Longest odds competition winners in GAA?

[laoislad]

LAOIS to win the Leinster in 2003 was 16s if I remember at the start of the year is shortened dramatically when they got to the League Final against Armagh I think....

The league final was against Tyrone wasn't it?

[lenny]

Sadly, I cannot think really of anyone coming from absolutely nowhere to win an AI in football or hurling at senior level. Laois won a NFL from Div. 3 I think.

Some surprises like Meath in 96, Clare maybe in 13, Galway possibly in 98 but none  can be said to be complete darkhorses.

How the championship could do with such a county winning. Even a county like Monaghan, Laois, Antrim or Wicklow  winning their first ever AI.

It'll never happen now with the back door and all the strong teams getting a second chance if needed.

[Captain Obvious]

Sadly, I cannot think really of anyone coming from absolutely nowhere to win an AI in football or hurling at senior level. Laois won a NFL from Div. 3 I think.

Some surprises like Meath in 96, Clare maybe in 13, Galway possibly in 98 but none  can be said to be complete darkhorses.

How the championship could do with such a county winning. Even a county like Monaghan, Laois, Antrim or Wicklow  winning their first ever AI.

It'll never happen now with the back door and all the strong teams getting a second chance if needed.

Down almost did it in 2010 they were priced 66/1 before the championship started.

[Aaron Boone]

Hopefully Leicester City can inspire Leitrim that they can win the AI.

[thejuice]

Meath weren't expected to beat Carlow in Leinster in 1996. We had cleared house after the hammering by the Dubs the year before with many of the 80's legends walking away leaving behind a bunch of mostly young lads.

I'd love to know what the odds were at the start of the year. A search on hoganstand has someone suggesting we were 6/1 to beat Tyrone in the semi-final.

[seafoid]

Down in 1960 must have been some massive price.
Also Westmeath in 2004
And Wexford in 96

[blewuporstuffed]

LAOIS to win the Leinster in 2003 was 16s if I remember at the start of the year is shortened dramatically when they got to the League Final against Armagh I think....

The league final was against Tyrone wasn't it?

Yeah it was Tyrone.

Was that the day Beano broke his leg?

[shark]

LAOIS to win the Leinster in 2003 was 16s if I remember at the start of the year is shortened dramatically when they got to the League Final against Armagh I think....

The league final was against Tyrone wasn't it?

Yeah it was Tyrone.

Was that the day Beano broke his leg?

Think he broke his leg in 2004 qualifier, after Laois had lost the Leinster final.

[DownFanatic]

Down in 1960 must have been some massive price.
Also Westmeath in 2004
And Wexford in 96

Down got to 1959 All Ireland Semi Final so maybe not.

[muppet]

I'd say someone like Caltra must have been massive odds for an All-Ireland at the start of that Championship.

I know a man who had backed Castlebar for the Connacht title in 2013, before the county championship started and he had big odds as they hadn't even won a county title for 20 years.

[ardtole]

i would imagine down were huge odds in 91, we really took everyone by suprise that year and drew in the first round of the championship against armagh i think.

[manfromdelmonte]

Leitrim in 1994 beat Roscommon, Galway and Mayo

[redsetanta]

LAOIS to win the Leinster in 2003 was 16s if I remember at the start of the year is shortened dramatically when they got to the League Final against Armagh I think....

The league final was against Tyrone wasn't it?

Yeah it was Tyrone.

Was that the day Beano broke his leg?

Think he broke his leg in 2004 qualifier, after Laois had lost the Leinster final.

League final 2003 was Tyrone as Laois beat Armagh in the semi final.

Beano had that awful leg break against Tyrone in 2004 qualifier and sadly he was never the same player again. One of the most skillful footballers ever to wear the LAois jersey but serious injuries cut his intercounty career short.

[seafoid]

Down in 1960 must have been some massive price.
Also Westmeath in 2004
And Wexford in 96

Down got to 1959 All Ireland Semi Final so maybe not.

playing Kerry in the aif. They must have been

[Lone Shark]

For real long shots you'd really have to look at the club scene. Trillick were already mentioned above, while others such as Tullamore (Offaly SHC 2010, 100/1 at the start of the knockout stages) and Passage (Waterford SHC 2010, 50/1 at the start) would stand out.

If there was a book on the All Ireland club championships in May each year, you'd occasionally have some massive priced winners all right - though such a thing would never exist. That said, when I look back, only Caltra (2004) and Baltinglass (1990) really stand out as teams that might have been 100/1 or more if you looked for a price at that stage.