Tailteann Cup 2024

Brussels Sprout

Last year's thread

The draw was made a week ago for this year's competition. Both of the winners of the first two contests (Westmeath & Meath) are playing in the All-Ireland so there will be another new champion crowned in this year's competition. Kildare are the only team making their debut. New York, once again skip the group stages and will start in the preliminary quarter-final round.

Group Draw

Outright Winner Odds (from PP)

1. Down - 7/4
2. Kildare - 4/1
3. Sligo - 11/2
4. Fermanagh - 8/1
5. Offaly - 10/1
6. Laois - 11/1
7. Antrim 12/1

Opening Fixtures

Saturday 11th May

Offaly v London

Down v Limerick

Sligo v Wexford

Fermanagh - Wicklow

Kildar v Longford

Leitrim v Waterford

Sunday 12th May

Antrim v Tipperary

Laois v Carlow

Brussels Sprout

Kildare going playing their opener at their training ground

https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2024/0508/1447949-kildare-aim-to-bounce-back-in-front-of-just-1-200-fans/

keeponhurling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122111671#Comment_122111671

Well, if they genuinely expect only around 1,200 at the game then it seems like the perfect venue. No point playing it in a bigger but empty stadium.

It does show how far they have fallen though.

theoneeyedman

Some show by the Offally lads yesterday! What were they at, were they in the lash for the last few weeks of what???

You'll hear the likes of Duignan(who I do have time for) and other chairmen looking for more funding, more access to playing in Sam for weaker counties and more this or that and then their teams act the bolloz during what should be their primary championship competition, like WTF are they playing at?

dxhound2005

How much does anyone here know about London, and what they have been doing recently? I know nothing, and nothing about Offaly. Maybe the bookies will take a closer look now as well.

ebbsy

I was very disappointed with Wicklow yesterday. Sure it was not going to be easy but we were just putrid.

YabaDabaDooley

For a competition where a lot of teams of similiar standard meet it was interesting how four of yesterdays six games were hammerings. Only two games seemed competetive, Sligo v Wexford and Leitrim v Waterford and they were both five and six point winning margins.

ebbsy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122129206#Comment_122129206

Are you thinking 3 tiers ?

YabaDabaDooley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122129842#Comment_122129842

No.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122129206#Comment_122129206

In theory the Seeds 1 & 2 should be a higher standard. This first round was 1 v 3 and 2 v 4. Mostly worked out, except for London and Carlow upsetting expectations. Good weekend for Carlow drawing with Laois, and drawing with Kilkenny in the hurling. I think the standard in Division 4 suffers from no relegation.

callaway92

Laois gave up an 8 point lead after 60 mins normal time against Carlow to only draw

Some stink result for them

supernova5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122129005#Comment_122129005

great museums and a very fine public transportation system

dxhound2005

If people had known the information in this piece from RTE, they would have been less inclined to write off London. I have no idea what the betting odds were, but looking at that a bet on London would have made sense. The other side is whether Offaly took them too lightly as well, and how they prepared for the game.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2024/0513/1448852-london-rising-and-set-to-host-a-super-saturday/

Brussels Sprout

1st seeds vs 4th seeds this weekend so there could be some cricket scores. 2nd seeds vs 3rds seeds as well though so they should be very competitive.

Today

Waterford v Kildare, Fraher Field, 5pm

Tipperary v Sligo, FBD Semple Stadium, 2pm

Wexford v Antrim, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 4pm

Carlow v Fermanagh, Netwatch Cullen Park, 3pm

Limerick v Offaly, Rathkeale, 3pm

London v Down, McGovern Park, 6pm

Tomorrow

Longford v Leitrim, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 2.30pm

Wicklow v Laois, Echelon Park, Aughrim, 3pm, GAAGO

Previews of all games here

YabaDabaDooley

FT

Tipp 1-12 v 3-22 Sligo. That's some trimming for Tipp at home. Only seems like last year they were winning Munster and in All Ireland semi final.

breezy1985

Limerick just beat Offaly 2-10 to 8.

I'm assuming Offaly can't be that bad and are just not giving a fuk about this tournament. Or is there something internal going on.

Say Your Number

Two years ago, Tipp beat Sligo in the League and were promoted at their expense because of that match, what happened to them?

MacDanger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122153641#Comment_122153641

Was just thinking the same myself, after a decent-ish performance against Dublin, they've been hammered by London and Limerick

theoneeyedman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122153641#Comment_122153641

Scandalous effort from Offaly in recent week.…if go so far as to say they are bringing the rep of the tournament into disrepute.

Im all for County panels getting some recompense for expenses from Co boards and even the tax payer to reflect the efforts put in, but the other side of it is that them acting rhw boll1x and throwing on the towel as in recent weeks ought to have some come back - no effort =no grants?

dxhound2005

Another way of looking at it is that there nothing in this competition for 15 counties, except a long slog of 6 or 7 games to get to the final. Or bow out gracefully or disgracefully after fulfilling the minimum 3 fixtures. One county out of 16 earning a place in Sam for a single year. No provincial final to aim for after a couple of games, no promotion to aspire to, or demotion to fight against in a league.

Offaly are facing a serious drubbing by Down if they continue like this. But the dubious reward for their neighbours Laois progressing last year was to concede 8-16 to Down in the semi final. It appears to have been player and supporter lack of interest which killed off the previous competitions, All Ireland B and Tommy Murphy Cup. In the end they are just invented competions for the also rans, and this one could suffer the same fate. They will get a bit of free to air TV coverage, but that will probably annoy the Munster hurling fans.

Deiselurker

Bad day for the Tailteann Cup. Some very one sided games yesterday and no mention of the results on RTE Saturday game last night on tv.

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122154175#Comment_122154175

A) Player turnover makes these types of teams flip-flop with each other constantly.

B) League

MacDanger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122155639#Comment_122155639

They did mention it tbf - said it wound be covered tomorrow on the Sunday Game 😂 Hard to believe that they couldn't even bother to list the scores

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122155639#Comment_122155639

Nobody is surprised, for all their big talk this was never going to be anything but another Tommy Murphy cup. People were trying to pretend otherwise but it was always going to be this way.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122155306#Comment_122155306

"There's nothing in this competition for 15 counties, except a long slog of 6 or 7 games to get to the final"

Sure you can say the same thing about any sporting competition. That's the nature of sporting competitions. Only 1 team will ultimately win the competition and all of the other teams campaigns will end in disappointment.

I have zero sympathy for teams and supporters who somehow think they're above the Tailteann Cup. There are two different ways that they can qualify for the All-Ireland. It's fine to aspire to play in that and be disappointed to end up in the Tailteann Cup. At the end of the day though most teams are there entirely on merit* . Counties can either accept that this is their level and give it their best shot or they can sulk.

*there may be 1 or 2 teams who got unlucky with some All-Ireland teams getting ahead of them due to a lop-sided provincial draw

theoneeyedman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122156016#Comment_122156016

This.

Sure what's the point of any of it if you look at it like the earlier poster, just drop the whole thing and hand Dhnlkn Sam to keep and disband every competition.

Counties like Offaly should be what the secondary competition is for, a chance to test oneself at your own level and progress without getting hammering against the likes of Dublin or Kerry.

If they don't want to compete, then fair enough, pull out and let someone else do it, but don't then say you're 'an elite athlete who is adding to the sporting culture ' and therefore apply for the tax break..... Frauds.

bucketybuck

At least we have moved on from the "This is actually a really good competition" charade.

"This is your level so suck it up" is far more accurate.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122156208#Comment_122156208

I don't see anything wrong with the competition. It's a carbon copy of the All-Ireland format.

What would you suggest the GAA do instead for these counties?

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122156684#Comment_122156684

Go back to the days of pretending football was a 33 county game 🤣

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122156699#Comment_122156699

I honestly think that some of the supporters of these counties are holding out for a scenario where all of the planets align where they get loads more funding and a once in a blue moon batch of players and are suddenly competitive at the highest levels - and if that's not going to happen well they may as well not even play because everything else is pointless in comparison.

The thing is even if that unlikely scenario were to occur the present system would accommodate it and they would end up playing in the All-Ireland. In the meantime, while they are waiting for that, they may as well play at a level where they are competitive and have a shot of going deep in a tournament.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122156730#Comment_122156730

Imagine we ran the club game with that attitude. Just pack up all the junior and intermediate clubs.

dxhound2005

Round 2 was 1 v 4 and 2 v 3. Seedings worked out except for Limerick 3 beating Offaly 2. But three of the 2 v 3 games were won by a single point. Kildare have a scoring difference of plus 44 after 2 games.

Brussels Sprout

After two rounds the only thing decided for sure is that Down have won Group 4 and Offaly will finish bottom of that group and cannot progress.

Always_Running

Round 3

Saturday June 1st

Limerick v London - Parnell Park 1:30pm
Longford v Waterford - O'Moore Park 2pm
Kildare v Leitrim - Pearse Park 6pm
Fermanagh v Laois - Pearse Park 3:45pm
Wicklow v Carlow - Parnell Park 3:45pm

Sunday June 2nd

Down v Offaly - Breffni park 1:45pm
Wexford v Tipp - Cullen Park 2pm
Sligo v Antrim - Breffni Park 4pm

PTH2009

Kildare vs Down Final

dxhound2005

The draw for the next stage will be made after the Sunday games. On RTE radio.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2024/0527/1451540-next-tailteann-cup-draw-to-take-place-on-sunday/

dxhound2005

Unlike in Sam Maguire, only three out of the four third placed teams will go into a Preliminary QF. The worst of the four will be replaced by New York.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2024/0528/1451728-tailteann-cup-permutations-all-you-need-to-know/

Brussels Sprout

Waterford finally win a game in the Tailteann Cup!

Apart from New York they were the only team never to have won a game in the competition before today.

They are unlikely to proceed due to their very negative points difference but a great way to end their season all the same.

https://twitter.com/WaterfordGAA/status/1796912758249721921

CrabRevolution

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122156684#Comment_122156684

They want a championship format where even the weakest counties in Ireland have a realistic chance of winning Sam.

If the GAA manages to achieve that paradox, fair play to them…

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122210276#Comment_122210276

No paradox needed, just use an open draw 32 team knockout competition like they should be doing.

The one time they did anything similar we had Tipperary (currently 4th division) scoring 3-13 in the semi final.

Weaker teams have a real chance of causing upsets and going on a run, every game matters, interest from supporters would go through the roof.

But nah, they'd rather have meaningless scutter games behind a paywall.

CrabRevolution

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122210374#Comment_122210374

We had a 28 team straight knockout competition in the qualifiers for nearly 20 years. Why weren't stadia packed to the gills for those games if the prospect of elimination is what the fans crave?

Brussels Sprout

Tipperary score a freak goal in the 4th minute of added time to beat Wexford and progress to the knock-out stages. Wexford are out as a result.

https://twitter.com/OfficialWexGAA/status/1796936413419643377

YabaDabaDooley

Some turnaround for Tipp after Wexford beat them only couple months ago by 14 points on their home turf.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122210266#Comment_122210266

Leitrim also arrived into 2024 with no wins, so Waterford were only a few weeks behind. Onward and upwards for Waterford after their win in Munster.

Brussels Sprout

Wicklow beat Carlow in the decider in their group to see who'd progress

https://twitter.com/wicklowgaa/status/1796939691343663309

YabaDabaDooley

Good to see lots of close games in Tailteann Cup today. All teams going for it against equally matched teams. Fermanagh v Laois looks another belter. Ft Fermanagh 3-11 v Laois 2-13

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122210492#Comment_122210492

Leitrim had 1 win prior to this year. They beat Antrim in 2022 when it was a straight knock-out competition and then lost on penalties to Sligo in the next round.

Brussels Sprout

Fermanagh beat Laois by a point to top their group and skip the preliminary quarter-final round.

That's 2 Ulster group winners so far with the possibility of a third if Antrim can beat Sligo tomorrow

https://twitter.com/FermanaghGAA/status/1796940035100414011

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122210374#Comment_122210374

…scored 3-13 and conceded 5-20.

That wasn't an open format either since it used the Provincial competitions as a filter to get to the All Ireland.

The current system also offers any team in the country a path to the All Ireland via the provincial championships. In fact it's even easier since they don't have to win their province (which was the case in 2020 when Tipp made it), just get to the final.

PTH2009

Great win for Waterford just rewards for the effort the squad and management put in. Pity scoring difference (and new york) ended the year

Longford must be really gone down hill. Shows that O'Byrne Cup means SFA

theoneeyedman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122211549#Comment_122211549

There is no way Longford should be the worst team in the country, they ought to be able to operate comfortably at D3 level, and look for D2 football every now and then when they gain a fair win and players at the right point in their career cycle.

There is isn't bottomless poop of talent there, but it's decent enough if used properly. I'm not laying the blame at Paddy Christie's door, but the last two years have been an absolute disaster.