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Football Championship 2026

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There seems to be 4 strong contenders this year. Meath, Dublin, Mayo and Derry will have a telling impact on the championship as well. Roscommon, Cork, Tyrone and Louth will look to perform in the provincial championships and take it from there. Supporters of Monaghan, Cavan and Kildare will be a bit concerned after the league. Down provisionally hold the final league qualifier spot. They'll be sweating on provincial games in other provinces. A shock or two can never be written off.
Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal are on one side of the Ulster draw. Will be interesting how that plays out. Roscommon and Mayo are on course to meet in a semi final. A traditional Munster final is on the cards but Limerick and Clare will look to have something to say about that. Dublin and Louth could meet in a semi final. Meath favourites on the other side but one or two dark horses will be waiting.
All in all the provincial championships are set up nicely. Should be some good battles in the weeks ahead. Win, lose or draw - we've been treated to great contests under the new rules.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9608 - 30/03/2026 08:36:28    2663901

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Replying To legendzxix:  "There seems to be 4 strong contenders this year. Meath, Dublin, Mayo and Derry will have a telling impact on the championship as well. Roscommon, Cork, Tyrone and Louth will look to perform in the provincial championships and take it from there. Supporters of Monaghan, Cavan and Kildare will be a bit concerned after the league. Down provisionally hold the final league qualifier spot. They'll be sweating on provincial games in other provinces. A shock or two can never be written off.
Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal are on one side of the Ulster draw. Will be interesting how that plays out. Roscommon and Mayo are on course to meet in a semi final. A traditional Munster final is on the cards but Limerick and Clare will look to have something to say about that. Dublin and Louth could meet in a semi final. Meath favourites on the other side but one or two dark horses will be waiting.
All in all the provincial championships are set up nicely. Should be some good battles in the weeks ahead. Win, lose or draw - we've been treated to great contests under the new rules."
Yep, either Mayo or Rossie for their first Connacht title in years, maybe if they draw they will both be allowed to share the Nestor cup for the year on a 'month-on/month-off' type arrangement. Rossies for Sam sure.

The_DOC (Galway) - Posts: 842 - 30/03/2026 10:44:48    2663921

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Replying To legendzxix:  "There seems to be 4 strong contenders this year. Meath, Dublin, Mayo and Derry will have a telling impact on the championship as well. Roscommon, Cork, Tyrone and Louth will look to perform in the provincial championships and take it from there. Supporters of Monaghan, Cavan and Kildare will be a bit concerned after the league. Down provisionally hold the final league qualifier spot. They'll be sweating on provincial games in other provinces. A shock or two can never be written off.
Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal are on one side of the Ulster draw. Will be interesting how that plays out. Roscommon and Mayo are on course to meet in a semi final. A traditional Munster final is on the cards but Limerick and Clare will look to have something to say about that. Dublin and Louth could meet in a semi final. Meath favourites on the other side but one or two dark horses will be waiting.
All in all the provincial championships are set up nicely. Should be some good battles in the weeks ahead. Win, lose or draw - we've been treated to great contests under the new rules."
Real contenders for Provincial honours
Galway, Ros, Mayo
Kerry, Cork
Armagh, Derry, Donegal, Tyrone
Dublin, Louth, Meath.

Kildare, Down, Monaghan and Cavan to make up the 16 for Sam.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 435 - 30/03/2026 11:42:10    2663938

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Real contenders for Provincial honours
Galway, Ros, Mayo
Kerry, Cork
Armagh, Derry, Donegal, Tyrone
Dublin, Louth, Meath.

Kildare, Down, Monaghan and Cavan to make up the 16 for Sam."
Will the All Ireland Series draw be seeded and will all provincial finalists be kept apart? I know a provincial finalist would start with a home draw. Can't see any division 3 or 4 team making a provincial final unless somehow Westmeath beat Meath in quarter final if they overcome Longford. Not impossible but would be a major shock. Sligo perhaps the next best bet.
Suspect Monaghan will get a few players back and could be a good game against Derry after they overcome Cavan. Tyrone v Armagh is obviously the main humdinger on the first weekend. Donegal will be very hard to knock off their Ulster perch. Down don't look any further down the road since this time last year and very reliant on a small number of players.

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 961 - 30/03/2026 22:44:50    2664046

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Counties above and below the league qualification spots: (17 Kildare qualify as Tailteann winners.)
13 Tyrone
14 Cavan
15 Down
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16 Wexford
18 Offaly
19 Westmeath
20 Laois
21 Sligo
22 Clare
Wexford have Louth and Dublin on their side of the Leinster draw. Laois, Offaly and Westmeath are on the same side as Meath and Kildare. Sligo are looking to setup a semi final versus Galway. Clare will welcome Kerry to Ennis.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9608 - 31/03/2026 08:30:21    2664061

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Replying To legendzxix:  "There seems to be 4 strong contenders this year. Meath, Dublin, Mayo and Derry will have a telling impact on the championship as well. Roscommon, Cork, Tyrone and Louth will look to perform in the provincial championships and take it from there. Supporters of Monaghan, Cavan and Kildare will be a bit concerned after the league. Down provisionally hold the final league qualifier spot. They'll be sweating on provincial games in other provinces. A shock or two can never be written off.
Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal are on one side of the Ulster draw. Will be interesting how that plays out. Roscommon and Mayo are on course to meet in a semi final. A traditional Munster final is on the cards but Limerick and Clare will look to have something to say about that. Dublin and Louth could meet in a semi final. Meath favourites on the other side but one or two dark horses will be waiting.
All in all the provincial championships are set up nicely. Should be some good battles in the weeks ahead. Win, lose or draw - we've been treated to great contests under the new rules."
Is s two horse race as real provincial championship? And then both get rewarded with home advantage, anyway? Maybe I have misunderstood the format, I stand to be corrected if that's not cork and Kerry's route.

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 16 - 31/03/2026 09:17:24    2664066

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Real contenders for Provincial honours
Galway, Ros, Mayo
Kerry, Cork
Armagh, Derry, Donegal, Tyrone
Dublin, Louth, Meath.

Kildare, Down, Monaghan and Cavan to make up the 16 for Sam."
I assume nobody sees a possibility of a Limerick, Clare, Westmeath, Wexford or Sligo making a provincial final?
Based on League form Kildare, Down, Cavan and Monaghan could struggle in AI series but perhaps they will pick up form and get key players back. Louth last year put everything into Leinster, celebrated well and were flat for the AI series. Plenty of twists and turns before pucture can be clear!

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 961 - 31/03/2026 09:52:53    2664071

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Replying To winatallcost:  "I assume nobody sees a possibility of a Limerick, Clare, Westmeath, Wexford or Sligo making a provincial final?
Based on League form Kildare, Down, Cavan and Monaghan could struggle in AI series but perhaps they will pick up form and get key players back. Louth last year put everything into Leinster, celebrated well and were flat for the AI series. Plenty of twists and turns before pucture can be clear!"
Respect for opponents is important, especially on a national forum. Clare started the league with 2 losses - thought they were on their way to the Tailteann. They then won 3 consecutive games and promotion was on the cards, they went up the dangerous opponent scale. They ended the league with 2 losses. Their final game wasn't of importance. It was the loss to Wexford that saw them lose out. Clare are the clear underdogs going into the Munster semi final. They have been problematic in Ennis before though and up to them as challengers to make a good game of it.
Limerick have caused Cork problems before. They'll relish the opportunity. It would typical Cork after their league to flop against Limerick.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9608 - 31/03/2026 12:43:56    2664110

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Replying To winatallcost:  "Will the All Ireland Series draw be seeded and will all provincial finalists be kept apart? I know a provincial finalist would start with a home draw. Can't see any division 3 or 4 team making a provincial final unless somehow Westmeath beat Meath in quarter final if they overcome Longford. Not impossible but would be a major shock. Sligo perhaps the next best bet.
Suspect Monaghan will get a few players back and could be a good game against Derry after they overcome Cavan. Tyrone v Armagh is obviously the main humdinger on the first weekend. Donegal will be very hard to knock off their Ulster perch. Down don't look any further down the road since this time last year and very reliant on a small number of players."
Donegal have never managed to win 3 x Ulster's in a row, generally its quite a tough feat to achieve, think only Armagh have manage that during the last 40 years. 2013 we were caught by Monaghan and in 2020 by Cavan, we went into both games as raging favourites and yet got stung.

Down are a tricky challenge, in that they are a hard team to shake, and unless Tyrone really step it up a gear, it will be Armagh waiting in the SF. If we manage to make it to the final, there is a slippy Derry or Monaghan test awaiting us most likely. Nothing for granted in Ulster this year, hard to call.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1689 - 31/03/2026 13:39:48    2664126

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Replying To Commodore:  "Donegal have never managed to win 3 x Ulster's in a row, generally its quite a tough feat to achieve, think only Armagh have manage that during the last 40 years. 2013 we were caught by Monaghan and in 2020 by Cavan, we went into both games as raging favourites and yet got stung.

Down are a tricky challenge, in that they are a hard team to shake, and unless Tyrone really step it up a gear, it will be Armagh waiting in the SF. If we manage to make it to the final, there is a slippy Derry or Monaghan test awaiting us most likely. Nothing for granted in Ulster this year, hard to call."
Can see Donegal beating Down by 10 plus pts. Down only have a small number (3 or 4) main threats and would need Danny McGill back urgently to add to this.
Semi final could be a tough encounter but if Donegal get through that they should get over line in final.

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 961 - 31/03/2026 14:45:55    2664141

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Respect for opponents is important, especially on a national forum. Clare started the league with 2 losses - thought they were on their way to the Tailteann. They then won 3 consecutive games and promotion was on the cards, they went up the dangerous opponent scale. They ended the league with 2 losses. Their final game wasn't of importance. It was the loss to Wexford that saw them lose out. Clare are the clear underdogs going into the Munster semi final. They have been problematic in Ennis before though and up to them as challengers to make a good game of it.
Limerick have caused Cork problems before. They'll relish the opportunity. It would typical Cork after their league to flop against Limerick."
No matter what way you dress it up, munster is not competitive, and it suits two teams fine, to have it that way.

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 16 - 31/03/2026 15:13:20    2664150

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Replying To winatallcost:  "Can see Donegal beating Down by 10 plus pts. Down only have a small number (3 or 4) main threats and would need Danny McGill back urgently to add to this.
Semi final could be a tough encounter but if Donegal get through that they should get over line in final."
Will Donegal be preparing for the AI instead of bothering with Ulster's dog fights?

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 435 - 31/03/2026 16:09:46    2664165

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Will Donegal be preparing for the AI instead of bothering with Ulster's dog fights?"
I'd 100% expect them to go full out for Ulster. Winning the AI as ulster champions is always the ultimate goal. Probably leaves us at a disadvantage to other counties in other provinces but it's just how it is.

WeGoAgain (Donegal) - Posts: 161 - 31/03/2026 17:16:25    2664177

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Replying To winatallcost:  "Can see Donegal beating Down by 10 plus pts. Down only have a small number (3 or 4) main threats and would need Danny McGill back urgently to add to this.
Semi final could be a tough encounter but if Donegal get through that they should get over line in final."
I agree we should beat Down, but I know from experience that if we take our eye of them going into this opening game, we could find ourselves knocked out. If we start that game slow, Down will confidence will grow and they will make it an arm wrestle then like last year when we beat them 1-19 v 0-16.

Armagh are probably gunning for us more than anyone else, its probably irking them that they haven't beat a Jim McGuinness managed Donegal, McGeeney has yet to get a win over Jim. So they have the motivation and fuel to go after us in that Semi final if we reach it.

As for the final, Derry have the ability to beat any team on their day, as could Monaghan if their injuries clear up a little. I wouldn't get too carried away, I think it will be a tough run.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1689 - 31/03/2026 22:49:23    2664205

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Will Donegal be preparing for the AI instead of bothering with Ulster's dog fights?"
No, the opportunity for Jim to win a 6th Ulster title in 7 seasons, especially the chance to win 3 in a row for the first time ever in Donegal's history is probably too much temptation. Also this is the final year of Jim's 3 year term, he may not be back next season, so he will really want us to close it out strongly.

Of course we want to have a go at the All Ireland after that, but I do see Jim's point in that going into the All Ireland series as Ulster Champions probably strengthens the team psychologically, as Ulster is difficult to dominate.

As for the All Ireland series, I think Kerry are still the best team in the Country come Championship, followed by Galway, Armagh, Donegal and maybe Dublin (In no particular order)_, Mayo, Roscommon, Meath too. Any of those teams can beat each other on any given day, so while Ulster can be physically tough, there are no guarantees if we exit Ulster early, that we will go far in the All Ireland series. Roscommon are impressive, you could be the team to make a big jump in 2026 and surprise a lot of people.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1689 - 31/03/2026 23:03:18    2664208

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Will Donegal be preparing for the AI instead of bothering with Ulster's dog fights?"
Donegal will çertainly be trying to win 3 in a row in Ulster a feat Donegal never done before.
Winning Ulster also gives them a better draw later on.

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 892 - 31/03/2026 23:07:06    2664209

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Replying To WeGoAgain:  "I'd 100% expect them to go full out for Ulster. Winning the AI as ulster champions is always the ultimate goal. Probably leaves us at a disadvantage to other counties in other provinces but it's just how it is."
At least Donegal not in the preliminary round
this year, ulster finalists should be exempt the following year. The provinces are imbalanced enough without that.

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 16 - 31/03/2026 23:09:07    2664210

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Replying To WeGoAgain:  "I'd 100% expect them to go full out for Ulster. Winning the AI as ulster champions is always the ultimate goal. Probably leaves us at a disadvantage to other counties in other provinces but it's just how it is."
Ye honestly think ye will win AI haha would not write kerry off . Jack is a cute hoor.

S1234 (Mayo) - Posts: 1039 - 01/04/2026 08:30:59    2664222

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Replying To Commodore:  "No, the opportunity for Jim to win a 6th Ulster title in 7 seasons, especially the chance to win 3 in a row for the first time ever in Donegal's history is probably too much temptation. Also this is the final year of Jim's 3 year term, he may not be back next season, so he will really want us to close it out strongly.

Of course we want to have a go at the All Ireland after that, but I do see Jim's point in that going into the All Ireland series as Ulster Champions probably strengthens the team psychologically, as Ulster is difficult to dominate.

As for the All Ireland series, I think Kerry are still the best team in the Country come Championship, followed by Galway, Armagh, Donegal and maybe Dublin (In no particular order)_, Mayo, Roscommon, Meath too. Any of those teams can beat each other on any given day, so while Ulster can be physically tough, there are no guarantees if we exit Ulster early, that we will go far in the All Ireland series. Roscommon are impressive, you could be the team to make a big jump in 2026 and surprise a lot of people."
With a lot of younger lads not as conditioned as 'old dogs" and Diarmuid, Daire and Enda not getting as much space as Championship games hot up we might find it tough this year.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 435 - 01/04/2026 10:57:55    2664231

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The Dubs having a hissy fit and not attending a launch event. Looks like Ger Brennan is going full Pillar Cafferey with his management style. You know what they say about never interrupting an enemy when making a mistake!

RoyalBadger (Meath) - Posts: 581 - 01/04/2026 11:01:39    2664232

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