Championship Draw 2008 - Official Thread

[J70]

You're being a wee bit dismissive of Cavan and Antrim there Owenmoresider!

Happy enough with our own draw, which is not to say I think it is an easy one, but motivation should not be a problem for Donegal players when Derry are the opposition. If we can't beat the likes of Derry, we have no business thinking about an Ulster title or the latter stages of the All Ireland. Vice versa I would think for the Derry lads. The additional carrot for both teams is a likely meeting with Monaghan in the semi.

Will this be in Ballybofey?

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Have to admit not to happy with the draw from a Dublin perspective...would have preferred Meath/Laois to be on our side of the draw....

[Maguire01]

Monaghan v Fermanagh - nice opening game. I expect it to be a lot tougher than some may think, although i'd still be confident that Monaghan will come through it. What's the bets on the same Ulster Final pairing this year?
I think one of the most interesting things about next year's Ulster is just how good Armagh are. A potential Armagh/Tyrone semi on that side of the draw.

[ExiledGael]

Fermanagh v Monaghan is quite interesting. No doubt Monaghan favourites. But i think it's a case of one team on the way up a little over-rated after last year against one team on the way down, probably under-rated after the last few years under Mulgrew. Monaghan owe us a good beating however

[mylestheslasher]

Disaster of a draw for Cavan, assuming we can beat Antrim in Belfast (which won't be easy), we'd have Armagh in Breffni, probably Tyrone in semi and Donegal/Derry in Final. Mission impossible for Cavan I think. "Donal Murtagh" is Donal Keoghan. Don't ask me where the little Gremlin got "murtagh" from.

[Fear Boirche]

BTW Marty - who's donal Murtagh?

Isn't he the manager of Crossmaglen Rangers? Maybe Marty knows something we don't.
Worst possible draw from a Down perspective BTW. We'll need to improve a whole heap to do something in the qualifiers.

[slow corner back]

Myles, did Antrim not take you to a replay two years ago? I think Antrim will be happy enough with this draw even if it is a preliminary.

[slow corner back]

Good draw for dublin hurlers, beat westmeath first up, iron out a few problems then tackle wexford in semi. Real possibility of a leinster final there, Dublin have to turn potential into reality sooner or later.

[FermPundit]

Quite happy with the draw from a Fermanagh perspective. Although Monaghan had a great run this year I don't think there is that much between the sides. Games between both counties are usualy close and the game next summer will be no different. Brewster Park should hopefully be ready next spring so I think the game will be played in Enniskillen. If my memory serves me right the last time Fermanagh and Monaghan played an Ulster championship game in Enniskillen Monaghan won with Fermanagh failing to register a score in the first half!

[ziggysego]

I wouldn't be as confidence about meeting Down as some people. Tyrone are rebuilding at the moment and although we won the Ulster Championship this year, it wasn't a great proformance by us. We struggled to beat most of the team and quite fortune to win the final against Monaghan. Our best game of the year was against Donegal, but I fear that was more to do with Donegal than us.

Still think that we should beat Down, but I still think that Down could shock us and shock us well.

[The Real Laoislad]

All set up for a Laois v Louth Leinster Final 

[Maguire01]

A potential Tir Eoghain - Doire final was the first thing I thought of.

the same as most people thought at this stage last year i'd guess.

[Gnevin]

Handy draw for the Dublin Footballers barring an major improvements in the team on Dublin's side of the draw. As for the hurlers a game against Westmeath could be a great start .

[balladmaker]

Still think that we should beat Down, but I still think that Down could shock us and shock us well.

Ziggy, you mustn't have seen much of Down recently...I would currently rate them as being in the bottom 3 in Ulster.  No chance of a shock in Omagh, unless Tyrone fail to show.

[Shamrock Shore]

Great  

Longford or Mullingar? Did the Qualifier game earlier this year count as a return? I can't recall.

Anyone looking forward to this? I don't think I will be.