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Football Championship 2026

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Replying To brayballer:  "No Dave.Just happy Down massacred yous."
Dave Brown loves Down. It was an impressive win alright but not sure it could be classed as a massacre.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1583 - 29/04/2026 22:35:57    2669879

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Replying To mickcunningham:  "I do not know where you get your false information. Mattie whittaker and luke loughlin will line out on sunday"
Everyone locally in Westmeath was saying it last weekend. He's actually gone for year with county might make a club final or semi if downs reach it

dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 930 - 30/04/2026 00:38:18    2669892

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Replying To Commodore:  "It feels like a refreshing kind of year so far in Football, Roscommon are playing serious football, I think Louth will be looking to retain Leinster this year and seeing Westmeath and Down emerge is great. Even in the lower divisions, seeing Carlow win Division 4 and Leitrim beat Sligo, its healthy to see different sides progress and good for the sport."
And hopefully, Cork beating Kerry in the Munster Final!

bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 517 - 30/04/2026 09:32:24    2669909

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Replying To legendzxix:  "I'd have no problem about provincial championships being separate from the All Ireland series. The provincial finals this year have no impact on the All Ireland, no seeding benefit or anything to be gained from winning the finals. The provincial championships should be able to stand on their own two feet."
Provincial "finalists" gain home advantage, but they have not all arrived there equally. Small point, but you seem reluctant to refer to that?

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 38 - 30/04/2026 11:12:21    2669946

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Derry - Monaghan. Derry missed out on promotion. Monaghan shook off a disappointing league to get the better of Cavan. Derry are favourites but I wouldn't write off Monaghan.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9687 - 30/04/2026 12:48:31    2669987

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Replying To dickie10:  "Everyone locally in Westmeath was saying it last weekend. He's actually gone for year with county might make a club final or semi if downs reach it"
Yeah i wasn't aware of the extent of his injury . As a westmeath supporter I was trying to stay positive

mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1971 - 30/04/2026 14:25:28    2670007

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Really disappointing news that Luke Loughlin is out for the year. He will be a massive loss to Westmeath. He is one of those players that neutrals love to watch as well. A very exciting footballer with a bit of X-factor about him.
I would say that tips the balance in Kildare's favour. Kildare by a point or two.

Louth and Dublin will be an interesting match. A lot of people are tipping Louth, but I just have a feeling that Dublin will be out to prove a point after the criticism they received when they just about overcame a spirited Wicklow challenge.
Dubs by 2 or 3 points.

In Ulster, the consensus seems to be that it'll be a Derry-Armagh final. I wouldn't be so sure. Monaghan will be tricky opponents for Derry. Down are certainly not to be discounted, as we found out to our cost last Sunday. It's a local derby and anything can happen. Laverty said they really zoned in and prepared meticulously for the Donegal match. They obviously didn't have the same amount of time to repeat the same process analysing Armagh, which leads me to give Armagh the nod by 4 or 5. They have an Ulster title itch to scratch, and I think it may finally be McGeeney's time in Ulster.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10312 - 01/05/2026 09:26:05    2670107

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Dublin v Louth. Winner secures home advantage for Round 1. Home league ground advantage can help at the business stage of the championship later in the summer. I wouldn't be joining the rush to write off Dublin.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9687 - 01/05/2026 12:39:07    2670162

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Dublin v Louth. Winner secures home advantage for Round 1. Home league ground advantage can help at the business stage of the championship later in the summer. I wouldn't be joining the rush to write off Dublin."
Louth won't be playing in Louth even if they win though.

With the Luke Loughlin injury you'd imagine the Leinster winner will come from this semi.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1583 - 01/05/2026 12:44:11    2670165

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Dublin v Louth. Winner secures home advantage for Round 1. Home league ground advantage can help at the business stage of the championship later in the summer. I wouldn't be joining the rush to write off Dublin."
Will Louth be allowed play home games in Ardee. It is a bit of a fortress.

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 985 - 01/05/2026 13:08:08    2670172

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Really disappointing news that Luke Loughlin is out for the year. He will be a massive loss to Westmeath. He is one of those players that neutrals love to watch as well. A very exciting footballer with a bit of X-factor about him.
I would say that tips the balance in Kildare's favour. Kildare by a point or two.

Louth and Dublin will be an interesting match. A lot of people are tipping Louth, but I just have a feeling that Dublin will be out to prove a point after the criticism they received when they just about overcame a spirited Wicklow challenge.
Dubs by 2 or 3 points.

In Ulster, the consensus seems to be that it'll be a Derry-Armagh final. I wouldn't be so sure. Monaghan will be tricky opponents for Derry. Down are certainly not to be discounted, as we found out to our cost last Sunday. It's a local derby and anything can happen. Laverty said they really zoned in and prepared meticulously for the Donegal match. They obviously didn't have the same amount of time to repeat the same process analysing Armagh, which leads me to give Armagh the nod by 4 or 5. They have an Ulster title itch to scratch, and I think it may finally be McGeeney's time in Ulster."
Tough ask for Down to repeat last weeks performance, but need to stay in sam, advantage Armagh but I'd nearly rather be in Donegals position

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 38 - 01/05/2026 15:15:31    2670218

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Replying To Expertinall:  "Tough ask for Down to repeat last weeks performance, but need to stay in sam, advantage Armagh but I'd nearly rather be in Donegals position"
Schedule a bit silly, if done right would be 2 week gap at least between quarter final and semi-final.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3941 - 01/05/2026 18:16:04    2670247

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Replying To bloodandbandage:  "And hopefully, Cork beating Kerry in the Munster Final!"
No reason why not Bloodandbandage.Regardless of what some think most Kerry/Cork clashes are close.KLast year was a draw and we sneaked it in extra time in a fantastic game of football.The year before Kerry won by two points.

Since the qualifiers came in 25 years ago,no teams have met each other more in the championship than Cork and Kerry.They have met in two qualifiers,4 All Ireland semi finals and two All Ireland finals.

Cork and Kerry have met an astonishing 38 times in the chmpionship in the last 25 years.Thats almost incredible.While Kerry have won most,Cork were the victors on 6 occassions and there were 8 draws.

The lazy narrative is its only Kerry in Munster and Cork have beaten teams like Mayo and Donegal in the championship also in the last couple of years.Im hoping for a Kerry victory but wont be shocked by any outcome.Cork and Kerry take on a life of its own.
Last night the two under 20 teams produced a brilliant Munster final with Kerry claiming a narrow victory.
Roll on Killarney next Sunday.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 4130 - 01/05/2026 20:07:00    2670270

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Replying To winatallcost:  "Will Louth be allowed play home games in Ardee. It is a bit of a fortress."
No not allowed. They say grass banks aren't allowed for championship games. If we have a home game would more than likely be back in Iniskeen.

Lúla571210 (Louth) - Posts: 177 - 01/05/2026 21:58:01    2670293

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Offaly won Division 3 last year. They lost to Meath in the Leinster quarter final. Clare only had to beat a lower league opponent to make the Munster final. Offaly's goose was cooked.
Things looked better for Down this year when Clare had Kerry to contend with for a Munster final spot. Westmeath's win over Meath has set the cat amongst the pigeons. Meath fell into the Tailteann when Clare beat Cork in 2023. Sligo only having to beat London and New York to leapfrog them didn't help matters.
If Westmeath win on Sunday, they'll have done it the hard way by beating a higher ranked opponent. Anything lower than 5th in Division 2 is asking for trouble. Just the way it is following the mad rush to link the league to championship.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9687 - 01/05/2026 22:34:30    2670296

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Replying To CiarraiMick:  "No reason why not Bloodandbandage.Regardless of what some think most Kerry/Cork clashes are close.KLast year was a draw and we sneaked it in extra time in a fantastic game of football.The year before Kerry won by two points.

Since the qualifiers came in 25 years ago,no teams have met each other more in the championship than Cork and Kerry.They have met in two qualifiers,4 All Ireland semi finals and two All Ireland finals.

Cork and Kerry have met an astonishing 38 times in the chmpionship in the last 25 years.Thats almost incredible.While Kerry have won most,Cork were the victors on 6 occassions and there were 8 draws.

The lazy narrative is its only Kerry in Munster and Cork have beaten teams like Mayo and Donegal in the championship also in the last couple of years.Im hoping for a Kerry victory but wont be shocked by any outcome.Cork and Kerry take on a life of its own.
Last night the two under 20 teams produced a brilliant Munster final with Kerry claiming a narrow victory.
Roll on Killarney next Sunday."
It might be a lazy narrative, but there is some truth to it. Cork haven't really made an impression on the All-Ireland championship in well over a decade. A few notable wins here and there, but some very bad losses and they haven't made an All-Ireland semi-final for almost 15 years. 13 team different counties have made a semi-final since then.
They were a serious force in the late 00s and very early 10s. They've been a long way short of that ever since and haven't even had one year where you could say they left a serious mark on the championship.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2782 - 02/05/2026 00:30:54    2670315

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "It might be a lazy narrative, but there is some truth to it. Cork haven't really made an impression on the All-Ireland championship in well over a decade. A few notable wins here and there, but some very bad losses and they haven't made an All-Ireland semi-final for almost 15 years. 13 team different counties have made a semi-final since then.
They were a serious force in the late 00s and very early 10s. They've been a long way short of that ever since and haven't even had one year where you could say they left a serious mark on the championship."
I take your point Wanpint but flip it the other way.
Maybe its harder for Cork because they in the same province as Kerry.There might be a bit of irony to it all.

Maybe if Cork were in another province they might find the road a bit easier.I just find people love slagging off Munster football and yet is Leinster any better?

Of course Ulster is the best,no arguement there and Connaught maybe next but it is lazy talk about Munster when Cork have given Kerry so many great games including last years Munster clash.

Its no coincidence that in the last 3 years outside of Munster Cork have beaten Roscommon,Donegal and Mayo but still Cork are not rated.
Cork are a fine team and eventhough Kerry are at home next Sunday I expect another huge Cork perfornane.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 4130 - 02/05/2026 12:25:36    2670338

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Replying To CiarraiMick:  "I take your point Wanpint but flip it the other way.
Maybe its harder for Cork because they in the same province as Kerry.There might be a bit of irony to it all.

Maybe if Cork were in another province they might find the road a bit easier.I just find people love slagging off Munster football and yet is Leinster any better?

Of course Ulster is the best,no arguement there and Connaught maybe next but it is lazy talk about Munster when Cork have given Kerry so many great games including last years Munster clash.

Its no coincidence that in the last 3 years outside of Munster Cork have beaten Roscommon,Donegal and Mayo but still Cork are not rated.
Cork are a fine team and eventhough Kerry are at home next Sunday I expect another huge Cork perfornane."
That might have been the case in the past, but since the back door, qualifiers, round robins etc, being in the same province as Kerry isn't an excuse for Cork not making an impression on the championship. It hasn't been Kerry knocking them out of the championship in the last 13 years. Tipp have made two All-Ireland semi-finals in that time and they're also in the same province as Kerry. Cork are currently seen as team capable of a big performance, but they're also seen as underperformers in general. They've exited the championship before the semi-finals every year in that timeframe, so until they change that stat the narrative will likely continue.
Galway from the mid 00s to mid 10s were similar. A non-factor generally in terms of the All-Ireland championship.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2782 - 02/05/2026 16:31:10    2670388

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