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Donegal and Monaghan have qualified for the All Ireland through the league qualifier route. Down and Westmeath have put themselves under provincial pressure by being relegated from Division 2 last year. This is what was agreed at congress. Down and Westmeath could both have lobbied for change if they think there is a different way of going about things.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9680 - 28/04/2026 11:16:55
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Replying To dickie10: "I think it will be a Dublin v Kildare Leinster final, with Dublin by 6-8 point winners. Louth havent beten Dublin in 53 years and havent beaten a big team in championship yet. Luke Loughlin and Mathew Whitakker gone with injury for westmeath, just think they could get hard to replicate energy and hunger of two weeks ago, this will open door for kildare who i think might just hit form at right time, nobody talking about them they will love that and always see themselves as better team than kildare. westmeath have a shocking championship record v kildare too." I think any of the 4 teams in the Leinster Semi-finals will believe they can win Leinster. I think you're right as regards Kildare, as poor as they've been they could easily beat Westmeath. Westmeath will struggle to get anywhere near the level they were against Meath. But Kildare have been so poor it's hard to pick a winner.
Honestly would say Meath are still sick. They had to beat a Division 3 team, then beat a Kildare team in disarray that they hammered already this year and then Louth or Dublin after they knock lumps out of each other. It's incomprehensible how badly they messed this one up.
NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 108 - 28/04/2026 15:34:44
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Replying To peiledoir20: "Is it not pints people cry into? Sorry I wouldn't know but I'll take your word for it, given your greater experience.
Good luck in the Tailteann." Rich coming from a donegal man after the last day
Galwayman67420 (Galway) - Posts: 36 - 28/04/2026 16:14:57
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Replying To Galwayman67420: "Rich coming from a donegal man after the last day" Ah leave er out.Donegal are DOWN in the dumos lol.
brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 549 - 28/04/2026 18:44:10
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Replying To legendzxix: "Donegal and Monaghan have qualified for the All Ireland through the league qualifier route. Down and Westmeath have put themselves under provincial pressure by being relegated from Division 2 last year. This is what was agreed at congress. Down and Westmeath could both have lobbied for change if they think there is a different way of going about things." The problem is and will always be that the provincials cannot put four or eight teams, at the same advantage, as they have not had equal routes, numerically if nothing else to a provincial final. And numerically is is not the only advantage some have, surely I don't have to elaborate further?
Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 33 - 28/04/2026 19:55:52
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Replying To Expertinall: "The problem is and will always be that the provincials cannot put four or eight teams, at the same advantage, as they have not had equal routes, numerically if nothing else to a provincial final. And numerically is is not the only advantage some have, surely I don't have to elaborate further?" The provincial imbalances aren't in doubt. Tyrone, Monaghan, Derry and Cavan all qualified through the league last year. This is where the league rewarded Ulster counties.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9680 - 28/04/2026 22:36:11
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Replying To dickie10: "I think it will be a Dublin v Kildare Leinster final, with Dublin by 6-8 point winners. Louth havent beten Dublin in 53 years and havent beaten a big team in championship yet. Luke Loughlin and Mathew Whitakker gone with injury for westmeath, just think they could get hard to replicate energy and hunger of two weeks ago, this will open door for kildare who i think might just hit form at right time, nobody talking about them they will love that and always see themselves as better team than kildare. westmeath have a shocking championship record v kildare too." I do not know where you get your false information. Mattie whittaker and luke loughlin will line out on sunday
mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1969 - 29/04/2026 07:35:05
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Ok here's my idea for what its worth. The goals are as follows:
1 remove long gaps between early provincial defeat until the next game
2 same amount matches for all teams at provincial level with a baseline of 3 for everyone and maximum of 4 for all finalists.
3 guarantee at least one home and away game for everyone.
4 base All Ireland series qualification primarily on provincial performance with NFL just used as a tie breaker (we'll get to that)
5 give certainty to all teams at the start of year of which competition they'll actually be in with clear promotion/relegation pathways
6 make the Tailteann an achievable objective for genuine minnows and not middle tier fallen giants
This will have some controversies and the sheer nature of varying qualities in different provinces remain an issue but here goes.
24 team All Ireland with 4 in Munster/Connacht and 8 in Leinster/Ulster. 9 team Tailteann Cup.
Provincial championships like in Hurling get played as round robins. Munster/Connacht straight 4 teams groups while Leinster/Ulster 2 groups of 4 each.
So for example:
Connacht: Galway Roscommon Mayo Sligo
Leinster: Group 1 Dublin Louth Offaly Wexford
Group 2 Kildare Laois Meath Westmeath
Munster: Cork Clare Kerry Limerick
Ulster: Group 1 Derry Monaghan Tyrone Fermanagh
Group 2 Armagh Down Donegal Cavan
In Munster/Connacht the top two qualify for the provincial final and All Ireland series
In Leinster/Ulster the two group winners qualify for provincial final and All Ireland series while the 4 group runners up across the two provinces qualify for All Ireland series
The 4 third place teams across the 6 provincial groups with the highest NFL placings also qualify for the All Ireland series giving us 16 teams.
The 2 third place teams across the 6 provincial groups with the lowest NFL placings and all 4th place teams are eliminated from the championship.
You now have 16 teams and can use any number of formats here to whittle down to 2 for an All Ireland final.
A simple idea (but not revenue contusive) would be
Round 1 the 8 qualifiers who are not provincial finalists drawn against each other
Round 2 the 4 provincial final losers v 4 Round 1 winners.
QF the provincial champions v 4 Round 2 winners.
Or you can use the '2026' format or even a second All Ireland series 4x4 group stage like 2023-2025.
16 teams is a useful number to work off anyway.
Tailteann Cup of 9 teams. One group of 4 teams and another of 5.
For logistical reasons keep London and New York in separate groups and always have New York in the 4 team group.
NY would have two home games to compensate for loss of Connacht championship game and one in Ireland.
Top two from each group reach the semis with the two winners contesting the final.
The Tailteann Cup champion is promoted back to their home province for the following season replacing the worst performing team in their home province.
So for example if Tipperary win it and Limerick are bottom in Munster then Tipp return to Munster and Limerick are relegated to the TC.
If Longford with it and Offaly and Westmeath are both bottom of their respective Leinster groups Longford replaces the team with the lowest amount of points. If the same then score difference. If the same lowest NFL ranking.
OK what do you think?
Freezing some teams out of the All Ireland may not go down well but overall I feel this is workable.
Extra provincial games compensates the councils for loss of January tournaments. (Ticket prices might go down in Connacht god forbid)
trimmer (Meath) - Posts: 582 - 29/04/2026 09:49:52
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Replying To trimmer: "Ok here's my idea for what its worth. The goals are as follows:
1 remove long gaps between early provincial defeat until the next game
2 same amount matches for all teams at provincial level with a baseline of 3 for everyone and maximum of 4 for all finalists.
3 guarantee at least one home and away game for everyone.
4 base All Ireland series qualification primarily on provincial performance with NFL just used as a tie breaker (we'll get to that)
5 give certainty to all teams at the start of year of which competition they'll actually be in with clear promotion/relegation pathways
6 make the Tailteann an achievable objective for genuine minnows and not middle tier fallen giants
This will have some controversies and the sheer nature of varying qualities in different provinces remain an issue but here goes.
24 team All Ireland with 4 in Munster/Connacht and 8 in Leinster/Ulster. 9 team Tailteann Cup.
Provincial championships like in Hurling get played as round robins. Munster/Connacht straight 4 teams groups while Leinster/Ulster 2 groups of 4 each.
So for example:
Connacht: Galway Roscommon Mayo Sligo
Leinster: Group 1 Dublin Louth Offaly Wexford
Group 2 Kildare Laois Meath Westmeath
Munster: Cork Clare Kerry Limerick
Ulster: Group 1 Derry Monaghan Tyrone Fermanagh
Group 2 Armagh Down Donegal Cavan
In Munster/Connacht the top two qualify for the provincial final and All Ireland series
In Leinster/Ulster the two group winners qualify for provincial final and All Ireland series while the 4 group runners up across the two provinces qualify for All Ireland series
The 4 third place teams across the 6 provincial groups with the highest NFL placings also qualify for the All Ireland series giving us 16 teams.
The 2 third place teams across the 6 provincial groups with the lowest NFL placings and all 4th place teams are eliminated from the championship.
You now have 16 teams and can use any number of formats here to whittle down to 2 for an All Ireland final.
A simple idea (but not revenue contusive) would be
Round 1 the 8 qualifiers who are not provincial finalists drawn against each other
Round 2 the 4 provincial final losers v 4 Round 1 winners.
QF the provincial champions v 4 Round 2 winners.
Or you can use the '2026' format or even a second All Ireland series 4x4 group stage like 2023-2025.
16 teams is a useful number to work off anyway.
Tailteann Cup of 9 teams. One group of 4 teams and another of 5.
For logistical reasons keep London and New York in separate groups and always have New York in the 4 team group.
NY would have two home games to compensate for loss of Connacht championship game and one in Ireland.
Top two from each group reach the semis with the two winners contesting the final.
The Tailteann Cup champion is promoted back to their home province for the following season replacing the worst performing team in their home province.
So for example if Tipperary win it and Limerick are bottom in Munster then Tipp return to Munster and Limerick are relegated to the TC.
If Longford with it and Offaly and Westmeath are both bottom of their respective Leinster groups Longford replaces the team with the lowest amount of points. If the same then score difference. If the same lowest NFL ranking.
OK what do you think?
Freezing some teams out of the All Ireland may not go down well but overall I feel this is workable.
Extra provincial games compensates the councils for loss of January tournaments. (Ticket prices might go down in Connacht god forbid)" sorry posted in wrong thread
trimmer (Meath) - Posts: 582 - 29/04/2026 10:06:12
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Some tasty teams already in pot 2 viz Donegal,tyrone,Mayo,Meath and more to come after the weekend.It is going to be an interesting draw.
gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1252 - 29/04/2026 12:03:10
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All Ireland 1 draw will be on Bank Holiday Monday May 4th. May the 4th be with us all!
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9680 - 29/04/2026 12:24:17
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Replying To brayballer: "Ah leave er out.Donegal are DOWN in the dumos lol." Are you a bit browned off Dave?
peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1582 - 29/04/2026 15:32:44
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Replying To dickie10: "I think it will be a Dublin v Kildare Leinster final, with Dublin by 6-8 point winners. Louth havent beten Dublin in 53 years and havent beaten a big team in championship yet. Luke Loughlin and Mathew Whitakker gone with injury for westmeath, just think they could get hard to replicate energy and hunger of two weeks ago, this will open door for kildare who i think might just hit form at right time, nobody talking about them they will love that and always see themselves as better team than kildare. westmeath have a shocking championship record v kildare too." Dublin will play in Division 2 alongside Louth next year and no guarantee they'll bounce straight back to Division 1.
Dublin are big on history and tradition right now are big in decline and transition. Louth defending champions won't care one bit a record which are there to be broken anyway.
Would be very disappointing for Westmeath should they lose to Kildare after beating Meath
Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 814 - 29/04/2026 15:57:54
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Westmeath were due a big win after recent years. I would nearly see Westmeath as being just ahead of Kildare at this time. That's not dismissing Kildare. All to play for.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9680 - 29/04/2026 16:33:58
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It feels like a refreshing kind of year so far in Football, Roscommon are playing serious football, I think Louth will be looking to retain Leinster this year and seeing Westmeath and Down emerge is great. Even in the lower divisions, seeing Carlow win Division 4 and Leitrim beat Sligo, its healthy to see different sides progress and good for the sport.
Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1794 - 29/04/2026 16:58:03
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Replying To peiledoir20: "Are you a bit browned off Dave?" No Dave.Just happy Down massacred yous.
brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 549 - 29/04/2026 17:51:14
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Replying To legendzxix: "All Ireland 1 draw will be on Bank Holiday Monday May 4th. May the 4th be with us all!" Do we know if seeded teams\provincial finalists are entered directly into the draw or is it a case of unseeded teams being drawn against yet to determined provincial winners and runner ups?
Immer (Mayo) - Posts: 83 - 29/04/2026 18:33:08
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Replying To legendzxix: "The provincial imbalances aren't in doubt. Tyrone, Monaghan, Derry and Cavan all qualified through the league last year. This is where the league rewarded Ulster counties." My point still is, the advantage gained as provincial finalists cannot be allocated equally if all 8 have not played the same number of games to be finalists. Why should Armagh if they win Ulster,arrive at the exact same all Ireland position, as Kerry, who have played 2 games? Provincial separation from Sam, and then pick a format for All Ireland.
Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 33 - 29/04/2026 19:39:40
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Replying To Immer: "Do we know if seeded teams\provincial finalists are entered directly into the draw or is it a case of unseeded teams being drawn against yet to determined provincial winners and runner ups?" Bowl A: 8 provincial finalists.
Bowl B: 8 league qualifiers. Could include Tailteann winner.
Team from bowl A drawn at home against a team from Bowl B. That's it.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9680 - 29/04/2026 21:36:41
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Replying To Expertinall: "My point still is, the advantage gained as provincial finalists cannot be allocated equally if all 8 have not played the same number of games to be finalists. Why should Armagh if they win Ulster,arrive at the exact same all Ireland position, as Kerry, who have played 2 games? Provincial separation from Sam, and then pick a format for All Ireland." I'd have no problem about provincial championships being separate from the All Ireland series. The provincial finals this year have no impact on the All Ireland, no seeding benefit or anything to be gained from winning the finals. The provincial championships should be able to stand on their own two feet.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9680 - 29/04/2026 21:39:43
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