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Football Championship 2026 - 3 Like(s)
Fed up hearing that the provincial championships are being made little of and overshadowed by All Ireland draw. First of all, any of the teams knocked out of their provincial championships would love to swap places with the current finalists. The finalists also get home advantage in 1st round. Even more important the winner of each provincial championship gets a trophy, can celebrate a big day with supporters and have it saved in their history.
Secondly, the All Ireland Series is a new competition as is the Tailteann Cup. People are saying that the first game has little meaning but this is also untrue. Winning the first match gives a huge advantage in that if you win the next match also, you will have a two week break before a q final. Losing the first match ensures a long hard road to final with only one more chance and only a weeks break before q final if you make it. I'd say lets see and give it a chance.
winatallcost (National) - 06/05/2026 18:22:51
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Westmeath Football thread - 3 Like(s)
Heslin in TUS last night with squad very exciting seeing him kick around with team. Very brave by mchugh but with Luke gone correct call.
ear2ground (National) - 06/05/2026 15:01:46
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Football Championship 2026 - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Scenicparish: "Why should they? The new system is designed to level the playing field for all teams in the AI series.
Some teams are getting a handy run in their own province and when it comes to the next stage they are much fresher and have a hugh advantage." Well yous will be very fresh so as yous have only played one game.Yous have q major advanrage over most teams so by your own thoughts.
brayballer (National) - 06/05/2026 18:24:49
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
The minors were unfortunately beaten by a better team last night, the strength and conditioning was evident with the power running all over the pitch from kikdare. Is the dual player working in westmeath. Its ongoing now for a few years without any success at either sport. My own view is that both teams, hurling/football are losing out on progression due to dual players.
Upforthegame23 (National) - 06/05/2026 07:08:06
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16 Team Hurling Championship - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Pikeman96: "Yes. I don't agree anyway with the notion that more games against higher-ranked sides will by itself bring up the standards of a team.
Antrim had 15 games in the Leinster Championship over 2023/24/25. They lost 11 of them, by a combined total of almost 200 points. Even when they sprang a surprise by beating Wexford two years ago (the "progress" that proponents of the notion would point to), their next two matches were a 23-point mauling at the hands of Dublin, followed by a 14-point defeat to Galway. And their three years of matches against higher-ranked sides are not exactly standing them in good stead at the moment either.
A better and expanded Joe McDonagh Cup is probably the way to go all right - i.e. maintain a realistic target and means for teams to be competitive at their own level, and if they do happen to improve over time through inward effort and investment, they'll eventually survive and become competitive at a higher level all right.
Wexford football would celebrate winning the Tailteann Cup and look forward to at least one year at Sam Maguire level, but wouldn't expect to be left in the Sam Maguire after that "just because". In soccer across the water, Coventry City will celebrate winning the Championship, but realistically, would probably settle right now for 17th in the Premier League next year." Wexford football would celebrate winning the Tailteann Cup and look forward to at least one year at Sam Maguire level, but wouldn't expect to be left in the Sam Maguire after that "just because". In soccer across the water, Coventry City will celebrate winning the Championship, but realistically, would probably settle right now for 17th in the Premier League next year
That's an excellent point and perfectly illustrates the fallacy at the heart of claims that the current system some how punches down on teams. People want to believe in the fairytale that 14 or 15 counties could contend for the All Ireland if they were left into the top level indefinitely, absolutely tanking the quality and entertainment of the liam Mccarthy in the process. We have the potential for gradual improvement atm - and most importantly you get rewarded for your improvement which is what makes the system excellent. Kildare yo-yoed between Christy ring and Joe Mcdonagh for a number if years and now they are in leinster. The next step for them is the hardest and rightly so.
Overdahill (National) - 06/05/2026 18:09:25
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
With the condensed season going against us like many teams, we have about 6/7 potential starting players now injured? We are now in bonus territory with at least 3 more games and over another month of football which is great. The squad with those injuries has become very light. I wonder is it time to call in lads playing well in the league or former players who have done it before to freshen things up, there are plenty of good footballers scattered through the clubs who could help in the squad. If i was McHugh i would be making some calls, even for training it is needed. You can't lose Johnny Lynam, Sam Smyth, Guerin, Luke, CMcC, and Boidu and not replenish the squad.
Lakeman93 (National) - 06/05/2026 10:59:38
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Temple56: "I heard he rang one player before the Kildare game. The player has been flying for his club even scoring 1-12 in division 1 league game 2 weeks ago. The player declined the invite into the panel" Who is this? I'm not sure how any player wouldn't want to be involved with the final and with Cavan in the all Ireland series. I've been to nearly every game in the last 15 years and this is the best supported and momentum building I've seen Westmeath football!
Westmeath25 (National) - 06/05/2026 13:56:04
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Lakeman93: "With the condensed season going against us like many teams, we have about 6/7 potential starting players now injured? We are now in bonus territory with at least 3 more games and over another month of football which is great. The squad with those injuries has become very light. I wonder is it time to call in lads playing well in the league or former players who have done it before to freshen things up, there are plenty of good footballers scattered through the clubs who could help in the squad. If i was McHugh i would be making some calls, even for training it is needed. You can't lose Johnny Lynam, Sam Smyth, Guerin, Luke, CMcC, and Boidu and not replenish the squad." Heslin back training with them since last week
martyW (National) - 06/05/2026 11:27:27
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Hogan stand tickets secured for the final . Its going to be a huge occasion
mickcunningham (National) - 06/05/2026 15:28:46
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To martyW: "Heslin back training with them since last week" Any truth to this? Be some boost if it's true
crispsandwich99 (National) - 06/05/2026 15:09:00
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Football Championship 2026 - 2 Like(s)
Splitting Round 1 over two weekends is one part of the problem. If the weekend after the Ulster final was left as a hurling only weekend, all Round 1 games could be on the same weekend. The draw could be the day after the Ulster final, with two weeks for everyone for knowing their opponent.
legendzxix (National) - 06/05/2026 12:48:21
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Westmeath Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Westmeath25: "Who is this? I'm not sure how any player wouldn't want to be involved with the final and with Cavan in the all Ireland series. I've been to nearly every game in the last 15 years and this is the best supported and momentum building I've seen Westmeath football!" Agree, you are talking a month or month and a half commitment, where we might see a chance like this for another number of years. Should do all we can to bolster the squad.
Lakeman93 (National) - 06/05/2026 14:07:54
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Donegal GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To farneygael3: "Second best team in Ulster u20 and now to be AT LEAST the second best senior team in Ulster. Some counties can only dream" Sure if you're happy to settle for second best......
Speaking of second best the anniversary of your one and only appearance in the big final is coming up in 2030. Are there any events planned to mark the occasion?
Newman21 (National) - 06/05/2026 14:41:07
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Football Championship 2026 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To maroondiesel: "provincial champs should get a bye in first round of Sam. This would make it all normal." Why should they? The new system is designed to level the playing field for all teams in the AI series.
Some teams are getting a handy run in their own province and when it comes to the next stage they are much fresher and have a hugh advantage.
Scenicparish (National) - 06/05/2026 17:22:37
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Roscommon GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To The_analyser: "The powers to be have decided to moved the All-Ireland U20 Semi-final to Wednesday night May 13th in Semple Stadium with a 7.30pm. Not played on the original date Saturday the 9th because Kerry was granted the request to move in back because Tomas Kennedy will be involved with the Seniors on Sunday." It will give Roscommon players more time to recover from the extra time in Tuam I suppose. Not to forget that a Roscommon man is probably the most powerful figure in the gaa when it comes to fixture and competition scheduling.
endgame (National) - 06/05/2026 18:03:37
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Hurling Championship 2026 - 1 Like(s)
This is best system we've had. Leave it alone.
Lets hope no committee is ever put together to change it and have it passed at Congress by delegates from counties that are at best disinterested in hurling.
BarneyGrant (National) - 05/05/2026 22:31:39
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Kerry GAA Thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To CiarraiMick: "The town is choc a block with good standard b and b s also.Hope you all get sorted lads." Cheers! Might be time to put my good friend Claude to work to find me a reasonably priced B&B.
Lockjaw (National) - 06/05/2026 14:07:36
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Football Format Changes Discussion - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Commodore: "Scrap the National League, and convert the Provincial Championships into a Provincial league format, with Finals?
The top 4 from each Province progress to the All Ireland series (16 teams).
-- The Provincial winners getting Automatic All Ireland Quarter final places.
-- The 3rd and 4th place go into All Ireland knockout round 1, play other losing 3rd and 4th placed teams.
-- The Provincial runner up plays a winner of round 1 in the 2nd round, with 2nd round winner through to All Ireland Quarter final.
Anyone who doesn't make the All ireland series, is automatically in the Tailteann cup, with the exception of the bottom 2 in each Province, who maybe go into a 3rd tier Championship." This is not good.
One of the key themes is that the Provincials are imbalanced. Why would we want them at the heart of the championship.
Get the National championship format right first. Nationally organised.
See if Provincial champions can be accommodated.
Everything else should be secondary.
Whammo86 (National) - 06/05/2026 14:02:40
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Hurling Championship 2026 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Viking66: "We, the Leinster counties, will likely be able to close the gap on the pitch, as has often happened over the history of hurling. There have been many periods when Leinster counties and Galway have had better teams than some or most Munster counties. In the noughties Kilkenny were the best team. In the 90s 3 different Leinster counties won 5 of the 10 AIs, and sometimes got harder games in Leinster than they did in the AI series. In the 1980s Munster teams only won 3 of the 10 AIs that decade. If you aggregate the scores of the AI finals in the 70s Leinster the counties come out on top too. The 1960s were split 5 each also. Munster is certainly dominating the last 10 years, but that wont always be so.
But outside of perhaps Wexford and Galway its unlikely we will get the same attendances even if we are more successful than most of the Munster counties. And thats down to demographics. Offaly and Kilkenny put together have a fraction of the population of Cork or Limerick, and around the same or less than Clare, Waterford and Tipp." I know all that tbf but this around in circles attack on Munster for being better atm is getting tiresome at times. Better as in being a better product. Better teams atm, bigger crowds more drama etc.
We even have one Cork lad proposing everyone be in the championship over on another thread. Behaving as if there aren't different levels in hurling etc. I can entertain sensible and even somewhat mad ideas if there is some logic/ merit to them but the Munster Championship does not owe hurling anything. Its the greatest advertisement the game has.
Tadhg2020 (National) - 06/05/2026 13:26:52
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Galway Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To maroondiesel: "exactly, and Galway is the only good team with no free taker or 45 expert. It's a huge problem, not to mention the other issues with keepers and kick outs. Look, Roscommon will give us a huge awakening and it will only be an exhibition game." Poster JimB1991 is a well known WUM from Mayo who lives in Dublin.
GDL (National) - 06/05/2026 12:36:44
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