Nothing lasts forever and in a couple of years time Dublin will lose 2 or 3 of our best players. While I don't necessarily envisage a changing of the guard I do see a chance for the others to close the gap. Cluxton and the Brogans will not be easily replaced.

It will require the others to step up where they have failed over the past 10 years.

seany16 (Dublin) - Posts: 1663 - 11/05/2015 15:28:27    1722487

Leinster Championship wins

'70-'79
Dublin-6
Meath-1
Offaly-3

'80-'89
Dublin-4
Meath-3
Offaly-3

'90-'99
Dublin-4
Meath-4
Offaly-1
Kildare-1

'00-'09
Dublin-6
Meath-1
Kildare-1
Laois-1
Westmeath-1

'10-'14
Dublin-4
Meath-1

In Fairness Dublin have always dominated Leinster it's nothing new to see them winning it the majority of years.

People always talk of the great meath teams of the '80s and '90s but even then meath never dominated Dublin.

Meath have declined in recent years, doesn't take a genius to figure that one out, and Dublin have flourished.

Leinster will never be at a stage where Dublin aren't winning. Meath will get a few cups here and there and maybe a flash in the pan team will win one but that's it and it's going to remain that way.

Uncle_Fester (Meath) - Posts: 217 - 11/05/2015 16:10:34    1722509

I don't think the league always is a great reflection for the Championship, but look at the level that each team is playing at:
Dublin DIV 1
Meath DIV 2
Kildare DIV 3
Westmeath DIV 3
Longford DIV 3
Offaly DIV 3
Laois DIV 3
Wexford DIV 4
Louth DIV 4
Carlow DIV 4
Wicklow DIV 4

So out of 11 counties, only two play in the top two divisions in the league. How can anyone compete until that changes.

PK57 (Louth) - Posts: 1664 - 11/05/2015 17:31:35    1722538

While I agree with much of what you are saying sometimes people can go overboard. In recent years some of the weaker teams in Leinster have got far worse (eg. Carlow) resulting in some terrible scorelines.

Other than that for example I certainly don't regard the standard of in Connaught as any better than in Leinster.
For example the standard of Meath and Kildare (after Dublin the 2 best teams in Leinster) in recent years is not way below the second and third placed teams in Connaught, I would say it is very similar to or slightly better than. Looking at Meath in recent years, if Meath played Galway, the team that in recent times are the second best team in Connaught in the qualifiers I would expect Meath to just about beat Galway (as has happened the 2 times Meath have played Galway in qualifiers; in 2007 and 2011). This year if Meath play Roscommon in qualifiers I would say it is a 50/50 game, in the championship I still think Meath would just about beat them.
Also during the time of Dublin dominance in Leinster Meath have still beaten teams like Tyrone (when Tyrone were still one of the best teams around) and Mayo. I am not as sure of Kildare's record but I know they have a very good qualifier record.

Hypothetically if Dublin and Mayo swapped provincial championships I believe Dublin would dominate Connaught even easier (maybe 10 out of 10?) than they are currently dominating Leinster while Mayo would be no more dominant in Leinster as they currently are in Connaught.

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1414 - 11/05/2015 18:14:11    1722551

Bdbuddah is correct.
It would seem to some Celtic tiger generation that this is something new, ? Its not.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 11/05/2015 19:21:22    1722571

mickcunningham
County: Westmeath
Posts: 644

1722481
square ball im presuming its tongue in cheek when you say we are dominating hurling . we are dominating nothing
the only true statement you made is about our olympian and i expect you mean mark rohan

Maybe not he hurling, but the rest is gospel. Robbie henshaw, joe Dolan, bressie, Niall
Horan, John Joe Nevin, the murphy champ that did show jumping, and of course mark rohan. It's hard being so multi talented.

square_ball_69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 826 - 11/05/2015 20:40:13    1722596

PK57
County: Louth
Posts: 1332

1722538
I don't think the league always is a great reflection for the Championship, but look at the level that each team is playing at:
Dublin DIV 1
Meath DIV 2
Kildare DIV 3
Westmeath DIV 3
Longford DIV 3
Offaly DIV 3
Laois DIV 3
Wexford DIV 4
Louth DIV 4
Carlow DIV 4
Wicklow DIV 4

So out of 11 counties, only two play in the top two divisions in the league. How can anyone compete until that changes.


mmmm I thought Laois played in division 2 and have been in one of the Top two divisions for a long long time now and still are next season!

BigJohn.6_8 (Galway) - Posts: 704 - 12/05/2015 10:09:50    1722650

11/05/2015 10:04:21
royaldunne
County: Meath
Posts: 7382

1722324
Ahh ffs. Leinster is as predictable as the rest, the probability is Meath will play dubs, in Connaught mayo will play Roscommon in ulster Donegal will play Monaghan and Munster cork will play Kerry. With dubs mayo Kerry and Donegal all winning, so cop yourselves on, Leinster is no worse than any other provinces, just it has the best team in the country in it that would win any other province just as handy this year, Jesus wept some people.

Disagree. No disrespect to the rest in Munster,Leinster but the Munster final will be Cork v Kerry and Leinster final will be Meath v Dublin.

In Connacht once Roscommon overcome London its Sligo away and they are more than capable of beating Roscommon they did in 2007,97 in the championship and the last two league trips Marky ended in defeat for the Rossies. Galway when they overcome Leitrim they have Mayo at home and are due a win over them and are more than capable and you would have seen this yourself when half strength Galway team comfortably beat Meath a few months ago. A repeat of the 2007 Connacht final Sligo v Galway is possible.

In Ulster Cavan at home could beat Monaghan and if hold McManus to a few scores they will. On the other side of the draw any one of Donegal,Armagh,Tyrone,Derry,Down could reach the final.

The fact is the best team in country is Kerry and If Dublin were in Connacht,Munster or Ulster they would not get it as handy as they do in Leinster as they have done these last four years.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3696 - 12/05/2015 20:37:27    1722981

It's not just Leinster. In connacht Mayo have won four in a row, Cork & Kerry always have and always will dominate Munster. And in Ulster Donegal have won 3 of the last 4 Ulsters, the provincial system is outdated and getting more predictable with each passing year. The traditionalists won't like it but, lets try an open draw! It's worth a try and will add to the excitement and unpredictability which we don't see in the provincial championships.

ShortGrass_1 (Kildare) - Posts: 223 - 13/05/2015 12:06:30    1723105