Rackard Cup 2008

[Plastic Paddy]

I would say Donegal are gone with no points.Has something gone wrong there,a soft group on paper.Longford are out after beating Louth who I thought were one of the favourites,that was a tough group

[Saffron exile]

The draw is to made at 10am tomorrow (monday). The top teams in the four groups (Fingal, Monaghan, South Down and Sligo) will get home advantage next Saturday over a second place team (Louth, Tyrone, Leitrim and Cavan). Draw will ensure that teams from the same groups are separated. Semi-finals for sat week drawn on the same basis with home advantage to the first team out.

Some fancied teams (Donegal, Longford) are out with Cavan and Leitrim the suprise quarter-finalists.

[Saffron exile]

Draw made in Croke Park:

NICKY RACKARD CUP QUARTER-FINALS -
Fingal v Leitrim, Parnell Park, 3pm
South Down v Louth, Newry, 1pm
Monaghan v Cavan, Clones, 1pm
Sligo v Tyrone, Markievicz Park, 3pm

South Down or "Non-Ards" against Louth should be the tie of the round. Monaghan and Fingal look to have easy enough draw. Sligo and Tyrone should also be tight. Predictions?
Any odds available?

[youngfella]

Draw made in Croke Park:
NICKY RACKARD CUP QUARTER-FINALS -
Fingal v Leitrim, Parnell Park, 3pm Fingal
South Down v Louth, Newry, 1pm Down
Monaghan v Cavan, Clones, 1pm Monaghan by a country mile
Sligo v Tyrone, Markievicz Park, 3pm Silgo unless tyrone get tight and physical

[ONeill]

Tyrone bate Sligo 1-20 to 3-10 in the NHL so should be tight.

[Plastic Paddy]

Tyrone bate Sligo 1-20 to 3-10 in the NHL so should be tight.

Was at Warwickshire v Sligo match on Saturday thought Sligo would be better.Herily a very good hurler who has been on Kilkenny panel but i think he broke his thumb in Birmingham.

[Lecale2]

Draw made in Croke Park:

NICKY RACKARD CUP QUARTER-FINALS -
Fingal v Leitrim, Parnell Park, 3pm
South Down v Louth, Newry, 1pm
Monaghan v Cavan, Clones, 1pm
Sligo v Tyrone, Markievicz Park, 3pm

South Down or "Non-Ards" against Louth should be the tie of the round. Monaghan and Fingal look to have easy enough draw. Sligo and Tyrone should also be tight. Predictions?
Any odds available?

South Down blow hot and cold so it depends on which team turns up on Saturday. At their best they can win this competition but at their worst they could lose badly to anyone.

Auld Paddy the manager seems to have stumbled upon his best team now with the recent recruits from Liatroim Fontenoys and the Kilclief lads returning.  Apparently the first half v Fermanagh was awful while the second half was excellent. I'd expect them to win well if they produce the second half performance against Louth but these matches have been tight in recent years.

[Down Gael]

South Down 2-16   4-13 Louth

[Saffron exile]

Rackard Cup Semis:

Sligo v Fingal (or North Dublin)

Monaghan v Louth

Any predictions?

[Plastic Paddy]

Rackard Cup Semis:

Sligo v Fingal (or North Dublin)

Monaghan v Louth

Any predictions?

Fingal v Louth Louth to win

[tayto]

Fingal seem to be improving with each game and they ran lotuh close in their first match, could be very tight if they meet again.

[magpie seanie]

Good luck to Sligo's hurlers. It would be fantastic for them to make Croke Park. From what I hear they will have their work cut out for them with a very good Fingal team standing between them and the final. Still - home advantage and a bit of luck could swing it. Should be 2 lads from my club starting and two others involved. Won our division of Feile (albeit Div 6) on our 6th consecutive visit this year. Not bad for a place that never had hurling in it until about 12 years ago.

[nrico2006]

Seanie there wouldn't be much in it between Sligo and Louth and Louth beat Fingal.  Sligo have been going well of late and have improved vastly from the league when they were dire in some of the games.

[magpie seanie]

I suppose. The lads are confident from chatting to them. They know this is a good team they are playing but they reckon they can do it. Sligo had a fairly poor league but are going a lot better now. Fingers crossed.

[nrico2006]

The like of Sligo seem to be taking it seriously which is good, and Monaghan are putting in a huge effort this year - pity Tyrone couldn't do the same, you would be lucky if there was a training session with more than 7 boys there, so I was told.