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National Football League 2023

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Just wanted to pop into say, well done to Clare last night really put it up to us in the home of the 6 in a row, put in a performance you wouldn't see from teams higher up in the league, caused all types of problems and again our back line at 6s and 7s - all over the shop - but taking noting away from Clare. Really unlucky to loose by a point again and on last nights performance you should be a lot higher on the table - Div 2 is so competitive.

Annoyingly we look odds on for promotion, unless Derry or Meath can do us a favor in Celtic Park and Navan.

Anyway nice to be Munster Champions, that's Limerick, Cork and Clare this season! :D

As always Up The Dubs.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4515 - 26/02/2023 10:00:21    2460194

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Dublin and Derry only need another win to be assured of a top two position barring some strangeness.

Kildare and Meath are gone backwards if anything. Dublin need to use league to sharpen up as there seems to be no more chance of a challenge in Leinster than other years. Match against Derry could be a belter, with a possible final a bit of a damp squib closer to the championship,

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3506 - 26/02/2023 16:27:50    2460307

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It's hard to say anyone is safe in Division 1 yet. It's advantage Mayo and Roscommon but nothing can be taken for granted.
Derry and Dublin look to be a done deal in Division 2. Limerick seem unlikely to retain Division 2 status but the experience should be beneficial. They can make a Munster or Tailteann final this year. Any of the other 5 Division 2 teams could drop.
Cavan should make the final. Their Division 3 status is a kind of false status. Cavan could give higher league opponents a headache by making an Ulster final. They'll be quietly confident of causing an upset in the summer. Any of Fermanagh, Down, Westmeath or Offaly can join them in the Division 3 final. Antrim, Tipperary and Longford are all in danger of relegation.
Leitrim, Laois, Sligo, Wexford and Wicklow are all in the promotion hunt in Division 4. Leitrim or Sligo will be in the All-Ireland series through winning a Connacht semi-final. Whichever of them enters the Tailteann might have a more enjoyable summer, with a strong possibility of making the Tailteann semi-finals.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8773 - 26/02/2023 17:42:54    2460360

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Replying To legendzxix:  "It's hard to say anyone is safe in Division 1 yet. It's advantage Mayo and Roscommon but nothing can be taken for granted.
Derry and Dublin look to be a done deal in Division 2. Limerick seem unlikely to retain Division 2 status but the experience should be beneficial. They can make a Munster or Tailteann final this year. Any of the other 5 Division 2 teams could drop.
Cavan should make the final. Their Division 3 status is a kind of false status. Cavan could give higher league opponents a headache by making an Ulster final. They'll be quietly confident of causing an upset in the summer. Any of Fermanagh, Down, Westmeath or Offaly can join them in the Division 3 final. Antrim, Tipperary and Longford are all in danger of relegation.
Leitrim, Laois, Sligo, Wexford and Wicklow are all in the promotion hunt in Division 4. Leitrim or Sligo will be in the All-Ireland series through winning a Connacht semi-final. Whichever of them enters the Tailteann might have a more enjoyable summer, with a strong possibility of making the Tailteann semi-finals."
I hope your right legendzxix, advantage Mayo but a three game winning run seals the deal. Championship feel to remaining matches.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2289 - 26/02/2023 18:26:34    2460389

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Dublin and Derry only need another win to be assured of a top two position barring some strangeness.

Kildare and Meath are gone backwards if anything. Dublin need to use league to sharpen up as there seems to be no more chance of a challenge in Leinster than other years. Match against Derry could be a belter, with a possible final a bit of a damp squib closer to the championship,"
Bugs me why there has to be a divisional final. Team that finishes top should win league. Yourselves or Derry in 2, maybe Mayo or whoever in 1.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2289 - 26/02/2023 19:02:04    2460407

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Replying To Saynothing:  "Bugs me why there has to be a divisional final. Team that finishes top should win league. Yourselves or Derry in 2, maybe Mayo or whoever in 1."
For teams with three home games, the final is achievable. For Allianz, I suppose the finals bring a high profile occasion for their sponsorship.
With the expansion of the championship however, it does appear the right time to remove the finals.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8773 - 26/02/2023 19:57:16    2460446

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I wonder what Mark Sidebottom gets paid for that 10 minutes of presenting work on BBC iplayer

PattyONeill (Derry) - Posts: 263 - 26/02/2023 20:23:51    2460465

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Replying To Saynothing:  "Bugs me why there has to be a divisional final. Team that finishes top should win league. Yourselves or Derry in 2, maybe Mayo or whoever in 1."
And deny weaker teams a day out in Croke Park? Easy knowing that you're from a stronger county.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1298 - 26/02/2023 20:28:36    2460471

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Replying To Square_B:  "And deny weaker teams a day out in Croke Park? Easy knowing that you're from a stronger county."
Stronger county, have you seen where Tyrone are? Season is too short for league finals where the winner is already known. If you finish second, be happy, go up a division and get ready for championship.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2289 - 26/02/2023 20:54:59    2460488

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Replying To Square_B:  "And deny weaker teams a day out in Croke Park? Easy knowing that you're from a stronger county."
With Tailteann semi-finals and final in Croke Park, the championship structure now caters for counties of all levels?

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8773 - 26/02/2023 21:22:03    2460507

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Dublin and Derry only need another win to be assured of a top two position barring some strangeness.

Kildare and Meath are gone backwards if anything. Dublin need to use league to sharpen up as there seems to be no more chance of a challenge in Leinster than other years. Match against Derry could be a belter, with a possible final a bit of a damp squib closer to the championship,"
Meath gone backwards at alarming rate. And listening to O'Rourke afterwards everyone seems to know it apart from him. Relegation playoff in newbridge on last day beckons between ourselves and Kildare to see who drops with Limerick.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 26/02/2023 21:33:19    2460510

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Replying To Square_B:  "And deny weaker teams a day out in Croke Park? Easy knowing that you're from a stronger county."
Yes, but saynothing is right about the finals being meaningless coming so close to championship. There is probably a better than average chance Dublin and Derry will meet in the championship given the draw, so while next weekend will i expect will pretty full on, if the two of them then meet in the final it will be shadow boxing given that they will be playing championship two or three weeks later,

Same applies in Division I especially given the likelihood as things stand that two of the Connacht teams will be in final weeks before playing again. Which for me is another argument against he truncated season rather than the league, but I'm in minority on that.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3506 - 27/02/2023 08:41:56    2460532

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Replying To legendzxix:  "With Tailteann semi-finals and final in Croke Park, the championship structure now caters for counties of all levels?"
So what? We're talking about the league. And what harm is it playing a league final also in Croke Park? A day out for fans and a reward of sorts for players to play in a venue they wouldn't normally get to play. I know the likes of yourselves are probably sick of coming to Croke Park but doesn't mean the rest of us are.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1298 - 27/02/2023 10:51:01    2460576

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Yes, but saynothing is right about the finals being meaningless coming so close to championship. There is probably a better than average chance Dublin and Derry will meet in the championship given the draw, so while next weekend will i expect will pretty full on, if the two of them then meet in the final it will be shadow boxing given that they will be playing championship two or three weeks later,

Same applies in Division I especially given the likelihood as things stand that two of the Connacht teams will be in final weeks before playing again. Which for me is another argument against he truncated season rather than the league, but I'm in minority on that."
Again all that suits the stronger teams and at the detriment to teams who might not see the doors of Croke Park. I've never agreed with the truncated season anyhow but doing away with league finals is certainly not the answer.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1298 - 27/02/2023 11:54:16    2460611

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Replying To Square_B:  "So what? We're talking about the league. And what harm is it playing a league final also in Croke Park? A day out for fans and a reward of sorts for players to play in a venue they wouldn't normally get to play. I know the likes of yourselves are probably sick of coming to Croke Park but doesn't mean the rest of us are."
I was all for the league finals for the reasons you outline. There is a different landscape now however with the expanded championship. Something has to give. One solution is to do away with the division finals. The Tailteann providing a Croke Park opportunity instead. The counties will ultimately decide. Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8773 - 27/02/2023 16:51:26    2460765

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Yes, but saynothing is right about the finals being meaningless coming so close to championship. There is probably a better than average chance Dublin and Derry will meet in the championship given the draw, so while next weekend will i expect will pretty full on, if the two of them then meet in the final it will be shadow boxing given that they will be playing championship two or three weeks later,

Same applies in Division I especially given the likelihood as things stand that two of the Connacht teams will be in final weeks before playing again. Which for me is another argument against he truncated season rather than the league, but I'm in minority on that."
The whole point to winning a League is finishing top of a table. League finals are an American cash cow nonsense. If a team wins, beats whoever finishes 2nd, and wins the League by a wide margin they still might not be champions. Complete nonsense.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15669 - 27/02/2023 17:54:51    2460796

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Replying To TheUsername:  "Just wanted to pop into say, well done to Clare last night really put it up to us in the home of the 6 in a row, put in a performance you wouldn't see from teams higher up in the league, caused all types of problems and again our back line at 6s and 7s - all over the shop - but taking noting away from Clare. Really unlucky to loose by a point again and on last nights performance you should be a lot higher on the table - Div 2 is so competitive.

Annoyingly we look odds on for promotion, unless Derry or Meath can do us a favor in Celtic Park and Navan.

Anyway nice to be Munster Champions, that's Limerick, Cork and Clare this season! :D

As always Up The Dubs."
Nice post User.Ah the ole Munster counties well able to give you a game..Did nt see the game but fair play to Clare and great finish by Dublin,I have great admiration for Colm Collins of Clare.He has done great work for Clare football and deserves special mention.Ah id say Dubs going back up alright but Derry might be a hurdle alright in Celtic park.Derry are going great.Kildare have been a disappointment so far in div 2.Time to pull up their socks.Division one is really interesting as no one safe and everyone still in the hunt.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3901 - 27/02/2023 20:53:31    2460836

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Replying To Saynothing:  "I hope your right legendzxix, advantage Mayo but a three game winning run seals the deal. Championship feel to remaining matches."
I agree wth Legendzxix.This is the closest battle ive seen in division 1 for years.Often at this stage one team would be kind of written off and any team on 6 points would be considered safe.Not this year.Im really enjoying the battle.Every week a new scenario emerges.At the start the Rossies and Monaghan were favourites for the drop then then Rossies have a great run and Tyrone being written off.Then Donegal written off with Monaghan.Now its Tyrone again.If Tyrone beat Kerry it really throws the cat amongst the pigeons again.Tyrone have nt been playing as bad as the scoreline v Mayo suggests and Donegal looked a bit better last week.This weekend though should see the first team safe after the Mayo Rossies clash.A win will see one of them safe and a draw will see the two of them safe.Its mouthwatering stuff.The league is a really brilliant competition.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3901 - 27/02/2023 21:07:11    2460839

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Replying To CiarraiMick:  "I agree wth Legendzxix.This is the closest battle ive seen in division 1 for years.Often at this stage one team would be kind of written off and any team on 6 points would be considered safe.Not this year.Im really enjoying the battle.Every week a new scenario emerges.At the start the Rossies and Monaghan were favourites for the drop then then Rossies have a great run and Tyrone being written off.Then Donegal written off with Monaghan.Now its Tyrone again.If Tyrone beat Kerry it really throws the cat amongst the pigeons again.Tyrone have nt been playing as bad as the scoreline v Mayo suggests and Donegal looked a bit better last week.This weekend though should see the first team safe after the Mayo Rossies clash.A win will see one of them safe and a draw will see the two of them safe.Its mouthwatering stuff.The league is a really brilliant competition."
Agree with that , from a Tyrone point your right, they're not playing that bad , final ball letting them down and they just need to finally click. 4 points from final 6 might see them survive.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2289 - 28/02/2023 11:29:24    2460915

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I agree League Finals should be scrapped playing in a cavernous croke park with 20k people. top team declared winners or else go back to league quater finals from all four divisions like the mid 90s. id be in favoour of top team winning the league, but promotion playoffs in div 2,3,4. neutral provincial grounds, it would make for a super day, second play third for promotion, it would draw more than league finals. imagine Dublin v Louth in Navan for promotion. or Westmeath v Fermanagh in Breffni Park in a play off.

dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 826 - 28/02/2023 12:34:58    2460934

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