When is the sam maguire cup

On Frid Tyrone have pulled out of the All-Ireland championship. According to a statement from the county on Saturday morning, its management committee decided Bear with me a moment as I start off by digressing a little. The mether — or madder — as it is also known, is an ancient cup with four sides and three to four handles, unique to Celtic cultures.

The name i When the final whistle blew on the recent All-Ireland football final replay, and history was made as Dublin became the first team to win the Sam Magui Donegal Meath After 20 minutes or so of the Allianz League Division 2 final, the thought lingered that we might just have a semi-compe With the Allianz Football League about to start, it is worth recalling that the New Ireland Cup, which will be presented to the winners in April, cele In fact the current players who won the All-Ireland for Tyrone this year were schoolchildren when the Sam Maguire Cup was won back in the noughties and were inspired by the feats of those great men.

GAA administrator Cuthbert Donnelly was Sam's guardian and constant travelling companion when Tyrone won their previous All-Irelands in , and , and will perform the role again this year.

However, managers Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher have already turned their attentions to a concerted bid to retain the title next year. The county chairman said: "Everybody has an opportunity to see these players gracing the pitch in their own clubs. If it's half as good as it was last year, it will be a great, great season of championship football. Northern Ireland news. Talking point : Can they improve defensively? The Kingdom were torn open at the back by Dublin in Thurles last month, conceding four goals.

While they boast a top-class attack, the Munster side need to shore up defensively if they are to claim the Sam Maguire Cup for the first time since Key player: Paddy Durcan. The flying half-back is key to Mayo's game-plan. The westerners like to pour forward in numbers and with pace, and the Castlebar Mitchels is a player who can punch holes in the opposition defence. League form : Mayo affirmed what many believed ahead of the National League - that they are an out-and-out Division 1 team.

Their relegation to the second tier proved little more than a temporary inconvenience, as they swatted aside Down, Westmeath, Meath and Clare to seal a swift return to Division 1.

Talking point : Do they possess enough firepower in Cillian O'Connor's absence? The Ballintubber star's injury is a cruel blow, and they may have to plan without their marksman for the entire summer. Is it a loss with which they can cope? They remain favourites to retain the Nestor Cup, but they would then face a step-up with Dublin likely lying in wait for the Connacht champions in the All-Ireland semi-final.

As Mayo have learned in recent years, they will need everything to go right if they are to bring down the Dubs. James Horan has brought in several young stars. Key player : Michael Murphy. The Glenswilly star comes into the summer off the back of a hamstring injury sustained while in action against Monaghan. They reached the semi-final, where they fell to Dublin.

Talking point : Can they get back to an All-Ireland semi-final? It is difficult to fathom that a team of Donegal's standard has not reached the penultimate stage of the championship since Under Declan Bonner, they fell in the Super 8s in both and , and tripped up in last year's Ulster final.

Regaining the Anglo-Celt Cup must be considered a minimum requirement this season. Key player: Ronan McNamee. Given the manner in which the National League ended, defence will be key for Tyrone. McNamee was given the unenviable task of marshalling David Clifford in Killarney, and will be their go-to defender to keep tabs on opposition danger-men throughout the summer.