Photo: MichaelMaye.com
Ready to go again? Stupid question, I know – of course you are.
With that in mind, then, no better time to start thinking about the New Year and a whole new year of football action. Every year the fun starts with the FBD League matches in January and so it’s wholly appropriate that the first batch of 2018 fixtures to be revealed are these pre-season ones.
Next year, though, the FBD comes with a welcome twist. The third level college teams have been booted out (not before time too, in my opinion) and so the format reverts to the round-robin system that, if I’m not mistaken, pertained when the tournament first started up in the mid-Nineties.
So with the five counties involved, it means we’ll all get four pre-season matches against county opposition as a warmer-upper ahead of the start of the League in February. Because five teams are in the round robin, each of them has to take turns sitting out for one round of games. For us this occurs in Round 1, which, I’m sure, works well because of holiday plans and all that.
Our campaign starts with a tasty home match against Galway on Sunday, 7th January and then we’ve another home match – against Leitrim – on the following Wednesday (10th), which presumably will be under the MacHale Park lights. The Sunday after (14th) we’re away to Roscommon – the delights of Kiltoom, perhaps, beckoning once more for us in that one? – and then our final match is away to Sligo the Sunday after that (21st).
The top top teams in the table after the round-robin series will contest the final. That’ll be played in February.
Details of the 2018 FBD fixtures, as well as next year’s Connacht championship at U17 level – which is also being run off on a round-robin format – are here.
By the way, now that your attention is focused on next year’s action you’ll no doubt be interested to know that, to coincide with the recent launch of Mayo GAA TV, Mayo GAA are giving away a Cairde Mhaigheo 2018 season ticket. Details on this competition are here.
What is the story with college players? Will Adam Gallagher, for example, now be ok to line out for Mayo?
I think 4 inter county games is a great pre season and a great chance for some of the more fringe players
The interest in Mayo football currently is staggering. On the Club 51 Facebook page the reaction was ridiculous to the fixture info.
People excited for the FBD League – in October!!
Mental! Long may it continue!
That’s looking good,a great way to get into the new season roll on hon Mayo.
I wonder will Mayo GAA be increasing the number of Cairde tickets for 2018? If they released 10,000, there’d still be demand I’d say!
I found the low from the All-Ireland much worse this year – I was so gutted for days, really devastated. But I must say the optimism and enthusiasm has returned faster than other years. I suppose it’s down to how this team have proven themselves repeatedly and played so brilliantly in the final, that you couldn’t help but look forward to watching them run out again.
When do the league fixtures come out ?
I’m just after seeing there now, Mayo GAA tv have a like & share comp for a 2018 cairde season ticket. Posted 3 hrs ago and has already got 2.7K shares and 800 comments. Says it all about the demand!!
Soon enough, Paulie – they tend to come out (or be leaked) in draft form sometime in October. Usually by Hallowe’en all the next year’s fixtures – FBD, League, Connacht championship – are out there publicly. No time for looking back, just as well!
The game against the Rossies will more likely by played in the Hyde. It will be another month before NFL fixtures will be made public. Round 1 will be played 27th/28 of Jan i believe.
Can’t wait for the fbd this year I can’t help feeling there’s something great around the corner for this fantastic mayo team. Let’s hope we see the present club performances rewarded with mayo jersys in the fbd and league Theres loads of footballers who can step up for mayo if given the chance
https://www.thesun.ie/sport/gaa-football/1661873/dublin-double-header-to-kick-things-off-as-national-hurling-and-football-league-2018-fixtures-revealed/amp/
Right on cue! This leaked one has the following
Monaghan away 27.1
Kerry Home 3.2 sat
Galway away 11.2
Dublin home 24.2 sat
Kildare away 4.3
Tyrone home St Patrick’s day, sat
Donegal away 25.3
The U17s is a great change. Guaranteed minimum of four games in a round Robin. Five games if you finish in the top two and make the Connaught final. It will prepare the Connaught teams much better for their quarter finals.
Underage is about developing players and gaining experience. A much better format than potentially one and done as it was in the old format.
It would be brilliant if the same format is adopted for the U20s. It is during the summer so young players will be fresh and hungry for football.
NFL DIVISION 1
Round 1: Saturday, Jan 27th: Dublin v Kildare; Sunday, January 28th: Galway v Tyrone, Kerry v Donegal, Monaghan v Mayo
Round 2: Saturday February 3rd: Mayo v Kerry, Tyrone v Dublin; Sunday, February 4th: Donegal v Galway, Kildare v Monaghan
Round 3: Saturday February 10th: Dublin v Donegal; Sunday February 11th: Galway v Mayo, Kildare v Tyrone, Monaghan v Kerry
Round 4: Saturday February 24th: Mayo v Dublin, Monaghan v Tyrone; Sunday February 25th: Donegal v Kildare, Kerry v Galway
Round 5: Saturday March 3rd: Dublin v Kerry, Tyrone v Donegal; Sunday March 4th: Galway v Monaghan, Kildare v Mayo
Round 6: Saturday March 17th: Mayo v Tyrone; Sun, March 18th: Galway v Dublin, Kerry v Kildare, Monaghan v Donegal
Round 7: Sunday Mar 25th: Donegal v Mayo, Dublin v Monaghan, Kildare v Galway, Tyrone v Kerry
Some great matches ahead in League and mouth watering games in Castlebar. Barely thawing out after 17th Sept…but hope springs eternal. Jersey Day today-wore the red and green with Pride!! All we need now is Stephen R and backroom team to commit to another year
Great games ahead but the lack of imagination in devising a fixture list is frustrating.
Basically substitute the promoted teams for the relegated teams and reverse home and away from last year and we go again with the same schedule.
Word of warning.
We will be slow starters. Other teams will have advantage on us of preparation and focus. Go for broke with newbies and fringe players is my advice Stephen. Are you listening?
Agree Catcol ..that’s what the FBD is for , giving lads a chance to prove themselves … Honestly reckon ya might see none of the players that featured in the all Ireland bar 1 or 2 see any FBD action for first few rounds .
PS …re league …same as always …stay up but have to get newbies playing against top opposition
Glad to see the colleges not in the FBD. Those four matches will be an ideal opportunity to try out some new players. The league will as always be very competitive with a small difference between a relegation battle and competing for a top two spot .
Would be great to see Mayo win all ireland
Need to get half forwards scoring