LetterkennyMan
County: Donegal
Posts: 320

1319003
And another things for sure yew_tree; if Longford played in Connacht rather than Leinster, they would have more provincial titles and have had a greater chance at reaching All-Ireland Finals and Semi's. Longford would both traditionally and currently have been as strong if not stronger than Leitrim, Sligo and Roscommon, and we won't even include the powerhouse that is New York in that list!
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How can that be "for sure"? It was a massive shock and embarrassing when Longford beat Mayo in 2010 so where are all these Connacht Titles coming from?

killer_88_ (Mayo) - Posts: 2040 - 16/01/2013 13:07:34    1319056

don't see any dark horse winning it, Kerry Dublin likely. Cork don't seem to want it enough and Mayo don't have it in them. I think someone will figure out how to beat the donegal system this year but expect Kerry or dublin to lift Sam. The rest of us seem to lack those top class forwards who can do it when it matters.

switec (Kildare) - Posts: 525 - 16/01/2013 13:15:01    1319062

Your right killer_88 I can't say "for sure", nor can anybody about most things in life!!!

But........... assessing the number of counties in your province compared to Leinster and the relative quality of those counties, one could quite logically assume that Longford would have fared better if they were west of the Shannon. If Sligo, Roscommon and Leitrim plied their trade in Leinster there is also every likelihood they would not have won a provincial title in the time since Longford have won one (1960's), and by extension It is very hard to argue that if Mayo and Galway played in a larger and relatively stronger province they would have the same provincial haul they currently boast and the same number of AI Ireland Final and Semi-Final appearances.

yew_tree; I agree with you re 1996! But you can't be so disparaging towards people from smaller counties, their every bit as entitled to their opinion as you or I. There's been many a footballer through the years from these so-called weaker counties that would have AI medals and All-Stars in their back pockets if they were born a few miles over the road in a larger county. That you cannot argue with.

LetterkennyMan (Donegal) - Posts: 393 - 16/01/2013 13:38:05    1319084

LetterkennyMan, yes, of course everyone is entitled to an opinion. However there is a difference between an opinion and just slagging off Mayo. You can surely see how it's hard for Mayo people to take slagging from people who probably don't know what the inside of Croke Park looks like, never mind know what it feels like to stand on Hill 16 during the All-Ireland. We constantly compete with the best which is a lot more than can be said of the counties of a lot of our slaggers. People from successful counties are in a rightful position to jibe at us, people from not so successful counties aren't so they should wind their necks in and look after their own poor counties affairs.

killer_88_ (Mayo) - Posts: 2040 - 16/01/2013 14:10:30    1319107

its not slagging off mayo its just an opinion...it was shocking to you but anybody properly educated on gaa knows well longford is a very tough place to go and win see the scares we have given the likes of dublin tyrone and kerry over the years plus a victory over a quality derry side...that was a a weak mayo side also we beat....and anyway who where is this notion mayo are a big side?..they are not..they are generally a good side but please get off your high horse yewtree mayo benefit greatly from being in a poor province but their all ireland tally in the last 50 years shows they are no big team

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 16/01/2013 14:51:48    1319145

analyser you accuse me of simplistic analysis cause i said mayo simply have an easier route to others due to connaught being a weak province yet u bring up tests they received in their province whilst also ignoring all the tests dublin have received in leinster?....mayo raised their game when they came out of the province..of course it matters what happened sligo and roscommon after as it shows the level of side they are...fair play to them for putting it up to mayo but there is no doubt conaught is the easiest route to the quarters or 4th round of the qualifiers when you consider mayo played new york and leitrim to get to a provincial final?

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 16/01/2013 14:54:48    1319150

LetterkennyMan
County: Donegal

yew_tree; I agree with you re 1996! But you can't be so disparaging towards people from smaller counties

An I am not that type of poster....Ive been around here long enough for plenty to back me up on that. It just gets under my skin when I see weaker counties having a pop at Mayo all the time when maybe they should concentrate on how they can make their own county better.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11999 - 16/01/2013 14:56:10    1319151

ffgg: when you consider mayo played new york and leitrim to get to a provincial final

No we didn't play New York in championship last year. Played Sligo in the connacht final.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11999 - 16/01/2013 14:58:03    1319153

so u just played leitrim to get to a provincial final? at the very least the 4th round of qualifiers in otherwards

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 16/01/2013 15:01:43    1319157

if you werent that type of poster yewtree you would actually look at the points made instead of taking shots at a smaller county...everybody is entitled to their opinion on here..just because mayo happen to be born in a smaller province where they have much a bigger population than longford doesnt exactly make you more entitled to post then i

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 16/01/2013 15:12:19    1319168

ffgg - There is a difference between an opinion and a constant berating of a county team.....WUM's is one word I would have for such posters.

For the record I do hope to see Longford do well this year and I would love to see ye win a Leinster title.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11999 - 16/01/2013 16:05:01    1319214

well it was not my intention to be taking shots at mayo its just an opinion that they have an easier route as i feel there is no disputing it as the nature of the draw in connaught means less games than other provinces a lot of the time so not even taking into account the level of teams played means its easier route also...galway who are generally mayos big rival being so poor lately also does not help connaughts case

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 16/01/2013 16:13:21    1319223

ffgg - Some people will say a weak province is a hindrance to a team. Ive been told the debate started in the 1980's when Galway hurlers started winning all irelands (2 games). I also don't see anybody giving out about Cork/Kerry who now use Munster as a shadow box any time they meet. It is also not Mayo's fault that Galway are poor.

If anything Connacht is competitive - any team (most anyway) can beat each other on any given day and the rivalry is intense even if the standard is not.

With your comments I assume you want an end to the provincial championship and an open draw system. That may be fairer but again I can't see it as a benefit to weaker counties. At least counties such as Leitrim and Longford may aim for a provincial title but remove that and what is there to aim for? Lets see how far we can get in the open draw?

Personally I enjoyed the straight knockout

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11999 - 16/01/2013 16:20:41    1319228

im not blaming mayo im just saying connaught is the easiest route out of the 4 to get to quarters or 4th round of qualifiers..another poster disputed this so i responded...yes i would like open draw mainly as i feel all 32 counties should have to play the same number of games to get to such and such a place in competition .dont put us in same bracket as leitrim please

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 16/01/2013 16:26:14    1319233

LetterkennyMan
County: Donegal
Posts: 320

1319003
And another things for sure yew_tree; if Longford played in Connacht rather than Leinster, they would have more provincial titles and have had a greater chance at reaching All-Ireland Finals and Semi's. Longford would both traditionally and currently have been as strong if not stronger than Leitrim, Sligo and Roscommon, and we won't even include the powerhouse that is New York in that list!

But........... assessing the number of counties in your province compared to Leinster and the relative quality of those counties, one could quite logically assume that Longford would have fared better if they were west of the Shannon. If Sligo, Roscommon and Leitrim plied their trade in Leinster there is also every likelihood they would not have won a provincial title in the time since Longford have won one (1960's), and by extension It is very hard to argue that if Mayo and Galway played in a larger and relatively stronger province they would have the same provincial haul they currently boast and the same number of AI Ireland Final and Semi-Final appearances

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For years and years (no disrespect to the larries ) Longford have been at the same level as Sligo,Leitrim would they have won more more provincial titles if playing in Connacht? very unlikely IMO. Saying we are the same as longford traditionally Let me guess you started following GAA the last 10 years or so? history lesson for you we have one less senior All Ireland than Mayo plus have won a number of U21,Minor All Irelands and in the late 70s early 80s ourselves and Kerry were the two best sides in Ireland and it wouldn't have mattered what province we played in as we would have won provincial titles the same can not be said of Longford.
Finally our neighbours are on the verge of winning three in row Connacht titles this summer for the first time since the 50s if Connacht is so "simple,easy" they wouldn't be waiting that long...

ispeakwisdom (Roscommon) - Posts: 2487 - 16/01/2013 16:43:40    1319252

ffgg
County: Longford

im not blaming mayo im just saying connaught is the easiest route out of the 4 to get to quarters or 4th round of qualifiers

I am not so sure, Munster is extreamley easy for cork/kerry and Dublin have fairly steam rolled their way through leinster most years. Connacht is at least competitive

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11999 - 16/01/2013 16:44:32    1319254

they are always all ireland contenders though those sides yewtree...cork and kerry have consistently showed their quality outside of province as have dublin...and dublin have received plenty of tests in leinster..the standard in connaught has just generally been a lot lower in recent years with no all ireland contender till now

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 16/01/2013 16:52:12    1319263

we would have had a far greater chance of winning a provincial title ispeakwisdom...certainly getting into finals at the very least....you would argue that of course though trying to big up the quality of your own county

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 16/01/2013 16:55:12    1319266

16/01/2013 16:55:12
ffgg
County: Longford
Posts: 2357

1319266
we would have had a far greater chance of winning a provincial title ispeakwisdom...certainly getting into finals at the very least....you would argue that of course though trying to big up the quality of your own county

Greater chance or not when would Longford win a Connacht title? at the moment they wouldn't get past Mayo in the early 00s they wouldn't have beaten Galway,Mayo or ourselves the mid 90s Mayo,Galway were two of the best sides in Ireland we were strong in the early 90s late 70s and when Longford won their only Leinster title Galway were the best side in Ireland.

ispeakwisdom (Roscommon) - Posts: 2487 - 16/01/2013 17:16:53    1319287

look at leitrim winning a connaught title in the past and sure look sligo and roscommon winning them lately..since 2006 connaught has been very poor till mayos emergence under horan so there was opportunity there for instance.....im not saying we would win many just we would have a better chance than we have in leinster and certainly have a much better chance of getting to 4th round of qualifiers

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 16/01/2013 17:28:47    1319295