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Greatest Football Upsets Of All Time

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Replying To county man:  "Yeah Limerick beat Cork by 0-16 to 0-06 and in Pairc Ui Chaoimh too. It was a big shock at the time but Limerick went on to regularly put it up to Cork & Kerry in the 2000's and brought Kerry to a Munster final replay in 2004."
Limerick could every well have won at least 3 Munster titles during that era. In 2008 they also had a very big win against Meath in the qualifiers.

oneoff (UK) - Posts: 1644 - 04/05/2025 11:03:32    2606577

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Replying To oneoff:  ""The GAA existed for 70 years before Meath got into gear really"

Again these are your words are they not? Or are you somehow claiming it's not?

Viking66: "In the 1st 70 years of the GAA Meath reached 15 Leinster finals, winning 8. They reached 6 AI finals, winning 2."

What is this comment saying?

So again what are you trying to claim with your comments about Meath in the first 70 years of the GAA? This time maybe actually answer the question instead of trying to pretend you never said it"
It seems you either don't understand what the words "traditional" or "heavyweight" means or your rabid desire to "gotcha" me has made you completely illogical.

What I said about Meath is not "made up' and I stand by it.

The record Viking66 posted is not that of a "heavyweight" of that era and I believe he agrees with me on that although I may have misconstrued him. Either way it does not make my post objectively wrong or "made up" or why you've had such a deranged meltdown about it.

If you keep on down this road your own contributions to this could be a contender for this very topic

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12358 - 04/05/2025 11:40:27    2606587

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It's not going to happen today in Munster, another joke of a Championship there.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9818 - 04/05/2025 14:03:06    2606603

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Replying To Ulsterman:  "It's not going to happen today in Munster, another joke of a Championship there."
For all the bad press Leinster got down the years Munster is worse. Farcical

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11576 - 04/05/2025 14:15:31    2606604

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Replying To Ulsterman:  "It's not going to happen today in Munster, another joke of a Championship there."
Surely should be neutral venue!

Ulsterman, where's a good spot to have something to eat before match next Saturday. Wasn't in it the last time we were up but does the John's club do a bit of grub?

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3547 - 04/05/2025 14:23:50    2606605

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Replying To 32_4_1:  "Meath beating Dublin is never a shock, nor should ever be considered one, no matter how bad Meath ever are. Should always be expected. Meath in recent years forgot that, but at the weekend got reminded of that, and normal service resumed.

Meath are one of footballs traditional heavyweights, and people are talking like they are minnow's after beating Dublin. A big team beating another big team is never a huge upset, regardless of how far one falls.

Bit annoying watching some Meath fans go over the top celebrating , should be par for the course"
I agree. Dublin would have been the favourites of course but when I heard/read (can't remember) someone say it was one of the greatest shocks in football I thought naaaaah. Dublin haven't been hammering in Leinster like they had in recent years, and they had just the four points over Louth in last year's final. Maybe they'd have lost to Louth (if they'd beaten Meath), maybe they'd have beaten them both, we'll never know. But it was coming soon, I think. Not a shock. A small upset at best.

Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1180 - 04/05/2025 18:20:33    2606640

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Replying To Breffni40:  "It seems you either don't understand what the words "traditional" or "heavyweight" means or your rabid desire to "gotcha" me has made you completely illogical.

What I said about Meath is not "made up' and I stand by it.

The record Viking66 posted is not that of a "heavyweight" of that era and I believe he agrees with me on that although I may have misconstrued him. Either way it does not make my post objectively wrong or "made up" or why you've had such a deranged meltdown about it.

If you keep on down this road your own contributions to this could be a contender for this very topic"
You've yet to tell us these "heavyweights" actually are?

Based on what exactly is Viking66 agreeing with you? That right there is your problem. You think everything you say it an actual fact when it's just an option. When someone doesn't agree with it you trow your toys out of the pram and try and convince everyone else they're wrong for not agreeing with you.

So in reality the biggest upset in GAA history in actually you yourself.

oneoff (UK) - Posts: 1644 - 04/05/2025 19:05:41    2606665

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Replying To Breffni40:  "It seems you either don't understand what the words "traditional" or "heavyweight" means or your rabid desire to "gotcha" me has made you completely illogical.

What I said about Meath is not "made up' and I stand by it.

The record Viking66 posted is not that of a "heavyweight" of that era and I believe he agrees with me on that although I may have misconstrued him. Either way it does not make my post objectively wrong or "made up" or why you've had such a deranged meltdown about it.

If you keep on down this road your own contributions to this could be a contender for this very topic"
I actually think your wrong here, and not just saying that as I'm from Meath. Like football/soccer, in the early decades of the last century, often minnows now, or even defunct teams, won titles. Even in GAA, clubs for a long time represented counties etc. It's not until the 40s/50s/60s etc, things became more serious, and the cream floated to the top. You'll see that in most sports.

Your Cavan analogy doesn't really hold either, they were more a benefactor of the troubles, and other teams in the province not competitive. When they became competitive, Cavan simply unable to compete consistently.

Kerry, Cork, Meath, Dublin, Galway, Mayo are the traditional heavyweights, since the game took modern shape, with Tyrone arguably a heavyweight now too. Meath sit joint 4th in the roll of honour. Dublin and Kerry took early leads in All-Irelands and it looks lopsided at the top, but from when Meath won their first All-Ireland til last, over decades, were right up there with Kerry and Dublin in success. I think Dublin have 8 All-Irelands to Meaths 7 in that time, and 22-21 provincial titles in that time, or there abouts.

If Meath aren't a traditional heavyweight, or the counties I outlined, I'd love to hear your list of who are?

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4152 - 04/05/2025 23:51:48    2606728

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Replying To Ollie2:  "Yeah Offaly beat Meath in 2000. Offaly also beat Meath in 1997. Both times the Royals were All Ireland Champions. Offaly a bit of a bogey team to Meath back then."
Still have nightmares about Roy Malone! What a performance he put in against us in 97, literally tore us apart in devastating fashion. Still we got them back in 98, then ran into our other bogey team Kildare!

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4152 - 04/05/2025 23:56:03    2606730

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Replying To MesAmis:  "The shock that day was more about just how abject Kerry were on the day. Completely hammered.

The win/lose element of a game involving the previous 2 All-Ireland Champions can never be classed as a shock imo. Similar to Dublin and Donegal in 2014. The result shouldn't really have been the shock some made it out to be."
There was a weird situation going on all year with Maurice Fitzgerald and Paudi O Shea if I remember correctly. Must of affected the dressing room. Still Kerry returned the following year, we didn't have many great days out after that

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4152 - 04/05/2025 23:59:50    2606733

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Replying To yew_tree:  "For all the bad press Leinster got down the years Munster is worse. Farcical"
Actually quite strong, considering it's a hurling province to be fair. What excuse does Leinster have?

Are any of the provinces really that strong? Ulster people seem to have this view that Ulster is far and away the most competitive. Reality is, on any given year, there's one or two good teams, and the rest cannon fodder, who are also in division 3 and 4. Leinster teams like Laois would routinely beat the likes of Fermanagh or Antrim, even a team like Derry on any given year.

Most Ulster counties are as bad as the rest. A good Down team, by their recent standards, still couldn't beat arguably the weakest Meath outfit in modern times in the Tailteann Cup final. This Ulster is competitive stuff is nonsense. More a case of they're all so poor, not one county can consistently dominate.

Their teams win All-Ireland's here or there, but I don't see them dominating on the national stage. Competitive can mean, they beat each other, as they're all poor. Can guarantee you, throw Laois, Wexford, Westmeath into Ulster, and they'll be just as competitive as Down, Fermanagh, Antrim, Cavan etc on any given year!

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4152 - 05/05/2025 00:17:37    2606741

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Surely should be neutral venue!

Ulsterman, where's a good spot to have something to eat before match next Saturday. Wasn't in it the last time we were up but does the John's club do a bit of grub?"
Alot of the Munster cointies have a home and away arrangement in the Munster championship.

Last year the Clare /Kerry game was Ennis so this year it was Killarney.Next time they meet in MSF championship it will be in Ennis again.

Cork and Kerry have same arrangement.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3918 - 05/05/2025 06:12:39    2606760

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Replying To Breffni40:  "It seems you either don't understand what the words "traditional" or "heavyweight" means or your rabid desire to "gotcha" me has made you completely illogical.

What I said about Meath is not "made up' and I stand by it.

The record Viking66 posted is not that of a "heavyweight" of that era and I believe he agrees with me on that although I may have misconstrued him. Either way it does not make my post objectively wrong or "made up" or why you've had such a deranged meltdown about it.

If you keep on down this road your own contributions to this could be a contender for this very topic"
While not a heavyweight like Dublin or Kerry they were one of the more successful teams, certainly in Leinster. They didn't come from nowhere in the late 50s.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15829 - 05/05/2025 07:35:42    2606765

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Replying To 32_4_1:  "I actually think your wrong here, and not just saying that as I'm from Meath. Like football/soccer, in the early decades of the last century, often minnows now, or even defunct teams, won titles. Even in GAA, clubs for a long time represented counties etc. It's not until the 40s/50s/60s etc, things became more serious, and the cream floated to the top. You'll see that in most sports.

Your Cavan analogy doesn't really hold either, they were more a benefactor of the troubles, and other teams in the province not competitive. When they became competitive, Cavan simply unable to compete consistently.

Kerry, Cork, Meath, Dublin, Galway, Mayo are the traditional heavyweights, since the game took modern shape, with Tyrone arguably a heavyweight now too. Meath sit joint 4th in the roll of honour. Dublin and Kerry took early leads in All-Irelands and it looks lopsided at the top, but from when Meath won their first All-Ireland til last, over decades, were right up there with Kerry and Dublin in success. I think Dublin have 8 All-Irelands to Meaths 7 in that time, and 22-21 provincial titles in that time, or there abouts.

If Meath aren't a traditional heavyweight, or the counties I outlined, I'd love to hear your list of who are?"
Football didn't look anything like it does today until the Tipp team of the 20s started to carry the ball etc Before that it was 21 a side and goals were worth more than any number of points among other things. Meaning a big part of the era he's picking was more or less a completely different game.

oneoff (UK) - Posts: 1644 - 05/05/2025 09:28:06    2606776

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Replying To 32_4_1:  "Actually quite strong, considering it's a hurling province to be fair. What excuse does Leinster have?

Are any of the provinces really that strong? Ulster people seem to have this view that Ulster is far and away the most competitive. Reality is, on any given year, there's one or two good teams, and the rest cannon fodder, who are also in division 3 and 4. Leinster teams like Laois would routinely beat the likes of Fermanagh or Antrim, even a team like Derry on any given year.

Most Ulster counties are as bad as the rest. A good Down team, by their recent standards, still couldn't beat arguably the weakest Meath outfit in modern times in the Tailteann Cup final. This Ulster is competitive stuff is nonsense. More a case of they're all so poor, not one county can consistently dominate.

Their teams win All-Ireland's here or there, but I don't see them dominating on the national stage. Competitive can mean, they beat each other, as they're all poor. Can guarantee you, throw Laois, Wexford, Westmeath into Ulster, and they'll be just as competitive as Down, Fermanagh, Antrim, Cavan etc on any given year!"
There're never many Ulster counties in div4 to be fair. Was all Munster and Leinster plus London this year.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15829 - 05/05/2025 09:29:51    2606777

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Provincial worth is reduced within the current structure, and righly so given their lopsided nature. Dublin losing to Meath and Galway beating Mayo has made no difference to either county in the overall scheme of things. Louth winning Leinster would be of very high value to the association in general given their stock, but its a meaningless competition to Dublin as is the Munster equivalent to Kerry. While there's a reluctance in general in the association to get rid of the provincial championship its quite obvious their placement as the superstructure of the season will eventually go. The obvious point is the seedings for the groups just make no sense. Clare have no business being a second seed given their true worth in league terms.

seany16 (Dublin) - Posts: 1663 - 05/05/2025 12:18:25    2606825

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Replying To seany16:  "Provincial worth is reduced within the current structure, and righly so given their lopsided nature. Dublin losing to Meath and Galway beating Mayo has made no difference to either county in the overall scheme of things. Louth winning Leinster would be of very high value to the association in general given their stock, but its a meaningless competition to Dublin as is the Munster equivalent to Kerry. While there's a reluctance in general in the association to get rid of the provincial championship its quite obvious their placement as the superstructure of the season will eventually go. The obvious point is the seedings for the groups just make no sense. Clare have no business being a second seed given their true worth in league terms."
I agree and disagree with you here; while it's true that Dublin and Kerry would accept winning the All-Ireland for the next ten years even if meant not winning the province during that time, you can be sure that neither of them wants to lose in their provincial championship either.

Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1180 - 05/05/2025 16:23:36    2606876

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Replying To Viking66:  "While not a heavyweight like Dublin or Kerry they were one of the more successful teams, certainly in Leinster. They didn't come from nowhere in the late 50s."
So yeah, not a heavyweight of the era. Which is all I said.

From 1882 to 1950 the were in 3 All Ireland Final's, winning one. Better record than most, but not that of a heavyweight.

If anyone wants to read anything more into this then that's up to them

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12358 - 06/05/2025 13:55:04    2607099

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Replying To 32_4_1:  "I actually think your wrong here, and not just saying that as I'm from Meath. Like football/soccer, in the early decades of the last century, often minnows now, or even defunct teams, won titles. Even in GAA, clubs for a long time represented counties etc. It's not until the 40s/50s/60s etc, things became more serious, and the cream floated to the top. You'll see that in most sports.

Your Cavan analogy doesn't really hold either, they were more a benefactor of the troubles, and other teams in the province not competitive. When they became competitive, Cavan simply unable to compete consistently.

Kerry, Cork, Meath, Dublin, Galway, Mayo are the traditional heavyweights, since the game took modern shape, with Tyrone arguably a heavyweight now too. Meath sit joint 4th in the roll of honour. Dublin and Kerry took early leads in All-Irelands and it looks lopsided at the top, but from when Meath won their first All-Ireland til last, over decades, were right up there with Kerry and Dublin in success. I think Dublin have 8 All-Irelands to Meaths 7 in that time, and 22-21 provincial titles in that time, or there abouts.

If Meath aren't a traditional heavyweight, or the counties I outlined, I'd love to hear your list of who are?"
Cavan's dominance predated the troubles but any way you can find to undermine it is irrelevant as it's objective reality that Cavan were heavyweights for a certain period of time.

In the period I've been referencing, 1884 - 1950, Cavan won more All-Irelands than Galway, Mayo and Meath, but we must have only beaten some of the defunct counties that no longer exist or something. We STILL have more AI's than Mayo.

Heavyweights Meath have 1 All-Ireland in that period of time and propelled themselves into heavyweight status in the next era.

Dublin and Kerry are the locked-in traditional heavyweights and you can make an good argument for Galway, Mayo and Cavan. Meath are not in the conversation for traditional heavyweights, but right up there overall, while Cavan are the opposite, my analogy 100% holds up

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12358 - 06/05/2025 14:12:34    2607111

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Replying To Breffni40:  "So yeah, not a heavyweight of the era. Which is all I said.

From 1882 to 1950 the were in 3 All Ireland Final's, winning one. Better record than most, but not that of a heavyweight.

If anyone wants to read anything more into this then that's up to them"
Nice 1! You subtly moved the goalposts to suit your narrative better. This is your OP-
"With respect, calling Meath traditional heavyweights is like me calling Cavan modern heavyweights. The GAA existed for 70 years before Meath got into gear really."
As I pointed out in my earlier post by the GAAs 70th birthday Meath had reached 15 Leinster finals, winning 8, and 6 AI finals, winning 2. Only Kerry, Dublin, Cavan and Wexford had won 5 or more by then, Kildare and Tipp had 4, while Cork, Mayo and Galway only had 1 more each than Meath.
In the last 70 years Cavan haven't reached an AI Final, never mind won one.
I've no skin in this debate, but I take it you don't like Meath?!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15829 - 06/05/2025 15:12:57    2607131

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