Just a little thread on this game, is'nt it feckin GREAT at this time of year to have such a huge game with real meaning.

The league seems to have taken itself up a notch this year. With the huge crowd at the Dubs Cavan game, the massive performance from Donegal last week, Kildare's resurgence as a possible contender, Clare's continuing rise and rise. Then you have huge games like the Dubs in Kerry in front of a packed house, and then this weekend you have Mayo playing for their lives against another of the big 5 who themselves are looking at a serious trophy in a few weeks. The controversy over the choice of ref etc etc

Then you have Tyrone going to Kerry in what promises to be an epic encounter also with Kerry looking over their shoulders, and wouldnt Mickey only love to be the man to send them back into trouble!

The league seems to have taken on a new level this year and its feckin great!

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 29/03/2017 13:16:04    1972734

Agreed and hopefully this is the trend. I believe the league to be a better competition than the championship. It should be played over the Summer months. people would know where they stand regards fixtures. you play 7 games in a 9 week period .

some mouth-watering fixtures this weekend. That mayo v Donegal game may also have some bearing on whether my County retains it's division one status. We are playing for our top division lives in Dr Hyde Park and if we win we would be hoping that Donegal would do us a favour by beating Mayo. However there is another twist in the tale as Kerry v Tyrone could also come in to the equation. Not to mention the fact that tonight in Irvinestown Cavan play Donegal in the Ulster Under-21 Semi-final. If Donegal win (and they are ods-on favourites) Then they will surely rest their under-21 players in that final league match v Mayo which could work against Cavan.

Anyway the cream always rises to the top and I expect wins for Dublin,kerry and Mayo leaving our result v Roscommon meaningless in respect of league position.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5520 - 29/03/2017 13:31:12    1972741

Cormac Reilly is a brave man to set foot in Castlebar, I can see Mayo winning this as I don't think Donegal are too bothered now they are secure in div 1 for next year, this is a big game for us after 2 bad defeats, going be a tasty match in the kingdom.

El_Torro (Tyrone) - Posts: 155 - 29/03/2017 13:32:48    1972744

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 29/03/2017 14:15:30    1972772

The Championship should be done on a Champions League format i.e. 4 groups of 8 teams with the top two teams qualifying. Then a last 8 teams in a quarter-final knock-out. Even losing teams would get 7 games.
Every year we would have the winners playing the same number of games unlike now.

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 29/03/2017 14:23:49    1972776

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 29/03/2017 14:30:00    1972778

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9739 - 29/03/2017 14:32:11    1972780

The profile of the league has grown considerably since the introduction of the Spring Series in 2011, big televised live games against the best teams in the country, it's really added something.

Fantastic crowds this year, all across the country, great to see at this time of year

Dub away games played in front of big crowds, Dubs home games have attracted up around the 80k mark

The GAA now has a much stronger profile across Jan-April

Some cracking games this year, which has helped, and it's a far more competitive sport on offer, and the bums on seats don't lie. People want more competitive games and that's exactly what the league has been offering up

The league is now up there with the provincial championships, and apart from probably Ulster, is a far more enjoyable contest compared to the other provincial championships IMO

Long may it continue, it's a great competition and hopefully that will only be built upon.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 29/03/2017 14:38:32    1972786

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5520 - 29/03/2017 14:54:40    1972794

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 29/03/2017 15:17:45    1972803

potentially an important game this evening. if cavan beat donegal in the u21's then it may make donegal change their priorities and go for a league. If donegal win i just can't see them too bothered about the league. it'll mean 3 games in 3 weeks and one could compromise the others preparations. the odds are stacked against cavan tbh.
On the league itself i fully agree that the league has been very good. once this weekend is over we'll only get sporadic excitement until the semi finals in reality. I'd love to see the back door system done away with altogether and more emphasis put on promoting the league while also overlapping the competitions finishing up with a league final the June bank holiday nad also resulting in more time for club action. but that's for another day...........

theweanling (Cavan) - Posts: 414 - 29/03/2017 15:23:34    1972804

U21's over a national title................

seriously?????

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 29/03/2017 15:55:42    1972820

For a chap who never put much emphasis on the league, I too enjoy the fixtures it throws up. But there is only one way the league will ever matter that much, and that's if the New Ireland cup and the Sam Maguire swap places. It's pretty much as simple as that.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8743 - 29/03/2017 15:58:08    1972821

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8743 - 29/03/2017 16:07:26    1972827

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9739 - 29/03/2017 16:22:41    1972837

very hard to say this without sounding disrespectful, and I hope the Donegal lads take this the way I mean it, but, for Dublin with 4 leagues in a row, no, but for Donegal who dont win national titles on a regular basis at senior level, definitely yes

Apols to Lockjaw, Muckross etc if that sounds condescending..???

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 29/03/2017 16:31:26    1972841

Honest to god I'd rate minor and u-21 provinicial titles (and obviously AIs) much higher than a senior Division 1 league title.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12295 - 29/03/2017 17:00:06    1972852

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4512 - 29/03/2017 17:14:07    1972859

It will be interesting to see if we go for it on Sunday. I think that we were aiming at a league final, but hoped that the game in castlebar would be a formality and there would be nothing to play for in it. Things have changed now. I cant call how we will line out.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3846 - 29/03/2017 17:51:26    1972868

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 29/03/2017 18:10:14    1972877