Tailteann Cup 2023

Hard too see any of the 3rd placed teams turning over a 2nd placed team, Longford most likely I'd say

Do we know who the winners play ?

Not possible to do the quarter-final draw before the preliminary round is complete, as you can't have repeat pairings from the group stages in the quarters.

Well, technically you could, but you'd need to needlessly rule out potential matches e.g. Cavan can't be paired with Offaly, so you'd have to unnecessarily eliminate the possibility of Cavan meeting Wexford

There has been no buy in to the Tailteann cup. Crowds have been horrendous, the standard has been very poor and a lot of the players have shown no real interest in it. Yes, we will see crowds grow bigger and players show more interest come semi final and finals but that's the same for pre season competitions.

There seems to be a drive to paint this as a massive success when the reality is that the majority of counties involved don't want to be in this competition and have shown little interest in it.

I don't think players are allowed to sign for clubs in America while involved with their counties so I don't think there was ever any danger of players dropping off but the actual interest in being in this competition is lacking from many. They don't want to be in it, they want to be in the real championship and it shows. The abysmal attendances shows that many supporters have little interest also.

When you look at the counties in it, only a handful have not been competitive in the recent past. Trying to turn football into a closed shop like we bemoan about hurling is a really backwards step.

It's different than the hurling set up for now! That's the important point, completions like this and giving teams less an opportunity at the top level will not improve standards in these counties and eventually they won't be given any chance in the real championship. Just like in hurling. There are already noises about trying to put a third tier in. We're well on the way to making Gaelic football a closed shop just like hurling, all the while ignoring the major issues causing this.

A lot of generalizations there, of course the standard isnt great what did you expect, same for crowds? How do you know whether players or particular counties have really bought into it or not? Seems to me like you didnt agree with this competiton form the start. I can't understand people begrudging weaker county teams extra games in the summer with a real chance to win something.

Great display from Wexford. Play a brand of football you'd actually want to watch. Their entire tally of 1-22 came from play too- I don't remember that happening too often at intercounty level.

Great win for us against Offaly.

Nice to see some hope after an indifferent league.

The glory days of 2005-2011 seem a long time away but we are moving in right direction

I'm not begrudging anybody, in fact it's the opposite. These counties deserve better than this. Like you're doing, they're been spoken down to and told this is good for you. No player trains for the Tailteann Cup, they trained for their Provincial and All Ireland championships. The poor standard is down to the lack of interest and same with the crowds. Look at Offaly. Beat Meath and drew with Louth in the championship. Look at their Tailteann Cup results.

The majority of the GPA are supportive of the Tailteann Cup? It's a 16:16 split plus New York. The Tailteann winners have the prize of All-Ireland qualification.

Carlow through to the quarter-finals as well. 0-15 to 0-10.

The tailteann is excellent. A great competition. All teams guaranteed games after the farcical provincials. Id be interested after this year to see how many teams in the tailteann have any interest or place any value on the provincials. This is a much better structure. Now to deal with the provincials and move directly to a group stages of games instead of wasting our time.

Well when we have counties with huge budgets competing with counties with tiny budgets, it's very difficult to see how it can be competitive. So how about we start with that? Otherwise we're guaranteed to create a closed shop. Also, there can be a different system created to give teams more games in the real championship.

Teams celebrate when they win pre season competitions. No players want to lose but it's clear that the interest in this competition isn't there. Really bad attendances and apathy from many players.

Of course the final will attract people but the Tailteann Cup does nothing to benefit these counties.

Teams celebrate winning pre season competitions? Bullshit, maybe the Mac Kenna Cup means something but the other three absolutely do not, nobody cares, they are challenge games in all but name.

For now there is a limited opportunity to compete in the top tier. Give it a few years and that will be cut off.

Put a limit on budgets counties can spend and provide adequate funding for other counties. We currently have teams spending huge sums, while others spend very little. How do you expect these counties to compete under those circumstances?

The very structure of GAA is the tiered systems at club level. Imagine a county with exactly 32 clubs decided to go maverick and throw them all into the same championship, scrapping the grading system? It would be carnage, and quickly turn farcical.

The gap between the elite in football and the rest is arguably bigger than my hypothetical scenario above. A bit like the way soccer has gone, money has seemed to have crept in, but there's no doubt that a system where the haves destroy the have-nots, with perhaps one shock every five years, does nothing for the overall health of the game.