Sam Maguire 2024 Group 1 - Galway, Armagh, Derry, Westmeath

[galwayman]

You can't fancy Galway in any big game without Damo. He is that important to us.
The other two bucks big losses also - Finnerty especially as we only have three lads who can do damage on the scoreboard and himself and Comer are two of them.

[SouthOfThe Bann]

Armagh are now 3rd favourites for the all Ireland with some bookies.

A meteoric rise in one weekend.

They've looked good in Ulster final and at the weekend.

But we need to be wary of recency bias.

Would love to see them get to a semi or final however.

[Captain Scarlet]

What is the minimum for Geezer this year. Like if he had them last 4 would people be delighted?

[Blowitupref]

Armagh are now 3rd favourites for the all Ireland with some bookies.

A meteoric rise in one weekend.

They've looked good in Ulster final and at the weekend.

But we need to be wary of recency bias.

Would love to see them get to a semi or final however.

Bookies and punters are expecting the group winners to reach the last four.

Armagh couldn't have got any closer to semi finals the last two years with Quarter final penalty shoot out losses. Back in Div 1 again next year which will be their 4th year in the last 5 years in the top division the job and improvement McGeeney has brought to Armagh is underrated IMO.

[Armagh18]

Armagh are now 3rd favourites for the all Ireland with some bookies.

A meteoric rise in one weekend.

They've looked good in Ulster final and at the weekend.

But we need to be wary of recency bias.

Would love to see them get to a semi or final however.

One good game doesn't make us third favourites. As I said all along, theres not an awful pile between about half a dozen teams and Derry are included in that if they get their act together obviously.

Hopefully we take some confidence from that performance and push on. We've enough on the first team and on the bench in terms of skill, fitness and physicality to compete against everyone, we just need that rub of the green and abit more belief imo.

[Armagh18]

What is the minimum for Geezer this year. Like if he had them last 4 would people be delighted?

We're not even in a quarter final yet so I suppose we need to be realistic and take one step at a time. Progress would obviously be a step further than last year so a semi final would be nice and once you're there anything can happen.

[Armagh18]

You can't fancy Galway in any big game without Damo. He is that important to us.
The other two bucks big losses also - Finnerty especially as we only have three lads who can do damage on the scoreboard and himself and Comer are two of them.

Think in Croker that time we kept Walsh and Comer relatively quiet, Finnerty and your midfielders done the harm that day. I'd say both teams will be keen to get through this injury free given the big names both have lost.

[SouthOfThe Bann]

Armagh are now 3rd favourites for the all Ireland with some bookies.

A meteoric rise in one weekend.

They've looked good in Ulster final and at the weekend.

But we need to be wary of recency bias.

Would love to see them get to a semi or final however.

Bookies and punters are expecting the group winners to reach the last four.

Armagh couldn't have got any closer to semi finals the last two years with Quarter final penalty shoot out losses. Back in Div 1 again next year which will be their 4th year in the last 5 years in the top division the job and improvement McGeeney has brought to Armagh is underrated IMO.

The funny thing is that Paddy Power have Armagh as favourites for the Galway game.

But Galway as 3rd favourites for All Ireland ahead of Armagh.

Boyle have Armagh at 3rd favourites however.

Paddy Power expecting the return of Comer and Finnerty in a last 12 game it seems.

[Ethan Tremblay]

What is the minimum for Geezer this year. Like if he had them last 4 would people be delighted?

I think the minimum was the Ulster championship given the draw we got.

Last 4 would be seen as progress from what he has delivered before, so I suppose by that reckoning that would be minimum expectations for most fans. 

The amount of noise heard after the ulster final about how he has taken the team as far as they can go etc was ridiculous, again anything less than progress wouldn't cut it for a lot of fans. 

[AustinPowers]

What is the minimum for Geezer this year. Like if he had them last 4 would people be delighted?

Why would you be  delighted?  We're in the semis  lads, sure that'll do us.

If a team don't believe they can win Sam ,  why  are they even bothering?

[GalwayBayBoy]

You can't fancy Galway in any big game without Damo. He is that important to us.
The other two bucks big losses also - Finnerty especially as we only have three lads who can do damage on the scoreboard and himself and Comer are two of them.

Galway definitely not the same side without Comer. He's literally a difference maker. He raises the level of the players around him when he's on the pitch. Kelly and Finnerty serious losses as well. Finnerty is playing the best football of his career. Kelly not back to his best yet after his long injury but one of the best footballers in the country when he's 100%. Those are players you need going up against the best sides.

[Armagh18]

What is the minimum for Geezer this year. Like if he had them last 4 would people be delighted?

Why would you be  delighted?  We're in the semis  lads, sure that'll do us.

If a team don't believe they can win Sam ,  why  are they even bothering?

Absolutely, every team needs to go in with the expectation that they can win on any given day or why bother. Realistically though we aren't even in the last 8 yet so talking about  anything after Galway is kinda of a waste of time.

First job is to get to Croker preferably by beating Galway or else beating a third place team at home.

[tonto1888]

You can't fancy Galway in any big game without Damo. He is that important to us.
The other two bucks big losses also - Finnerty especially as we only have three lads who can do damage on the scoreboard and himself and Comer are two of them.

Galway definitely not the same side without Comer. He's literally a difference maker. He raises the level of the players around him when he's on the pitch. Kelly and Finnerty serious losses as well. Finnerty is playing the best football of his career. Kelly not back to his best yet after his long injury but one of the best footballers in the country when he's 100%. Those are players you need going up against the best sides.

Are they all definitely out

[illdecide]

If it's one thing I've learned over the years is not to get carried away with Armagh as they will bite you on the ass at some stage, the win against Derry was great but i'm not losing the run of myself over it either. My mind hasn't changed much from a month ago, Dublin are no 1 and Kerry are no 2 teams in the Country. There is little to nothing separating the other Counties below who can all beat each other in any given day with a bit of luck. (They're in random order BTW)

Armagh
Derry
Tyrone
Mayo
Donegal
Cork
Galway

Roscommon and Monaghan can still pack a punch but seem to have dropped a bit this year. TBH I've not looked at the draw if in fact it has been made at this stage but if Dublin and Kerry can meet at a potential Semi final then one of the 7 teams above will get to an All Ireland Final and anything can happen in a one off game.

[Maroon Manc]

You can't fancy Galway in any big game without Damo. He is that important to us.
The other two bucks big losses also - Finnerty especially as we only have three lads who can do damage on the scoreboard and himself and Comer are two of them.

Galway definitely not the same side without Comer. He's literally a difference maker. He raises the level of the players around him when he's on the pitch. Kelly and Finnerty serious losses as well. Finnerty is playing the best football of his career. Kelly not back to his best yet after his long injury but one of the best footballers in the country when he's 100%. Those are players you need going up against the best sides.

Even from kickouts he's a huge out ball for Gleeson, took 2 marks against Derry & Mayo  from kickouts which is phenomenal for someone playing full forward.

Didn't see the Westmeath game, did McDaid spend much time in the full forward line?

If Finnerty doesn't return then I just don't see how they'll get enough scores, just not enough scoring threat on the pitch last Sunday against Westmeath; Started the game with 7 natural defenders and 4 midfielders, O'Currain after a promising league is getting very little game time.

Lose and Galway are going to need a lot of luck to make inroads in the championship.