Inter county football is really struggling to attract interest these times . As you say it is really hard for any neutral to be really enthused over any of these ties .
Kerry will beat cork comfortably ( and if they don’t you have to wonder if they have pushed on )
If Mayo v Ros is a contest the reality is that Mayo will not be real contenders for Sam .
If Co vid has done one thing it has probably camouflaged the drop in attendances that would have happened this year
It’s the most open Championship in some time. Dublin have lost that aura about them, no Gavin, no McCaffrey - a disjointed league campaign and question marks over Farrell.
Kerry are strong favourites though. Galway have really gone off the boil and will likely be beaten in the Connacht decider by Mayo and I’d probably favour Roscommon over them at present.
Donegal are definitely contenders, they should take Ulster and have every chance against Dublin.
Kerry though have a nice route, I don’t think there is a genuine contender in Connacht - Mayo are in transition, Galway are flakey and Roscommon aren’t good enough. Kerry will beat whoever comes through Connacht pretty handily and I’d have them as slight favourites over the winner of Donegal and Dublin.
The most open championship in years in debatable but the bar in fairly low in this regard
So in all likelyhood a Kerry v Dublin final . Wow
Roscommon are one of the top 10 teams in the country, and Mayo have come closer to winning an All-Ireland than a Connacht title since 2015. I don’t know what games lads want to be watching that would make them happy, Kerry v Dublin every weekend?
It will probably be a decent game on its but it Ros play Kerry or Dubs in Croke Park we are realistically talking carnage
The most open in that Dublin look vulnerable for the first time in years. Of the teams left Kerry and Donegal are probably the only chance we have of beating them but that’s due to the Championship structure this year.
It could be a funny old Championship though. It’s in winter, teams are rusty. In normal circumstance county teams are 9 months from January to Sept playing matches and training on a regular basis, teams are established etc. That’s not the case this year, counties are only back about a month, it’s like pre-season again.
Obviously Kerry and Dublin are advantaged by playing in weak provinces so they can avoid any early scares.
Things have opened up nicely for Donegal last week, they handled Tyrone and Monaghan dropping makes it a lot easier for them.
It really was a great opportunity to trial an open draw this year, just a pity the GAA hadn’t the balls to do it.
If Dublin get a run on any team in Croke Park they can destroy them, Roscommon would not fear Kerry at all though. They are a better version of Monaghan, and Monaghan have caused Kerry plenty of bother in recent years.
On what basis are Roscommon a better version of Monaghan?
Laughable comment.
They would never be beaten by a team as pitiful as that Cavan outfit last week.
Roscommon have been beaten by Sligo in recent years. Destroyed by Clare in a qualifier etc.
Monaghan drew with a struggling Kerry team in 2018 in Clones . Roscommon are not as good as Monaghan over last few years
I’d say since them 2 results you mention for Roscommon that Monaghan have been beaten by Longford, Fermanagh, Down and Cavan in the championship. Roscommon have also won a minor All-Ireland and senior club All-Ireland over the last 15 years, as well as 2 of the last 4 provincial titles. They are a better side than Monaghan.
Knocking them out of the Super 8s 2 years ago, but you seem to be saying the football championship is too predictable. Who foresaw Mayo going 4 years with no provincial title in 2015?
Monaghan and Roscommon are both very admirable with what they get out of small populations
That was a really struggling Kerry team with a manager on last legs . They lost to an average Galway team in CP that year .
If these kind of results happen , well they happen , and are great in isolation but they don’t really upset the big boy(s) .
As things stand there is one favourite still well ahead , the is a pretender in Kerry and there are two teams below Donegal and Mayo might rattle a cage .
This was a great chance for an open draw and the GAA didn’t take it
Yes, that’s the beauty of the Ulster Championship.
Monaghan were beaten by Fermanagh and made an AI semi final the same year.
To be fair the Connacht Championship is nowhere near the Ulster Championship, 50% of teams in Connacht will be Div 4 teams next year.
That would be a very good game actually. Generally very tight when they meet in the league. I can remember Monaghan sneaking a win against Roscommon on the opening day of the league in 2016. Monaghan will drop back a slight bit without Malachy O’ Rourke as manager! In terms of league standings recently Monaghan might edge it but Roscommon would probably beat them this year.
Incorrect, I’m not sure how you have worked that out.
Roscommon have also reached 2 U21 All-Ireland finals in recent years, beating the Ulster champions and Munster champions, but unfortunately for them coming up against the Dublin juggernaut both years.
Whatever way you dress it up the football championship is far more entertaining and interesting than the hurling championship at the moment.
It feels like the hurling ties are being played for thousand time in the past two years.
Roscommon have had very little success outside of Connacht. Their solitary win outside of Connacht at the business end of Championship was a dead rubber against Cork. They were on the receiving end of hockeyings from Mayo, Tyrone, Dublin x2 and Donegal in their other outings at that level.
Monaghan have been a solid Div 1 team for the past 6 years, won a couple of Ulster titles, made it to an AI semi final and won a few competitive games at the business end of Championship outside Ulster - none of which Roscommon managed.