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Post by kerrygold on May 1, 2007 9:48:17 GMT
Well lads it offically summer time,the 1st of may,the weather is glorious,the may flowers are starting to emerge on white torn bushes along the country lanes.Night doesnt fall till just after 10pm in the kingdom.
The national leagues are confined to the history books and with with the onset of summer must just mean one thing,its championship time again,Happy days.
Donegal,mayo,kildare,galway and meath from div.2 were the spring forms teams,will any from this 5 climb the sacret steps in the hogan stand on all-ireland final day to collect the precious sam maguire cup or can the kingdom achieve the mighty back to back almost exstint 2 in a row all-ireland championships.
Will one or two from armagh,tyrone,cork,laois,dublin or down inhabit croker on all -ireland final day.
Two games on the immediate horizon grab the imagination,Donegal v armagh in letterkenny should be firece,hard to nominate a winner with any degree of certainty from this one.
in leinster there is an interesting triangle immerging.meath v kildare,two spring form teams,meet with the winners playing dublin in the second round.Again you could not pick one for certain to emmerge from this interesting triangle.
Finally,teams finding themselves in div.4 wont get a second chance in the race for sam if they dont reach their provencial finals.Micko and paidi sail in this boat.Surely the concept of the back door was to give the weaker counties a second chance and a second game.This now has been taken from them,has the back door not immerged into a competition to give the very strong counties a second change of winning sam if they become unstuck along the journey,i think here of galway,tyrone,kerry and offaly in the hurling.just a thought.
Anyway,its summer and championship time,let the games begin.
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Post by austinstacksabu on May 1, 2007 15:47:38 GMT
I reckon we'll all be castigating the standard of football come May, beginning to warm up to the provincial championships in June, talking back doors and front doors in July, loving the football in August and bemoaning the end of another great season in September!!
Having said all that, I reckon Donegal are semi final material, that Mayo may just about squeek through Connacht (if they overcome Galway in Pearse Stadium first), and that Kerry won't find their groove until July.
I can't wait.
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Post by mickmack on May 1, 2007 19:05:30 GMT
the back door favours the strongest.
I know it wouldnt suit us in kerry but i wouldnt allow the back door to any team that won the all ireland in hurlling or football in the previous 4 years.............
in 2007 that means kerry and tyrone and .........in hurling kilkenny and cork
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Post by mickmack on May 1, 2007 20:26:11 GMT
from Hogan Stand Website
Countdown begins to 2007 Football Championship 27 April 2007
There’s still more than two weeks to go to the start of the 2007 Bank of Ireland Football Championship but excitement is building as the 33 participants continue with their preparations for what will, as usual, be the biggest sporting show of the Irish summer. Westmeath v Longford, Cavan v Down and New York v Sligo will launch the exciting campaign on May 13 and between then and All-Ireland final day on September 16, over sixty games will be played in the provincial, qualifier and All-Ireland series. Up to 1.5 million people will attend the games while millions more will watch on TV as the exciting action unfolds all over the country. This will be the 14th year that the All-Ireland football championships are sponsored by Bank of Ireland, making it one of the longest link-ups in Irish sport. Defending All-Ireland champions, Kerry will be seeking their 35th All-Ireland title in what is Pat O’Shea’s first year as manager, having replaced Jack O’Connor who steered them to success in 2004 and 2006. BANK OF IRELAND SFC SHORTS
*Can Kerry win the All-Ireland football title for the second successive year? The last county to achieve the double was Cork in 1990. Prior to that, Meath won the double in 1987-88. *A total of 19 counties have won the All-Ireland football title, leaving 13 still trying to make the breakthrough. The following is a province-by-province breakdown with All-Ireland winners in capitals. Connacht: GALWAY (9), MAYO (3), ROSCOMMON (2), Leitrim, Sligo, London, New York. Leinster: DUBLIN (22), MEATH (7), WEXFORD (5), KILDARE (4), LOUTH (3), OFFALY (3), Laois, Carlow, Longford, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Westmeath. Munster: KERRY (34), CORK (6), TIPPERARY( 4), LIMERICK (2), Waterford, Clare. Ulster: CAVAN (5), DOWN (5), TYRONE (2), ARMAGH (1), DONEGAL (1), DERRY (1), Fermanagh, Antrim, Monaghan,
*Since the All-Ireland championship system was changed in 2001, Galway (2001), Tyrone (2005) and Kerry (2006) have won the title via the qualifier route while Kerry (2002) and Armagh (2003) reached the final through the same route but lost to Armagh and Tyrone respectively.
* Armagh will be bidding to win the Ulster title for a fourth successive year, a feat that hasn’t been achieved since Cavan in 1942 when they completed a four-timer before going on to make it seven-in-a-row in 1945.
* Seven counties have won the Ulster title in the past 20 years. Monaghan, Derry, Tyrone, Down, Donegal, Armagh and Cavan have all lifted the Anglo-Celt Cup. In the same period, six counties have won the Leinster title - Meath, Dublin, Kildare, Offaly, Laois and Westmeath. Galway, Mayo, Roscommon and Leitrim have shared the Connacht titles while Kerry, Cork and Clare have shared the Munster titles. That means that 20 of the 32 counties have won provincial titles since 1987. *There’s a slight change in the format for this year’s All-Ireland qualifiers. They have been cut from four to three rounds and will not include counties who will be in Division For of the National Football League next year, unless they lose a provincial final this season. The teams in Division Four are: Offaly, Clare, Carlow, London, Wicklow, Antrim, Tipperary, Waterford
BANK OF IRELAND SFC 2007 THE PROGRAMME LEINSTER May 13: First round: Longford v Westmeath, Pearse Park. May 20: First round: Louth v Wicklow; Meath v Kildare, Croke Park. June 2: Quarter-final: Laois v Longford/Westmeath, Tullamore June 3: Quarter-finals: Wexford v Louth/Wicklow; Dublin v Kildare/Meath, Croke Park. June 24: Semi-finals: Wexford/Louth/Wicklow v Westmeath/Longford/Laois; Meath/Kildare/Dublin v Carlow/Offaly, Croke Park. July 15: Final, Croke Park. ULSTER May 13: Preliminary Round: Cavan v Down, Kingspan Breffni Park. May 20: Quarter-final: Fermanagh v Tyrone, May 27: Quarter-final: Donegal v Armagh, Ballybofey June 3: Quarter-final: Antrim v Derry, Casement Park. June 10: Quarter-final: Monaghan v Cavan/Down June 17: Semi-final: Fermanagh/Tyrone v Donegal/Armagh. June 24: Semi-final: Antrim/Derry v Cavan/Down/Monaghan. July 15: Final. CONNACHT May 13: Quarter-final: New York v Sligo, Gaelic Park, New York. May 20: Quarter-final: Galway v Mayo, Pearse Stadium. May 27: London v Leitrim, Ruislip. June 17: Semi-final: Roscommon v Sligo/New York; Dr. Hyde Park. June 24: Semi-final: Galway/Mayo v London/Leitrim. July 8: Final MUNSTER May 20: Quarter-finals: Waterford v Clare, Dungarvan; Cork v Limerick, Pairc Ui Chaoimh. June 3: Semi-finals: Kerry v Waterford/Clare; Tipperary v Cork/Limerick. July 1: Final ALL-IRELAND QUALIFIERS July 7 - Round 1 July 14 Round 2 July 21/28 - Round 3 ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS Aug 4: All-Ireland quarter-finals (2) Aug 11: All-Ireland quarter-finals (2) Aug 19: All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park. Aug 26: All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park. Sept 16: All-Ireland Final, Croke Park.
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Post by tadhgeen on May 1, 2007 20:49:58 GMT
Just looking at the number of AI medals by Province gives Munster the lead on 46 with Leinster close behind on 44! In the 'B' league - Ulster have 15 and Connaught have 14.
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Post by kerrygold on May 1, 2007 21:56:54 GMT
how have offally sliddered into div.4
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Post by admin on May 2, 2007 0:11:51 GMT
Croke Park will be the place to be in August folks 4/5/6th: ESB All Ireland Minor Football Championship Quarter Finals Tommy Murphy Cup Final 4th: Bank of Ireland Football Championship Quarter Finals (2) Connacht Champions v Qualifier Ulster Champions v Qualifier 5th: Guinness All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final Leinster Champions/QF Winner v QF Winner ESB All Ireland Minor Hurling Championship Semi-Final Christy Ring Cup Final 11th: Bank of Ireland Football Championship Quarter Finals (2) Munster Champions v Qualifier Leinster Champions v Qualifier 11th/12th: All Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final Gaillimh v Mumha 12th: Guinness All Ireland Hurling Championship Semi-Final Munster Champions/QF Winner v QF Winner ESB All Ireland Minor Hurling Championship semi-final Nicky Rackard Cup Final 18th/19th: Erin All Ireland U21 Hurling semi-finals Connacht v Mumha; Laighin v Uladh 19th Bank of Ireland Football Championship Semi-Final (Connacht v Uladh) ESB All Ireland Minor Football Championship Semi-Final 25th/26th: All Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship Final 26th: Bank of Ireland Football Championship Semi-Final (Laighin v Mumha) ESB All Ireland Minor Football Championship Semi-Final
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Post by mrtierneyesq on May 8, 2007 0:49:18 GMT
how have offally sliddered into div.4 Good question, last year they looked a good young side on the way up. Then again, Offaly have always been a real enigma. I'm looking forward to Cavan-Down, Cavan have been threatening to be a force for a long time, Down are written off but have enough material to be a threat in Ulster Longford & Westmeath both did well last year, this year is the tough follow-up, but Westmeath's experience should bring them through
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Post by animal on May 8, 2007 8:57:15 GMT
The Longford Westmeath match could be a cracker. I saw Longford against us last year and they have some fine forwards not least Brian Kavanagh. They gave our backs a torrid afternoon. On the other hand their backs left a lot to be desired. They were unlucky to be the first victims of Star's move to No 14. I liked their brand of football and they've a good manager at the helm. If they stay injury free (and I must admit I haven't heard ) I'd nearly fancy them to come through this test. Should be a close one.
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Post by kerrygold on May 11, 2007 16:25:52 GMT
Only two days to go to the championship kick off lads. anyone care to call who's going to win it.
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Post by branch on May 11, 2007 16:47:44 GMT
Kerry....of course!!
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Post by mickmack on May 11, 2007 16:50:11 GMT
the back door favours the strongest. I know it wouldnt suit us in kerry but i wouldnt allow the back door to any team that won the all ireland in hurlling or football in the previous 4 years............. in 2007 that means kerry and tyrone and .........in hurling kilkenny and cork any support for this idea?
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Post by kerrygold on May 11, 2007 18:59:20 GMT
i'm not a big fan of exclution,especially for the div.4 teams.i'd like to see a champions league type format developed in the coming years,maybe seeded on league and provencial performace.
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Post by mrtierneyesq on May 11, 2007 19:05:11 GMT
i'm not a big fan of exclution,especially for the div.4 teams.i'd like to see a champions league type format developed in the coming years,maybe seeded on league and provencial performace. Sounds about right to me
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Post by kerrygold on May 13, 2007 17:09:15 GMT
a sluggish enough start to-day to the championship,westmeath are the first casualties with cavan and down drawing.There seemed to be a lot of players going down with cramps in both games and also alot of obviously unfit players on view.
you'd wonder whats happening at all these training sessions around the country all winter.
tyrone v fermanagh next sunday live in the early game,i wasnt aware tyrone were out so early,their form will be interesting next sunday to watch.
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