Plus ca change - GAA 2016

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Plus ca change - GAA 2016

Such a brave comeback by cork, to claw back an 8 point deficit in the last nine minutes.

Shame they lost.

That's tipp's first win over cork in the football championship since 1944. I don't know if this says more about the rise of football in Tipp, or cork becoming the scotland of GAA

[Diable Rouge]

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The Awesome Berbaslug!!! wrote: Such a brave comeback by cork, to claw back an 8 point deficit in the last nine minutes.

Shame they lost.

That's tipp's first win over cork in the football championship since 1944. I don't know if this says more about the rise of football in Tipp, or cork becoming the scotland of GAA

Probably a bit of both - after losing O'Riordan to Aussie Rules, wasn't sure what kind of challenge you were like to put up, but the Kearns effect is coming to the fore! Pity the final's in Killarney, would have enjoyed a trip to Semple.

[Diable Rouge]

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The start of the qualifiers, but no shocks likely:

Offaly vs London
Leitrim vs Waterford
Carlow vs Wicklow
Laois will be competitive at home, but Armagh should prevail.

Connacht SFC: Mayo v Galway

Prior to Tipp shocking the nation, tomirrow's encounter seemed the best prospect of an upset. The Westerners begin their annual exercise in Sisyphean despair against their arch-rivals, and while they will surely be nobbled some year, the Tribesmens' form suggests it's unlikely to be 2016.

Ulster SFC: Tyrone v Cavan

Hard to believe the Breffni County was once a footballing superpower, making annual excursions to Croke Park, but it's only now that they are slowly returning to former glories. Still, Tyrone are deserved provincial favourites, and should have three to spare.

Leinster SHC: Galway v Offaly

Like Mayo footballers, Galway hurlers match Churchill's famous description of the Soviet Union. Eamon Kelly has lifted the Faithful from the proverbial floor, but if the defeat is in single digits, it would be a surprise.

[Diable Rouge]

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Galway win 1-12 to 0-12 - Enda's men look further away than ever from winning Sam.

[Outside Agent]

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There won't be much sympathy for Mayo around the country. In fact, having instigated player-power to get the manager replaced, I'd say there's plenty laughing at them after this evening's defeat.

It's a damaging defeat, this year of all years. Dublin & Kerry will almost certainly end up in one half of the draw. The Connacht champions are in the other, so Mayo had the opportunity of going into the easier half and being able to avoid one of the Big Two until the Final. Now, assuming Galway win the Connacht Final, Mayo have a 66% chance of having to play one of Dublin or Kerry in the quarters, with the other waiting in the semi.

That famine is going to continue for at least one more year.

[Diable Rouge]

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Sensibly, the Leinster Council have delayed Sunday's throw-in times until after the Ireland match.

Leinster SFC: Dublin v Meath

You wait almost two months for a football shock, and then two hapoen in the space of a week. That said, it seems highly unlikely that the champions will be dethroned - Meath have been patchy during their League campaign, while the Dubs are already at peak conditioning. A six-point margin seems the likeliest outcome.

Westmeath v Kildare

Not exactly a fixture to thrill the pulse, with both sides in Division Three this spring. The Lilywhites laboured to victory over Wexford, while Westmeath were comfortable against their Offaly neighbours. That said, Kildare should have greater strength in depth.

Ulster SFC: Donegal v Monaghan

After Cavan's surprising and spirited draw with Tyrone, this semi is arguably the hardest championship fixture of all to predict. Monaghan are Ulster champions, but Donegal have long been considered the stronger national contenders. A flip of a coin, but Monaghan may edge it.

All-Ireland Qualifiers:

Antrim v Limerick
Offaly v London
Longford v Down
Wexford v Fermanagh

[Diable Rouge]

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Finally at the business end of the season with the start of provincial finals:

Munster Football Final: Kerry v Tipperary

Such is the rarity of these clashes that the last such occasion in Killarney was in 1944. Tipp are aiming to bridge an 81-year gap to provincial success and will take heart from defeating Cork, but the Kingdom's depth should prove too strong.

Ulster SFC: Tyrone v Cavan

Like Stiff Little Fingers, the Breffni County dream of an alternative Ulster, and the last minute levelling goal gives them hope of an upset. That said, Tyrone pushed Kerry all the way last year, and their experience may well be decisive.

Monaghan v Donegal

After last week's stalemate, a swift turnaround for both counties. A toss of a coin, but will tip Monaghan again.

In the qualifiers, Sligo should defeat Leitrim, while Laois should overcome their administrative snafu and repeat the dose against Armagh.

Leinster Hurling Final: Galway v Kilkenny

After a small-ball season that has distinctly underwhelmed, the provincial decider should finally show fireworks. I'll be optimistic and back the Tribesmen for glory.

Hurling Qualifiers:

Four this weekend, though in the first two Clare should overwhelm Laois, and Limerick will prove far too strong for Westmeath.

Wexford v Offaly:

Offaly's mini-revival stalled after a ten-point whacking by Galway, though the Faithfuk were competitive for long stretches. Wexford were hammered in turn by Dublin, though they should edge this fixtures by one to three points.

Dublin v Cork:

An interesting affray, as Rebel native Ger Cunningham leads the Metropolitans into battle. Cork have had such a poor season that "gowls" would be the choice local epithet for the squad. As such, pride alone demands a reaction, but the men from the capital should ultimately progress.

[Gangster Octopus]

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Where's the Kilkenny Galway match taking place? It's enormous.

[Gangster Octopus]

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Is Galway in Leinster the same way that Gibraltar's in Britain?

[Diable Rouge]

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Gangster Octopus wrote: Is Galway in Leinster the same way that Gibraltar's in Britain?

Croke Park - Galway's the only Connacht county that plays hurling, so the GAA twists the provinces to allow them, Antrim and Kerry into Leinster. Not entirely sure what to make of the Munster final: 3-17 is a decent score to put it mildly, but even then Kerry were a bit ponderous and lateral at times in possession. Not to mention that Tipp's 2-10 could easily have been 4 - Dublin or Mayo would shred our backs simply by running straight through them, so just as well Fitzmaurice has a month to prepare for the QF.

[Diable Rouge]

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Due to replays, a plethora of football qualifiers:

Cavan should be too strong for Carlow, Laois likewise at home to Clare, and Meath should be able to edge out Derry. On the other side, hard to see Cork slipping up against Limerick, Mayo similar against Fermanagh, Monaghan are a cut above Longford, and in the Leinster derby, Kildare should have too much experience for Offaly.

In hurling, the Cork hurlers have sufficient quality to overwhelm Wexford, while Clare have more big-game experience than Limerick.

[Diable Rouge]

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Connacht Football Final: Galway v Roscommon

After Mayo's bid for a provincial six-timer was surprisingly halted last month, something of a novel pairing. Nothing was expected of the Tribesmen after a quiet few seasons, but victory in Castlebar has seen their cards well and truly marked. Roscommon reached the League last four with victories over Kerry, Cork and Donegal, amongst others, and should prevail here.

Munster Hurling Final: Tipperary v Waterford

We still await a small-ball game that truly quickens the pulse, and are unlikely to get one tomorrow. Waterford's sweeper system, though effective, dismays the purists, while the Premier are not the irresistible force of previous campaigns. Perhaps the switch of venue to Limerick gives a slight advantage to the Déise.

[Gangster Octopus]

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Just watched Mayo - Fermanagh. Wouldn't mind an explanation of the various competitions.

[Borracho]

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The thing on at the moment is the All-Ireland, the big one. It is also known as the championship.

Confusingly, there is a second competition, the league, which is held between about January and April. Four groups of eight, and the top four in each group play two semis and a final between themselves. There's not huge interest in this competition and crowds tend to be low, unlike the All-Ireland.

The All-Ireland is a cup competition. But if you lose a match, you get a second chance by being put into "the qualifiers", where all the defeated teams go. You can then fight your way through these qualifiers to get to the business end of the competition, and may well meet the team who beat you the first time.

It was pure knockout up until about 1997 or 1998. The change was brought in because teams were training their bollocks off all winter and spring in increasingly professional fashion, only to have their championship ended after just one match. Under the current system everybody gets at least two games.

That was some dive by Aidan O'Shea btw.

[Diable Rouge]

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Also, the winners of this week's football qualifiers progress to the last 16, with the winners likely to play each other as soon as next Saturday, due to the backlog of games.

Wexford hurlers slightly happy after knocking Cork out of the Championship!

[Diable Rouge]

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Well, today was very underwhelming - Roscommon and Galway must meet again, after a pig of a Connacht final ended 1-10 to 0-13, with both sides engaging in blanket defences despite torrential rain. Meanwhile, after a fairly even first half, Tipp pulled away after the break to win by a whopping 21 points, scoring five goals in the process.

The hurling draw:

QF1: Waterford v Wexford
QF2: Clare v Galway

SF1: Kilkenny v QF1
SF2: Tipperary v QF2

In the football, Clare's victory over Laois serendipitously leaves four sides from each province in the last 16.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

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Five years ago today tipp beat Waterford by seven goals in the munster final. It's weird how it repeated itself

[Diable Rouge]

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3A/B Qualifiers:

Cavan v Derry:

One of the more even of the losers' round matches - Derry had an impressive comeback win over Meath, while Cavan played well against Tyrone, beforw being flayed in the replay. The Breffni County should have enough talent to edge the encounter.

Sligo v Clare:

A team with no seasonal pedigree to assess versus a traditional minnow who surprised most against Laois. The Banner may well cause another shock.

Mayo v Kildare:

But for Aidan O'Shea's Saturday simulation, it would probably have been Fermanagh facing up to this fixture. The Lilywhites are notoriously flaky, so Mayo will probably escape to victory.

Longford v Cork:

The home side have been the team of the season, shocking both Down and Monaghan in recent weeks. The Rebels have had a 2016 to forget, but will still expect to sneak a win.

Provincial Finals:

Leinster Final - Dublin v Westmeath:

Move along, nothing to see here. That said, the QF draw could leave the Dubs facing either Mayo or the Ulster final losers, so no mercy will be shown.

Ulster Final - Donegal v Tyrone:

Two Northern counties who dare to play expansive football lately, so may be a game to savour. Both are capable of edging the encounter, but Tyrone's youth may prevail.

Connacht Replay - Galway v Roscommon:

Last Sunday's final was a game to threaten small children with, but both sides are capable of far better quality. Roscommon have greater room for improvement, and the Castlebar venue may work in their favour.

[Diable Rouge]

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A good day for Munster football, with Clare defeating Sligo by seven away, and Cork coming from four behind at the break to defeat Longford by six. Derry cause a mild shock with a late win over Cavan. Mayo lead Kildare by ten at HT, so appear to be strolling into the last 12.

[elguapo4]

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We're nearly into august when the real stuff starts,10 teams left in the football and the hurling down to the semis. This weekend mayo take on cork and donegal play westmeath, with the first two expected to win it's likely to be
Mayo v Tyrone
Donegal v dublin
Kerry v clare
Tipp v Galway
the biggest story so far has been clare and tipperary reaching this far while fancied sides like roscommon, cavan and particularly monaghan have fallen by the wayside, tipp especially are reaping the benefits from good underage work recently and could easily reach the semis

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

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Ahahahaha. I'd drive around Downtown galway, with a big tipperary flag, if I had an outsized flag, a car, and an assistant willing to wave the Flag.

Tipp are in the All Ireland football semi Final. That's fucking hilarious. I can't decide if it was because tipp were really good, or if galway were horrifically bad, or a mixture of both. Tipp had several one on ones that they should have scored, which would have made the score at half time utterly ridiculous.

The Amazing thing is that this team is missing a bunch of players. Some to hurling, some to Aussie Rules, and some to a year in america after college. Given that tipp have so few players that's a huge hurdle to overcome. It must be hugely embarrassing for Cork and Galway to get milled over in this fashion by Tipperary, and it must be a bit embarrassing for Derry as well.

[Outside Agent]

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Galway were always liable to collapse like that. They won the game they prepared all year for - Mayo in the Connacht Semi. After that, the first team to go at them with intent was always likely to be successful. Tipp were outsiders today, but the result won't have surprised many.

Tipp may well be missing first-teamers, but the squad has pedigree. Most of their lads have been part of the successful underage teams that have scaled the heights in the last six years. It certainly showed today, as they played with real assurance and confidence.

Still, Tipperary in the All-Ireland Football Semi-Finals is big news. First time since 1935, apparently. Fair play to them. It's a real high point in a poor Championship summer.

[elguapo4]

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Great to see new blood at the top table, I was just thinking the other day about how many countries since the 50s have managed to reach the semis in both football and hurting and it's a small number, well deserved as well

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

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Tipp are missing 13 players from last years panel though, including several of their best players. It's an extraordinary achievement. The thing that struck me yesterday was how strong and fit all of the tipperary players were. The Gym Addiction of Ireland's youth seems to be inexorably changing Gaelic Games.

[elguapo4]

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James mc carthy declared fit to start for dublin on Saturday having missed the leinster final ,the original prognosis was 4 to 6 weeks, whether it's a quicker than expected recovery or mind games by gavin ,having him back is a big boost for the dubs defence who haven't always looked too clever without o'carroll and mc caffrey