The 2025 All Ireland Senior Football Championship (Sam Maguire Cup)

I don’t know if I am in the minority but I like the introduction of the hooter. Was saying for years should be in the men’s game works brilliantly in the ladies game. And the ladies football they even have the clock counting backwards, so it is even clearer still.

Rule seems common sense in men’s game, once ball goes dead after hooter “sin è”. I am baffled by the fuss. The rule is the same as the ladies game.

I am also loving the two pointers being scored, creates lots of drama. Draws me into matches more that my own county is not even involved in. Annoyingly Dublin are not as consistent at two pointers than other counties it seems.
Anytime I see a two pointer scored from play, (even opponents of my own team)I appreciate the skill of it, and how teams work the shooter into the prime position for the shot.

Better championship than previous ones so far in my view, already. And the new rules definitely have had a positive influence.

I was a spectator yesterday. The game did not end in confusion for me as I knew the rule.

If you think Jim didn't know the rule you are delusional. He is not in the habit of commenting on things that are not directly related to his team.

He did comment.

They were good Galway, moved the ball well under the little pressure put against them and won in probably second gear. We were shocking, continued the lack luster form of the league where we haven't adapted at all the new rules.

Im not a Galway fan, I thought they were OK in recent years but overblown how close they were to actually winning an AI, but they seem to have moved on. PJs backroom team seem to have adapted the game well to the new rules and a lot of big, mobile ball winners around the middle third. Won easily without Walsh or Comer featuring, indeed looked to be more of a balanced unit without them on Sundays evidence.

your spot on Suckler. Canavans medals aren’t a patch on her 4 all Ireland senior medals, 3 senior national leagues, 11 all stars, FAI senior cup medal, professional Aussie rules contracts and record breaking scoring feats down under. Peter was good but he can’t touch that. Well observed but maybe a bit harsh on wee Pete to be comparing them.

If they were won in the same code I'd accept that.

There's still a huge gulf in standards in men's V lady's game today, the lady's game in the mid-90's when she was coming up was atrocious stuff. The fact she was wheeled out for a senior debut at 13 shows how farcical it was. Would a 13 year old boy ever make his debut in a senior intercounty game for the men's code? Not a hope. If you were picking a player for a match at the highest level win you games - would it be Cora Staunton or Peter Canavan? We all know the answer.

She's probably the best ever player to play Ladies Gaelic, and it will take some player to top her achievements in that code; but the men's game is different. Female pundits are just window dressing.

It doesn't matter whether they are male of female. Or what playing career they had. They will always get abuse on these pages. Just two random posts I picked out:

"I much prefer Spillane to the Gooch Cooper who is just too boring like many of the pundits. Colm O'Rourke is there too long. Sean Cavanagh is probably the worst. Incredibly biased, spouts shite regular with varying agendas. Noelle Healey should do Ladies Football not Men's.Since they axe Brolly they've went too far safe in the punditry. And please can we have some pundits that aren't from Kerry, Dublin or Mayo ffs."

"Ger Loughnane is the worst commentator ever. Praises the latest and greatest team, whilst abusing the losing teams. Particularly rough on Kilkenny, Tipp and Cork! Jealousy perhaps? Pat Spillane tries to be funny, but is a boring old man! Brolly tries to be funny but is just a nasty individual who trivializes players and their teams! O’ Rourke somewhat between the two! Ciarán Whelan is a breath of fresh air… knowledgeable and kind! We need more like him!"

I don't spend much time listening to the analysis pre-game or on the Sunday game. It is too rushed, too safe and rarely much insight. I think the TV stations focus on almost entirely ex-players, management as analysts is short-sighted and a bit one-dimensional. The likes of Paul Rouse and Maurice Brosnan bring an awful lot to the examiner podcast and dovetail very nicely with James Horan or Fitzmaurice or whoever else is on with actual experience of playing and managing.

Another loother, how he talked his way into the Carlow job I dunno, wouldn't get within an asses roar of a senior club in Roscommon, let alone a county team. Haven't heard him on media analysis though thankfully.

It would amaze me, but woth Cake, you never know. He was pushing hard to get a gig with the ladies board a few years ago, did manage to wangle his way into some makey up development role part funded by the council or someone but that petered out after a while.

He might put himself forward, but he's not getting near the seniors.

I can't remember any draws being done on the Sunday Game before? Last year the draw took 17 minutes to complete. That would be using up a lot of time on the programme.

Armagh v Tyrone has the ingredients to be a good contest. Not to labour the point - both are already qualified for the All-Ireland series. That bit of an edge is blunted. The carrot of advancing in provincial championships hasn't been drawing great crowds.

Folk would be foolish to think competitiveness has departed the Ulster Championship or between this particular pair Armagh and Tyrone

The real question is if Armagh or Tyrone or Donegal don’t win Ulster but win the Sam how many will remember who won Ulster this year 

…the team that won it will. And that is what matters, not what somebody in Dublin or Cork remembers.

For the most competitive province, there have already been two 10+ hammerings, Donegal 1-25 Derry 1-15 (two Division One teams and a derby no less) and Armagh scoring an eye-watering 1-34 in beating Antrim by eleven.