I know most Ulster posters see Donegal and Monaghan as the only serious threat to Dublin. Do they still see things this way or is there some doubt creeping in now that they see how poorly all Ulster sides are doing against the rest of the provinces? 4 Connacht teams left, 4 Munster, 3 Ulster (none of whom have had to play a side from outside Ulster yet) and 3 Leinster. You would have to wonder if Kerry and Mayo will suffer when they get to Croke Park, having come through provinces where the opposition were so strong compared to Ulster and Leinster.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 13/07/2014 19:28:22    1618497

Soma
County: UK
Posts: 429

1618497
I know most Ulster posters see Donegal and Monaghan as the only serious threat to Dublin. Do they still see things this way or is there some doubt creeping in now that they see how poorly all Ulster sides are doing against the rest of the provinces?

I hardly think so Soma. There is nothing specific in the water or air in Ulster that would dictate that because one county does poorly another will. Or is it another cunning plan by those Dubs to do us down?

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 13/07/2014 21:08:34    1618566

Soma.
After having watched a lot of the games over the last two months I for one feel that the big danger to Dublin still lies in Ulster. I think the two teams meeting next Sunday in Clones will take a lot of beating. I'd give the Ulster winners ( Donegal I hope) a big chance against Dublin the losers would have a back door game to win and then go meet Dublin in the QF now after loosing your Ulster final might not help things and that's one doubt I'd have. However what I saw in the Connaught final don't convince me that Mayo have improved this season. Galway got through on numerous occasions and should have had a goal or two. They also had about 30 scoring chances which I could not see a team getting against either Donegal/Monaghan I don't think Kerry are forward enough /experienced enough. I'd like to see their forwards tightly marked to see what they are made of.

Now Legendzxix I would not worry too much about the Ulster teams that are gone, none ( except Tyrone ) were fancied to win Sam. The two big guns ,after next Sunday will shortly be released on the southern teams and they are the teams (Donegal/Monaghan) who carry Ulsters high hopes of lifting Sam this year.
As like Kildare /Meath Kerry/Cork and today Mayo v Galway I think any team want to sort their defence first too much space for forwards in those games this last three weeks I'm suprised Galway did not go more defensive today.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 13/07/2014 21:31:33    1618592

Early 2012 HS thread - The death of Ulster football

Does anybody remember that thread? Does anybody remember how that year ended up?

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 13/07/2014 21:32:07    1618594

There seems to an obsession from some ulster posters about ulster been harder won, better teams etc wheither it been at senior, under 21 minor or even in the divison 4 thread where Antrim were suppose to run away with it according to some ulster posters. At the start of the year some ulster posters were claiming that 6 or 7 teams were capable of winning ulster which was ridiculous now that these teams are been beaten in the qualifiers now these teams are been dismissed as having no chance by the same ulster posters or making daft excuses why the ulster teams lost. I cant understand how some posters can claim Down and Armagh are capable of winning Ulster yet claim that Galway, Roscommon or Sligo have no chance of winning Connaught. Donegal and Monaghan are a good bit ahead of everyone else and Armagh look to have made good progress

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 13/07/2014 21:37:36    1618603

legendzxix
County: Kerry
Posts: 3332

1618348
Is it fair to say that Armagh are 3rd in the Ulster pecking order ahead of Tyrone?

To be honest, I don't really know.

I mean this was one game, and many people factor in a lot of things when it comes to making such a call. Such is how they did last season and this season so far, what league division they are in this year and last. Do they have serious Injury problems or players heading stateside.

Armagh won today by 3 points, not really much to say against them being the better team in a game without goals.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 13/07/2014 21:39:47    1618604

Only 3/9 from Ulster in the last 16 or even only 1 in the quarter-finals if that happened obviously does not mean we won't see an Ulster winner. As long as my county are in it, I worry not of other counties.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7884 - 13/07/2014 21:46:32    1618609

legendzxix
County: Kerry
Posts: 3333

1618609
Only 3/9 from Ulster in the last 16 or even only 1 in the quarter-finals if that happened obviously does not mean we won't see an Ulster winner. As long as my county are in it, I worry not of other counties.

Yes but when you consider that possibly the 3 strongest teams in the country ( Dublin, Donegal and Monaghan ) are on one side of the draw, and that the Qualifiers where somewhat lopsided.

Then technically the last 16 means very little

In response to the Roscommon poster, I don't think too many Ulster fans thought Armagh would win Ulster.

Realistically people thought the Ulter final would be Donegal/Derry v Monaghan/Tyrone. With nobody sure of the winner.

However in Ulster nobody dominates like Dublin in Leinster or Cork/Kerry in Munster. And upsets are always on the card, as nobody fear any of the other really

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 13/07/2014 21:59:18    1618629

Ros1 ulster football is the same every year , always shocks ( not as bad this year) and no matter who you play at the start of the championship there is always the danger u get beat Happened to Donegal in 09 at home to Antrim and a few years ago to Fermanagh.
Now in a few months time we will look forward to the draw and I'm sure Donegal won't like a draw to say either Tyrone or Armagh especially if it's away from home.
Most of these teams prepare like hell for the championship and nothing is easy in this provience.
But take Ulsters record over the last 12 years , teams from the provience have been in AI finals on 6 occasions winning five All Ireland's.
Go back another 10 years and you will find that over that period 22years that 4 Ulster teams made the breakthrough ( winning Sam for the first time) How many teams from the other provinces done that ????

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 13/07/2014 22:01:23    1618633

Ohtobearosie.
Great chance for you now to see your county test Ulster opposition You have got your wish now as you seem to want to play an Ulster team. Best of luck by the way but I feel the Orange men will march on into August. But if ROSSIES can get it right next year a Connaught title should be within their grasp But it takes a good while to build a team , over a few years so with plenty of young talent , Roscommon is one of the more likely counties to make the breakthrough.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 14/07/2014 08:54:45    1618650

Ah sure we will give it a go
2012 beat them when we were very poor in champion ship
Betting will be interesting
might shock you, really looking forward to it

OhtobeARossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 1764 - 14/07/2014 09:06:55    1618653

What it does tell me is that a lot of people were waiting for Ulster to have a poor year (at this stage) to jump in with the feet.

Exception or rule - to date exception but maybe if it continues for a few years might be more of a rule but certainly to date in the qualifiers Ulster teams have a superior record head to head against each and every province.

The bottom line is Dublin are the team to beat this year. If Ulster is weaker it simply means there are fewer challenges to Dublin as apart from the usual suspects Mayo and Kerry no challenge will come from any other part of the country.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 14/07/2014 09:27:05    1618669

Naysayer
As I have already pointed out on HS Ulster teams have contested 6 of the last 12 All Ireland's , winning 5. With 3counties winning Sam and Down being beat by 1 point in 2010.
That also shows how competitive Ulster Armagh TyroneDonegal got beat after winning the AI
So even if results are not going so good this year , they can improve , as the Ulster big guns head south in August That's the right time for teams to show their best , towards the end of the championship. Hopefully we will take an example with the tread----Ulster knockout--- and deliver a Ulster knockout in the QF--SemiF and Final

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 14/07/2014 10:19:40    1618731

SamOnErrigal
County: Donegal

That also shows how competitive Ulster Armagh TyroneDonegal got beat after winning the AI
I knew I'd smoke one of ye out! That's the exact same point I make regards Kerry. Hats off to Tyrone on raising the bar in 03. Kerry got beat in 05 after winning the AI and in 08 after winning the AI twice.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7884 - 14/07/2014 10:43:08    1618763

Naysayer, the reason it might seem why people are jumping in with both feet is that with the qualifiers structured the way they are, Ulster posters were aggravated that most Ulsterteams were on one side of the draw and dismissing the Munster and Connacht championships, and Kerry's achievements especially. You have the most competitive provincial championship of the four, but stop dismissing other provinces, no Ulster team has beaten non Ulster opposition yet, and this is one of the reasons the draw looked skewed, because Derry, who a lot tipped to beat Donegal, lost to Longford

pj_mcmanus (Limerick) - Posts: 431 - 14/07/2014 10:56:10    1618785

pj_mcmanus
County: Limerick
Posts: 145

1618785
Naysayer, the reason it might seem why people are jumping in with both feet is that with the qualifiers structured the way they are, Ulster posters were aggravated that most Ulsterteams were on one side of the draw and dismissing the Munster and Connacht championships, and Kerry's achievements especially. You have the most competitive provincial championship of the four, but stop dismissing other provinces, no Ulster team has beaten non Ulster opposition yet, and this is one of the reasons the draw looked skewed, because Derry, who a lot tipped to beat Donegal, lost to Longford

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apart from:
Tyrone beating Louth,
Cavan beating Westmeath,
and Down beating Leitrim.

Or do these victories not count as the teams beaten were on a par with the likes of Antrim, Fermanagh and Cavan?

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 14/07/2014 11:39:04    1618817

Those games were a figment of your imagination Naysayer.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 14/07/2014 11:48:03    1618820

Sorry, you're correct, meant to say 5 Ulster teams have fallen to non Ulster opposition

pj_mcmanus (Limerick) - Posts: 431 - 14/07/2014 11:49:44    1618823

:) No worries I am just being pedantic and I know the point you are making but with the regard the qualifier draw - having an A and B side always meant that if there was an imbalance at provincial level then it could create an imbalance at qualifier level.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 14/07/2014 12:23:19    1618857

1618817
pj_mcmanus
County: Limerick
Posts: 145
You have the most competitive provincial championship of the four, but stop dismissing other provinces.

Your point is well made PJ but it is not so much that other provinces are dismissed as such but more so the dogfight that Ulster had traditionally been compared to other provinces.
This year has seen a dip in the standard in Ulster, no doubt about it. I for one would have given you long odds against Tyrone & Derry being beaten by oppositon from divisions well below their own but that is championship football & long may it continue.
I for one am delighted to see Tipperary, Roscommon, Sligo & Armagh showing real form & I hope they continue in this vein.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 14/07/2014 12:56:01    1618890