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Football Championship 2026

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Replying To cluichethar:  "Hatred of Mayo and Dublin. Mayo and Dublin have served up some of the most memorable finals this quarter century"
Why would I hate the best team to ever grace a football field? 9 All Irelands in 13 seasons, a team who won 15 out of 16 Leinster titles and 7 League Titles from 2011 to 2023. You lads could take a leaf out of their book; a team of class, grace and modesty.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2189 - 29/06/2026 19:56:10    2683033

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Replying To shaggykev:  "Wow. Well not many would have seen any of Dublin, Mayo or Louth in an All Ireland semi final.

What an incredible performance by Louth. Would be amazing to see them in the final. I'd say Louth v Mayo will sell out fast.

For Mayo, a young team but the fact this is probably Kobes only shot at an All Ireland for the foreseeable means Mayo have a different type of pressure. There is no tomorrow. This might be a great looking youthful team but he and the team have to go for it completely.

They should beat Louth and whilst likely 5-6 points underdogs v Kerry, anything can happen in Gaelic football now."
Dublin came within a whisker of reaching the All-Ireland final in 21 and 22 and won it in 23,after their golden period had supposedly ended.
Theyll be regularly competing at the business end of all Ireland championships from here on in,despite what their supporters on here might claim.

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 85 - 29/06/2026 22:34:49    2683082

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "It's shaping like another Mayo allireland final loss in 2026."
Your familiar enough with losses pope

Happyoutpout (Mayo) - Posts: 1 - 29/06/2026 23:06:33    2683091

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Should be 2 cracking semi finals, Dublin or Kerry I feel would not have wanted to face each other but If Dublin can increase their scoring threat can really put it upto Kerry.

Mayo V's Louth should also be a cracker, Mayo just know how to win all Ireland Semi-finals and are gathering momentum through the championship. Louth for me have been the most entertaining team consistently to watch and play a fantastic brand of football based on the execution of all the basic skills of the game. No one really knows their ceiling and need to continue their form into unchartered waters which is another test of high level consistency for them. That said they probably beat the weakest team in the quarters in Monaghan who have dogged themselves to stay in games all championship with their goalie getting them over the line to date.

offtheditch (Cavan) - Posts: 190 - 30/06/2026 07:46:52    2683108

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Replying To legendzxix:  "I don't think there are any qualms in Tyrone and Kerry about Kerry being favourites. Tyrone will be quietly confident regardless. Many talking about the other 3 games being 50-50. Tyrone v Kerry is the one that could surprise many and end up going to extra time."
Not to say I told you so but like Tyrone v Kerry was always going to be a tough battle. It easily could have gone to extra time. We'd all be pulling our hair out if that 45 call went against us.
Tyrone had an impressive win over Dublin in the 2025 quarter final . Possibly due to Dublin media bias, Tyrone never got the credit they deserved for that win. As Donegal and Galway have found out to their cost, playing Dublin in Croke Park is a difficult task, especially when they build momentum in their home league ground.
Kerry, Mayo and Dublin all earned home advantage by luck of the draw in Round 3. Playing Armagh in Armagh or Donegal in Donegal would have been a more different proposition altogether.
I'd be concerned by Kerry's record against Dublin in Croke Park since Dublin started playing their home league games there regularly in 2011. Kerry haven't really managed that changed match day dynamic. Possibly the team better placed to take on Dublin in Croke Park exited the championship on Saturday evening.
Kerry snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the 2023 semi final against Derry. Derry possibly would have given Dublin a tougher final. The 23 and 24 winners exited at the quarter final stage. Kerry have a bit of a habit of going further as defending winners. It is impressive on one hand but tougher then when they don't get over the line at a later stage of the championship.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9910 - 30/06/2026 08:24:24    2683110

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Delighted with how Dublin have upped their game in the last couple of matches. Better team beat the better squad on Sunday. Evident that a lot of work has gone into our kick out strategy in the past couple of weeks. Getting a couple of key players back has also been huge.
As a blow-in in the west, it's sad to see what poor management has cost probably the most talented squad in the country for at least 3 years of PJ's reign. They still probably had the best squad behind Kerry this year, but I'm not sure that will remain the case much longer. Incredible that he has never managed to solve the kick out issue that has been dogging them for years. The team occasionally breaks free of his shackles during matches and shows how good they could be with quick ball, but then they revert to the all the lateral stuff again. Sadly, talking to people down here, the rose tinted glasses being worn due to his great playing career seem likely to remain in place.

DubSanIarthar (Dublin) - Posts: 22 - 30/06/2026 11:09:43    2683130

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Replying To DubSanIarthar:  "Delighted with how Dublin have upped their game in the last couple of matches. Better team beat the better squad on Sunday. Evident that a lot of work has gone into our kick out strategy in the past couple of weeks. Getting a couple of key players back has also been huge.
As a blow-in in the west, it's sad to see what poor management has cost probably the most talented squad in the country for at least 3 years of PJ's reign. They still probably had the best squad behind Kerry this year, but I'm not sure that will remain the case much longer. Incredible that he has never managed to solve the kick out issue that has been dogging them for years. The team occasionally breaks free of his shackles during matches and shows how good they could be with quick ball, but then they revert to the all the lateral stuff again. Sadly, talking to people down here, the rose tinted glasses being worn due to his great playing career seem likely to remain in place."
There's another reason why he's been kept on that people of Galway know.

When the players do go, there's talented players their, but they've hardly been given a chance under Joyce, unless they're terrible in training it's hard to know why it's like that.

ColmFlaherty (Galway) - Posts: 130 - 30/06/2026 11:52:39    2683146

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Replying To Square_B:  "Why would I hate the best team to ever grace a football field? 9 All Irelands in 13 seasons, a team who won 15 out of 16 Leinster titles and 7 League Titles from 2011 to 2023. You lads could take a leaf out of their book; a team of class, grace and modesty."
You really are blinded by hate.

That Dublin team was a ruthless and cynical as any that every played. You have to be at top level sports. Pulling down all the mayo players on the pitch in a clearly orchestrated and practiced manner at the end of the 2017 final is hardly and act of class or grace. Ruthless and efficient yes - classy? Afraid not.

The narrative that this is a new Dublin team and they are plucky underdogs is the greatest lie ever told.
The team the played against Galway had 48 All Ireland medals between them:
Ciarán Kilkenny: 8 (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023)
Cormac Costello: 8 (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023)
David Byrne: 8 (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023) (Won as a panel member across 8 campaigns)
Con O'Callaghan: 7 (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023) (Earned 7 Senior Football medals)
Brian Howard: 5 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023)
Niall Scully: 5 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023)
Evan Comerford: 4 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) (Reserve goalkeeper during these titles)
Paddy Small: 2 (2020, 2023)
Lee Gannon: 1 (2023)

The lads below all played in All Ireland U20 finals (all be it on the losing side).
Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne
Ross McGarry:
Seán MacMahon:
Seán Guiden:

Add in Sean Bugler, Theo Clancy and Colm Basquel on top of all that and there is a team that not many can match.

"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn't exist" - Roger "Verbil" Kent - the usual suspects.

Keyser Söze - is back.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1956 - 30/06/2026 11:56:01    2683151

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Replying To ColmFlaherty:  "There's another reason why he's been kept on that people of Galway know.

When the players do go, there's talented players their, but they've hardly been given a chance under Joyce, unless they're terrible in training it's hard to know why it's like that."
Jaysus, spill the beans and tell us why he's been kept on so. Heard he was to do a ten year stint. Therefore he still has 3/4 years to complete. I think Joyce stays in situ

moros (Roscommon) - Posts: 1457 - 30/06/2026 15:09:41    2683204

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "You really are blinded by hate.

That Dublin team was a ruthless and cynical as any that every played. You have to be at top level sports. Pulling down all the mayo players on the pitch in a clearly orchestrated and practiced manner at the end of the 2017 final is hardly and act of class or grace. Ruthless and efficient yes - classy? Afraid not.

The narrative that this is a new Dublin team and they are plucky underdogs is the greatest lie ever told.
The team the played against Galway had 48 All Ireland medals between them:
Ciarán Kilkenny: 8 (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023)
Cormac Costello: 8 (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023)
David Byrne: 8 (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023) (Won as a panel member across 8 campaigns)
Con O'Callaghan: 7 (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023) (Earned 7 Senior Football medals)
Brian Howard: 5 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023)
Niall Scully: 5 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023)
Evan Comerford: 4 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) (Reserve goalkeeper during these titles)
Paddy Small: 2 (2020, 2023)
Lee Gannon: 1 (2023)

The lads below all played in All Ireland U20 finals (all be it on the losing side).
Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne
Ross McGarry:
Seán MacMahon:
Seán Guiden:

Add in Sean Bugler, Theo Clancy and Colm Basquel on top of all that and there is a team that not many can match.

"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn't exist" - Roger "Verbil" Kent - the usual suspects.

Keyser Söze - is back."
Have ye found Lee Keegan's GPS tracker yet?

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2189 - 30/06/2026 16:17:50    2683225

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