The 2023 All Ireland Senior Football Championship (Sam Maguire Cup)

Great result for Roscommon.

While last weeks referee bought all of Mayo's dives to beat Galway, this week mooney didn't buy it as much and Roscommon's hard but overall disciplined tacking held out. Don't know why Aidan avoided a black for the blatant body check late on, but the way he was playing it did Roscommon a favour leaving him on the field.

He lost the ball at the throw in at the start of both halves today and apart from scoring one point he was awful. A failure again in a big Championship game.

He tends to use his arms to push the other player aside. Technically you are supposed to jump straight up.

Was it just me or did you get the feeling he couldn’t give a flying fook that they’d just lost in the interview after?

They now have a break for a few weeks to recharge, avoid a tough game against Galway and will be ready to peak when the real business starts.

Would not bet the house on that. I think Cork would have Dublin in Cork and Mayo in a neutral venue probably Limerick.

The problem for Cork is there consistency. The are capable of beating a lot of teams on a good day, it's there inability to put 2-3 good displays in a row.

Another high profile ex pundit Colm O'Rourke has had a much less successful League campaign than McStay. Events today leave him in charge of a team more likely to be in the Tailteann than the Sam. But there is a way to redemption. Beat Offaly, and then the winners of Louth Westmeath to make the Leinster Final. Both Louth and Westmeath have the luxury of being in the Sam regardless. But either of them would enjoy sending The Royals down among the small fish. Sort of an irony that when Meath are in Tullamore, Louth will be in Navan because there is no suitable home ground to host the match.

On the other side, Kildare v Wickow and Dublin v Laois holds out little hope of anyone except Dublin being in the Final. Kildare are still in the Sam, but looking nervously I would say to possible events in Ulster.

https://www.lmfm.ie/news/sport/meath-learn-leinster-opponents-as-prospect-of-tailteann-cup-looms/

The time for Mayo and 15 other teams to get "up in arms" about the schedule, was back in December last, when it was published. A calendar has to be made for the Championship, even before the League starts. And nobody knows who will be the League Finals. Sligo were able to win their match.

There was a suggestion that a two week break be put in the calendar after the League Finals. But that could mean that every team in the country would have to wait three weeks minimum for any Championship action. The whole thing has to be done and dusted by July 30.

Who played more defensively in the first half, Roscommon playing keepball into a gale force wind, or Mayo dropping 14 or 15 players inside their own 45 and not engaging with Roscommon when aided by said wind. Strange narrative, and strange tactics from Mayo's expensively assembled think thank.

Haven't watched or listened to RTÉ tonight, more to be at, I can come here for ill-informed comment if I desire some.

Early days yet, not really All Ireland Championship season yet so nobody will be getting carried away, so Mayo will feature yet - what odds both teams drawing in the same group later on?

Jacqui Hurley is a breath of fresh air on The Sunday Game tonight.

If as expected Rossies lose to Galway we will both be third seeds so we wont be meeting in groups

I would not accept that. Mayo/Roscommon would have had two competitive games and then a warmup game against a D4 team before starting the Sam competition.

Sam round is not starting until late May. Mayo will now have to search around for friendly matches for next six week. The Connaught and Munster finals are always sequenced first so 2-4 weeks before Sam starts

Sorry McStay might be putting a brave face on it. But if Mayo get a group of death then they will be going in raw to the first game. Most teams wil be avoiding them in friendlies for the last 2-3 weeks before Sam.

So they’re missing out on what exactly, one meaningful game against Galway by losing today? A team they have already played twice in recent weeks.

They had a hard run in the League and will now get to recharge their batteries, play some challenges against opposition they pick, try some tactics out behind closed doors & avoid a dead rubber against a Division 4 team. A good training match amongst their own panel will probably be more use to them than playing New York or Sligo.

I certainly got the opinion from McStay that he couldn’t care less. The provincials now only have relevance to counties who win them once in a blue moon.

We are dealing with Mayo not Armagh. Mayo if they won today would have a two week break before Galway. If they beat Galway they would have a Connaught final against a D4 team then a three week break to Sam and playing as a top seed.

Finishing as second or third in the group means a preliminary QF and no break before the QF. You cannot compare an Ulster's teams situation to what Mayo was looking at.

Ulster is a totally different kettle of fish. As I said now Mayo is looking at six weeks of friendlies and hoping for a favourable draw in Sam.

6 weeks off might be ideal for the likes of Conroy, Cillian O'Connor returning from injury but it's a nightmare for lads like O'Shea and O'Donoghue who have had a fantastic Spring. It stops momentum and leaves a lot of time to lose sharpness. Even Galway losing in the Hyde would see them a month off and leave them absolutely prone to a battle hardened provincial loser/winner. Challenge matches are barely FBD league preparation.

I think you need to get some perspective here - the provincial championships are two or three games. Dublin and kerry won't get out of third gear before Sam kicks off. Most teams will have only have 2 or 3 extra games in, Mayo will be well up to match fitness by the time they get to the pre-QF stage.

Roscommon are in a worse position imo, imagining they go and win Connacht then by the time the QF rolls around they are deep into a very long season, whereas mayo have had a decent break in the middle to regroup

They might not get out of third gear but they will have matches that will be a step above friendlies. As well they will have home advantage against the third seed for there first match. Now while All first seeds will want to avoid Mayo they will have a chance of drawing Westmeath or maybe a lower D1 team depending on who makes Provincial finals.

3rd seeds will Westmeath, one of Roscommon/ Galway more than likely, and two of Tyrone Monoghan or Derry. Regrouping is grand in theory but a six week break is not really regrouping. Losing next round would have been much more preferable.