Roscommon are 33/1, lads. 
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Is it Ulster-Leinster/Connacht Munster in the semi-final pairings next year?
I’d be very interested to see how Tyrone get on against Dublin. They haven’t met in Championship since Gavin took over but the league meetings have all been very close affairs if that is anything to read into, style wise I think we are a problem for Dublin.
2013 1 point win for Tyrone in league game and 1 point win in final for Dublin
2014 1 point win for Dubln in winner takes semi final spot decider, Connolly with a last minute winner - draw would have done Tyrone.
2015 Draw
Mayo probably still the closest to Dublin at the minute, they are the team who can really impose themselves physically on Dublin. I felt Tyrone were definitely bullied a bit by Mayo in the quarter final meeting. Andy Moran going would be a huge loss for them, he’s very reliable for winning ball and getting scores up front, a very clever player on the scoring front that they badly lack more of. I’d imagine he’ll give it another year seeing as he is playing so well.
Kerry and Donegal could both be very different next year, whether they might be better with a bit of freshening up or whether it will take a few years for them to really settle. Kerry will always be there given the easy nature of the draw they have, Donegal a bit more of an unknown but I think they need to get more legs in the team and stop asking too much out of Murphy - I think he should be left at centre forward.
The rest don’t really come into the picture, Monaghan are capable of taking a big scalp in a knockout game but that’s probably it.
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My long range forecast would be a Tyrone v Mayo final but it could just as easily be Dublin and Kerry again.
However I feel Dublin will find it very difficult to do three in a row and will be tripped up, probably by Tyrone.
It’ll be probably be those four in the semis though. Tipp aren’t strong enough overall to go again to the same level. Donegal are probably gone for a few years. Monaghan can reach a certain level but aren’t good enough to go above that. Cork could improve but won’t win an All-Ireland. Galway look to be the most likely team to make a step up and challenge the big four.
Mayo are still just about young enough to go again but the psychological baggage must really be mounting at this stage.
The following Mayo players are all over 30 or will turn 30 next year - the rest will all still be under 30. All are young enough to still play a part however.
Ages of their older players are as follows:
Dillon - 33 - 28/9/83
Boyle - 30 - born 29/7/86
Moran - 32 - 2/11/83
Higgins - 31 - 25/2/85
Cafferkey - 29 - 5/8/87
Seamus O’Shea - 29 - 17/3/87
Barry Moran - 30 - 12/5/86
Based the arrangements for previous seasons, the Ulster and Connacht finals will be the last two provincial finals next year with the Leinster final a week earlier - meaning they’ll meet B qualifer teams in the quarter finals - Leinster and Munster teams will meet A section qualifiers.
That means the quarter-finals will line up as follows:
Munster champions v Leinster runners-up/A section qualifier
Leinster champions v Munster runners-up/A section qualifier
Ulster champions v Connacht runners-up/B section qualifier
Connacht champions v Ulster runners-up/B section qualifier
Semis:
Connacht v Munster
Ulster v Leinster
The draw is taking place next Thursday 13th. Usual gig on RTE
Really hard get excited about provincial draws with back doors .
Excellent summation Sid.
Draw prediction
Ulster Football Championship
Preliminary round: Donegal v Antrim
Quarter-finals:
Top half:
Down v Armagh
Monaghan v Cavan
Bottom half:
Fermanagh v Tyrone
Donegal/Antrim v Derry
Other championships: Who cares
I’ve taken an annual leave day. I’m preparing a little party for the draw tonight.
Preliminary
Down v Armagh
QF
Tyrone v Monaghan
Cavan v Antrim
Fermanagh v Derry
Donegal v Down/Armagh
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Just bought a pack of cookies and I’m now preparing some spag bol. I have created a Spotify playlist for the 9 Ulster Counties.
It is:
Black Velvet Band
Boys From The County Armagh
Come Back Paddy Reilly
Back Home in Derry
Hills of Donegal
Star of the County Down
Anna From Fermanagh
Enniskillen Dragoons
Patriot Game
Aidan McAnespie
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The draws for the 2017 GAA Provincial Senior Football and Hurling Championships take place tonight, Thursday October 13 and will be broadcast live from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 television.
The draw for the Provincial Hurling Championships sees Meath enter the Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship for the first time since 2004 following their Christy Ring Cup success earlier this year, as Laois, Westmeath and Kerry complete the Leinster ‘Qualifier Group’ draw
2017 will see Kilkenny and Tipperary trying to retain their respective Leinster and Munster Hurling titles, while in football, Tyrone (Ulster), Galway (Connacht), Dublin (Leinster) and Kerry (Munster) will be aiming to retain their provincial titles.
The following people will take part in tonight’s draw:
PRESENTATION PANEL
Michael Lyster, Henry Shefflin, Liam Sheedy, Dessie Dolan, Joe Brolly
DRAW PRESENTATION
Marty Morrissey
LEINSTER HURLING
Michael Fennelly (Kilkenny)
John Horan (Leinster GAA)
MUNSTER HURLING
Seamus Callanan (Tipperary)
Jerry O’Sullivan (Munster GAA)
MUNSTER FOOTBALL
Liam Kearns (Tipperary manager)
Jerry O’Sullivan (Munster GAA)
CONNACHT FOOTBALL
Gary O’Donnell (Galway)
Mick Rock (Connacht GAA)
ULSTER FOOTBALL
Conor McManus (Monaghan)
Michael Hasson (Ulster GAA)
LEINSTER FOOTBALL
Jonny Cooper (Dublin)
John Horan (Leinster GAA)
GREEN ROOM PRESENTATION
Joanne Cantwell, Austin Gleeson (Waterford), Podge Collins (Clare), John Heslin (Westmeath), Tom Parsons (Mayo), David Treacy (Dublin), Martin McIlhinney (Donegal), Seamus Hickey (Limerick), Evan Comerford (Tipperary), Colm Keys (Irish Independent), Karl O’Kane (Irish Daily Star)
Poor ol Tom Parsons 
RTÉ appear to be overhauling and expanding the coverage of the draw. Current players involved in the draw and reaction from a green room too. Unbelievable scenes.
Seamus Hickey there to rally the troops on behalf of the GPA
Draw predictions:
- Mayo/Roscommon on one side of the draw setting it up for a Mayo/Galway final
- The A side of the draw to be top heavy with the better teams, some shit teams to come through the back door of the B side
- Dublin slated to meet Meath and Kildare before the final
- Cork and Kerry to be on opposite sides of the Munster draw
Is the munster draw not seeded?
Tipp making the Munster final this year scuppers that?
Surely Come out ye Black and Tans for Cavan .
No. They beat Cark in the semis. It’s seeded for Cork and Kerry to meet in the final I think.
I thought it was seeded on the basis of last year’s finalists.