All-Ireland Series Sam Maguire 2026

[gallsman]

The Tyrone ones had Harte as their minor and then U21 manager too.

[Wildweasel74]

2/3rds Kerry team minor medals.

[Armagh18]

From John McIntyre Sports Editor in the Connacht Tribute

Provincial and All Ireland winning under age teams are over-rated for providing a cluster of top senior players.

If your point is underage is about development of players than just winning titles then I'd agree.

Mayo from their starting 15 in All-Ireland final/winning team had McDonald,O'Donoghue,Beirne,Flynn, D O'Connor, McGreal etc who won at least a provincial title. Others development path to senior was done without county underage success.

Of the All-Ireland winners I've seen over the years only Armagh 2024 didn't have a handful of players that first won Underage  titles, from what I recall I think they had just two or three and that was underage success and that back in 2009.


County that filtered their Underage success best has been Dublin with the majority of their 6 in a row team first having won titles at underage level.

Closest thing to success at underage was Rian O'Neill/Callum O'Neill/Ross McQullians age that were beat by Tyrone in an Ulster u20 final, we've done little or nothing since 2009 at underage bar was it 2024 minors getting to an Ulster and All Ireland final but losing to Derry both times.

Our successful noughties team was backboned by a strong u21's team with Paul McGrane and our strong team of recent years was largely made up theg strong u20 team and boosted by that 09 minor team with Grugan, Murnin etc,

[whitey]

Maybe the world has changed and some players who don't  get a chance to represent their county at underage can get a chance later on

I know a lad who got dropped from an underage development squad, but was told to be ready for a callback at any time. As a result he essentially does all the same S&C (on his own) as the lads who are on the development squad

[Armagh18]

Maybe the world has changed and some players who don't  get a chance to represent their county at underage can get a chance later on

I know a lad who got dropped from an underage development squad, but was told to be ready for a callback at any time. As a result he essentially does all the same S&C (on his own) as the lads who are on the development squad

That's true, know of a few in Armagh with similar stories, Soupy was dropped from that 09 minor panel, Jemar Hall and Aidan Nugent were both sent away to do a pile of work on their own before breaking into the county squad. All 3 turned out very good players.

Was it Fenton that didn't make the Dublin minor team?

[Rossfan]

Breheny filling his paper again

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaa/fifty-50-part-1-ranking-the-50-best-all-ireland-final-displays-of-the-last-50-years/a/160291313.html

[Captain Obvious]

Irish Examiner running an article saying the majority of inter-county football referees believe Ryan O'Donoghue should have been sent off in the 1st half of the All-Ireland final and Jack Coynes yellow card could have been red.

The ref Martin McNally added along with Cian O'Neill and strength and conditioning coach Jason McGahan as project scapegoating for Kerry's All Ireland Final loss to Mayo continues.

[DaleCooper]

"A majority of inter-county football referees believe Ryan O'Donoghue should have been sent off in Mayo's All-Ireland SFC final win over Kerry.
In a meeting last Thursday, members of the championship panel reviewed a selection of incidents from the closing games of the championship. One of them was O'Donoghue's late shoulder on David Clifford in the final minute of the first half"

O'Donoghue made contact with David Clifford's head area after the Kerry forward had passed the ball to Tom O'Sullivan in the build-up to a Joe O'Connor point. Clifford required medical attention following the incident and O'Donoghue, who was later awarded man of the match, avoided punishment.

It was the opinion of referees at the meeting that McNally, who was not in attendance, should have issued a red card for what they considered a reckless foul.
Jack Coyne's foul on Kerry defender Dylan Casey in the 28th minute was also highlighted but the views of referees were more varied. Coyne swung with a closed fist and connected with Dylan Casey after the Kerry defender had lowered himself to retrieve the ball from Paudie Clifford. Casey required medical treatment, was temporarily replaced by Evan Looney and Coyne was booked for the incident.

Speaking at Kerry's homecoming in Tralee the day after the final, manager Jack O'Connor felt "marginal calls" had gone against Kerry but made no specific references.

"That extra bit of hunger that Mayo had and a few tight, marginal calls went their way. You have to say that on balance they deserved it and if anyone was going to beat us you can't begrudge Mayo after 75 years, so congratulations to them."

Referees are asked about such incidents as a means of ascertaining there is consensus about the application of the rulebook. A review of the closing games in this year's All-Ireland senior hurling championship will take place later this week.

The general opinion following the game was McNally performed well in his first All-Ireland SFC decider, although he missed Darragh Beirne's double hop before scoring a point early in the second half.
There were also claims he didn't see a similar technical foul by Seán O'Shea prior to his 23rd minute point. However, it appeared his first bounce was an attempt to get the ball under control.
Football referees were also briefed on the experimental rules that will be enforced in this year's third level Division 1 league (Ryan Cup).