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Football Championship 2026 - 2 Like(s)
I think any provincial championship which returns the same as last year will be a disappointment.
Having Westmeath/Kildare, Roscommon/Mayo, Cork, Armagh/Derry/Down as provincial champions would be good for football.
Donegal (5 of last 10), Kerry (13 of 14), Galway (11 finals in a row, 6 titles in a row) and Dublin (19 of 21) all winning would be a disaster from an overall development point of view.
Bring back the days of the 2000's - Div 1A and B in the league and open draw championships, open draw back door
[5 different Leinster winners, 4 different Connacht winners (no more than a 2 in a row), 5 of six Munster counties in the final (limerick in 4, no Kerry in 2 finals), all 9 Ulster counties reached the Ulster final). 12 different counties playing in All Ireland semi finals.
Hopefully, the new rules will allow us get back to those heady days, when Provincial finals and All Ireland quarter final weekends were big stuff.
tirawleybaron (National) - 22/04/2026 16:44:38
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Roscommon GAA thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To MayoDan: "1 game per week is not a punishing schedule for young lads.. Mayo's best performance so far was against Galway and that was their 3rd week in a row playing.
It's quite likely one, if not two, of Mayo's best U20 players will play a significant role for the seniors this Sunday which is a much bigger issue to be dealing with." Irrelevant. Galway wasn't rested coming into that game.
The_analyser (National) - 23/04/2026 09:58:28
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Donegal GAA thread - 2 Like(s)
Get back to coaching skills first, stats second at underage and coach to players strengths.. We have a generation of academic coaches brought up on coaching almost exclusively by stats and rigid gameplans since 2021 and they are risk adverse as they judge performance almost on stats alone . The new rules have brought skills, contact and individual leadership back into the game.. stats should support not dictate https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6826353/2025/12/08/footballers-data-goals-assists-most-important/
LKGael (National) - 23/04/2026 11:57:37
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Leitrim GAA thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To moros: "Very poor form the vitriol and bile in this post. Very childish and amateurish but what would you expect from those who are habitually hapless. Love to all." Pot calls the kettle black.
Square_B (National) - 22/04/2026 22:03:43
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Roscommon GAA thread - 2 Like(s)
Well done to the Roscommon U20 players into the Connacht final with a deserved win. In truth we were 5 or 6 points the better team but made it harder for ourselves with our shooting. We had ten more shots on goal than Galway and within those misses was three goal chances.
Mayo will be strong favourites in the final next Wednesday especially with them rested and will be our 3rd game in 14 days but better to be in the final than not.
The_analyser (National) - 22/04/2026 20:36:06
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Football Format Changes Discussion - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Tadhg2020: "Firstly, while I may be originally from Limerick I currently live in Roscommon having lived in Dublin, Kerry, meath and Kildare along the way. My children are Rossies. They are heading to Castlebar on Sunday not just in hope of a win. The Connacht championship is very important to the Rossies. Having had similar discussions over the years with my friends and neighbours, not one of them believe that winning Connacht will have the same status if the link between the Provincial Championship and Sam is broken. Not one honest person would agree with that perspective.
As for me having a biased perspective, I should have as so should everyone. I want it to mean something should limerick ever win a Munster again just as it did for Clare and Tipp. It just wont if the GAA dilute its standing. Thats just a fact.
As for limerick getting a handy draw. You need to educate yourself. The Munster Football Championship is seeded. This greatly annoyed our senior footballers ( limerick voted for it against their wishes) but it is seeded none the less.
You can knock yourself out on this topic but the votes aren't there to bring in the change you want. The winning of a Provincial championship is the holy grail for most counties and they dont want that diminished in any way. It is also the cash cow of the Provincial Councils. They dont want that diminished either. Connacht are charging 35 euro for a child to sit in the stand on Sunday. Prunty says its to generate revenue through the only mechanism that's available to them(250k loss apparently). That shows that he believes there is interest. I dont think he would be doing that if there was no link between Connacht and Sam." The holy grail suggests its the ultimate prize, so why would it need to feed into another competition. The ultimate prize is an all Ireland at your grade.
When you say the votes aren't there, didnt the proposal to remove the link in 2021 get over 50% of the vote just not the 60% needed. Think the GPA were in favour and believe players in some counties who voted against were in favour too but their voices got sidelined.
That propsal wasn't perfect either as it allowed division 3 and 4 winners into the Senior All Ireland, which makes no sense as you're reward for winning your division is likely a slaughtering in the All Ireland series.
The point is though you're making out the vast majority want to retain the link between the provincial and All Ireland and their is no appetite for a change in that but I don't think thats the case at all.
JimB1991 (National) - 23/04/2026 14:08:52
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Wexford Football 2025 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Pikeman96: "I said I wasn't about to try defend you :)
Bit churlish to try deny that Louth are on the rise. Even if you just confine it to League standings, like you seem to want to do:
In both 2024 and '25, they finished sixth in Division 2. This year, they went into the last round of games with a chance of promotion. Is that not an improvement - i.e. on the rise?
Or in championship - they've gone from being in only one Leinster Final in more than 60 years, to being in the last three finals in a row. Is that not an improvement too - i.e. also on the rise?
Or think about ourselves here. Clearly on something of a rise now (despite last Sunday's result!) after two successive League promotions. But think about the League in the few years before that:
2022 - finished 6th in Division 4. Only won two matches.
2023 - Moved up to 4th place. Finished two points off promotion.
2024 - Finished in 3rd place. Missed promotion only on the head-to-head result with Leitrim after they beat us with a highly controversial last-minute penalty.
I'd contend that we were already on the rise during those few years. But based on how you view Louth, your take on it would be - "Huh. In Division 4 for the three years. If any use, would have made the step up quicker."" Louth have been doing alot of things right over recent years, starting with increasing the number of GPOs/GDAs going around the schools, and working up from there.
Good results on the pitch have naturally followed.
Viking66 (National) - 23/04/2026 14:27:10
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Leitrim GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Square_B: "Pot calls the kettle black." Agreed.
This was a great place to discuss Leitrim football, but there is a serious amount of nonsense on it now.
Anyway Im hoping for a good performance on Saturday, Galway are a different animal to anything we faced in a long time. Leitrim Abù.
3rdmidfielder (National) - 23/04/2026 13:54:00
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Galway Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Strong rumours that walsh comer and barry mchugh all amongst the fray for saturday.
caltra04 (National) - 23/04/2026 13:11:35
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Roscommon GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Seanfan: "Well done indeed lads.
I feared the worst when Galway got those handy points at start of 2nd half.
We need everything to go right next week and high possession to scores rate." We need to improve our efficiency in front of goal. This is a good Roscommon U20 team but they've been wasteful in their games so far. Roscommon won't beat Mayo without a big improvement in accuracy up front.
endgame (National) - 23/04/2026 13:11:17
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Wexford Football 2025 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To countyman2022: "On the rise? For such a strong team who are apparently on the rise- next year is their 5th consecutive season in Div 2. Wouldn't seem extremely ascending. If any use would have made the step to Div 1 by now. Talk like they are Kerry, although I guess when they hype themselves up so much they would do that." I said I wasn't about to try defend you :)
Bit churlish to try deny that Louth are on the rise. Even if you just confine it to League standings, like you seem to want to do:
In both 2024 and '25, they finished sixth in Division 2. This year, they went into the last round of games with a chance of promotion. Is that not an improvement - i.e. on the rise?
Or in championship - they've gone from being in only one Leinster Final in more than 60 years, to being in the last three finals in a row. Is that not an improvement too - i.e. also on the rise?
Or think about ourselves here. Clearly on something of a rise now (despite last Sunday's result!) after two successive League promotions. But think about the League in the few years before that:
2022 - finished 6th in Division 4. Only won two matches.
2023 - Moved up to 4th place. Finished two points off promotion.
2024 - Finished in 3rd place. Missed promotion only on the head-to-head result with Leitrim after they beat us with a highly controversial last-minute penalty.
I'd contend that we were already on the rise during those few years. But based on how you view Louth, your take on it would be - "Huh. In Division 4 for the three years. If any use, would have made the step up quicker."
Pikeman96 (National) - 23/04/2026 12:20:38
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Roscommon GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To MayoDan: "It's not a question of relying on teenagers, but if they're clearly good enough to start it is disrespectful not to play them in a championship game.
Tommy Conroy has barely played in the last 18 months and looked very rusty anytime he has. Form and ability are more important than senior championship appearances at the end of the day" A fit Tommy Conroy starts for Mayo and the league was used to get him up to speed. You have Towey,Boland plus a few other more established players that could be named to start this Sunday.
One of those teenagers started once in the league for Mayo which was in the heavy loss to Kerry and you have yourself convinced that he should start this Sunday over more seasoned campaigners?
Gaa_lover (National) - 23/04/2026 14:51:06
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Leitrim GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
I find it cringey that counties come here to crow about winning a semi final thank you for agreeing. It's a little bit pathetic really. But sure they obviously like to do that and it's nice to let them do that. It's kind really from us. Thank you so much.
bláthach (National) - 23/04/2026 11:58:52
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Roscommon GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
On a side note, Officals shouldn't be allow ref or be a sideline offical if they come from the same provinces, especially for championship games.
hontherossie (National) - 22/04/2026 16:37:31
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Leitrim GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To ohwow: "The u20 final will be a replica of the mens final. A meeting of the traditional big two Galway v Mayo" How did this fair out then?
fantasybrown (National) - 23/04/2026 10:50:04
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Football Format Changes Discussion - 1 Like(s)
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Just because you inherit a way of doing things, doesn't mean its the way things always should be done.
The Limerick view is not exactly un biased on this. If Limerick get a lucky draw they can get into the Sam Maguire competition by only beating div3 and 4 teams. That's the inherent problem.
Kerry used to have a July Munster final v Cork, then an Ireland semi final in August and All Ireland in September - 3 games, 3 months -All Ireland - could plan for it every year.
Now, Cork & Kerry - particularly if the Munster championship is seeded - will have a munster final tune up, then are seeded in last 16 of All Ireland, with a home draw. This year, Cork had to play relegated Limerick (now Div 4) and Tipp (div 4) to get seeded into last 16 of All Ireland.
Tyrone, are now facing an away trip (potentially all the way down in Tralee or Cork).
What part of the above can you not see as being unbalanced and inherently unfair?
Hurling used to give Galway and Antrim byes into the All Ireland semi finals - they finally admitted it was unfair and changed - its time football copped on also." Short-term - 4 Provincial Champions and 4 highest NFL teams in Pot 1, home venue.
Seanfan (National) - 23/04/2026 10:12:38
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Roscommon GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To eoinog: "I doubt very much if you will see any U.20. player at the weekend" Or any need to see them.
Mayos starting six forwards should be
Jack Carney, Ryan O'Donoghue, Jordan Flynn; Cian McHale, Aidan O'Shea, Tommy Conroy.
Gaa_lover (National) - 23/04/2026 10:08:04
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Leitrim GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To leitrimlad15: "I hope they get the road work competed outside Pairc Sean before the game Saturday or it will be carnage." As a rossie living in carrick. I have the same concerns about how long its taking to dig a basic trench along a road. I am now starting to wonder, is this a tactic deployed by poacher to stop the galway bus getting into the pitch.
hontherossie (National) - 23/04/2026 15:13:50
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Football Format Changes Discussion - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Tadhg2020: "Because that's what has always made it so important. You say that I missed your point???" Just because you inherit a way of doing things, doesn't mean its the way things always should be done.
The Limerick view is not exactly un biased on this. If Limerick get a lucky draw they can get into the Sam Maguire competition by only beating div3 and 4 teams. That's the inherent problem.
Kerry used to have a July Munster final v Cork, then an Ireland semi final in August and All Ireland in September - 3 games, 3 months -All Ireland - could plan for it every year.
Now, Cork & Kerry - particularly if the Munster championship is seeded - will have a munster final tune up, then are seeded in last 16 of All Ireland, with a home draw. This year, Cork had to play relegated Limerick (now Div 4) and Tipp (div 4) to get seeded into last 16 of All Ireland.
Tyrone, are now facing an away trip (potentially all the way down in Tralee or Cork).
What part of the above can you not see as being unbalanced and inherently unfair?
Hurling used to give Galway and Antrim byes into the All Ireland semi finals - they finally admitted it was unfair and changed - its time football copped on also.
tirawleybaron (National) - 23/04/2026 09:51:15
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Hurling Championship 2026 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Goreylad1985: "Matches on Sunday do make a difference yes definitely.
In Newbridge Saturday evening, the town beforehand was just going about its business, there was a game happening and a few extra people around. You might of known there was a match on with the few more cars.
The Munster towns especially Thurles is taken over the day. It's the only show in town that day. It's like a carnival around the square in Thurles and all the way upto Semple stadium. Buskers, chip vans, pubs spilling out onto the street. It's fantastic to go and experience it" The thought of Thurles gives me nightmares Goreylad given our shocking record there. Always a long dissapointing drive home! Wish they would get rid of the double headers in Thurles for quarter finals in my opinion it ruins the atmosphere. You take a quarter final between Wexford and Tipp or Clare in Kilkenny Nowlan Park would be a sell out and the atmosphere would be incredible
Afinestick96 (National) - 23/04/2026 09:31:18
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