Has anybody noticed how we always play Galway and Dublin early in the league every year?

The big problem with the schedule is of course the July finals- completely wrong time for AI finals. It kills the profile of the championship and there are too many games in too short a time period. Also, the shorter time period puts pressure on families to pay for a lot of games in such a short period - it’s not cheap attending matches what with the cost of tickets and other miscellaneous expenses e.g. food.

Surely the GAA can play AI quarter finals etc. in provincial grounds in August to facilitate September finals. Croke Park is too big for most matches anyhow which results in a lack of atmosphere. We badly need to get back to September finals and don’t think the scheduling has anything to do with clubs….it’s the concerts stupid!

When is a competition not a competition? Answer- when nobody wants to win it. That’s the national league now unfortunately- a series of games where you avoid relegation and prioritise the championship.

Willie Joe. I just looked at the Gaa Master fixture list. The Dublin game is 1.30pm.

Mayo gaa have it down for 1.45pm on there press release

@Spotlight. Its true for you. Its crazy having so many matches is this short time span. No team is interested in winning the league anymore. The teams just want to maintain their division 1 status. After league we are straight into championship with no time to enjoy wins,instead we are rushing headlong into the next game. I am finding it hard to summon enthusiasm with the short time span betweem games.

On the floodlight issue - it's a shambles that the floodlights in castlebar haven't been fixed since storm Eowyn.

The National Football Leagues get underway on the weekend of January 24/25.
The National Football League finals will take place on March 28/29
its just to cramped - especially with sigerson on also

The current Div 1 starts slow, accelerates from rd 3-6 and then round 7 everyone pulls up the hand break to avoid the final
reducing it by 1/2 rounds and increasing the no of teams you can play would mix it up a bit.

The league would be better served as a Div 1A and 1B (6 teams in each) with finals and relegation play offs
A Div1NW of Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Donegal, Tyrone, Derry
Div 1SE of Kerry, Cork, Dublin, Meath, Monaghan, Armagh

Then change the draw it the following year to mix it up
Div1 East of Westmeath, Derry, Down, Armagh, Dublin, Meath,
Div 1 West of Kerry, Cork, Galway, Mayo, Tyrone, Donegal,

I've no idea which throw-in time is correct for that game, Paddyjoe. I've just checked the Dublin GAA website now and they've no details at all on next year's League fixtures.

I'd tend to agree with others about the congested fixture list. The split season is too short to run both the League and Championship, there are simply too many games in too short a timespan. Supporters' interests definitely weren't taken into account and it's little wonder that fans are picking and choosing which games to go to as it's not possible for most to make every game.

I like that idea about returning to Division 1A and 1B, it's something I've long been saying myself. Having a Division One which is simultaneously dog-eat-dog while also being something everyone is trying to avoid getting caught in a final of, is a competition which has clearly lost its way completely. Make it a more relaxed start to the year instead, building up to the real business of the year in the Championship, and it might prove better all round. If they could revert to week-on, week-off for games that would be even better.

Spot on @Spotlight. Bring back the 3rd week in September.

I kinda like the games every 2nd week idea but dislike how most teams try to avoid the league final though i fully see their reasons. Wouldn't it make you wonder what the people in control of the fixtures are thinking. Fair enough they can say time is their biggest enemy but come on it's obvious at this stage that it's not working and they're belittling the 2nd biggest competition of the year.

The league would be a great competition if there was no league final and the team on top after the 7 games are the winners. You would have a great last round of games with some teams going for a league win and others playing to avoid relegation. It's the obvious solution

SMExile, I agree with your sentiment and you could play the last round of the league in Croke Park and make it a bumper weekend especially if titles/relegation was on the line. CP would be full house.

Agree with above. Drop league final and make it a level playing field for championship

Agree with the no league final bit. The team that finishes top of the league wins the league. However the GAA and the sponsors are in favour of a weekend of league finals. I wouldn’t have a problem with that if the championship started later. I still think the league is a good competition it’s just undermined by teams not wanting to qualify for final. The split season was designed to give certainty to club players and there is no doubt but that the majority of club players and indeed county players are in favour of it. They know exactly when their championship starts etc. But I still think there are lots of downsides. A county player whose club does well in the championship has very little downtime For example the St Bridget’s players will pretty much have no break at all.Even if you get to Co Final it’s not played til late October/ early November and you’re back at Co training almost straight away, For ordinary club players they seem to start training in January with no meaningful game until at least August. Then probably 3 in 4 weeks and half the clubs are out of the championship. It really is a dilemma and obviously difficult to get the right balance. I am a traditionalist. I liked the All Irelands in September. Having your county out of championship before summer has even started is dreadful but in the last few years we have made early exits and while I still enjoy the remainder of the championship once your own county is gone it’s not the same

Some talk on the ground here in Dublin of a few mayo seniors transferring to clubs here for 2026.
I won't break the house rules by mentioning names until they go through, but im sure they will become apparent soon as Dublin transfer window open now

It is very difficult to restore lights, underlying cause of the problem have to be sorted ,not just on the lights that fell but on all lights ,for insurance purposes.
It has taken many years in some venues.

Willie Joe, will you update the 2026 fixtures on top of your screen when you can.

I'm delighted the FBD is back and this time next month football Sundays are back so looking forward to seeing new faces for Mayo.
Well done to Kiltimagh hopefully they can go all the way.
Claremorris winning the U21 A congratulations but it's amazing that it's 1971 since Claremorris last claim the MoClair Cup.

Has there been any update on the time and venue for the Offaly charity game on Sunday, December 21? Is it still going ahead? It seems unusual that, with only two weeks to go and especially so close to Christmas no other details have been announced if the goal is to maximise attendance.

Mayo v Kerry on Sat March the 14th is at the earlier time of 4pm.

Might be worth look at accommodation now.

New pod just up on Patreon, this one a winter's tale about Mayo's lost All-Ireland of 1925.