Football Championship Draws 2014

The dust hasn't even settled and the 2014 championship draw will be made this week,can't see any challengers in leinster, and if the draw works out in ulster would expect to play donegal/tyrone in the latter stages of the championship.should be fun

If the draw allows the dubs will be sent on the road first time since 06

So Dublin haven't played an away game since 2006, whereas '06 was the last time Down were drawn at home for the first round of the championship. A game which was played at Casement Park because of the work being done at Páirc Esler. That's 8 years on the trot being drawn away from home, and no 1st round game actually played in Down since 1999. Some contrast there, eh?

Having said all that, I'm still hopeful we can get at least a draw in Omagh and perhaps get a repeat of our 2008 championship win over the Red Hands. With any luck, we'll have plenty of lads playing in the red and black who weren't available last season and who knows, maybe the black card rule will help us? An Dún abú!

Early_Ball_In wrote:So Dublin haven't played an away game since 2006, whereas '06 was the last time Down were drawn at home for the first round of the championship. A game which was played at Casement Park because of the work being done at Páirc Esler. That's 8 years on the trot being drawn away from home, and no 1st round game actually played in Down since 1999. Some contrast there, eh?

Having said all that, I'm still hopeful we can get at least a draw in Omagh and perhaps get a repeat of our 2008 championship win over the Red Hands. With any luck, we'll have plenty of lads playing in the red and black who weren't available last season and who knows, maybe the black card rule will help us? An Dún abú!

I know how you feel about home games. I did a count earlier in the year, and Tyrone had only played something like 2 of their last 17 championship matches in Omagh. As for the opener, it is a very tough draw for both sides.

Down are a decent side but, though they could well surprise Tyrone, I find it hard to envisage them winning 4 tough games in a row to lift the Anglo-Celt. It takes a special side to win Ulster from the preliminary round, and Down haven't yet shown that they are anything better than average.

The black card will always favour the side with the stronger bench.