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Fair play to England - brilliant game and they deserved to win.

Gordon playing a blinder

Was afraid of falling asleep given the delayed kick-off - no chance. Thrilling game so far.

Phenomenal performance from Louth.

Aside from Sam Mulroy's wide from a 2-point free did they kick any other wide in 2nd half ?

It keeps getting better and better, our cup  overflows
Not only do Monaghan get yet another home tie but it's scheduled for Sunday, maximum rest and recovery for our boys, not that they were too overstretched last saturday.  All we need now is for Westmeath  to not turn up, because according to the select  (self appointed) brain's trust of game analysis on this thread,  it's not that Monaghan play well and control a section of a game but rather it's the other team who go missing or don't turn up.

Monaghan are certainly not getting the credit they deserve. After such a poor league, injuries being a major factor, they have re-emerged as the team who were hugely impressive in their quarter-final defeat to Donegal last year.

Always thought that unless Kerry beat about this stage they won't be beat. This is the making or breaking of them. I think it's the perfect time for Armagh to get them. Though as is said here whether armagh beat them another thing.

If we'd a full compliment I'd be fairly confident, but then again with a full compliment we'd have beat Louth. Still worryingly light around the middle and lose defensively.

Maybe when Armagh had the full complement there were too many compliments flying around about them 

Some snippets from Justin McNulty's interview with LaoisToday:
"It was an enormous effort from the players, the whole management team and the coaching team all season long. Everybody stuck together and fought together.
"Ultimately, we fell a bit flat today and didn't deliver a performance that we can be any way proud of."
"We didn't lay a glove on them. That's how I'd describe the performance"
"If you were to do it again, you'd almost go through the back door way and then go through the front door way.
"It seems to be an advantage. I think that definitely suited them. They were able to try things out and test things where we didn't get as many opportunities to do that.
"Certainly, that was an advantage, but not the only reason either."

Whether Justin goes or stays I think he has given us his best.

We've had a great 2 days of football and I'm wondering how much of it can be attributed to the new rules and how much to the new format.

I think the new format is way better that the previous group system and was a major factor in the thrilling games served up this weekend.

There is no denying that the new rules have opened up the game but I would still have reservations about the 2-pointer in particular. Too much back and forth outside the arc - often at walking pace. And we hear little debate nowadays about fair and foul tackling because there is much less actual tacking in the game. I also prefer the old system of injury time at referee's discretion rather than the hooter.

Nonetheless a very enjoyable weekend's football in the Sam Maguire Cup.

How was that not a yellow card for Mc Elroy there?

Plus that was a 2 pointer from Grimes.

There are 2 arcs marked on pitch - he was outside the inner arc but inside the outer arc 

The Sam Maguire Qualification Rules from GAA.ie
(a) The 8 Provincial Champions and Runners-Up 
(b) The next 8 highest-ranked teams at the conclusion of the National League (see exception re. Tailteann Cup)

So Galway qualified as Runners-Up in Connacht - they won one game to reach final
- they would have qualified with their NFL ranking but that is not the point
- as magpie seanie says above, Sligo could qualify in same manner with a similar draw to Galway.

My point is that if you can qualify to Sam by winning one game then Down, Tipperary, Laois & Wicklow would be in the 2026 Sam Maguire Cup 

Sooner or later the provincials have to be run as standalone competitions.

[There is not a level playing field in regard to Sam qualification.]

There is not a level playing field in regard to Sam qualification. This year both Div 3 winners, Down, and runners-up, Wexford, were denied a place in Sam.

Galway qualified as a provincial finalist by beating a Div 4 team (yes, they qualified via NFL anyway). My own Div 3 county only reached provincial quarter-final after beating a Div 2 team.

Why would anyone expect a level playing field in a sporting association whereby some competitors have a population pool of less than 50k, and others of over a million?

It's not possible.

It's a pipe dream to think Gaelic Games can deliver equality.

My point is that there is not a level playing field regarding qualification rules - this will always be the case while the provincials are linked to the Sam Maguire Cup. A Connacht county can qualify for Sam by winning one match whilst an Ulster or Leinster county may have to win 3 matches to reach the same stage as Westmeath did in Leinster.

There is not a level playing field in regard to Sam qualification. This year both Div 3 winners, Down, and runners-up, Wexford, were denied a place in Sam.

Galway qualified as a provincial finalist by beating a Div 4 team (yes, they qualified via NFL anyway). My own Div 3 county only reached provincial quarter-final after beating a Div 2 team.

Baile Brigín 2 - don't be minding that Milltown fella. It's a quite interesting discussion otherwise.

More people being offended 

Silly comment - who is offended ?

Talented Gaelic footballers are as likely to emerge in Kilkenny as in any other county given the opportunity.
There should be enough at any time to sustain a senior team that would be competitive in Division 4.
Their neighbors Waterford are predominantly a hurling county but they do put a decent effort into Gaelic Football.

If memory serves me right there was an incident towards the end of Kilkenny's last NFL campaign where the bus driver had to be roped in to make up the fifteen. Where there is a will there is a way and equally the opposite.