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

A knee jerk reaction. Provincial titles still carry value. 12 teams are capable of winning them. Winning them usually give counties confidence that they are on track to challenge for an All-Ireland.

Leitrim have been challenging for promotion from Division 4 the last two years. They lost out to Sligo on penalties in last year's Tailteann quarter-finals. Some of the negative reaction is way over the top.

The Leinster finalists are going to play over the next two weekends, have a weekend off, contest the Leinster final, have a weekend off and then start the group stage. That's a consistent schedule to plan for. The reward is more games.

If a player is carrying a knock, managers will have to balance their needs. For counties already qualified through the league it would be an unnecessary risk. That's the reward of a higher league ranking.

Although usually they are close games I think Galway are going to do a number on Roscommon tomorrow.

Galway by 8.

It a mixture of the wisdom of the crowds and the actuaries working off the betting movements I assume. You can be damn sure they are going to be on a winner regardless most of the time.

It is all worked out based on past performance the betting market, bit of maths - all to leave the bookies with the edge so they win no matter what most of the time. Any odds you get from a bookie are normally odds less than what they they should be given so they are almost always on a winner.

Dublin is plus 15 v Laois I see. Does this mean that Leinster is slightly more difficult than Munster?

I think the young lad said to me it was 19.

Laois certainly had a better spring than Tipp, in that they narrowly failed to get promotion from Division Four, whereas the Premier were relegated to the bottom tier, so the spread difference appears on the money.

Agree. Kerry would have beaten Limerick in that final last year by 43 if they wanted to. And they would do likewise to Tipp today if they really wanted. Good competitive game in Gaelic Grounds right now, Limerick V Clare. But God help whoever wins it as they play Kerry in the final. (Clare lead by 3 at HT). Another mauling will ensue.

It's sad for the Limerick players to lose such an exciting game but I think we are better off in the Tailteann Cup and now enter it with confidence renewed and as a top seed.

An over reaction. The league placings should have been used for seeding provincial draws. Clare and Limerick drawn against Tipperary and Waterford. Kerry and Cork drawn against the quarter-final winners.

While Tipperary lost today, they played Division 3 this year. They got a game today against a quality opponent. They now move on to the Tailteann Cup which is there level at this time. People will be critical but it is positive to give teams a tough game. Hurling is too sanitised where opportunities are limited for a Carlow or Down to play at least one game against a tough opponent.

Limerick beat Clare on penalties last year. It was always going to be a close game. Massive reward for Clare and fully deserved after they beat Cork who were the second ranked Munster team after the league.

Disappointing evening for Cavan who are now out of the All-Ireland. Does that guarantee Louth's place in the All-Ireland?

But Clare would have just beaten Cork anyway so why would that seeding matter ?

We tried the games against big teams in hurling thing and it got people nowhere. Hurling is harder for a weaker team to compensate by being well drilled due to a wider scoring area. Same as how soccer is easier than football in that regard.

Based on the last decade that makes sense but Roscommon had that Mayo game lined up for 6 months, had a tired Mayo team,ref and weather on their side.

Roscommon won their all ireland in Castlebar.

Very strong Galway team with a really strong bench will do them badly I think.

If the team really are back to the level Billy Lee had them at I think we can take the Tailteann Cup never mind a scalp. Should definitely be targeting going pretty deep in the tournament.

There were some results that could have knocked out Louth.

Respect to Roscommon,their small pick and their league position.They have potential to have an upset in them every 5 years or so.

I don't think it was an upset for them to beat Mayo.That was a 50/50 game and they came out on top.

Galway have a full 18/19 players to pick from and have named arguably the strongest team in the country for this game.

Normally,I'd say Roscommon are a good bet to beat Galway in Hyde Park but as usual will be nowhere when the big boy football happens later in the year.However this year having watched both teams I'm thinking Galway will blitz them tomorrow.

I didn't see it but I can have a good guess at what it was like.

That is the thing about 'out and out' hurling people, they basically turn into 'hurling evangelist's spreading the 'gospel'. I always remember one years ago it was Liam Griffin (on a current affairs programme for some reason) and almost with tears in his eyes said with real sincerity - 'There are some people in this studio that never have got to hold a hurl in their lives'. And he deadly serious!

I have never heard that type of stuff from football people.