All-Ireland Series Sam Maguire 2026

[tonto1888]

at least dont do the draws until after the provincial finals have been played?

[EoinW]

2 Provincial Champions lost to "long grass waiters" so far.
If Armagh and Westmeath also lose will there be calls for tweaks to better reward  Champions for next year?

Would be shocked if Westmeath are beat. There's a not too unlikely scenario that Westmeath are the only provincial winners who win their qualifier game.

That would not surprise me at all.  A week ago Tyrone were RIP.  Will Derry suddenly be AI contenders after this weekend?  Note: I expected Down to upset Armagh...no need to worry.

[EoinW]

We had that in 2022 and 90% voted to abolish it!

I'll refrain from writing the obvious(I've written it already).  Whatever the new tweek is, just abolish penalty kicks and bring back Replays.  It's poor optics when the inter-county championships(the jewel in the GAA crown) use a format that feels like they're rushing to get it over and done with.

[Armagh18]

at least dont do the draws until after the provincial finals have been played?

I'd say that will definitely be looked at for next year.

[weareros]

We had that in 2022 and 90% voted to abolish it!

I'll refrain from writing the obvious(I've written it already).  Whatever the new tweek is, just abolish penalty kicks and bring back Replays.  It's poor optics when the inter-county championships(the jewel in the GAA crown) use a format that feels like they're rushing to get it over and done with.

Replays were fine in the old days, but with games coming thick and thin, its a disadvantage now. For examole if Armagh/Monaghan went to a replay, that's advantage Derry and Mayo. Championship games would need to be reduced to bring replays back. They were wonderful in tne old provincial system and generated great excitement and sense of occasion.

[Rossfan]

at least dont do the draws until after the provincial finals have been played?

I'd say that will definitely be looked at for next year.

But what real difference would that make??

[Armagh18]

at least dont do the draws until after the provincial finals have been played?

I'd say that will definitely be looked at for next year.

But what real difference would that make??

It absolutely would have helped Tyrone massively having those 3 weeks or whatever it was since the draw to focus solely on Roscommon

[Rossfan]

As opposed to 2 weeks.
But there is no perk for winning the Provincial Final in the current system.
Galway bet Leitrim, lost CF but are in the same pot as Ros who bet Galway (and Mayowestros)or Armagh who had to win 3 games to get to UF.
Then Galway get a home game v the weakest team of the 16!!

This system was voted in while Dublin were on a run of 23 out of 24 Leinsters and Kerry on a run of 14 out of 15 Munsters so maybe that worked against any special perks for Provincial winners?

[Manning18]

As opposed to 2 weeks.
But there is no perk for winning the Provincial Final in the current system.
Galway bet Leitrim, lost CF but are in the same pot as Ros who bet Galway (and Mayowestros)or Armagh who had to win 3 games to get to UF.
Then Galway get a home game v the weakest team of the 16!!

This system was voted in while Dublin were on a run of 23 out of 24 Leinsters and Kerry on a run of 14 out of 15 Munsters so maybe that worked against any special perks for Provincial winners?

And for the 4 years previous Galway won Connacht and got royally screwed in the next round with the toughest option available. Including the farcical situation last year whereby they knew going into the final with Mayo that winning would put them into the group of death. Maybe there's a hex over the winners of connacht? Albiet Roscommon didnt get the worst draw available to them this year. Perhaps the third worst

The draw being done in advance is at the request of county boards for planning purposes, thats been mentioned on a few podcasts. I wouldn't agree with it but we can hardly complain when its the participants rather than the GAA that are requesting it

I'd agree that the provincial finalist loser in this format probably seems unfairly rewarded in comparison to everyone else. The fix would be to go back to last years seeding arrangement, which was to seed: winner - 1, runner up - 2, top 4 non finalist from league - 3, rest - 4. Then play 1 v 4 and 2 v 3. Perhaps they thought that having 1 v 4 seeds would lead to very one sided matches, as it would've led to Cavan playing Kerry in Killarney or the likes

[AustinPowers]

As opposed to 2 weeks.
But there is no perk for winning the Provincial Final in the current system.
Galway bet Leitrim, lost CF but are in the same pot as Ros who bet Galway (and Mayowestros)or Armagh who had to win 3 games to get to UF.
Then Galway get a home game v the weakest team of the 16!!

This system was voted in while Dublin were on a run of 23 out of 24 Leinsters and Kerry on a run of 14 out of 15 Munsters so maybe that worked against any special perks for Provincial winners?

Certainly not in this  new format anyway.

Dublin  basically killed the provincials. Leinster was somewhat previously competitive  as is  Connacht and Ulster. Now we're all paying  the price of Dublin's domination.

This format is effectively the final nail in  the provincials coffin

[Armagh18]

As opposed to 2 weeks.
But there is no perk for winning the Provincial Final in the current system.
Galway bet Leitrim, lost CF but are in the same pot as Ros who bet Galway (and Mayowestros)or Armagh who had to win 3 games to get to UF.
Then Galway get a home game v the weakest team of the 16!!

This system was voted in while Dublin were on a run of 23 out of 24 Leinsters and Kerry on a run of 14 out of 15 Munsters so maybe that worked against any special perks for Provincial winners?

And for the 4 years previous Galway won Connacht and got royally screwed in the next round with the toughest option available. Including the farcical situation last year whereby they knew going into the final with Mayo that winning would put them into the group of death. Maybe there's a hex over the winners of connacht? Albiet Roscommon didnt get the worst draw available to them this year. Perhaps the third worst

The draw being done in advance is at the request of county boards for planning purposes, thats been mentioned on a few podcasts. I wouldn't agree with it but we can hardly complain when its the participants rather than the GAA that are requesting it

I'd agree that the provincial finalist loser in this format probably seems unfairly rewarded in comparison to everyone else. The fix would be to go back to last years seeding arrangement, which was to seed: winner - 1, runner up - 2, top 4 non finalist from league - 3, rest - 4. Then play 1 v 4 and 2 v 3. Perhaps they thought that having 1 v 4 seeds would lead to very one sided matches, as it would've led to Cavan playing Kerry in Killarney or the likes

Was just coming to reply something similar, wouldn't begrudge Galway a handy draw this year given they've ended up in the group of death the previous 3. (Most fecking likely we' draw them if we beat Derry)

[Rossfan]

If seeding was in this year
1 - Kerry, Ros, Westmeath, Armagh
2- Cork, Galway, Dublin,Monaghan
3- Donegal, Mayowestros, Meath,Derry?.
4 Tyrone?, Louth, Cavan, Kildare.

Feckit we'd still have got Tyrone🫤

[Armagh18]

If seeding was in this year
1 - Kerry, Ros, Westmeath, Armagh
2- Cork, Galway, Dublin,Monaghan
3- Donegal, Mayowestros, Meath,Derry?.
4 Tyrone?, Louth, Cavan, Kildare.

Feckit we'd still have got Tyrone🫤

Fair difference there for provincial winners vs losers for potential opponents

[Captain Obvious]

As opposed to 2 weeks.
But there is no perk for winning the Provincial Final in the current system.
Galway bet Leitrim, lost CF but are in the same pot as Ros who bet Galway (and Mayowestros)or Armagh who had to win 3 games to get to UF.
Then Galway get a home game v the weakest team of the 16!!

This system was voted in while Dublin were on a run of 23 out of 24 Leinsters and Kerry on a run of 14 out of 15 Munsters so maybe that worked against any special perks for Provincial winners?

And for the 4 years previous Galway won Connacht and got royally screwed in the next round with the toughest option available. Including the farcical situation last year whereby they knew going into the final with Mayo that winning would put them into the group of death. Maybe there's a hex over the winners of connacht? Albiet Roscommon didnt get the worst draw available to them this year. Perhaps the third worst

The draw being done in advance is at the request of county boards for planning purposes, thats been mentioned on a few podcasts. I wouldn't agree with it but we can hardly complain when its the participants rather than the GAA that are requesting it

I'd agree that the provincial finalist loser in this format probably seems unfairly rewarded in comparison to everyone else. The fix would be to go back to last years seeding arrangement, which was to seed: winner - 1, runner up - 2, top 4 non finalist from league - 3, rest - 4. Then play 1 v 4 and 2 v 3. Perhaps they thought that having 1 v 4 seeds would lead to very one sided matches, as it would've led to Cavan playing Kerry in Killarney or the likes

Was just coming to reply something similar, wouldn't begrudge Galway a handy draw this year given they've ended up in the group of death the previous 3. (Most fecking likely we' draw them if we beat Derry)

Groups of death?

Firstly 3 teams got out of each group which should be more than manageable for any established Division 1 team.

Last year Galway had Derry who didn't win a league or championship game all year and played Armagh in round 3 when it was a dead rubber game for Armagh.

2024,23  Westmeath was in Galways group who was always going to finish 4th.

[Stall the Bailer]

I'm don't understand the whole fuss of tweaking a new structure after the first weekend of it, the first full round is not even complete yet. Yes 2 provisional winners were beat and two beaten finalist won. This is not a pattern as it too early to tell.
The beauty of championship at moment is that a lot of teams are capable of beating each other. In their previous championship meeting Roscommon beat Tyrone in Omagh and on Sunday there was only a point in it. It is hard to predict how the will go the next time they play each other. Likewise with Kerry and Donegal.
There has always been talk about too many games in a short space of time vs too long of a break and not having enough games or an easy draw and and being injury free vs battle harden by a tough draw. Next thing people will be saying to lose your provisional final as it is easier to get over the hurt than taking the confidence from a title win and recover from the celebrations.
Enjoy how competitive the championship is and know that it is how you perform on the day. Every team enters the first round of the AI with the same amount of games needed to win it. No excuses on the format for your teams performance.