Is Leinster now once again the top Football Province?

agorm · August 08, 2008, 12:35:50 AM

With 3 Leinster teams occupying the 8 quarter final places a case can surely be made for Leinster to have regained its status as the premier footballing province. When you add to the achievements of Dublin, Wexford and Kildare is getting this far to the fact that Meath made the All-Ireland semis last year and Westmeath winning Division 2 things are certainly on the up for the province. That said I would say that Munster are the premier Hurling province and that both Ulster and Munster would have been football kingpins at varying times earlier in the current decade.

screenexile · August 08, 2008, 02:35:11 AM

Don't think you can say one province is superior to the other... each province has thrown up muck teams this year and Leinster are no different. Given the ease with which Dublin won Leinster I wouldn't be crowing about the strength of the other counties in the province to be fair!

Puckoon · August 08, 2008, 07:14:51 AM

This nonsense of best province really got silly with the so called "Ulster Dominace" circa 2002-2005/6. Even though it was nonsense then, and Ulster did have the majority of the teams in the last 8 and even contested an All Ulster AIF, we at least had 3 All ireland winning teams from that province during that time...

Let Dublin, Wexford or Kildare win something this year outside of Leinster and by all means let them crow "Leinster is the best" from the rooftops.

ONeill · August 08, 2008, 08:30:13 AM

Until a Leinster side at least reaches an All-Ireland final, or even wins the NFL, then no.

el_cuervo_fc · August 08, 2008, 08:47:36 AM

Quote from: agorm on August 08, 2008, 12:35:50 AM
With 3 Leinster teams occupying the 8 quarter final places a case can surely be made for Leinster to have regained its status as the premier footballing province. When you add to the achievements of Dublin, Wexford and Kildare is getting this far to the fact that Meath made the All-Ireland semis last year and Westmeath winning Division 2 things are certainly on the up for the province. That said I would say that Munster are the premier Hurling province and that both Ulster and Munster would have been football kingpins at varying times earlier in the current decade.

Sure we'll see how the Leinster teams get on this weekend. I'll get back to you on monday

David McKeown · August 08, 2008, 08:55:43 AM

Quote from: agorm on August 08, 2008, 12:35:50 AM
With 3 Leinster teams occupying the 8 quarter final places a case can surely be made for Leinster to have regained its status as the premier footballing province. When you add to the achievements of Dublin, Wexford and Kildare is getting this far to the fact that Meath made the All-Ireland semis last year and Westmeath winning Division 2 things are certainly on the up for the province. That said I would say that Munster are the premier Hurling province and that both Ulster and Munster would have been football kingpins at varying times earlier in the current decade.

Does that mean Ulster was dominate last week when they had 5 of the last 12 teams? Or does the fact that a third of the counties from Munster have made it to the last 8 make them dominate? No dominate province at the minute

Keepthefaith93 · August 08, 2008, 11:09:16 AM

I cant believe anyone would even suggest leinster are the strongest province. You must be trying to wind us up.Very funny agorm

his holiness nb · August 08, 2008, 12:23:11 PM

At the moment, Ulster and Connaught seem the weakest.
But if Armagh/Tyrone and Galway end up in the final we will all think differently!

nrico2006 · August 08, 2008, 12:26:51 PM

QuoteAt the moment, Ulster and Connaught seem the weakest.
But if Armagh/Tyrone and Galway end up in the final we will all think differently!

Good one. There are better teams in Ulster than in Leinster - the like of Armagh, Derry, Tyrone, Donegal and Monaghan would beat all the sides in Leinster on their day including Dublin.

Zulu · August 08, 2008, 12:34:27 PM

Quote from: nrico2006 on August 08, 2008, 12:26:51 PM
QuoteAt the moment, Ulster and Connaught seem the weakest.
But if Armagh/Tyrone and Galway end up in the final we will all think differently!

Good one. There are better teams in Ulster than in Leinster - the like of Armagh, Derry, Tyrone, Donegal and Monaghan would beat all the sides in Leinster on their day including Dublin.

Now that is a wind up, well done sir. Either that or you've just returned from backpacking around outer Mongolia.

AZOffaly · August 08, 2008, 12:36:33 PM

In fairness Zulu, he left out Fermanagh and Down. Handy that

lynchbhoy · August 08, 2008, 01:40:01 PM

well wicklow would be ulster champions then.

wicklow beat kildare,
kildare beat fermanagh quite comfortably
fermanagh drew with ulster championsh armagh, and should have beaten them the first day
therefore kildare would have beaten armagh
wicklow being massively better than kildare would be ulster champions and would have beaten all in ulster
so wicklow prove that leinster is better than ulster championship...

except that antrim beat wicklow....

imo only dublin would have a chance of winning the ulster championship.
westmeath on current form would be middle ranking imo

nrico2006 · August 08, 2008, 01:47:53 PM

Quoteimo only dublin would have a chance of winning the ulster championship.
westmeath on current form would be middle ranking imo

Exactly. Fair enough to Kildare for beating Fermanagh but if you put things into perspective Fermanagh were always going to find it hard to play this game with the necessary desire and drive after all the work they put into in Ulster. Deflation is a word that springs to mind. As for Down, well they were terrible against a Wexford side fired up after that hammering.

Tankie · August 08, 2008, 01:51:45 PM

Quote from: Keepthefaith93 on August 08, 2008, 11:09:16 AM
I cant believe anyone would even suggest leinster are the strongest province. You must be trying to wind us up.Very funny agorm

I'll second that, Dublin are the only team in Leinster and they hammered Wexford. and as for Kildare! - i heard they are putting nets up on the sidelines in Croke Park after their kick display lastweek led to people in the center of the Hoganstand being hit with balls that were called shots by the kildare players

Zulu · August 08, 2008, 01:52:54 PM

I wouldn't agree that only Dublin could win Ulster, Armagh won it this year by beating Cavan, Down and Fermanagh. If that had been Dublins path they would definately have won it, I'd also say WM, Wexford and Meath would have a very good chance if that had been their path. Ulster have plenty of decent sides but no really good one so I'd say any number of mid ranking teams could win it. Munster and Leinster are the only provinces with a really good team at the moment IMO.

QuoteFair enough to Kildare for beating Fermanagh but if you put things into perspective Fermanagh were always going to find it hard to play this game with the necessary desire and drive after all the work they put into in Ulster. Deflation is a word that springs to mind. As for Down, well they were terrible against a Wexford side fired up after that hammering.

Oh right, the Ulster side are deflated but the Leinster side are super motivated after a provincial final defeat. That's called having an opinion and twisting the evidence to suit it.