The GAA All Ireland Senior Football Championship started at the weekend with nine of the 34 competing counties already eliminated from their Provincial Championships and the make-up of the Sam Maguire and the Tailteann Cups starting to have pieces put into place.
New York and London will be in the latter after defeats to Mayo and Galway in the Connacht Championship. Neither would have hoped for more than a competitive game but that does not lessen the importance of their inclusion at this level.
The Mayo fans who gathered from across the US and across the Atlantic certainly made the most of their trip to the Big Apple, regardless of the threat of an earthquake, as can be seen above in their takeover of Times Square.
Elsewhere there were shocks a plenty.
Waterford won their first Munster Championship game since 2010 in beating Tipperary at Fraher Park and now progress toi a Munster Semi-Final clash with Clare. The winner of that will be assured of a spot in the Sam Maguire via getting to their provincial final, an outcome that puts Louth’s participation in the top-flight Championship at risk.
Cork beat Limerick at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh to secure their semi-final against Kerry.
Westmeath secured promotion to Division Two of the Allianz League but were caught out by Wicklow, themselves relegated to Division Four but now facing Kildare in the Quarter Finals of the Leinster Championship.
Wexford beat Carlow and Meath beat Longford in Leinster as well, their two games producing a total haul of 10 goals and 58 points so plenty of entertainment there.
There was also a shock in Clones as Cavan beat Monaghan in the Ulster Championship.
Sport for Business Perspective:
The narrative for this season’s Championship is that it is a 16-week tour de force and while some will still bemoan that fact that it all happens too quickly, the reality is that the split season has been popular amongst the players, managers and clubs that make up the Association and it is very much here to stay.
That being the case we should lean into it and embrace the dramas that will be happening up and down the country each weekend.
All-Ireland Champions Dublin are in action next weekend against Meath while Wexford and Wicklow will be hoping to continue their stories at the expense of Kildare and Louth in Leinster. They are part of a six-strong slate of matches in the Senior Football Championship while there are nine games on the cards in the Nicky Ring and Loey Meagher competitions for those below the top level in Hurling.
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