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Route To Winning An All-Ireland

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I saw a bit of chat on twitter lately about Kerry not being tested in Munster this year, and obviously Dublin are rarely tested in Leinster anymore either. What I was wondering, is what is the toughest route any team has faced on the way to winning an all Ireland? In 2012 we defeated Cavan, Derry, Tyrone, Down, Kerry, Cork and Mayo. Now, obviously, if we'd lost one of the first four games, we would still have had a second chance in the qualifiers. But is there any team who's faced a tougher run of games on the way to winning it? DL_Man (Donegal) - Posts: 145 - 31/08/2021 10:17:30 2376666 Link
Were Cavan, Derry and Down particularly difficult games for Donegal in 2012? The Ulster Final against Down I think I remember being a facile enough victory. Tough run outside of that though to be fair. Donegal had the air of champions all that year iirc. MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13718 - 31/08/2021 10:37:17 2376670 Link
Replying To DL_Man: "I saw a bit of chat on twitter lately about Kerry not being tested in Munster this year, and obviously Dublin are rarely tested in Leinster anymore either. What I was wondering, is what is the toughest route any team has faced on the way to winning an all Ireland? In 2012 we defeated Cavan, Derry, Tyrone, Down, Kerry, Cork and Mayo. Now, obviously, if we'd lost one of the first four games, we would still have had a second chance in the qualifiers. But is there any team who's faced a tougher run of games on the way to winning it?" I'd say Tyrone 05 would have to be up there as the toughest route. I think they ended up playing 10 games that summer. Beat Down in the Ulster Quarter Final. Then were taking to a replay by Cavan in the Ulster Semi. The Ulster Final against Armagh, went to a replay as well which they lost. Beat Monaghan in the 4th round of the qualifiers. Then were once again taking to a replay this time by Dublin in the All Ireland Quarter Final. Then they beat Armagh in the Semi thanks to that famous point by Peter Canavan and beat Kerry in the final. CartaDubh (Clare) - Posts: 51 - 31/08/2021 10:42:08 2376674 Link
Probably the toughest route ever faced by any team was in 1991 Meath played 10 games before ultimately coming up short at the final hurdle. 3 draws against Dublin, including 2 extra times before coming out by a point. A draw against Wicklow before winning the replay by 3 points. All Ireland semi versus Roscommon won by a point and All Ireland final lost to Down by 2 points! stillaroyal (Meath) - Posts: 224 - 31/08/2021 11:12:11 2376683 Link
Replying To DL_Man: "I saw a bit of chat on twitter lately about Kerry not being tested in Munster this year, and obviously Dublin are rarely tested in Leinster anymore either. What I was wondering, is what is the toughest route any team has faced on the way to winning an all Ireland? In 2012 we defeated Cavan, Derry, Tyrone, Down, Kerry, Cork and Mayo. Now, obviously, if we'd lost one of the first four games, we would still have had a second chance in the qualifiers. But is there any team who's faced a tougher run of games on the way to winning it?" Try Tyrone in 2005, Played Down, Cavan twice, Armagh twice, Monaghan, Dublin twice, Armagh again and then Kerry. That's the year Croke Park was Tyrones home ground. Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2017 - 31/08/2021 11:12:42 2376684 Link
Any Ulster All Ireland winner, certainly going back to 1991, particularly the winners who went unbeaten in the championship post back door being introduced as they would have had a number of very tough days out although Tyrone had a great run at it in 2008 post Down defeat. Leinester was strong in the 90's, early 00's but then again for the Ulster champions to beat a Leinster team in Croke Park took a lot of effort so I always respect a team that comes through the Ulster Championship and goes on to win the All Ireland. It is tougher for an Ulster team to win it but as we seen with Tyrone at the weekend sometimes the nature of the Ulster Championship can set toughen teams up, Kerry didn't know how to react as they're not used to that intensity game after game. sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 31/08/2021 11:15:05 2376685 Link
Tyrone 05 sticks out straight away and the fact that they won it out probably gives them the nod. But pre qualifiers you had kildare in 98 beating the 3 previous all Ireland winners Kerry Meath and Dublin which was a fairly tough route at the time. And Meath in 91 was an epic journey. Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1596 - 31/08/2021 11:29:51 2376688 Link
Limerick beat Waterford, Tipp, Cork, Kilkenny and Galway to win in 2018 Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 31/08/2021 11:51:22 2376699 Link
Replying To MesAmis: "Were Cavan, Derry and Down particularly difficult games for Donegal in 2012? The Ulster Final against Down I think I remember being a facile enough victory. Tough run outside of that though to be fair. Donegal had the air of champions all that year iirc." Truthfully the only side that really came close to beating us that year were Tyrone in the Ulster semi-final. I remember Paul Durcan making a great save in the final minute to prevent a goal, if memory serves he saved with his foot and it scooped up and hit the inside of the post and over the bar, that was the last score of the game, but I may be wrong. That's not meant as disrespect to Cork, Kerry or Mayo by the way, but once we were in Croke Park in the All-Ireland series, I felt we dominated and were clear, deserved winners in all three games. The Tyrone match was very tight but Kerry and Cork after our third quarter performances I felt we were in total control in spite of last minute goals giving us a scare in both matches. And after our start against Mayo I never felt we would lose it, in spite of a brilliant fight from Mayo. But that Tyrone game was always in the melting pot to the last kick. As you say, there was a sense of us being champions all year. Tyrone '05 was an absolutely incredible run. After the nostalgia of the weekend I had a look at the highlights of 2005 & 2008 against Kerry in particular, god there was some fantastic football played. JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 31/08/2021 12:32:08 2376719 Link
I wasn't around then but Cork's 1931 hurling victory looked impressive. They had to beat Clare, Tipperary and Waterford to win Munster and then had to play Kilkenny three times in the all Ireland final, winning the second replay. Kilkenny had hit 8-8 against Wexford and were a goal machine averaging 6 goals per game on their way to the final. To bring a team like that down from 6 goals per game to 1 or 2 must have taken some doing. Details here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1931_All-Ireland_Senior_Hurling_Championship slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 31/08/2021 12:43:13 2376725 Link
Replying To stillaroyal: "Probably the toughest route ever faced by any team was in 1991 Meath played 10 games before ultimately coming up short at the final hurdle. 3 draws against Dublin, including 2 extra times before coming out by a point. A draw against Wicklow before winning the replay by 3 points. All Ireland semi versus Roscommon won by a point and All Ireland final lost to Down by 2 points!" Topic is toughest route to winning an All Ireland, as you say Meath '91 came up short, so doesn't count. sligo joe (Dublin) - Posts: 685 - 31/08/2021 12:46:55 2376728 Link
Replying To sligo joe: "Topic is toughest route to winning an All Ireland, as you say Meath '91 came up short, so doesn't count." Also Wicklow and Roscommon, while they were decent at the time, can't be considered in the top bracket of opponents. Meath had tight games with them yes, but they should have been beating both of those teams. Tyrone's in 2005 is definitely up there, even though they did lose a game. WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2049 - 31/08/2021 12:54:51 2376731 Link
Limerick winning Liam in '18 was pretty impressive in terms of who they beat, the big three, and galway, the defending champions. Galway9801 (Galway) - Posts: 1722 - 31/08/2021 13:03:19 2376741 Link
Tyrone played 10 games in 2005 but the most impressive feat was they beat the champions of Leinster, Ulster and Munster between 28 August and 25 September in Croke Park. Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 31/08/2021 20:21:21 2376873 Link
Replying To WanPintWin: "Also Wicklow and Roscommon, while they were decent at the time, can't be considered in the top bracket of opponents. Meath had tight games with them yes, but they should have been beating both of those teams. Tyrone's in 2005 is definitely up there, even though they did lose a game." Roscommon were one of the top teams in the country in 1991. We should have beaten Meath in that semi final. Missed chances in the first half cost us. I'd have fancied us to beat Down in the Final. endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2175 - 31/08/2021 21:22:54 2376885 Link
Louth winning Sam in the wonderful year of 1957: Leinster 1st Round: Beat Carlow (The battle between the two smallest counties in Ireland. Always a wee right rumble.) Leinster Quarter-Final: Beat Wexford (Wexford were beaten Leinster finalist in 1956.) Leinster Semi-Final: Beat Kildare (Kildare were Leinster Champions in 1956.) Leinster Final: Beat Dublin (Dublin won the All Ireland in 1958.) All Ireland Semi-Final: Beat Tyrone (Tyrone won Ulster in 1956 and 1957.) All Ireland Final: Beat Cork (The smallest county in Ireland beat the biggest one. Cork were the beaten All Ireland finalists in 1956.) Ollie2 (Louth) - Posts: 786 - 31/08/2021 22:16:22 2376891 Link
Replying To Byanthon: "Tyrone played 10 games in 2005 but the most impressive feat was they beat the champions of Leinster, Ulster and Munster between 28 August and 25 September in Croke Park." Dident it also involve 3 drawn games. Cavan, Armagh, Dublin. border Gael (Monaghan) - Posts: 894 - 31/08/2021 22:43:13 2376900 Link
Replying To Galway9801: "Limerick winning Liam in '18 was pretty impressive in terms of who they beat, the big three, and galway, the defending champions." Yes. And also Waterford - the beaten finalists from 2017 johnocarroll17 (Limerick) - Posts: 408 - 31/08/2021 23:03:02 2376905 Link
Galway won Sam via the back door in 2001, the first year the qualifiers were introduced. It wasn't the toughest route ever (although we hammered a great meath team on the final), but negotiating that run of games when it was entirely new to everyone , and having already been beaten, I think they did fairly well to end up champions. Galway9801 (Galway) - Posts: 1722 - 31/08/2021 23:04:05 2376906 Link
Replying To Ollie2: "Louth winning Sam in the wonderful year of 1957: Leinster 1st Round: Beat Carlow (The battle between the two smallest counties in Ireland. Always a wee right rumble.) Leinster Quarter-Final: Beat Wexford (Wexford were beaten Leinster finalist in 1956.) Leinster Semi-Final: Beat Kildare (Kildare were Leinster Champions in 1956.) Leinster Final: Beat Dublin (Dublin won the All Ireland in 1958.) All Ireland Semi-Final: Beat Tyrone (Tyrone won Ulster in 1956 and 1957.) All Ireland Final: Beat Cork (The smallest county in Ireland beat the biggest one. Cork were the beaten All Ireland finalists in 1956.)" Has to be said a well deserved All Ireland win if ever there was one Ollie! Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 12057 - 01/09/2021 09:16:05 2376932 Link