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

Use him as a halftime/after match pundit then.

He's a hard listen live.

Many others don’t do their job though! Fitzmaurice always seems to be well tuned in.

Fitzmaurice is head and shoulders above anyone else as a co commentator.

He knows the game inside out, he managed Kerry to an All Ireland in his thirties. He picks up the nuances of the present day game and passes them on to the viewer, exactly what he is paid to do, but so many other are getting paid aswell and are just not able to do it.

All the nuances are over by half or full time. He latches on to formation changes or positional switches in an instant. You could be 10mins watching the game on TV before you'd notice it. Thats when you want it. If you had a better commentator than Marty then Fitzmaurice tone isn't an issue.

This is it for me, the game has evolved to a state where I am confused at times whats going on (a vastly different sport to what i watched and played for years)

I want someone who understands the tactical approach (and communicate it) on the game co-comms. He delivers in this excellently.

All depends on what you are looking for.

I am not looking for that type of analysis during a game.

Murray Kinsella wouldn't work co-commentating on the rugby but has a huge value after or before a game.

Football is an entertainment and this guy kills that value stone dead on the day.

I think GAA HQ has since said provincial runners up could be any group and decided by the draw on May 2nd.

I think what is happening is that Leinster and Ulster finalists will play R1 two weeks after their finals. All other counties will play a week earlier. R1 is basically over two weeks. It reduces the wait for some counties. All finalists know they'll be playing two weeks afterwards. All others don't have that certainty.

This clears up some of the stuff in relation to the structure.

Only restriction at group stages (besides the seedings) is that the provincial winner and loser from the same province can't be in the same group.

i.e The Munster winner can be drawn against the Connacht loser, the Ulster loser and the Leinster loser.

Also all provincial teams will get at least 13 days between their provincial final and opening Sam Maguire Cup games.

[quote] GAA confirm Sam Maguire start date for four provincial football finalists

The Sam Maguire Cup draw is set for Tuesday, May 2 following the completion of all provincial semi-finals this weekend.

MON, 24 APR, 2023 - 12:20

JOHN FOGARTY

The GAA have clarified that all four senior football finalists in Connacht and Munster will start their Sam Maguire Cup groups on the weekend of May 20/21.

In a response to a query from the Irish Examiner, it has been explained Clare, Kerry, Galway and Sligo will all play two weeks after the provincial finals on May 7.

The winners of Connacht and Munster will face third seeds at home (either Mayo, Roscommon, Tyrone plus one) in their opening game with the runners-up also at home taking on fourth seeds (either Donegal, Westmeath plus two).

However, the provinces aren’t guaranteed to be paired, i.e. Munster winners with Connacht finalists and vice-versa. The victors can also be drawn in the same group as the runners-up in Leinster and Ulster. Likewise, the Connacht and Munster runners-up could find themselves in the same groups as the champions in the bigger provinces.

However, to ensure all teams have at least 13 days between their provincial final and opening Sam Maguire Cup games, there is a possibility not all group’s first round games will take place on the same weekend.

For example, if Kerry win Munster and Louth finish second in Leinster and they are drawn in the same group, Jack O’Connor’s side will play their first-round game at home against third seeds a week earlier than Mickey Harte’s team at home to fourth seeds. All second and third round games take place over the same weekends.

The Sam Maguire Cup draw is set for Tuesday, May 2 following the completion of all provincial semi-finals this weekend.

Sam Maguire Cup dates.

May 20/21: Connacht and Munster finalists’ 1st round games (Provincial winners at home v 3rd seeds; provincial runners-up at home v 4th seeds).

May 27/28: Leinster and Ulster finalists’ 1st round games. Provincial winners at home v 3rd seeds; provincial runners-up at home v 4th seeds).

June 3/4: All four groups’ 2nd round games (4th seeds at home v provincial winners; 3rd seeds at home v provincial runners-up).

June 17/18: All four groups’ 3rd and final round games (Provincial winners v provincial runners-up at neutral venue; 3rd seeds v 4th seeds at neutral venues). [/quote]

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41123461.html

The Tailteann group stage draw should take place after all the All-Ireland semi-finals as per the current plan.

The All-Ireland group stage draw should take place after all the finals have taken place. Group stage draw before the finals is an unnecessary distraction. Non finalists will be able to scout their opponents in the finals giving them something of a head start.

I'd also have a worry that some of the bite could be taken out of the Ulster Final if the known reward for winning was a 'group of death' whilst the runners-up were going into the softest looking group.

Now both teams would clearly still try to win, as a provincial final matters, but it's not a particularly good idea for the first year of the tournament to potentially have a 'better to lose' conspiracy gaining traction.

edit/addition:

I guess the most extreme situation would be if Sligo beat Galway, and the draw put the Ulster runners-up in with Sligo, Westmeath and the weakest of Pot 3. With the Ulster winners being drawn with Galway#2, Tyrone or Mayo from #3 and say Donegal#4. That would make winning Ulster a bit of a known booby prize. But generally these extreme 'worst case' scenarios don't come to pass.

They need a shot clock once you get into an opponents half.

It would only encourage the blanket defense as well.

Counties rejected motions to have an even number of teams in the provinces. Lopsided draws can be fixed with using league placing to seed the provincial draws.

The attempts of lower league counties to qualify have made the provincial games more interesting. The battle of counties already qualified have been interesting as well. Tyrone v Monaghan and Roscommon v Galway were good battles.