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Football Championship 2026

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Replying To BarneyGrant: "I thought Galway's weakness in 2024 was lacking the 'street smarts' of Armagh, ahem. Was a game they might have won had it not been for the prolonged injury break at a time they were threatening to come to the fore. No team would have beaten Dublin in 2018." If Rob Finnerty played full game we may indeed have won, so that could be street smarts. That 2018 game was unreal if you were at it. Comer the bear in the square, I think Clucko still has nightmares about him systematic (Galway) - Posts: 328 - 23/06/2026 14:06:59 2681483 Link
I cannot understand for the life of me why teams when they win a turnover in their own half insist on slow lateral movement up to the D giving the opposition time to re- group. I know not every team has a David Clifford but I think Tyrone need to throw caution to the wind on Saturday to have any chance. tireoghainabu (Tyrone) - Posts: 482 - 23/06/2026 14:26:28 2681495 Link
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Of the teams left - only Dublin and Tyrone have a history of sticking it to Kerry. Louth, Cork, Mayo, Galway, Monaghan - will all be cannon fodder for Kerry. Dublin aren't what they were and Kerry have a team as good as any they ever had. So its up to Tyrone to save the championship - they are the only ones who put it up to Kerry regardless of how good Kerry are going. 15 of the 21 players who played against Mayo have won an all Ireland at some level for Tyrone. They have the midfielders who can match Kerry and can play the Donegal game plan v Kerry. Their biggest problem is they don't have enough man markers to stop Kerry - so they will have to win midfield and win it well. They can overload their press on the Kerry kick out, particularly with Morgan pushing up to midfield for kick outs. If Tyrone don't stop Kerry, then no one else will." Totally, man markers are a concern. Clifford, Seanie back to fitness, and Paudi C will make his presence felt. Big task but like Bob the builder, yes we can. Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2789 - 23/06/2026 14:51:08 2681501 Link
Replying To tireoghainabu: "I cannot understand for the life of me why teams when they win a turnover in their own half insist on slow lateral movement up to the D giving the opposition time to re- group. I know not every team has a David Clifford but I think Tyrone need to throw caution to the wind on Saturday to have any chance." It is one of frustrating aspects of watching Dublin too. Westmeath showed that there being adventurous and direct can win games and it took Monaghan a while to deal with it. I suppose teams will argue that it is not the % call to send in early ball if you don't have confidence in the inside men to win it. Both Tyrone and Dublin have proven forwards and you'd wonder if they are being underused. BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4418 - 23/06/2026 15:14:19 2681513 Link
Replying To BarneyGrant: "It is one of frustrating aspects of watching Dublin too. Westmeath showed that there being adventurous and direct can win games and it took Monaghan a while to deal with it. I suppose teams will argue that it is not the % call to send in early ball if you don't have confidence in the inside men to win it. Both Tyrone and Dublin have proven forwards and you'd wonder if they are being underused." Dublin tried it with Basquel in the first half on Sunday but he was very isolated. I recall the last play just before half time was sent into him but it ended up going for a line ball and time was called. I also still remember Michael Murphy's fantastic one handed catch and point against Armagh in last year's Ulster Final. I don't think there were too many kicked into him since sadly. peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1687 - 23/06/2026 15:49:00 2681525 Link
Replying To BarneyGrant: "I thought Galway's weakness in 2024 was lacking the 'street smarts' of Armagh, ahem. Was a game they might have won had it not been for the prolonged injury break at a time they were threatening to come to the fore. No team would have beaten Dublin in 2018." Galway in 2018 did well to get as far as they got. in that decade we were not at the races at all. Nothing to do with bottle. Just not good enough. And Dublin were class! Against Armagh, I think a lot of people underestimated how good Armagh were hence it is easier to call it a Galway bottle job. A fit free taker would have won that game for us. Meath last year was a complete bottle job. Can't argue with that. However I think our record since we returned to the top table of potential contenders has been very consistent. This year Kerry look the class in the pack however Tyrone do have a bit of a hex on them..... says me with everything crossed! We need to take the next step. On our day we can beat Kerry but we need to be fully firing, no injuries etc ....stars aligned RIP Paul Clancy. Very sad. Wonderful footballer. Huge loss firstly to his family, his friends and club and the wider GAA family. Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1969 - 23/06/2026 16:58:13 2681553 Link
Replying To ORIELMAN85: "Do you hear any players complaining?" I have spoken to Dublin players recently and the lack of time to recover is a big deal they say, siting the example of Con being needed and being rushed back. They all love the game and play to win but the lack of time is pushing some players to put themselves at risk of further injury. It is the same for all teams for sure but Look at your own Rory Beggan, great goalkeeper, picked up a leg injury last weekend has 7 days to get right. If you are missing his long range 2 pointers in the quarter finals of the all ireland that will be a huge loss for the team but a big missed opportunity for the player himself. ulsterrules (Donegal) - Posts: 309 - 23/06/2026 17:31:01 2681558 Link
Replying To systematic: "If Rob Finnerty played full game we may indeed have won, so that could be street smarts. That 2018 game was unreal if you were at it. Comer the bear in the square, I think Clucko still has nightmares about him" Finnerty had "accident" to kicking foot after early free i recall? Yes, Comer was handful but i don't recall it as match Dublin looked like losing. BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4418 - 23/06/2026 18:17:37 2681575 Link
Replying To BarneyGrant: "I thought Galway's weakness in 2024 was lacking the 'street smarts' of Armagh, ahem. Was a game they might have won had it not been for the prolonged injury break at a time they were threatening to come to the fore. No team would have beaten Dublin in 2018." Lacking accurate free taker on the day or management not switching things up when the free taker was having a bad day. The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4414 - 23/06/2026 19:39:49 2681581 Link
Replying To BarneyGrant: "It is one of frustrating aspects of watching Dublin too. Westmeath showed that there being adventurous and direct can win games and it took Monaghan a while to deal with it. I suppose teams will argue that it is not the % call to send in early ball if you don't have confidence in the inside men to win it. Both Tyrone and Dublin have proven forwards and you'd wonder if they are being underused." You won't be frustrated Sunday evening because you won't have to watch Dublin again for the rest of 2026. Providing the Semi Final Draw goes accordingly it's Galway v Kerry All Ireland Final IMO. katser (Galway) - Posts: 2882 - 23/06/2026 19:48:08 2681582 Link
Replying To Mayonman: "Galway in 2018 did well to get as far as they got. in that decade we were not at the races at all. Nothing to do with bottle. Just not good enough. And Dublin were class! Against Armagh, I think a lot of people underestimated how good Armagh were hence it is easier to call it a Galway bottle job. A fit free taker would have won that game for us. Meath last year was a complete bottle job. Can't argue with that. However I think our record since we returned to the top table of potential contenders has been very consistent. This year Kerry look the class in the pack however Tyrone do have a bit of a hex on them..... says me with everything crossed! We need to take the next step. On our day we can beat Kerry but we need to be fully firing, no injuries etc ....stars aligned RIP Paul Clancy. Very sad. Wonderful footballer. Huge loss firstly to his family, his friends and club and the wider GAA family." Rip Paul CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 4198 - 23/06/2026 20:47:27 2681592 Link
Replying To The_analyser: "Lacking accurate free taker on the day or management not switching things up when the free taker was having a bad day." Couldn't agree more! Madness for management to leave a man that wasn't fully fit taking frees and not make a change.....i was at the game and its a game i haven't watch back and I don't think I'll ever get over it.....i can't imagine how the players feel. Maroon26 (Galway) - Posts: 3 - 23/06/2026 21:41:23 2681603 Link
Replying To Saynothing: "Ah sure Tyrone shouldn't turn up then. Tyrone on their day don't fear anyone, they haven't played well yet, emphasis on Yet." Played well yet? How many times over the past 5 years have they played well? Look, I really hope I'm proved wrong but I just can't see anything in Tyrone's recent displays to give any confidence in turning over this Kerry team. The best we can hope for is that Kerry are still tired and we keep it fairly respectable but I doubt we will be within single figures by the end of the 70 mins. Wally (Tyrone) - Posts: 939 - 23/06/2026 22:47:28 2681619 Link
Replying To Scenicparish: "Totally agree, Tyrone are waiting in the wings. Nobody giving them a chance but on their day they can beat any team. Good luck next weekend" The last time we beat Kerry in championship football was 5 years ago and we have taken some severe hidings from them in the meantime. In that period of time they have won 5 Munster championships and 2 all Irelands while we have been relegated to division 2 and haven't come close to winning another provincial title. So where exactly is this idea that we are a team that can just turn it on after being so poor for so long? Don't get me wrong, I think we definitely have the players but it just hasn't be clicking for a very long time and I doubt we can produce a performance to beat a team like Kerry on Saturday. Wally (Tyrone) - Posts: 939 - 23/06/2026 22:52:47 2681620 Link
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Of the teams left - only Dublin and Tyrone have a history of sticking it to Kerry. Louth, Cork, Mayo, Galway, Monaghan - will all be cannon fodder for Kerry. Dublin aren't what they were and Kerry have a team as good as any they ever had. So its up to Tyrone to save the championship - they are the only ones who put it up to Kerry regardless of how good Kerry are going. 15 of the 21 players who played against Mayo have won an all Ireland at some level for Tyrone. They have the midfielders who can match Kerry and can play the Donegal game plan v Kerry. Their biggest problem is they don't have enough man markers to stop Kerry - so they will have to win midfield and win it well. They can overload their press on the Kerry kick out, particularly with Morgan pushing up to midfield for kick outs. If Tyrone don't stop Kerry, then no one else will." History means absolutely nothing. Our hay day of beating Kerry regularly was 20 years ago! We have beaten Kerry once in championship football since the 00's This seems crazy to me that people still speak of Tyrone as Kerry's bogie team when they have beaten so easily so many times over the past 15 odd years. Wally (Tyrone) - Posts: 939 - 23/06/2026 22:56:48 2681621 Link
Replying To BarneyGrant: "Finnerty had "accident" to kicking foot after early free i recall? Yes, Comer was handful but i don't recall it as match Dublin looked like losing." Yes "accident" about 5 mins into game, kicked free and had to go off after. Agreed, was over after 55 mins ish. Comer could have gotten a second or third goal. First goal jumping over 2 dubs to beat Cluxton is one of the best I've seen. systematic (Galway) - Posts: 328 - 23/06/2026 23:15:30 2681626 Link
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Of the teams left - only Dublin and Tyrone have a history of sticking it to Kerry. Louth, Cork, Mayo, Galway, Monaghan - will all be cannon fodder for Kerry. Dublin aren't what they were and Kerry have a team as good as any they ever had. So its up to Tyrone to save the championship - they are the only ones who put it up to Kerry regardless of how good Kerry are going. 15 of the 21 players who played against Mayo have won an all Ireland at some level for Tyrone. They have the midfielders who can match Kerry and can play the Donegal game plan v Kerry. Their biggest problem is they don't have enough man markers to stop Kerry - so they will have to win midfield and win it well. They can overload their press on the Kerry kick out, particularly with Morgan pushing up to midfield for kick outs. If Tyrone don't stop Kerry, then no one else will." 'Cannon fodder for Kerry'..... I love these nonsense posts this time of year. bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 599 - 24/06/2026 08:10:52 2681635 Link
Replying To Wally: "Played well yet? How many times over the past 5 years have they played well? Look, I really hope I'm proved wrong but I just can't see anything in Tyrone's recent displays to give any confidence in turning over this Kerry team. The best we can hope for is that Kerry are still tired and we keep it fairly respectable but I doubt we will be within single figures by the end of the 70 mins." Wally - will any of the teams left keep it to within 9 points of Kerry in the QF, SF or Final? I don't thinks they will. Noone got within touching distance last year and I don't think anyone will this year. These AIs are coming a lot easier to Kerry than Dublins of the last decade. Cbar (Mayo) - Posts: 382 - 24/06/2026 12:01:24 2681678 Link
Replying To systematic: "Yes "accident" about 5 mins into game, kicked free and had to go off after. Agreed, was over after 55 mins ish. Comer could have gotten a second or third goal. First goal jumping over 2 dubs to beat Cluxton is one of the best I've seen." Dubln were a class a head of us at the time. We did miss a penalty and had a simple 2 on 1 for another goal all around the time Comer scored the goal. It would have been interesting if we got the 3 goals in a couple of minutes. That would rattle most teams. However that Dublin team were class. I have no doubt they would still have reeled us in...... and then it would really have hurt! Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1969 - 24/06/2026 12:45:26 2681682 Link
Very lazy analysis of Mayo games yet again this week. The usual "chaos" mantra mentioned but no in depth detail on players like they do with other games. Then Pat Spillane on the Indo podcast says David Clifford has now joined Dean Rock as the all time top scorer. No he has not. Cillian O Connor by my count is still top scorer with Cooper, McManus and Rock following. I know Pat means well and I like him but surly he can get his facts right. yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 12153 - 24/06/2026 13:46:55 2681691 Link