The championship got underway last night with wins for Wexford over Carlow and Westmeath over Meath.

Its a shame more the games aren't televised, the competitions produces so many great games every year. In Leinster I'd imagine either Kildare or Dublin will progress whilst Kerry are searching for their first win since 2008. In Connacht this is probably Roscommon's weakest team in a while and Sligo will fancy their chances of beating them. Galway on paper will likely be favourites but we've been here before and not produced and have to beat Leitrim first before a possible meeting with Mayo.

Who's favourites in Ulster?

TheWestIsAwake (UK) - Posts: 529 - 23/02/2017 11:35:36    1959823

the best games I have seen for pure football enjoyment
have been at under 21
I still cant believe they have scrapped it
they haven't dealt with the real issues of burn out
and the under 21 grade was the easy target
anyways back to this year
we have a good group of lads in galway
if we can get them to reach their potential at under 21 be great
as lot these lads promised so much as minor

rhudson (Galway) - Posts: 1478 - 23/02/2017 12:53:17    1959854

Winner between Donegal and Tyrone likely to be very warm fav's whoever comes out on top. Personally even though biased I fancy Donegal, do think they have the best squad but Omagh away in the first game is the worst draw possible so tempers my enthusiasm. Added to the fact they have made a horlicks of it at the grade the last 2 years not helped by the sideline. From the other side of the draw imagine Derry might come out on top but I have to admit that I am making my prediction based on the minor teams of 2014 and 2015 so could easily be very wrong. Think people from counties involved be better versed than me.

Kerry have to be warm fav's to go all the way especially if they beat Cork away. Connaught seems to be between Galway and Mayo. I favour Galway myself with winners playing Munster champions. Not sure how strong the dubs are but imagine themselves and Kildare will fight it out for Leinster.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2779 - 23/02/2017 13:21:39    1959869

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2987 - 23/02/2017 14:25:24    1959887

The reason they got rid of it was to suit one or two counties which I do not need to name as we all know who they are. Similar to the proposed changes to the senior football championship which does nothing to address the provincial disparity which is the real problem. Now with a U-20 grade teams will be denied players if required for the seniors meaning it could deny some counties starved of success a genuine opportunity to achieve some in their careers. The new ruling and grade is blatantly biased to one or two counties...the usual suspects.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2779 - 23/02/2017 15:25:40    1959911

Gael85 (Dublin) - Posts: 1433 - 23/02/2017 15:49:09    1959919

Can someone please clarify something for me. This year is the last year of the U-21 championship is that correct? So next year it reverts to U-20 for the 2016 minor grade being eligible. What about the minors of 2015 do they just miss out or are they eligible to play in the U-20 Championship of 2018? Next year would be their year to play U-21 football so unless they make this years U-21 panel they miss out or is there something in place for them.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2779 - 26/02/2017 16:17:10    1961010

really surprised Kildare were beaten
with their recent good minor teams
you would think they would make a strong under 21 team
longford though have been fairly good at underage in recent years

rhudson (Galway) - Posts: 1478 - 02/03/2017 11:58:39    1962755

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12115 - 02/03/2017 12:33:46    1962767

Very disappointing and thoroughly depressing night for Leinster football. I was in Lakeview Park in Mullingar last night and was witness to the all too familiar Dublin domination of Leinster football. Dublin are going for 4 in a row at the grade which with all due respect to the other counties remaining in the competition is now long odds on. This domination is likely to become even more dominating if that is possible given the switching of U-21 to U-20 with players required by the senior set up not eligible. In my opinion this will further stretch the gap between Dublin and the rest all feeding into the Dublin senior set up meaning a relentless domination in the province. The county who have tried to compete by developing young players in Kildare have been badly found out outside of the province at minor level. I thought that they would give the Dubs something to think about in Leinster U-21 championship this year but they are already out. In fact the 2 counties highlighted here to give Dublin a game of it in Leinster at U-21 in Meath and Kildare are both out when not all the semi finalists yet known. I commend Westmeath at senior level of at least trying to put it up to the Dubs and they have some fantastic players including James Dolan, Paul Sharry and of course John Heslin but they need young players coming through to back up what they have but I don't think there are many players stepping up. I certainly don't think I seen any last night.

To the game itself Dublin were impressive in horrendous conditions. In truth the 2-14 Dublin did score was the minimum they should have returned such was their dominance. I think for any side playing a Dublin team having believe is half the battle and it was fairly evident from an early stage that Westmeath did not have it. In the second half with the score at 1-8 to 0-5 points Westmeath had a couple of half chances but what I could not understand was the reluctance to let the ball in especially with players inside making good runs. They played with fear despite being 6 points down. It was men against boys. The problem for Dublin now and with respect to Longford (fantasic win by the way and massive congrats) and the rest is that will they get a stern test before a semi final? There is every chance Dublin could get to the AI semi final in a canter only to get caught cold especially with the winners of Ulster sure to have had a test or 2 before getting to the same stage. Saying that Dublin will be a major challenge for the very best U-21 sides in the country this year with ambitions of going all the way.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2779 - 02/03/2017 14:31:03    1962824

The betting markets are screaming Kerry into 11/10 and even money in a place.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2779 - 07/03/2017 13:56:22    1965018

like the look of these Donegal young lads
there showing up well at senior level already
young Jason mc gee is just one example
there up there with some of the Kerry young lads

rhudson (Galway) - Posts: 1478 - 07/03/2017 17:12:59    1965142

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2779 - 07/03/2017 17:34:40    1965155

fantastic result for limerick last night - scored well into injury time in normal time to level it, were 3 down in extra time as well, even heard chants of limerick limerick from the crowd, still on a high to be honest , 21s have been good the last few years, hopefully now we can go to cork and have a rattle off them

janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 09/03/2017 09:41:58    1965607

I said it a few months ago....the dark horses to win the U21 is Cork.
Don't be surprised if they did beat Kerry.

Kerry's training is dijointed at the moment where training is mostly done in separate bunches as lads are all over the country , unlike Cork where most college lads would be in Cork.

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 09/03/2017 12:08:54    1965643

It's likely that Kerry and Dublin will compete the final, thats if they dont meet before this. I think that the dubs will be very hard to beat, I also feel that we have yet to see the best of either dublin or kerry, they will certainly up it from now in. I am interested to see how galway, mayo and cork will fair outside of our own game against tyrone shortly. Its not beyond the realms of possibility that cork will give kerry a hell of a game, but if kerry win this pulling up, it is a signpost that the bookies have got it right about them.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 09/03/2017 13:41:32    1965674

1) A good few of the 2014 Minors are unavailable for various reasons (Injury, AFL etc etc)

2) We have a dreadful record at U21, winning 2 provincial titles in the 21st century and none since 2008

3) Cork who have dominated are very very strong again this year, I thought they were v.unlucky last year against Mayo and the better team for long stretches and furthermore they had an excellent Minor team in 2015 who lost to Kerry away from home by a point in extra time- they were the best we faced by a huge margin

4) We are due to face Cork at Pairc Ui Rinn which is basically a house of horrors at all levels for Kerry Football

5) )It's very hard us for us to get a team together at this grade as the players are all at college in far flung places which means it's extremely difficult mould a team together. The likes of Cork and Dublin have an enormous advantage in this respect

5) if we happen to break our Munster hoodoo, there a number of very significant barriers in the way. Firstly in Connacht Mayo and Galway are always big threats, Ulster has a number of strong teams headed by Donegal and Tyrone and then of course the Footballing Goliath that is Dublin who have absolutely dominated this grade for the last 6/7 years and should be favourites given the sheer depth ,numbers and pedigree


Posted this a while back, indeed Clare were well in the game last night for 50 minutes and caused us serious problems running us through the middle similar to our Seniors. Regarding Point 5 Jack O'Connor referenced it this week in build up to the game as an issue.

Whatever you do, don't back Kerry at those ludicrous odds

KYTotalFootball (Kerry) - Posts: 280 - 09/03/2017 14:58:43    1965700

kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1946 - 10/03/2017 11:13:05    1965920

mhunicean_abu (Monaghan) - Posts: 1044 - 10/03/2017 11:49:03    1965933

EDH (Galway) - Posts: 367 - 10/03/2017 11:54:56    1965935