Life after Brian GAA 2023

[ursus arctos]

That there K Club seems to have the attractive properties of a flame to moths

[elguapo4]

Roscommon are the surprise leader of the league 1st division following a three points victory over Armagh, which leaves them with three wins from three. Elsewhere, Mayo had a morale boosting win over Kerry on Saturday night, while Galway beat Tyrone and Monaghan picked up their first win against Donegal, who stay bottom.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

The story "officially" broke last night, ironically just as Jarlath Burns was being elected GAA President. This morning, the rather farcical situation whereby a Leinster champion of the Joe McDonagh Cup gained automatic promotion, but Kerry would face a play-off, has ended, and the Kingdom will play in a six-team Munster round-robin should they win the title this season.

This isn't the story breaking as such. This is a different story, a staggering story, but a different one. I think everyone in the country knew who it was by that point. Certainly if you typed into google "who is gaa sports star fraud" then you got a hell of a lot of very similar suggestions.

[Discordant Resonance]

Kerry's relegation worries ease somewhat after a narrow 0-13 to 0-12 victory over Armagh in Tralee. Evidently a huge appetite for live sport in the county capital, with 13,000 packing into Austin Stack Park.

[Discordant Resonance]

Tyrone find themselves in real danger of demotion, after a 4-8 to 0-12 shellacking in Castlebar - following on from their demolition of Kerry last Saturday, put your money on Mayo to finally win Sam this year!

[elguapo4]

Dublin's star has fallen significantly. A herculean effort, scoring the last 7 points, secured a one point win over Clare in division two of the football

[Discordant Resonance]

And tonight, they were beaten by Derry, having led by five points at the break - of course, they always improve somewhat by the time the Championship comes around, but they certainly don't look like potential winners in their current form.

[elguapo4]

I wasn't confident going up to Derry, but the first half was as good as Dublin have played this year. We faded badly in the second half, not helped by some Home Town refereeing, including playing nearly seven minutes of five minutes injury time, then blowing up immediately after Derry got the winning point. I think promotion is the main target this year, with Meath away on the 18th a good indication as to how we stand in Leinster this year.

[elguapo4]

Mayo edge out Roscommon to continue unbeaten. Tyrone beat Kerry to leave the Kingdom on the edge of the relegation zone, though their points difference should be enough to keep them safe.

[Discordant Resonance]

The current Division One table - all we can say for sure is that a Connacht county should make the final, while at least one Ulster team (and possibly two, if Kerry survive) should be relegated:

https://twitter.com/GAALeagueTables/status/1632416264890064899

Meanwhile, in Division Two, Derry are virtually up, and while Dublin should still join them, Cork and Louth are hot on their heels. Limerick are as good as down, but a toss-up as to whether Clare or Kildare will join them:

https://twitter.com/GAALeagueTables/status/1632406875886047236

Cavan look good to make the second tier, but the second berth is too close to call, while two out of Antrim, Tipp and Longford will definitely be relegated:

https://twitter.com/GAALeagueTables/status/1632405948210839558

Finally, Laois and Sligo still face stiff Leitrim and Wicklow challenges to escape the basement, while only Waterford have yet to secure a point this year:

https://twitter.com/GAALeagueTables/status/1632405099090780160

[Discordant Resonance]

Shockingly, the current Offaly football manager, Liam Kearns, has died suddenly aged 61.

[Discordant Resonance]

With one round remaining, here are the league permutations:









Galway are favourites to join their neighbours in the final, but Kerry, Roscommon and Tyrone could also qualify. Dublin should be promoted to the top tier, but if Louth do improbably win in Croke Park, they would go up on the H2H rule. Fermanagh can only be denied promotion if both Cavan and Offaly win their last matches, and a potential four-way tie in D4 would require points difference to be decided.

[elguapo4]

I never thought that I'd see Dublin worrying about a head to head against Louth.

[Discordant Resonance]

Mayo, Dublin, Cavan and Sligo all won their respective league deciders against Galway, Derry, Fermanagh and Wicklow respectively, and we now rush headlong into the provincial championships without so much as a pause for breath:

Connacht SFC:

Mayo v Roscommon:

Fresh from securing NFL honours, the Green and Red are genuinely optimistic that their 72-year-old Championship hoodoo could finally be at an end. The Rossies themselves had an excellent season, finishing third in Division One, which is remarkable given they were the last county to appoint a senior manager this winter. It will be a tightly-contested affair, but Mayo should prevail by 2-3 points.

London v Sligo:

If Gangster Octopus or indeed, any of our London-based posters want to experience some Championship action, the game throws in at McGovern Park, Ruislip, at 3pm today. Don't expect much quality, however, as the hosts finished bottom of Division Four, with the visitors winning the divisional final, but Sligo should advance, assisted by the curious Mayo-Roscommon-Galway dogfight on the other side of the draw.

New York v Leitrim:

As ever, this match tends to be viewed as a welcome semi-holiday, rather than a serious contest, with the Exiles occasionally taking teams to extra-time, but never winning. The impracticality of NFL activity hampers such endeavours, while Leitrim narrowly missed out on D4 promotion, so should have little difficulty here.

Ulster SFC:

Armagh v Antrim:

After almost reaching the All-Ireland semi-finals last year, this spring proved a setback for the Orchard County, when they suffered relegation from Division One at the hands of arch-rivals Tyrone. Antrim themselves only escaped demotion to the bottom tier due to the ineptitude of Tipp and Longford, so are unlikely to pose much challenge to Armagh.

Munster SFC:

Clare v Cork:

The last 5-6 years has been a silver era for the Banner (golden being their mid-Nineties success), having been comfortable in D2, but this year proved a season too far, as they were relegated alongside provincial companions Limerick. By contrast, Cork showed signs of revival, finishing fourth in the same division, and would expect to advance to meet Limerick.

Tipperary v Waterford:

Only success against London spared the Déise the ignominy of finishing as the worst county in Ireland this spring, while Tipperary were cast into the bottom tier, three years after their Munster final triumph. Still, Tipp should gain the dubious "reward" of facing Kerry in Fitzgerald Stadium.

Leinster SFC:

Longford v Offaly:

In theory, a Midlands derby should be tightly contested and unpredictable, but both sides are mobile in different directions. Where Longford finished bottom of Division Three, Offaly narrowly missed out on promotion from the same tier, despite the death of their manager mid-campaign, and should appear galvanised to prevail here.

Carlow v Wicklow:

In truth, the most spectacular trait of the Scallion Eaters is their green, gold and red intercounty jersey, with their solitary Leinster captured in 1944. Wicklow, of course, remain the only county in the province never to win the Delaney Cup, and while that pub trivia stat is unlikely to alter any time soon, they get the nod for this weekend.

Laois v Wexford:

The home side will have been bitterly disappointed to remain marooned in the bottom tier for 2024, while the Model County had an even more indifferent campaign. Not exactly a tantalising prospect on paper, but Laois to win.

[elguapo4]

History made in New York ,as the home side win in the All Ireland championship for the first time after 23 attempts. Leitrim the victims after a penalty shoot out, following a 0.15 each draw.

[Gangster Octopus]

London v Sligo:

If Gangster Octopus or indeed, any of our London-based posters want to experience some Championship action, the game throws in at McGovern Park, Ruislip, at 3pm today. Don't expect much quality, however, as the hosts finished bottom of Division Four, with the visitors winning the divisional final, but Sligo should advance, assisted by the curious Mayo-Roscommon-Galway dogfight on the other side of the draw.

Not whilst the football season's still ongoing, but hopefully sometime this summer.

[Discordant Resonance]

Huge shock in Munster, as Clare defeat Cork for the first time in the Championship since 1997 - particularly as the Rebels had drawn with Derry, and led Dublin for long stretches during their League campaign.

[elguapo4]

I know Clare were relegated, but they were no mugs against Dublin in the league, and probably should have won.

[Discordant Resonance]

Never change, Mayo!

[Discordant Resonance]

From a feast to a famine, but that's GAA scheduling for you.

Ulster SFC: Fermanagh v Derry

The Ernesiders remain infamous as the only county yet to claim the Anglo-Celt, largely because of their lament of coming from a county that's "one-half lake, and the other half Protestant". That said, they have won promotion from Division Three this season, beating Cavan in the league phase, before the neighbours secured revenge in the divisional final. Their opponents this afternoon had an excellent spring, securing elevation to the top tier, and overcoming Dublin in the process, so Derry should be too strong here.

Tyrone v Monaghan:

"Needly" would probably be the appropriate word to describe this encounter, as two long-term Division One sides clash tomorrow. The Farney County performed their by-now customary escape from relegation, and in the entirely improbable setting of Castlebar to boot. The O'Neill men struggled in the early stages of the league, before gathering momentum in later rounds, and while a Monaghan victory is very much a possibility, Tyrone are more likely to have the edge here.

[Discordant Resonance]

Tremendous game in Omagh, as the home side appeared to be in control at half-time, when leading Monaghan by 1-10 to 0-8. But the visitors stormed into life in the second period, taking the lead through an early 1-5 to 0-2, and though Tyrone battled back to lead again in injury-time, a late Ryan O'Toole goal six minutes into additional time gave Monaghan a dramatic victory, by 2-17 to 1-18.

[jefe]

History made in New York ,as the home side win in the All Ireland championship for the first time after 23 attempts. Leitrim the victims after a penalty shoot out, following a 0.15 each draw.

I saw Youtube highlights of this. Announcers made a point of saying there were 4 Americans in the New York team. I assume that and the results are minor miracles?

[elguapo4]

I saw Youtube highlights of this. Announcers made a point of saying there were 4 Americans in the New York team. I assume that and the results are minor miracles?

Up until recently the New York senior team would be exclusively made up of native Irish lads who were had emigrated to the city. There has also been a lot of "Shamateurism " in the club championship in the past, with players persuaded to come over for the summer to play, and given payments to do so.

In the last twenty years, big efforts have been made to get native born children interested in the game, and there is now a flourishing youth set up. The ultimate goal is to have a majority native squad, although they will always rely on players like Dublin ex- All Ireland winner Shane Carthy ,who now lives in the city.

[Discordant Resonance]

No fewer than twenty counties are in football action over this weekend, so my fixture preview will be rather more perfunctory than usual. In Munster, Kerry should have 10-12 points to spare over Tipperary, even in first gear, while Clare may narrowly edge an even contest against Limerick. Sligo, featuring Pat Spillane Jnr, would be expected to overcome New York at home, and while the other Connacht semi features two Division One teams, Galway are tipped to prevail against Roscommon. Moving to Ulster, Armagh should be too strong for Cavan, while even a weak Donegal would appear to have too much in the tank for Down. Finally, in Leinster, Dublin will have 12-15 points of a victory margin away to Laois, a promising Louth outfit will overpower Westmeath, Meath will probably overcome Offaly, and Wicklow should be no match for Kildare.

[Discordant Resonance]

Meanwhile, the round-robin hurling championships begin in both Munster and Leinster.

Waterford v Limerick:

The four-in-a-row chasers have begun 2023 as they hope to finish it, capturing silverware with a ruthless demolition of Kilkenny in the League final. Waterford failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the same competition, and while home advantage will be of benefit, Limerick should be 4-6 points the better team.

Tipperary v Clare:

The Premier took a novel approach to this weekend's team naming, numbering all the outfield players in alphabetical order, rather than by field position. On the pitch, there won't be much between either side, but Tipperary may have a narrow edge.

Antrim v Dublin:

The Leinster round-robin tends to suffer due to mis-matches, but the two counties in action here have had a relatively even rivalry in recent seasons. Antrim return to the Liam McCarthy after an epic victory over Kerry in last year's Joe McDonagh Cup final, while Dublin have never been in real danger of relegation to that grade, and will probably prevail here.

Galway v Wexford:

The match of the day in the province, as Henry Shefflin continues his managerial apprenticeship with the Tribesmen, who have been nearly men in the province in recent seasons, but never managing to overcome the men in black and amber. Wexford have similarly come close to reaching the final in recent years, but not breaking through, and travelling to Salthill may be a bridge too far.

Kilkenny v Westmeath:

Unlike the hoary Irish trivia chestnut about Limerick Junction, it's a little-known geographical fact that Westmeath contains a barony called Kilkenny West. In truth, that's likely to be more interest than tonight's encounter, where even a Cats B team could romp to victory.