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2025 Provincial Football Championship Draws Confirmed

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Armagh to open against Antrim as 2025 provincial football championship draws confirmed
https://hoganstand.com/Article/Index/333897
Kerry and Cork are on the same side of the Munster draw again. Clare will have to overcome Division 4 opposition again to qualify for the Munster final and the All-Ireland series.
Mayo and Galway are on opposite sides of the Connacht draw. Dublin and Louth are also on opposite sides of their Leinster draw. Armagh and Donegal are also on opposite sides of their Ulster draw. It is possible for all four provinces to have a repeat of their 2024 final pairings.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8284 - 12/10/2024 18:04:49    2574377

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Without meaning to sound rude but they are irrelevant. Did Armagh care about not winning Ulster last year?

Malonemagic (Laois) - Posts: 803 - 12/10/2024 18:35:00    2574383

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Replying To Malonemagic:  "Without meaning to sound rude but they are irrelevant. Did Armagh care about not winning Ulster last year?"
Connacht by luck of the draw and Ulster serve up proper final contests anyway.
A conundrum for provincial championships now is that there is no standout reward for winning.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8284 - 12/10/2024 18:53:23    2574391

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One of Clare Div 3 and unlikely to gain promotion, Tipp,Waterford two Div 4 teams will be in the All Ireland series group stage while the team that finishes 6th in Div and doesn't reach the provincial final who go into the Tailteann Cup.

Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 240 - 12/10/2024 19:25:29    2574395

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Dublin vs Wicklow / Longford.

Are you having a laugh.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2913 - 12/10/2024 20:15:49    2574404

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Replying To Drax_the_destroyer:  "One of Clare Div 3 and unlikely to gain promotion, Tipp,Waterford two Div 4 teams will be in the All Ireland series group stage while the team that finishes 6th in Div and doesn't reach the provincial final who go into the Tailteann Cup."
If it is a Kerry v Clare final, it'll be in Killarney. Cork v Kerry in the semi-final, barring a shock, will be in Cork. Cork game Kerry a good game in the 2023 group stage and last year in the Munster semi-final in Killarney.
Clare are nearly guaranteed Munster finalists and a Seed 2. They'll need a low ranked Seed 4 in the group, otherwise the top 3 in the group will more or less be a procession.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8284 - 12/10/2024 20:21:40    2574407

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Replying To sponger:  "Dublin vs Wicklow / Longford.

Are you having a laugh."
The Wicklow v Longford winner will have home advantage?
2025 targets to win Division 4 and focus on the Tailteann Cup.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8284 - 12/10/2024 20:25:37    2574409

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Replying To Drax_the_destroyer:  "One of Clare Div 3 and unlikely to gain promotion, Tipp,Waterford two Div 4 teams will be in the All Ireland series group stage while the team that finishes 6th in Div and doesn't reach the provincial final who go into the Tailteann Cup."
That's not the case. It will be the team that finishes runner-up in Division 3 (i.e. the loser of the league final) that will lose out. Unless Down (Tailteann Cup winners) get relegated, in which case the Division 3 winner will also lose out.

CeachtPeile (Cavan) - Posts: 122 - 12/10/2024 20:27:56    2574410

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Replying To Drax_the_destroyer:  "One of Clare Div 3 and unlikely to gain promotion, Tipp,Waterford two Div 4 teams will be in the All Ireland series group stage while the team that finishes 6th in Div and doesn't reach the provincial final who go into the Tailteann Cup."
Tipperary , Waterford & Limerick are three of the worst teams in ireland , Clare will be in the Munster final as a division 3 team , Munster is a bit of a joke with only 3 proper teams in it .

OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 717 - 12/10/2024 21:34:41    2574427

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Replying To legendzxix:  "The Wicklow v Longford winner will have home advantage?
2025 targets to win Division 4 and focus on the Tailteann Cup."
Not necessarily the case that they'll have home advantage. Two of this year's quarter-finals were played in Portlaoise as a neutral venue (Wexford v Louth, and Kildare v Wicklow).

Laois v Offaly was also played in Portlaoise, but was obviously a home venue for Laois. Dublin v Meath was played in Croke Park.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2621 - 12/10/2024 22:24:38    2574436

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Replying To OpenStand:  "Tipperary , Waterford & Limerick are three of the worst teams in ireland , Clare will be in the Munster final as a division 3 team , Munster is a bit of a joke with only 3 proper teams in it ."
The Munster Council must have a grá for Clare ..... they avoid Cork and Kerry more than the others.

bruffgael (Limerick) - Posts: 201 - 12/10/2024 22:30:56    2574439

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Waterford have done absolutely nothing in football unfortunately

bruffgael (Limerick) - Posts: 201 - 12/10/2024 22:33:00    2574441

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Provincial winners get a cup for winning. It seems that only in Ulster do they really appreciate the honour of besting their province. Provincials should be completely separated from All Ireland Series, run through the league during break weeks. If some counties choose to take them less seriously that's their decision. Championship can be seeded based on league performance and not skewed to give Ulster a disadvantage after completing the toughest provincial championship. This would also make the leagues more competitive as counties won't have the second chance of reaching a Provincial Final to qualify for All Ireland series, when some provinces are not of an equal standard. How many more 'initiatives' do the GAA need to make the stronger counties stronger and the weaker teams weaker?

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 12/10/2024 22:38:38    2574442

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Replying To CeachtPeile:  "That's not the case. It will be the team that finishes runner-up in Division 3 (i.e. the loser of the league final) that will lose out. Unless Down (Tailteann Cup winners) get relegated, in which case the Division 3 winner will also lose out."
Fair enough I was thinking of 2023 when Meath who finished 6th in Div 2 ended up in the Tailteann Cup.

Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 240 - 13/10/2024 00:07:47    2574450

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Replying To Drax_the_destroyer:  "Fair enough I was thinking of 2023 when Meath who finished 6th in Div 2 ended up in the Tailteann Cup."
That happened in 2023 because there were three teams who finished below 16th (i.e. runner-up in Division 3) in the league who qualified otherwise - Westmeath as Tailteann Cup winners as well as Clare and Sligo as provincial finalists.
In 2025 it's highly unlikely three teams outside of the top 16 will qualify. One is certain (the Munster finalist) but after that it is only if Down get relegated that they come into play. It means that the 6th team in Division 2 is almost certain to qualify.

CeachtPeile (Cavan) - Posts: 122 - 13/10/2024 12:53:30    2574499

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "Provincial winners get a cup for winning. It seems that only in Ulster do they really appreciate the honour of besting their province. Provincials should be completely separated from All Ireland Series, run through the league during break weeks. If some counties choose to take them less seriously that's their decision. Championship can be seeded based on league performance and not skewed to give Ulster a disadvantage after completing the toughest provincial championship. This would also make the leagues more competitive as counties won't have the second chance of reaching a Provincial Final to qualify for All Ireland series, when some provinces are not of an equal standard. How many more 'initiatives' do the GAA need to make the stronger counties stronger and the weaker teams weaker?"
And gets 1st seed spot in the group. Galway the manner they celebrated their Connacht final win this year showed they appreciated the honour. Leinster and Munster teams would likely be the same if Kerry and Dublin was beaten,

separated from All Ireland Series will make provincials championship like the pre-season comps with teams playing 3rd strength teams or fielding a development panel I doubt Ulster especially will want that to happen to their competitive championship. For example Derry v Donegal in round 1 game will sell out, few if any of the All Ireland series group games will sell out and can see why that's getting scrapped in 2026 before the provincials.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3487 - 13/10/2024 21:01:15    2574642

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ALTERNATIVE PROVINCIAL DRAWS
[BASED ON PROVINCAL ROUND ROBIN GROUPS + QUALIFIERS]
[Football Format Changes Discussion Page 46]

ULSTER CHAMPIONSHIP
PRELIMINARY ROUND
Antrim v Fermanagh
GROUP 1
Derry
Armagh
Monaghan
P.R Winner
GROUP 2
Tyrone
Donegal
Cavan
Down

LEINSTER CHAMPIONSHIP
PRELIMINARY ROUND
Offaly v Wexford
Laois v Carlow
Wicklow v Longford
GROUP 1
Dublin
Westmeath
Kildare
P.R Winner
GROUP 2
Meath
Louth
P.R Winner
P.R Winner

MUNSTER CHAMPIONSHIP
QUARTER FINALS
Clare v Waterford
Limerick v Tipperary
GROUP STAGE
Kerry
Cork
Q.F Winner
Q.F Winner

CONNACHT CHAMPIONSHIP
QUARTER FINALS
Roscommon v Leitrim
Sligo v London
[New York directly to Qualifiers]
GROUP STAGE
Mayo
Galway
Q.F. Winner
Q.F Winner

Qualifying for the following years R.R Provincial group stage to be based on the current season groups rather than using the League.
ULSTER [ 2 Teams in Pre. Round next season]
Loser Pre . Round
Loser P.O between 4th placed teams in the 2 Groups

LEINSTER [6 Teams in Pre. Round next season]
3 losers Pre. Round
2 teams finishing bottom of the 2 Groups
Loser P.O between 3nd placed teams in the 2 Groups.

MUNSTER [4 teams in Q.F next season]
2 losers Q.F
3nd + 4th placed teams in Group Stage.

CONNACHT [4 teams in Pre .Round next season]
2 losers Q.F
3nd + 4th placed teams in Group Stage.

With Qualifiers running alongside the Provincial Groups no team will go long without a game. This season Westmeath went 7 weeks without a game. Monaghan [6 weeks]. Last season Cork went 7 weeks without a game. Mayo [6 weeks]

Lesser light teams in Leinster and Munster would definitely benefit from R.R Groups. Teams that would have no chance of winning a Provincial title have qualifying for the Group Stage and in turn qualifying for the A.I Series to play for.

With the pre season Provincial competitions being scrapped next season and possibly gone for good the extra income from increased games in each Province would more than offset any loss of income that comes with their scrapping.

The All Ireland[ 24 teams] series is straight knock out. [No second chances]

edu (Mayo) - Posts: 62 - 13/10/2024 22:04:49    2574656

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Connacht by luck of the draw and Ulster serve up proper final contests anyway.
A conundrum for provincial championships now is that there is no standout reward for winning."
Award league points for Prov games?

"Doubling up" make the games more valuable and reduce game load.

omahant (USA) - Posts: 2889 - 15/10/2024 15:38:23    2575099

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Nice handy draw for Mayo so they should be able to concentrate on the all Ireland series this year.

Saying that, the provincials are a dead duck and should be removed from the all Ireland series.

Why not have them as a season opening competition with the finals on St Patrick's weekend?

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1197 - 16/10/2024 01:26:29    2575188

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Replying To omahant:  "Award league points for Prov games?

"Doubling up" make the games more valuable and reduce game load."
Let's just discuss the draw for what it is. Provincial councils are shooting themselves in the foot with open draws. Lower league counties getting through a weak lopsided draw to a provincial final are not gaining the respect of their own people.
Munster football on paper only has a competitive semi-final to shout about. Ulster and Connacht should deliver good finals again. Connacht by luck of the draw.
The question in Leinster then is can Louth deliver another competitive final performance, should they get there.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8284 - 16/10/2024 10:36:54    2575225

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