 2 Dublin to beat Monaghan in the Final,(postponed so they can play it in Croke Pk) Ros and Cavan to go down.
Div 3 -Fermanagh  to beat Longford in the Final in Breffni Pk
Sligo and Leitrim to Div 4.
D4 - Offaly to beat Wicklow in the Final played in Portlaoise

You're not feeling too confident there Rossfan!

Would be nice if Monaghan ended up in the final with Dublin - as much for the fact that it would mean Div 1 status in 2009. I can't help but think that 4 different league winners and 4 different cups really belittles any real achievement for the winners however.  As i've said many times before, 3 bigger leagues, more games, no knockout, and the top team gets the cup. Simple as that.

[SLIGONIAN]

Jees rossfan wild predictions, 3 connaght teams to get relegated including your native county. I hope your wrong. I see Sligo struggling all right but I predict we will scrap staying up. With Leitrim I think they will be mid table. Not many teams will beat them in Carrick. We have limerick and wexford at home so I think looking at it now we have to win them. We struggle in winter football every year. We just dont seem to play well until the summer comes like aughrim last yr 20+ degrees and pressure game.
Longford are flying, fermanagh look strong and louth did well last yr. Down hadnt won a game in 1.5 yr up till donegal game last week. One of the worst defences ive seen. Too many players didnt come through for them from underage and rely on coulter who isnt canavan class. Wexford without bealin I think will struggle and losing to carlow last week aswell.

I think the group will end up like this: Going on pre season form and last yrs championship: I think this will be by far the most competitive and exciting division. Losers down to div 4 and possibly TM cup. Not even worth thinking about. It will go down to the last day. Id say from 3rd to 8th on my table could go down so dont be to offended if your from dwn or wexford. And seeing how absolute s***e I seen Sligo play last yr in the league and some championship games and FBD this yr im expecting to be as frustrated as last yr watching us.

Longford
Fermanagh
Louth
Leitrim
Sligo
limerick
down
wexford

[Zulu]

That's a competitive league alright and I was going to post that you got it wrong with Limerick, I'd expect them much higher than that. But now that I look at the table it is hard to see which teams they'd replace above them. In saying that I hear all is not well in the Louth camp and I'd fancy Limerick over Leitrim and Fermanagh, so Limerick to make the top two for me (well, top three)

[North Longford]

Always the optimist, I'll eat me mouse mat if Longford top that division

[Billys Boots]

For Longford, I'd say (as usual) that all will depend on what the away games are going to be - is the schedule up yet?

[amallon]

Every team will think they can take the others in Div3.

Morale is as high in Down as its been for years after two good wins in the McKenna cup.  Don't laugh please!  If we can get a win tonight against Cavan it would be another massive boost and could set us up nicely for the league.  I think we can do well in this division. 

[Onlooker]

Rossfan, surely there is every chance that Cork will be one of the teams relegated from Division 2.  With the 1st round of games on Sunday week, they are really running out of time to settle their "strike".   If they withdraw, i feel that they should be relegated to Division 4 or even left out of the 2009 NFL altogether.  The carry on there at present is childish in the extreme.

[armaghniac]

As i've said many times before, 3 bigger leagues, more games, no knockout, and the top team gets the cup. Simple as that.

It's amazing that this simple formula has never been tried.

[Maguire01]

Down hadnt won a game in 1.5 yr up till donegal game last week.

Won first round replay against Cavan in last year's Ulster Championship.

[Farrandeelin]

Now, now Rossfan you know we (Mayo) don't lose to Tyrone