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Galway Football thread - 4 Like(s)
Replying To Galwayman67420: "There's a difference between sice and mchugh. Sice was another cog in the wheel in Corofin, mchugh's individual brilliance has led the scoring for years for Mountbellew. If you were to ask me who I would rather in a team it is Barry mchugh due to his sheer class and longevity he's maintained these top tier standards for years. Not quite sure if he's ever played in goal, maybe in school games but it's well worth a look if we want to see Sam crossing the Shannon in the near future" Can we move on McHugh is not the answer was not the answer never mind to our goalie problem
Eire89 (National) - 19/05/2026 20:51:07
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Dublin GAA thread - 3 Like(s)
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Time to move Dublin League matches back to Parnell. Then the "supporters" will turn up in Croke park again." Mayo are not exactly box office either.
BarneyGrant (National) - 19/05/2026 15:11:53
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Football Championship 2026 - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Cabbagepatch1667: "Yeah agreed, it's ridiculous.
Cork beat Waterford and Tipperary to reach a Munster final, their reward is a home game vs Meath which might just be the factor that tips them over the line. The power of home advantage can't be understated. Similarly Galway beat Leitrim to guarantee home advantage
I'm okay with the provincial winners being seeded home advantage, to win a provincial you probably to earn it (outside of Munster), so home advantage is a justified reward. Westmeath beat Meath, Kildare and Dublin, absolutely deserved." Before you rope Galway/Connacht in - Sligo were on the Galway side of the draw, they are a Div 3 team (same as Westmeath). Its not Galways fault Sligo got beat by Leitrim.
Cork also beat Limerick who were relegated to Div 4.
The actual difference is 2 of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon will draw each other in the qfinal next year (because Leitrim are in London and Sligo are in NY) and possibly draw the other in the semi to reach a Provincial final.
Cork will avoid Kerry in a semi or qfinal forever.
The Connacht draw next year is a 25% chance of a Sligo v Leitrim semi final and the winner being seeded in the all ireland series, despite neither of them having any chance of winning the tailteann cup anytime soon.
If Munster go back to an open draw - you could get a situation where Cork play Kerry in a qfinal and waterford, Limerick and Tipp all are on the other side of the draw.
If Munster and Connacht play out that way - you could have 2 div 4 teams seeded in the All ireland series and 2 Div 2 teams excluded from the Sam Maguire - whatever way you dress it up - its wrong
tirawleybaron (National) - 19/05/2026 14:24:10
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Laker1500: "The dust has settled... a little! What a few days of WH football.
Agree with the poster above. We were all young, but Derry seemed there for the taking after the last Leinster win. The difference then was that WH team was almost finished and everyone seemed happy they got a Leinster... and of course it was our first Leinster.
This time, our team are mostly very young and just getting started!
I hope they enjoyed the few days well earned celebrations and continue to enjoy being Leinster champs... but lets be greedy and push on. Cavan are decent, must be a bit worried... but are currently doing their homework to do a job on us! WH are absolutely flying ...with scoring ability everywhere and a rock solid one on one defenders and in a packed home game.
Its going to take a massive massive prep and effort over the next 7 or 8 days by players and management to get to Championship pace again for that one.
... lets go!" "The difference then was that WH team was almost finished" - 100% untrue. Damian Healy, Rory and Paul Conway were the older players on that team. None over 30. Heals was on our Div 2 winning team in 2008 The core of that team was the U21 team of 99...Murray, Ennis, Shaugho, Dessie, Willo, Buddah, Derek Heavin ... all mid 20s at most...Denis Glennon was 19...Donal D was 22...John Keane was 24 won his second all star in 2008. Connaughton also won an All star in 2008.
Very unfair comment about that group of players
Dessie15 (National) - 20/05/2026 10:55:43
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Provincial Final Replays - Good Idea Or Bad Idea? - 2 Like(s)
Replying To GreenandRed: "What about the publicity and feelgood factor after a game going to extra time and penalties? Galway beating Armagh after penalties into the Canal End was an epic." Was at it but would never class a shoot out win as epic in Gaelic football. Would much prefer if that game was won in extra time.
Drax_the_destroyer (National) - 19/05/2026 19:11:42
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Tailteann Cup 2026 - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Pikeman96: "It's a fair point, but it replicates the corresponding change in the Sam Maguire Cup. The feeling was that the issue with the old group system was too many teams advancing despite winning only one match out of three. Perhaps a move to just the top two teams going through from each group would have been better.
But interesting to look at home/away split in results & predictions:
In Round 1, there was an even split of four home winners and four away winners.
In the upcoming Round 2A & 2B, the away team is the bookie's favourite in five of the eight matches.
Obviously still luck of the draw as regards who you have to go away to play against, but many would actually argue that luck of the draw should indeed be an element of cup competitions." Ok but this isnt a " Cup " competition in the traditional sense. This is the core competition of our intercounty season. I know Sam is the no1 but if this is the competition you are in then its the main one for you to win. The FA Cup , for example, has always been the secondary competition to win in English football so luck of the draw applies/is tolerated.playing away every round would never be tolerated in the PL or the EFL championship. While its not exactly a like for like comparison I hope you get what I mean.
The other point to make is this. Treating both competitions the same is counter productive to the aim and goal of the Tailteann Cup. It is a 2nd tier competition designed to give competitive championship games to tier 2 counties through the summer and give them a shot at CP glory and a title. It doesnt have to deal with tv schedules etc and media scrutiny like the Sam competition. Therefore it doesnt have to mirror the Sam format. It could have stayed as it was and guarenteed 3 games with one at home. The reasons for the change just dont apply or contradict the premise of the tailteann Cup imo.
Tadhg2020 (National) - 20/05/2026 00:54:55
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Leitrim GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
If the Tusla folk are alerted to the content being approved here there'll be murder.
Boxtyeater (National) - 20/05/2026 10:56:32
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Provincial Final Replays - Good Idea Or Bad Idea? - 1 Like(s)
Replying To richiepmurphy: "It's total madness. Gaa probably think they're doing the right thing but in years to come this short sighted thinking will be seen for what it is.
Even the Munster u20 final last week going to penalties. Imagine the interest a replay would have bought after the excitement and quality of that game. You couldn't but that publicity and feel good factor" What about the publicity and feelgood factor after a game going to extra time and penalties? Galway beating Armagh after penalties into the Canal End was an epic.
GreenandRed (National) - 19/05/2026 13:42:39
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International Rules - 1 Like(s)
The Irish team has been limited to players who have made their debut in the AFLW, ruling out the most recent wave of recruits.
It's an unsurprisingly quick team, but concerns over a lack of height are unfounded, given the presence of Aishling Moloney, Aine McDonagh and Vikki Wall (who is a little shorter, but is yet to meet a defender she couldn't bury into the turf) in attack, and three key backs in Jen Dunne, Clara Fitzpatrick and Kayleigh Cronin.
The versatility of Orlagh Lally and Rachel Kearns will help the Irish team management, there's plenty who can rotate between half-back, wing and half-forward, while Tanya Kennedy also capable of playing as a smaller lockdown defender if needed.
Two-time North Melbourne premiership coach Darren Crocker is hot favourite to lead the Aussies, with a tailor-made Irish answer in new Sydney counterpart Colin O'Riordan.
B: Jen Dunne, Kayleigh Cronin
HB: Dayna Finn, Clara Fitzpatrick, Sinead Goldrick
C: Grace Kelly, Aisling McCarthy, Niamh Kelly
HF: Orla O'Dwyer, Aine McDonagh, Sarah Rowe
F: Vikki Wall, Aishling Moloney
Foll: Eilish O'Dowd, Erone Fitzpatrick, Niamh McLaughlin (captain)
I/C: Orlagh Lally, Blaithin Bogue, Rachel Kearns, Erika O'Shea, Neasa Dooley, Tanya Kennedy, Niamh Martin
Kew (National) - 20/05/2026 10:56:10
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Wexford Hurling Thread - 1 Like(s)
Reality is Saturday doesn't matter. Our feeble performances to date did the damage.
I just can't get how you could train since last Winter, as hard as they have, and exit the championship with such a whimper.
How could you not be smarting v Dublin after the Kilkenny thumping? I don't get how you wouldn't take to the field absolutely bull thick and no man is going to out-fight me at the very least. Is this not where Bernard Dunne should have come in? If he is to do with culture and mindset?
Whether or not they believe in Rossi is known only to them, but any player who only plays for a manager is in the wrong game. Be it a junior D match or an All-Ireland, you have to go out and play for yourself and what you have in you.
Injuries are an excuse. Every team has them, Offaly didn't have Screeney v Kilkenny and it did not hold them back.
Maybe as a county we are just weak when it comes to belief. When the chips are down and the top teams up the ante, we fold. I thought the minors did it v Kilkenny but then didn't do it v Galway but they get one last chance at redemption.
It will be a brave man who will take this job next because our main stays are aging.
I still think our schools are where the biggest opportunity is to drive things forward. Be it after school, be it lunch time leagues, mini-leagues, hurling walls in schools. I don't know.
Even small things we should look at for next year's campaign. How many schools have a purple and gold flag flying outside? Do we instill a love of Wexford at school level? Does an 8 year old in Screen NS know when Wexford are playing? Why doesn't he? Why don't we promote our games better?
There is no point going all Liam Griffin or Gizzy and telling 7-8 year olds about Father Murphy or pikemen because I think most would say "so what".
But an Instagram video from Lee Chin or Damien Reck in full fight or a "go home and ask your parents to bring you to the match" and the Leinster Council match it with "buy an adult ticket, get 2 free child tickets" offers, etc. Even a visit to every school in the county by some player and a puck-around for 30 minutes, give them a few quid for their time. So what.
We need to raise the profile of the game in Wexford and drive it ourselves, because there is no room for sentiment or sympathy if we don't up our game.
Its up to Wexford and our own people to do it, no report from anybody is going to do it for us or is going to tell us anything we don't already know ourselves.
StoreysTash (National) - 20/05/2026 09:47:28
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Football Championship 2026 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To yew_tree: "The provincial seeding should be outlawed. It's ridiculous in my opinion." Provincial seeding is absolutely essential in my opinion, otherwise you end up undermining the tailteann cup, with the likes of Sligo maybe beating Leitrim to get to a final or Limerick beating Tipp to get to a final and that in turn sends more div 2 teams into the Tailteann and that then means the same 3/4 teams winning it constantly. Ridiculous not to seed them.
cuttothebone (National) - 20/05/2026 09:30:04
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Hurling Championship 2026 - 1 Like(s)
An example today on the news page of this site of "don't let the facts get in the way of a good rant". It's Waterford selector Dan Shanahan saying: "Tipp had the three-week break. We're just getting no luck in terms of two or three weeks of a break."
This year, Waterford had a two-week break between their second and third match.
2025, they also had a two-week break between their second and third match.
2024, a two-week break between their first and second match, followed by another two-week break before their third.
2023, a two-week break between their second and third match, followed by another between their third and fourth match.
2022, a three-week break between their second and third match.
And specifically on the three-week break:
The way Munster works (an odd number of counties meaning that one gets a bye in each round, and the Round 3 fixtures being staggered over two weekends) means that every year, one county gets a three-week break.
In the five years since the group format resumed after Covid, the five counties have had one three-week break each. Waterford were first to get it, back in '22. Would expect it to be their turn again next year.
If they'd been given it this year, then Tipperary still wouldn't have had one, and they'd have a rant far more justifiable than Shanahan's.
Pikeman96 (National) - 20/05/2026 09:09:56
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Wexford Hurling Thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To tearintom: "Why are these the only clubs that matter?
One of the biggest issues with Wexford is that thinking that this club is more important than that club.
And you see the same sentiment on here all the time, oh do we really want good hurlers from a certain ckub making county teams blah blah blah.
And then we wonder why a lot of clubs really aren't bothered putting their shoulder to the wheel when they do thyere questioned over whether we really want them do, we really prefer players from the other clubs, we wonder why ckubs dont bother going to coaching seminars or send reps in meetings to try and improve things.
Its the same old mentality, things will never change." To me, another big issue is how many people have chips on their shoulders.
One of them is if you rightly acknowledge good work being done in what would be regarded as "traditional hurling clubs", some think you're putting them on a pedestal and looking down on everybody else.
There's nothing to stop a "non-traditional hurling club" from showing the same resolve and effort. As has already been acknowledged here several times, Ballyhogue are already doing it at younger age groups, and it may well pay off for them in years to come.
And in fact, rather than cocking a snoop at coaching workshops and seminars and meetings and the like, they're probably the clubs that should be availing of them most. A Rathure or an Oulart or an St. Martin's already has lots of people with extensive hurling knowledge. People from other clubs who don't already have that knowledge would stand to gain more from the various events held.
Pikeman96 (National) - 19/05/2026 21:54:38
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Galway Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To galwayman2: "Gleeson has his faults for sure. He is prone to mistakes when attempting short ones and is not comfortable in possession.
I'm not sure in what area Flaherty is superior though - maybe mid range kicks?
He hasn't looked comfortable going short either unless it's blatant - i.e. a defender on his own in acres with no real risk involved.
Gleeson is a far superior shot stopper (look at Ros 3rd goal in Connacht final where Flaherty was already on the ground before yer man had even shot - brutal goalkeeping) and has a much longer kickout.
Neither will kick you points from long range frees to any level of consistency.
I can understand dropping Gleeson if there is a much better alternative but on all available evidence I don't believe that to be the case with Flaherty." Lord above Conor Flaherty saved the first goal and no one ready for rebound.What else do you want him to do.You do realise that Conor Carroll let in 2 goals as well.Connor Gleeson has had several chances and given a long time in goals and has made plenty mistakes as well.Just wondering how you can judge a goalkeeper unless you have played there yourself.Fla is certainly superior in short kickouts when the players out the field give him an option.This is about players out the field not giving goalkeepers an option.
Alwaysencourage (National) - 19/05/2026 19:13:19
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Wicklow GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To stringfellohawk: "Would it not have been better to put the Limerick match on Sunday, many people will be watching the Rugby European Cup final!" I for one am not too worried about that!
Bowl (National) - 19/05/2026 18:34:19
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Monaghan GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To TsuDhoNimh: "Always open to correction as the data sources can conflict a lot, but from my tracking of it I'd have ye on Cavan - 3 (Beggan 1x TPF, Gallagher, Ward 1x TP), Derry - 7 (Beggan 3x TFP, McCarron 1x TPF, McCarthy, Woods, Ward 1x TP) and Armagh - 4 (Beggan 1x TPF, O'Hanlon, Woods, McCarron 1x TP).
So 8 2s from play & 6 from dead balls for 14 overall [4.67/game in the Championship (Mayo [4.5/game], Galway [4.5/game] & Westmeath [2.25/game] tied in 2nd on 9 each).
Interesting that you've jumped to #1 in the Championship after being #8 of 8 in Division 1 (or #27 of 32 across the 4 divisions) a little earlier in the year for the league (12 2s, 8 of those from play, in the 7 games). Seems to all be kicking into gear, with the 2s and a few of the injuries clearing up, at just the right time."]Monaghan got 8 two pointers against Derry, so average is 5 per game.
R Beggan 3tp, D Ward 1tp, M McCarville 1tp, A Woods 1tp, J McCarron 1tp sideline,C McCarthy 1tp
SouthMonMan (National) - 19/05/2026 16:49:02
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GAATV - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Pikeman96: "I agree fully with the sentiment of your post, but just to point out that what Virgin Media actually said the last time was that they'd consider showing games only if they'd be supplied with a "ready to air" feed - i.e. somebody else would send out cameras and crew, and all they (Virgin Media) would have to do would be to push a button put that feed onto TV screens.
The only real way of achieving that would have been to use the same cameras and crew as were available to what was still GAA GO at the time, and as RTE was still a partner in GAA GO, that was never going to be a runner.
And before anybody asks - no, I don't know why Virgin Media seem to have no problem in sending cameras and crew to League of Ireland soccer matches, but were unwilling to do the same for GAA." Thanks very much Pikeman. I appreciate the post.
Greengrass (National) - 19/05/2026 13:54:23
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