2014 Football Championship - The Draw.

MUNSTER SFC.
Quarter-finals: Tipperary v Limerick; Clare v Waterford.
Semi-finals: Tipperary/Limerick v Cork; Clare/Waterford v Kerry.

CONNACHT SFC.
Preliminary rounds: New York v Mayo.
Quarter-finals: Roscommon v Leitrim; London v Galway.
Semi-finals: Roscommon/Leitrim v New York/Mayo; London/Galway v Sligo.

ULSTER SFC.
Preliminary round: Tyrone v Down.
Quarter-finals: Monaghan v Tyrone/Down; Fermanagh v Antrim; Donegal v Derry; Cavan v Armagh.
Semi-finals: Monaghan/Tyrone/Down v Fermanagh/Antrim; Donegal/Derry v Cavan/Armagh.

LEINSTER SFC.
Preliminary rounds: Wicklow v Laois; Longford v Offaly; Westmeath v Louth.
Quarter-finals: Wicklow/Laois v Dublin; Longford/Offaly v Wexford; Westmeath/Louth v Kildare; Meath v Carlow.
Semi-finals: Wicklow/Laois/Dublin v Longford/Offaly/Wexford; Westmeath/Louth/Kildare v Meath/Carlow.

The pick of the draws look to be in Ulster where Tyrone yet again face a tricky opener. Armagh will seek to avenge this years reversal to Cavan and Donegal will face the Oak Leaf county. Beagle is already savouring this one...
Munster is a dead rubber and Connacht looks much the same, it's hard to see beyond a Galway/Mayo final.

Leinster sees Dublin kept apart from the immediate pretenders, but the other side promises some fireworks with Kildare likely to face Meath.

Verdict: Cork, Mayo, Tyrone, Dublin.

Ulster - the Tyrone half of the draw is certainly the tougher, but Donegal/Derry on the other sides adds balance.  Overall, a good draw, with plenty of exciting and difficult to predict matches to look forward to.  Tyrone will have to win 4 tough games to lift the crown, whereas Derry/Donegal will effectively be in the final should they beat the other.  

I'd say that promotion and an Ulster title would be very high on Jim McGuinness' moral-boosting wishlist.  Ironically, they may need an Ulster title more than the other big names.

Connacht - Galway showed flashes of improvement against Cork, and should push on again if Mulholland is the right man at the helm.  Having said that, this all depends on how Mayo rebound.  If they really fancy another go at it, they should be too good again.

Leinster - There's nothing on Dublin's half of the draw to trouble them.  On the other side, you'd expect a Kildare/Meath tussle, but the winners of Westmeath and Louth could give Kildare trouble.  It's hard to look past Dublin, but I'd like to think the Royals or Lillies could improve enough to really challenge.

Munster - What a joke.

Munster
Depends on the who Cork appoint as manager.

Leinster Dublin weren't too hot in 2012 the rest will be hoping the same happens again however Dublin should still win it.

Connacht Galway,Roscommon on the rise and Sligo have a good recent record v Galway but all won't be able to topple Mayo next year.

Ulster Most will fancy a Donegal v Tyrone final but Derry or Cavan may upset the odds.

Gaa_lover wrote:
Ulster Most will fancy a Donegal v Tyrone final but Derry or Cavan may upset the odds.

Down could also turn Tyrone over in the first game, although they'd find it very hard to then beat Monaghan + Armagh/Cavan just to make the final.

I'd be cautiously optimistic that Tyrone will be the last Ulster side standing in the overall championship, but an Ulster title would be a big ask given that draw. As for Donegal, if they can get back to something close to their 2012 form, they will be in the final and the team to beat. But there are huge question marks around their ability to bounce back, and their league campaign will tell us a lot.

Seems they keep drawing Tyrone out in the Preliminary round. Ulster fans just can't get enough of them. Maybe they should stop playing that attractive brand of football.

Dublin handed favourable draw - per Sean Moran in Irish Times

“All-Ireland champions Dublin last night landed on the more desirable side of next year’s Leinster championship draw.

Within a fortnight of landing a second All-Ireland in three years, the defending champions came out of the bowl on the other side of the draw to this year’s provincial final and semi-final opponents Meath and Kildare.”

Well the draw was structured so that last years semi finalists were seeded and so would go into separate halves of the draw. Dublin/Wexford are in one half and Meath/Kildare the other. Meath also ‘came out of the bowl on the other side of the draw to this year’s provincial final and semi-final opponents’…… Big deal!

So Dublin got a favourable draw because they ‘only’ have to face Wexford who they struggled against in 2011 and 2012 and avoided Kildare who they beat by 16 points last year. Oh and they will likely play Laois first up – who ran them close in the 2012 quarter final. Lazy journalism.

KerryKatriona wrote:Seems they keep drawing Tyrone out in the Preliminary round.  Ulster fans just can't get enough of them.  Maybe they should stop playing that attractive brand of football.

  
Last ten years Winning score All Ireland winners- truely Dublin are the saviours of total football. 
We can but aspire

2013 dublin 18
2012 Donegal 17
2011 Dublin 15
2010 Cork 16
2009 Kerry 16
2008 Tyrone 18
2007 Kerry 22
2006 Kerry24 
2005 Tyrone 19
2004 Kerry 23






Thankfully the zdublin

OMAR wrote:

KerryKatriona wrote:Seems they keep drawing Tyrone out in the Preliminary round.  Ulster fans just can't get enough of them.  Maybe they should stop playing that attractive brand of football.

  
Last ten years Winning score All Ireland winners- truely Dublin are the saviours of total football. 
We can but aspire

2013 dublin 18
2012 Donegal 17
2011 Dublin 15
2010 Cork 16
2009 Kerry 16
2008 Tyrone 18
2007 Kerry 22
2006 Kerry24 
2005 Tyrone 19
2004 Kerry 23

Thankfully the zdublin

Alcohol and posting does not mix.

KerryKatriona wrote:

OMAR wrote:

KerryKatriona wrote:Seems they keep drawing Tyrone out in the Preliminary round.  Ulster fans just can't get enough of them.  Maybe they should stop playing that attractive brand of football.

  
Last ten years Winning score All Ireland winners- truely Dublin are the saviours of total football. 
We can but aspire

2013 dublin 18
2012 Donegal 17
2011 Dublin 15
2010 Cork 16
2009 Kerry 16
2008 Tyrone 18
2007 Kerry 22
2006 Kerry24 
2005 Tyrone 19
2004 Kerry 23

Thankfully the zdublin

Alcohol and posting does not mix.

Fair Cop- Throw 36 hours with no sleep, jet lag, a tumbler of whiskey in the same paw as an IPAD, and my previously highlighted poor command of the queen's and it doesn't get easier.
Though Except for the postscript I stand over the comment.

OMAR wrote:Except for the postscript I stand over the comment.

It’s not so much a comment. More a list of fairly meaningless figures unsuccessfully trying to back up a facetious comment.

More interesting and apt might be to look at what the last 5 All Ireland champions have scored en route to winning Sam.

2013: 13-102 (6 matches) (ave points 23.5)
2012: 8-98 (7) (17.4)
2011: 5-82 (6) (16.2)
2010: 4-108 (7) (17.1)
2009: 6-98 (7) (16.6)

We can but aspire.

KerryKatriona wrote:

OMAR wrote:Except for the postscript I stand over the comment.

It’s not so much a comment.  More a list of fairly meaningless figures unsuccessfully trying to back up a facetious comment.  

More interesting and apt might be to look at what the last 5 All Ireland champions have scored en route to winning Sam.  

2013: 13-102 (6 matches) (ave points 23.5)
2012: 8-98 (7) (17.4)
2011: 5-82 (6) (16.2)
2010: 4-108 (7) (17.1)
2009: 6-98 (7) (16.6)

We can but aspire.

Fair enough and I will concede my point was more defensive in nature.
And I have no issue in saying that Dublin 2013 have played a more attacking brand of football than we have seen in decades and all credit to them. I have more issue with the wider view that Donegal and Tyrone are held up as the demons that have been exorcised, when in general that is the war football has been played for a decade with the 2011 campaign by all key sides, Donegal and both finalists being the most extreme example of the defensive:
At the same time I would also make the point that the game is also about defending which is also a skill if the game.
If you have more free time maybe chalk up those stats.

OMAR wrote:[Fair enough and I will concede my point was more defensive in nature.
And I have no issue in saying that Dublin 2013 have played a more attacking brand of football than we have seen in decades and all credit to them.  I have more issue with the wider view that Donegal and Tyrone are held up as the demons that have been exorcised, when in general that is the war football has been played for a decade with the 2011 campaign by all key sides, Donegal and both finalists being the most extreme example of the defensive:
At the same time I would also make the point that the game is also about defending which is also a skill if the game.
If you have more free time maybe chalk up those stats.

I would agree with a fair chunk of that but don't think 2011 was extreme except for Donegal - and that is not to knock them. (Early noughties were extremely negative IMO). I thought 2011 semi was appalling but have always said that they got the balance more right in 2012 and were not a bad side to watch at all and were very worthy champions.

Good defending should always be lauded. Cynicism and systematic fouling should not and should not be confused with good defending - and I am not referring to just Tyrone and Donegal either.

KerryKatriona wrote:
I would agree with a fair chunk of that but don't think 2011 was extreme except for Donegal - and that is not to knock them.  (Early noughties were extremely negative IMO). I thought 2011 semi was appalling but have always said that they got the balance more right in 2012 and were not a bad side to watch at all and were very worthy champions.  

Good defending should always be lauded.  Cynicism and systematic fouling should not and should not be confused with good defending - and I am not referring to just Tyrone and Donegal either.

Don't you ever get bored?  Seriously, you've added nothing of value here for 6 months.  Perhaps you think you've re-reinvented yourself as some sort of wind-up merchant, but to do that there are 2 important pre-requisites:

1) You have to balance the goading with something of substance (Patrique was a master at this).  Droning on and on and on about the same thing is just sad and boring. Have you nothing better to do with your time?

2) You need to be able to take some stick as well as give it.  Unfortunately, your constant moaning about how bad the site is and that it should be shut down (coupled with your grand exits/returns and embarrassingly crying like a baby anytime someone offends you), suggests your skin isn't thick enough for your latest persona.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

KerryKatriona wrote:
I would agree with a fair chunk of that but don't think 2011 was extreme except for Donegal - and that is not to knock them.  (Early noughties were extremely negative IMO). I thought 2011 semi was appalling but have always said that they got the balance more right in 2012 and were not a bad side to watch at all and were very worthy champions.  

Good defending should always be lauded.  Cynicism and systematic fouling should not and should not be confused with good defending - and I am not referring to just Tyrone and Donegal either.

Don't you ever get bored?  Seriously, you've added nothing of value here for 6 months.  Perhaps you think you've re-reinvented yourself as some sort of wind-up merchant, but to do that there are 2 important pre-requisites:

1) You have to balance the goading with something of substance (Patrique was a master at this).  Droning on and on and on about the same thing is just sad and boring. Have you nothing better to do with your time?

2) You need to be able to take some stick as well as give it.  Unfortunately, your constant moaning about how bad the site is and that it should be shut down (coupled with your grand exits/returns and embarrassingly crying like a baby anytime someone offends you), suggests your skin isn't thick enough for your latest persona.

Would you ever f** off for once and for all?? You have completely destroyed this site. Completely.

KerryKatriona wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:

KerryKatriona wrote:
I would agree with a fair chunk of that but don't think 2011 was extreme except for Donegal - and that is not to knock them.  (Early noughties were extremely negative IMO). I thought 2011 semi was appalling but have always said that they got the balance more right in 2012 and were not a bad side to watch at all and were very worthy champions.  

Good defending should always be lauded.  Cynicism and systematic fouling should not and should not be confused with good defending - and I am not referring to just Tyrone and Donegal either.

Don't you ever get bored?  Seriously, you've added nothing of value here for 6 months.  Perhaps you think you've re-reinvented yourself as some sort of wind-up merchant, but to do that there are 2 important pre-requisites:

1) You have to balance the goading with something of substance (Patrique was a master at this).  Droning on and on and on about the same thing is just sad and boring. Have you nothing better to do with your time?

2) You need to be able to take some stick as well as give it.  Unfortunately, your constant moaning about how bad the site is and that it should be shut down (coupled with your grand exits/returns and embarrassingly crying like a baby anytime someone offends you), suggests your skin isn't thick enough for your latest persona.

Would you ever f** off for once and for all??  You have completely destroyed this site. Completely.  

You've managed to fulfil both criteria in 1 line.  

I have no interest in anything you say or think. Please do not reply or react to any of my posts.

KerryKatriona wrote:I have no interest in anything you say or think.

Seriously? So 6 months worth of Tyrone bashing hasn't been for my benefit? Ok, fair enough lol

Anyway, I'm sure you've noted that I haven't given you the time of day on here for a long time, so I'm more than glad to return to that. Just thought I'd say 'hi' today, as I was struck by your enduring childishness in an even greater than normal way  

Lol good lad - you just can't help yourself. Stalking I think its called.  

Memories of the halycon days of Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray, Roberto Duran and Marvin Hagler come flooding back, all unwilling to yield, all throwing punches, taking hits and getting up again......



Has the "no más" moment been reached here today.....

Boxtyeater wrote:Memories of the halycon days of Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray, Roberto Duran and Marvin Hagler come flooding back, all unwilling to yield, all throwing punches, taking hits and getting up again......



Has the "no más" moment been reached here today.....

Ah here, it's the first time I've said 'boo' to him in months, while the rest of you have had many a crack at him in that time, softening him up to the point where there is little more than a sorry shell left.  Don't worry, my hands are unwrapped and I'm in the ice-bath, and I'll (try to) be good again for a while.