National Forum

Football Provincial Championships 2025

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Replying To ArmaghAndProud:  "Dont disagree on that point. Discipline needs to be better. But the video clearly shows the incident start with Donegal player goading Armagh players after the whistle. Win with a bit of class. We beat you's in the All ireland final - imagine it was the first reaction of our lads after that battle to goad and taunt your lads."
Something to note: The Armagh squad in the Gerry Arthur stand had Donegal fans behind them, most of whom were family, friends and squad members of the Donegal squad, including the Donegal player in question. He was about 10-15 ft from the sideline and from the video footage he just seemed to be celebrating at the final whistle, facing the Gerry Arthur crowd, which triggered the Armagh squad.

Armagh squad members ran onto the pitch and attacked him, assaulted/punched him. Camera footage clearly shows an Armagh player punching a couple of times before the Donegal player is swarmed by more Armagh players. This has become a trend with Armagh GAA squad, happened against Donegal in a league match in Letterkenny in 2022 and Tyrone at the Athletics ground and countless other times including a challenge match with Dublin in Armagh and against Galway in Croke Park in 2023.

The GAA and the press seem to turn a blind eye to this regular behaviour by the Armagh GAA squad over the last number of years, always justified with some stupid excuse. You're 2024 All Ireland champions, you should be showing more class.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1346 - 12/05/2025 12:23:57    2608769

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Replying To Commodore:  "Something to note: The Armagh squad in the Gerry Arthur stand had Donegal fans behind them, most of whom were family, friends and squad members of the Donegal squad, including the Donegal player in question. He was about 10-15 ft from the sideline and from the video footage he just seemed to be celebrating at the final whistle, facing the Gerry Arthur crowd, which triggered the Armagh squad.

Armagh squad members ran onto the pitch and attacked him, assaulted/punched him. Camera footage clearly shows an Armagh player punching a couple of times before the Donegal player is swarmed by more Armagh players. This has become a trend with Armagh GAA squad, happened against Donegal in a league match in Letterkenny in 2022 and Tyrone at the Athletics ground and countless other times including a challenge match with Dublin in Armagh and against Galway in Croke Park in 2023.

The GAA and the press seem to turn a blind eye to this regular behaviour by the Armagh GAA squad over the last number of years, always justified with some stupid excuse. You're 2024 All Ireland champions, you should be showing more class."
Yeah its always the oppositions fault.Poor Donegal always picked on by Tyrone and Armagh.

brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 84 - 12/05/2025 13:36:36    2608823

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Apart from seeding yet Edu seeding is the last fibre that's keeping them alive and those in charge should realise this year alone what the provincial championships still mean with a connection to All-Ireland series. Instead of their opposition to make them preseason tournaments.

As for Hurling having what football need. I have attended many lower level Hurling matches over the years a man and his dog attending those games and main desire from the players involved is to play at higher level some day. In football we already have a 4 tier competition called the NFL as it stands a lot of div 3 and 4 teams take that more serious than the Tailteann Cup which doesn't bode well for any introduction of a 4th tier.

Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 442 - 12/05/2025 13:36:53    2608824

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Replying To Dualstar22:  "The RTE footage actually shows 2 Donegal Supporters with flares, one in a Yellow/Green shirt and another in a white shirt. Just an FYI, It is a criminal offence and the matter should be with the Garda, how dangerous is that."
I agree, it's a disgrace from those two idiots and if there is sufficient footage they should be dealt with by Gardaí in my opinion, same with the wee idiots in the garage. But the poster I'm responded to has been framing it as the Donegal supporters running on to "egg on" a fight between the players/benches, when in reality we were all running on the pitch to celebrate. By the time I got there things had broken up, I only found out something happened when I got home.

That poster has been going on about it as if we were all on the pitch to cheer on a fight and has a bit of a vendetta against us from the other posts I'm seeing so just wanted to call them on that.

CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 180 - 12/05/2025 14:40:36    2608866

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While the narrative seems to be that the provincial championships are now great again, lets not get too carried away.

Armagh, Donegal and Tyrone have generally be close affairs over the past 20 years. It is thanks to the new rules that we got the standard of match we got between them this year - with none of the usual ****housery to slow the game down and "change momentum".

Mayo and Galway has been close for 10 years, going either way on the day

Cork put it up to Kerry for the first time since the Covid semi final.

Meath and Louth was an even contest - but it has been for years - as are most Leinster matches excluding Dublin

The only big surprise was Meath beating Dublin, thanks to the new rules giving them extra points they wouldnt have got otherwise.

While Galway, Louth and Donegal celebrated like they won the All Ireland, most of that was because the new rules have created a game which can go either way, thus increasing the tension at the end of a game for players, mentors and supporters - which manifests in a big celebration at the end because they have won something they felt they had thrown away at some point in the match.

The Provincial haven't been resurrected, football has.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1390 - 13/05/2025 14:32:00    2609235

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "While the narrative seems to be that the provincial championships are now great again, lets not get too carried away.

Armagh, Donegal and Tyrone have generally be close affairs over the past 20 years. It is thanks to the new rules that we got the standard of match we got between them this year - with none of the usual ****housery to slow the game down and "change momentum".

Mayo and Galway has been close for 10 years, going either way on the day

Cork put it up to Kerry for the first time since the Covid semi final.

Meath and Louth was an even contest - but it has been for years - as are most Leinster matches excluding Dublin

The only big surprise was Meath beating Dublin, thanks to the new rules giving them extra points they wouldnt have got otherwise.

While Galway, Louth and Donegal celebrated like they won the All Ireland, most of that was because the new rules have created a game which can go either way, thus increasing the tension at the end of a game for players, mentors and supporters - which manifests in a big celebration at the end because they have won something they felt they had thrown away at some point in the match.

The Provincial haven't been resurrected, football has."
Good post and it's great to see.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4526 - 13/05/2025 16:41:09    2609292

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "While the narrative seems to be that the provincial championships are now great again, lets not get too carried away.

Armagh, Donegal and Tyrone have generally be close affairs over the past 20 years. It is thanks to the new rules that we got the standard of match we got between them this year - with none of the usual ****housery to slow the game down and "change momentum".

Mayo and Galway has been close for 10 years, going either way on the day

Cork put it up to Kerry for the first time since the Covid semi final.

Meath and Louth was an even contest - but it has been for years - as are most Leinster matches excluding Dublin

The only big surprise was Meath beating Dublin, thanks to the new rules giving them extra points they wouldnt have got otherwise.

While Galway, Louth and Donegal celebrated like they won the All Ireland, most of that was because the new rules have created a game which can go either way, thus increasing the tension at the end of a game for players, mentors and supporters - which manifests in a big celebration at the end because they have won something they felt they had thrown away at some point in the match.

The Provincial haven't been resurrected, football has."
Basically what you said there is all those named games was going to be close anyway so how much credit should the new rules get for that?

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3617 - 13/05/2025 17:58:53    2609312

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Replying To Gaa_lover:  "Basically what you said there is all those named games was going to be close anyway so how much credit should the new rules get for that?"
The Leinster final was a good game as such because Dublin weren't in it and if they were you wouldn't have got 30k at it… Both Louth and Meath supporters saw it as an opportunity and fair play to Louth for winning it but in football terms it was of a very low quality compared to what was on offer in the Ulster Final… I couldn't see Louth or Meath standing a chance against a Donegal or Armagh when the serious stuff starts.. The amount of basic skill errors in the Leinster final was shocking but maybe the big occasion and crowd played into that as neither played before a crowd that size before…

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3875 - 13/05/2025 18:51:11    2609336

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The four provincial finals in 2024 were reasonable contests. The rest of the championship didn't really catch fire, with some terrible games under the old rules. Kerry v Derry in the quarter finals was one of the worst.
The new rules have had a positive impact so far. The proper test will come at the business end of the championship.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8798 - 13/05/2025 21:32:21    2609371

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Replying To ForeverBlue2:  "The Leinster final was a good game as such because Dublin weren't in it and if they were you wouldn't have got 30k at it… Both Louth and Meath supporters saw it as an opportunity and fair play to Louth for winning it but in football terms it was of a very low quality compared to what was on offer in the Ulster Final… I couldn't see Louth or Meath standing a chance against a Donegal or Armagh when the serious stuff starts.. The amount of basic skill errors in the Leinster final was shocking but maybe the big occasion and crowd played into that as neither played before a crowd that size before…"
You re very anti Dublin.For many years it was the Dubs that drew the crowds to Croker.Why do you think the gaa wanted Dublin in croker.They knew we would bring in the cash.

brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 84 - 13/05/2025 21:43:23    2609376

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Replying To ForeverBlue2:  "The Leinster final was a good game as such because Dublin weren't in it and if they were you wouldn't have got 30k at it… Both Louth and Meath supporters saw it as an opportunity and fair play to Louth for winning it but in football terms it was of a very low quality compared to what was on offer in the Ulster Final… I couldn't see Louth or Meath standing a chance against a Donegal or Armagh when the serious stuff starts.. The amount of basic skill errors in the Leinster final was shocking but maybe the big occasion and crowd played into that as neither played before a crowd that size before…"
Dublin are back in the pack in Leinster now and the opportunity for Louth and other to win a Leinster title will be there in the years ahead also.

The manner that provincial titles was celebrated by Galway,Louth and Donegal showed how serious they are taken. Yes Louth are unlikely to beat Armagh,Donegal because both are simply better however I didn't see any more basic errors in Croke Park than other finals however.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3617 - 13/05/2025 22:01:09    2609381

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Replying To brayballer:  "You re very anti Dublin.For many years it was the Dubs that drew the crowds to Croker.Why do you think the gaa wanted Dublin in croker.They knew we would bring in the cash."
Well you didn't bring in much last year… Small crowd at the Leinster final and then less than 11k at a home group game v Roscommon…

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3875 - 13/05/2025 22:13:45    2609387

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Replying To legendzxix:  "The four provincial finals in 2024 were reasonable contests. The rest of the championship didn't really catch fire, with some terrible games under the old rules. Kerry v Derry in the quarter finals was one of the worst.
The new rules have had a positive impact so far. The proper test will come at the business end of the championship."
Munster final reasonable contest.....LMFAO

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 1064 - 13/05/2025 22:40:01    2609397

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Replying To brayballer:  "You re very anti Dublin.For many years it was the Dubs that drew the crowds to Croker.Why do you think the gaa wanted Dublin in croker.They knew we would bring in the cash."
Dublin had crowds in Croker because they were playing at home......you don't need to be a genius to work that out

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 494 - 13/05/2025 23:03:47    2609408

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Replying To totalrecall:  "Munster final reasonable contest.....LMFAO"
In 2024 Clare actually put in a reasonable performance and Louth put it up to Dublin. In real time last year, the provincial finals were fine but a lot of football after were the problems of the old rules.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8798 - 14/05/2025 06:55:51    2609428

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Replying To brayballer:  "You re very anti Dublin.For many years it was the Dubs that drew the crowds to Croker.Why do you think the gaa wanted Dublin in croker.They knew we would bring in the cash."
"We" Are you from Wicklow or Dublin?

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 494 - 14/05/2025 08:04:19    2609435

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The Leinster final was unique because Dublin were not in it for a change and everyone knew there would be a new winner. Same with Kilkenny in the hurling a few years back…I was fed up of seeing them in Leinster and all Ireland finals…the same beginning to happen with Limerick maybe? People get tired of seeing the same teams in finals. I've even noticed people got fed up of us (Mayo) and don't want to see us in a final again for a long time (probably because we all know what happens…)

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11567 - 14/05/2025 09:01:33    2609444

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Replying To Dualstar22:  "The RTE footage actually shows 2 Donegal Supporters with flares, one in a Yellow/Green shirt and another in a white shirt. Just an FYI, It is a criminal offence and the matter should be with the Garda, how dangerous is that."
Never mind about flares been a criminal offence.Have you seen the footage of 2 Louth men in their late 40s hitting a Meath woman on the Cusack stand and kids in the middle of it bawling and nothing been said about that.Disgusting behaviour.They should be locked up and banned for life.

Proudroyal (Meath) - Posts: 352 - 14/05/2025 09:32:40    2609454

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Replying To Proudroyal:  "Never mind about flares been a criminal offence.Have you seen the footage of 2 Louth men in their late 40s hitting a Meath woman on the Cusack stand and kids in the middle of it bawling and nothing been said about that.Disgusting behaviour.They should be locked up and banned for life."
I have seen the row on Hill 16, which was bad but was just young ones drunk and or out of their head on cocaine
I havnt seen anything about a row in Cusak Stand, in sure you can point us in a direction where we can view this video as if true I'm sure most people can identify the 2 men, Louths not a big place

DundalkGael (Louth) - Posts: 948 - 14/05/2025 09:57:22    2609466

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Replying To Gaa_lover:  "Basically what you said there is all those named games was going to be close anyway so how much credit should the new rules get for that?"
A close game under the old rules was generally 1-11 to 0-15 type of thing, with 10 minutes of messing at the end as one team tried to slow the others come back.
Have you not noticed that all that messing is gone from the games now? Hence the excitement right up to the end.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1390 - 14/05/2025 10:34:08    2609478

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