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

I would eat me Dublin hats, if Dublin won Sam. I'd be shocked. I just don't see it.

You go on about home advantage in CP. But it is getting to the stage where it is becoming a disadvantage again. Wide pitch suits the pacey skilful players many other teams have Galway, Kerry. Mayo etc. And the Hill etc can turn on Dublin if they see stupid stuff, or lads not trying. The Hill can be easily silenced. If an opposition team can find a way to shut down Fenton and limit Con O'Callaghan plus Kilkenny - they would likely win the game. Those are the three you would want quietened.

How many times over the years have we heard that Kerry like CP and CP suits Kerry? As Kerry have the 'footballers' etc? Any team that has a bit of pace, has good game management would destroy this Dublin team on a wide pitch.

I just hope it isn't Kerry because I am still scarred by that time Kerry walloped Dublin in CP 2009. The first time I came close to leaving a match early, out of embarrassment. Mayo/Galway beating Dublin I could stomach, but not Kerry.

Derry are a funny team alright players - with a great midfield (best pairing in the country IMO) in a fantastic system, which might not be pretty but it is very effective. CP holds no fear for them either. It was even shown at club level where Glen beat Kilmacud Crokes. The Derry midfield are miles better than the Dublin midfield. And that shuts down one key man straightaway Fenton.

But at least I would know if Dublin played Derry there might not be a potential walloping - those other three Mayo,Galway, Kerry are well capable of running up big scores. Mad thing about Galway despite having Comer/Walsh their other big threat is their full back Kelly is a major danger to opposition defences. I don't know how he manages it. But when he gets the ball and solos there is panic among the opposition.

Meath also walloped Dublin in the 2010 Leinster semi final, 5-9 to 0-13. But of course that was just an interruption in Dublin's domination of the province. But no need to panic, taking the longer view. Cavan used to do the same in Ulster, and none of Derry, Donegal, Down or Tyrone had an Ulster title before 1956. Donegal got their first in 1972. And between 1968 and 1992 no Ulster or Connacht county won an All Ireland, despite being guaranteed two semi final places every year.

But it is a Kerry and Dublin dominated competition. Ulster and Connacht combined have 30 All Irelands. Dublin has 30 on their own and Kerry has 38.

Dublin were always going to win Leinster so what group they were in doesn't overly matter. Let's take group 2 that's perceived as the strongest group. Tyrone in Croke Park might give them a rattle like Roscommon should but a game Dublin will likely win by a bit to spare. Westmeath away would be next who have about as much of chance of toppling Dublin that Sligo have and finally Armagh would they get as close to Dublin that Kildare did recently? both sides seem to fold when the finishing line is in sight.

In summary they are not the machine they used to be but I'm expecting Dublin to top their group and as a group winner they should make use of the free week advantage over their quarter final opponents so I'm expecting Dublin to bow out at the All Ireland semi final stage for the 3rd year in a row.

Yeah, I don't think dublin can really complain about other teams getting buckets of help

Haha!

The most bitter man on boards.

The ref that day made one of the worst decisions I've ever seen at any grade,John Small lined up from a distance and elbowed Eoghan Maclaughlin in the jaw knocking him out cold and breaking his jaw in 2 places.No action taken but no,youre sh1tting on about some imagined injustice towards Dublin.....

Your subsequent meltdown and disappearance after that match was the funniest thing that's happened on boards in my time here.Only matched by your sheepish reappearance a few weeks later.

No matter what you say or do I'll always remember you for that,I still laugh about it when I see your name pop up on other threads.

Never change Strumms!

Yeah that was the 2016 final if I recall correctly.

Dennis Bastick picked it straight off the ground straight in front of the posts and the ref blew it up for a draw.

If Mayo had been correctly awarded that free then would have scored with the last kick of the game giving them a one point win.

A decision that still grates me!

He is a regular moaner on the trivially annoyed thread too. I picture Abe Simpson in a vintage Dublin 70s jersey.

Dublin have gotten their fair share of the rub of the green during this era especially. One time they lose, and all good runs come to an end, its apparently the referees fault. My gawd.

Dublin are probably barely top 6 are plenty of teams who are theoretically below them could beat Dublin

Kerry - no1 by miles better team better management team - better all round better bench than Dublin

Galway - 2 the best all round team in country when they have everyone fit

Mayo - 3 A panel filled with youth and exuberance - proven manager

Tyrone - 4 could be good again if the players were bothered - better manager than Dessie Farrell though

Derry - 5 - A very hard to beat system - and players fit into that - best midfield in the country

Dublin - 6- as I mentioned in a previous post are all over the shop

Kildare - Monaghan - Roscommon - just to name but three, are well capable/should be capable of beating Dublin on their day. -

So Dublin are really fighting for 9th.

Armagh: - McGeeney manages them so they have no hope wouldn't be afraid of them at all. In a big game I would be fairly confident that McGeeney would make worse decisions, than Dessie Farrell. `I would them 10th.

Donegal - 11th all over the shop - raw material there but seems to be mismanaged -

Cork - 12th should be way higher but they have real potential if they got the right support from their fans county board - and a manager who could whip them into shape. Most Cork people don't even know when there is a football match on.

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CP does become a disadvantage for Dublin you might think I am codding, but I remember the 00's where teams used to swagger in and embrace CP - and Dublin used to fold in it.

It suits 'footballers' brave players - head up - how many 'footballers Dublin have now? How often do Dublin players spread the play and play at pace against top sides. Kerry love CP - Mayo love CP - Derry love CP - Tyrone as well.

There was no talk of the 'advantage' of Croke Park until Dublin became a top side.

Yet Dublin are hanging on to top 6 and likely to slide even more yet CP is supposed to mask their deficiencies? Historically, Croke Park does not help poor Dublin sides, if anything it is more of a hinderance.

If anything I think the DCB should have the Dublin footballers playing in Parnell (yeah I know there would be whinging about tickets etc). But I would be far more confident of this Dublin side if they played their home games in Parnell. Because Parnell Park is a real leveller tight pitch, and would be better able to unsettle the top sides. Crowd close to the pitch it can create a real cauldron atmosphere with about 8000. Yet in CP 30000 looks really empty and hardly puts the fear of God into Dublin opponents.

23 of the 24 games are on Saturdays. Sligo v Kildare is the only one on a Sunday. Dublin have an away trip to play Kildare in Nowlan Park. Their game against Sligo is the neutral venue fixture, could be Croke Park?

Dublin have announced Kildares home game will be in Nowlan Park on June 3rd.

Seems a strange choice on the face of it and yet to be confirmed by the GAA or Kildare.

Very little chance of a fixture clash in Kilkenny compared to the other Leinster counties I would imagine.

Why are Louth playing Cork in Meath. Is their ground out of action ?

Didnt know about that second clause or that Louth's grounds are so small.

I'm pretty sure Newbridge was out of action anyway because of the redevelopment.

I really wish they would announce the round 3 neutral venues but I assume they are holding off to see what the state of play is.