KY4SAM - you know and I know you's wouldn't be winning Ulster every year , we have four tough matches to just make the quarters this year , you's boys can win 4 and win All-Ireland , I'd fancy our chances against Tipp and Clare most years TBH . Even if we lost to Cork , we'd still be in final 12.

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 28/04/2015 14:22:34    1718501

As nailed on a free as you are ever likely to see CavanMan :)

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 28/04/2015 14:23:39    1718503

Well lets see.

They are the only team who have no chance of playing another division 1 team in their province.
Eight teams in the province are going to be division 3 and 4 teams compared to say Ulster where 8 of the teams will be Division 1 and 2 teams next year.
Looking at the 2015 leagues, their path to the final probably consist of playing a Div 3 team, then maybe a Div 2 team or a div 3 team in Kildare and lastly probably a div 2 team in Meath.
They may possible play laois who they beat by 11 points last year and Meath who they beat by 16 points last year.


And then to cap it off they never have to play a game outside of Dublin, for the entire championship!!

Yep they have it tough the Dubs

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1349 - 28/04/2015 14:34:21    1718509

Meath usually give Dublin a good game(barring last year)but actually beating them is another thing. Leinster is filled with Division 3 and 4 teams. As far as being competitive goes, well Dublin Meath and Kildare are out on their own while there isn't much between any of the rest.

PK57 (Louth) - Posts: 1656 - 28/04/2015 14:41:00    1718513

Well in the original posters defence,it is not often that Dublin beat Meath out the gate,that said,there is a huge gap between both sides right now.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 28/04/2015 14:42:24    1718514

The Leinster seeding system rarely comes under scrutiny with all attention on Munster. The Leinster semi-finalists are seeded in quarter-finals to avoid each other. It's fair enough they get a bye to the quarter-finals. The quarter-final draw should be an open draw. Preliminary round losers have won the right to be in the quarter-finals, so should be treated the same. Anyways that's Leinster counties business at the end of the day.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7871 - 28/04/2015 14:44:40    1718515

waynoI
Was it 2011 ? Against Kildare maybe when Bernard Brogan nailed a stone-wall free into the canal end ?

Free out

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 28/04/2015 14:44:53    1718516

Louth,Wexford,Meath,Kildare,Laois and Westmeath are all decent teams, and in my opinion would do well in any of the other provinces, so I think its a case of the Dubs making Leinster LOOK easy more than anything.
Still though,you cant say that Meath have given the dubs a game these last few years. its been a cake walk.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 28/04/2015 16:37:10    1718597

waynoI
County: Dublin
Posts: 10384

1718503
As nailed on a free as you are ever likely to see CavanMan :)

-----
Mac Lochlainn had such a tight grip on Bernard's jersey that he was pulling blue thread out from under his nails with a tooth pick for a week afterwards. Would have been a black card these days!!

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 28/04/2015 17:06:08    1718619

The fact you forgot about the most recent final pretty much confirms how Dublins utter dominance has ruined the once best provincial championship.

At this stage the only solution is to rotate the Dublin region around all 4 provinces. So next year Dublin play in munster, the year after connaught, then ulster before coming back to leinster in 4 years. This would ensure no proprovince goes stale and the leinster championship can recover with teams knowing they have a chance 3/4 years.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 28/04/2015 17:10:27    1718624

Definite free in!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 28/04/2015 17:16:19    1718629

28/04/2015 17:10:27
Jack_Goff
County: Meath
Posts: 1413

1718624
The fact you forgot about the most recent final pretty much confirms how Dublins utter dominance has ruined the once best provincial championship.

At this stage the only solution is to rotate the Dublin region around all 4 provinces. So next year Dublin play in munster, the year after connaught, then ulster before coming back to leinster in 4 years. This would ensure no proprovince goes stale and the leinster championship can recover with teams knowing they have a chance 3/4 years.

-------
Yes this will sweep the matter of some counties' incompetence and failure to address their underage structures firmly under the carpet. Forget about the failings, stick the head in the sand and move the problem on to somebody else. Sounds like an Irish solution to an Irish problem. Ah sure it will be grand!

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 28/04/2015 17:25:27    1718636

At this stage the only solution is to rotate the Dublin region around all 4 provinces.


Sounds like fun!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 28/04/2015 17:33:03    1718641

I think there are so many different factors to consider when looking at who is a great manager.

- Does the county have a recent history of Provincial or All Ireland success over the last 10 years?
It is easier getting players from a county with a rich history of success to believe and commit, than from a county with zero success. Having the mental belief is a massive thing, and has something that Kieran McGeeney felt Kildare didn't have. He also reckoned this was because they has no proven track record of winning.

- Do any of the current panel have Provincial or All Ireland winning medals?
If you have a 5 or 6 men with Provincial and All Ireland medals, then you have men who have done the business and will not fold on those big days. Essentially you have leaders, men to show the young guns the way.

- Did the county have sustained Provincial or All Ireland success at Minor or U21 level over the past 5-10 years?
This has been the spring board for teams like Tyrone to make a breakthrough, where a batch of talented youngster who beat everybody at every age group come through to senior level and continue this trend. Managing a county with a strong underage setup can make your job somewhat easier, especially if this is married in with previous success.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 28/04/2015 17:52:30    1718646

Those who believe that Dublin have a tough Leinster Championship probably still believe the Earth is flat, the moon is made of cheese and leprauchans sit minding the gold at the end of the rainbow. It sits right up there on the ridiculous shelf alongside Dublin and Kerry aren't cynical and don't play defensive football.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9706 - 28/04/2015 18:10:08    1718652

Ulsterman
County: Antrim
Posts: 7232

1718652
Those who believe that Dublin have a tough Leinster Championship probably still believe the Earth is flat, the moon is made of cheese and leprauchans sit minding the gold at the end of the rainbow. It sits right up there on the ridiculous shelf alongside Dublin and Kerry aren't cynical and don't play defensive football.

-----
And right up there with 'Ulster football is entertaining'.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 28/04/2015 18:30:07    1718660

Ahh sure we haven't a hope. :).

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 28/04/2015 18:55:10    1718667

As a Meath man it pains me to say this but Dublin have had it easy in Leinster in recent years. The reason for this is Meath's decline as a football force since the latter stages of the Boylan era. Only a handful of the top teams (in recent years at various times Kerry, Cork, Mayo, Donegal) have any chance against a team with as many quality players and as well prepared as Dublin. With the fitness Dublin possess they are much better than any other team in championship at putting up big scores against lesser teams, if they get ahead of you they can overrun you. Add to this that most teams (except Meath and in the 70's Offaly) in Leinster have no tradition of success to look back on so when they fall 5 points behind in games their heads can drop.
While prior to last year Meath had not been on the receiving end of a huge beating from Dublin but in previous years I never really felt at any stage in any championship match that Meath were going to beat Dublin since the 5 goal game in 2010. In 2012 we lost by 3 points but it felt more like a 7 point beating and 2013 we lost by 7 points and were out of contention from about 10 minutes before the end of the match.
Hopefully Meath can become competitive again and make the Leinster Championship a good completion again. We definitely showed signs of improvement in the league but can't really see us challenging any of the top few teams this year. Not getting a close match in Leinster has often left Dublin exposed when they are in a competitive match in last 8 in recent years.

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1358 - 29/04/2015 09:24:19    1718781

Dublin having it easy has as much to do with Kildare and Meath's decline as well as their own upping the anti.

I think that there will be many more summers of one way traffic in Leinster. It is not good for the game, but it really is up to Meath or Kildare to get their act together and put it up to dublin, for at least one game. It cant be left to Mayo, donegal, cork or kerry for ever.

Re Kerry and Mayo having it easy as well, that is a no brainer. It is not their fault that the other counties are not up to scratch, but it still means that they can aim for August rather than the middle of may before they hit the higher gears. That is an advantage, anyone who follows horse racing will know that a jockey stays on the bridle until the last furlong.

Solutions? it has to come down to the other provincial counties getting up to scratch. Tipp may do in a year or 2. Ross may do also, seeing as they are now in the top flight. We will see.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 29/04/2015 09:34:26    1718785

Ah the Dubs know it's in the bag, this is their greatest ever period of dominance in Leinster while all the other counties just aren't up to it, walkover again lads and you's know it.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 29/04/2015 09:49:48    1718790