CHAMPIONS 2009.!!

breaux

Anyone else feel that this years football championship is more widely open than any year previous. Impossible to predict a winner. We're all waiting for Kerry to kick into gear and pull away....don't believe that will happen...too much baggage there with o'connor and the current panel...not a happy harmony...........everyone automatically assumes Cork will take up the mantle in light of their easy win in the replay but i don't think Cork are all they are been hyped up to be and will also fall short. Tyrone haven't a hope.!
I feel that this year we will have an outsider winning the championship....and the most likely of these is Mayo. This is a team that have been rejuvenated under John O'Mahony. Third year under his control and he has rang the changes in more ways than one which needed to be done. What you see with Mayo these days is a different kind of animal than in previous years and no team will want to meet them. My bet for success for this year.Good too at 20 - 1. Put your money down.!!!

Lupo_solitario

And so it Begins !!!!!!!!!!!
Mayo win a match in the championship and Way Hay We are on our way to Croke Park (Fifty years and counting)
Hope springs eternal:):D

Diabhal Beag

Antrim are gonna shock us all folks. One match at a time. OP no mention of Galway

Browney7

breaux wrote: »

Anyone else feel that this years football championship is more widely open than any year previous. Impossible to predict a winner. We're all waiting for Kerry to kick into gear and pull away....don't believe that will happen...too much baggage there with o'connor and the current panel...not a happy harmony...........everyone automatically assumes Cork will take up the mantle in light of their easy win in the replay but i don't think Cork are all they are been hyped up to be and will also fall short. Tyrone haven't a hope.!
I feel that this year we will have an outsider winning the championship....and the most likely of these is Mayo. This is a team that have been rejuvenated under John O'Mahony. Third year under his control and he has rang the changes in more ways than one which needed to be done. What you see with Mayo these days is a different kind of animal than in previous years and no team will want to meet them. My bet for success for this year.Good too at 20 - 1. Put your money down.!!!

I found this post Humorous but the 2 I have in bold.....rofl:D:D

Tyrone have walked Ulster without getting out of first gear. I'd have my money down on them at 2/1 tbh.

As for Mayo, If ye don't play Kerry ye might make some progress but who have Mayo beaten this year?? Oh yeah the perennial all Ireland contenders Roscommon:rolleyes: Well at least they are shooting for the stars I suppose:cool:

O.A.P

breaux wrote: »

What you see with Mayo these days is a different kind of animal than in previous years and no team will want to meet them. My bet for success for this year.Good too at 20 - 1. Put your money down.!!!

Id say your wrong there beraux because every Galway player and fan in the country want to meet them this year. Im sure the Sligo players and fans do too.:p

DB10

I think Cavan will have a good run this year and could even make the all Ireland semi final. Once we dispatch of Antrim and Tyrone that is...:D

The_Kew_Tour

I think its between five teams

Tyrone, Kerry, Cork, Galway and maybe just maybe Mayo's year

DB10

adrian280582 wrote: »

Tyrone

Cavan...:D

lukin

Mayo? Nah, I think they have missed the boat as far as AI's are concerned. Would love to see them do it someday but I don't think it will be this year.

flahavaj

DB10 wrote: »

I think Cavan will have a good run this year and could even make the all Ireland semi final. Once we dispatch of Antrim and Tyrone that is...:D

Oops.:pac:

soccymonster

DB10 wrote: »

I think Cavan will have a good run this year and could even make the all Ireland semi final. Once we dispatch of Antrim and Tyrone that is...:D

ooohh really? :P

davestar

i think tyrone will do it once again , they've breezed through their first two games without hitting top form and I expect them to maul Antrim . Cork are serious all-ireland contenders and I feel they'll reach the final provided they avoid tyrone prior to that . It is too early to comment on Galway yet and although Mayo performed out of this world last weekend , they played a PATHETIC Roscommon team . I the third and fourth stong contenders to be the connaught champions(Mayo or Galway) and of course Kerry . Dublin are worth a mention but as we've all learned in the last 3 or 4 seasons it's a lot of hype without a proper performance past the Leinster final .

verdict:Tyrone

Orizio

Tyrone or Kerry as usual.

davestar

Orizio wrote: »

Tyrone or Kerry as usual.

i dunno bout kerry orizio . . after what your own county did to them . . kerry look burnt out

irishturkey

i like the look of tyrone, they haven't the usual endless list of injuries that they normally have to contend with and the insatiable hunger is only too evident. they're sick of hearing that they aren't a great team because they've never retained an all ireland... i fear 2009 will be their year yet again.

kerry need to sort out they're best 15. i dont think o connor knows who he wants in attack and he has no consistent midfield pairing. its time david moran was given his chance, scanlon cant use his feet to pass the ball, darragh o se's legs wont carry him for 70 mins against a half decent team. i'd take a chance on tommy griffin alongside moran.

mayo... they'll get dizzy once they get past the m50 or if somebody mentions the dreaded words... "kerry" or "all ireland final". although they have a very bright prospect in aidan o shea... who happens to be of kerry decent.

dublin, dublin, dublin... what can you say? they arent as bad as the performance they put up against a poor meath side but they're still short a couple of top class players. no full back, usual problems up front... too many headless chickens and lads seeing their names in the headlines before they've even kicked a ball...

i won't even start on the hurling...

davestar

irishturkey wrote: »

i like the look of tyrone, they haven't the usual endless list of injuries that they normally have to contend with and the insatiable hunger is only too evident. they're sick of hearing that they aren't a great team because they've never retained an all ireland... i fear 2009 will be their year yet again.

kerry need to sort out they're best 15. i dont think o connor knows who he wants in attack and he has no consistent midfield pairing. its time david moran was given his chance, scanlon cant use his feet to pass the ball, darragh o se's legs wont carry him for 70 mins against a half decent team. i'd take a chance on tommy griffin alongside moran.

mayo... they'll get dizzy once they get past the m50 or if somebody mentions the dreaded words... "kerry" or "all ireland final". although they have a very bright prospect in aidan o shea... who happens to be of kerry decent.

dublin, dublin, dublin... what can you say? they arent as bad as the performance they put up against a poor meath side but they're still short a couple of top class players. no full back, usual problems up front... too many headless chickens and lads seeing their names in the headlines before they've even kicked a ball...

i won't even start on the hurling...

your comments on dublin and mayo = genius

soccymonster

I have a feeling cork could do it yet its abit early to be making predictions about cork but taking into account their league form and game against kerry, it seems like they will do well in the championship. They will win sam, i can feel it in me waters :P

irishturkey

oh yeah i forgot to mention about cork.. they seem mentally tougher this year. usually they have to take their chance against kerry or else they throw it away in the replay but thi year there was no sign of them lying down. and with so many big guys in the team they wont fear the nordies although the threat from ulster seems to be limited to tyrone this year. armagh are in transition and donegal are like an enigma, you just dont know what they'll do. but back to cork... i'd make them second favourites and in with a real chance if they can down and dirty with the likes of mcmenamin (thug)

DB10

donegal are an enigma? A enigma slowly dying a painful death more like it..:D

irishturkey

but thats just it... they could get kerry in a qualifier and give them a real good fight, but they could get wicklow and get beaten... one never knows. i mean they have some quality players with colm bonner and michael doherty to name but two

soccymonster

irishturkey wrote: »

oh yeah i forgot to mention about cork.. they seem mentally tougher this year. usually they have to take their chance against kerry or else they throw it away in the replay but thi year there was no sign of them lying down. and with so many big guys in the team they wont fear the nordies although the threat from ulster seems to be limited to tyrone this year. armagh are in transition and donegal are like an enigma, you just dont know what they'll do. but back to cork... i'd make them second favourites and in with a real chance if they can down and dirty with the likes of mcmenamin (thug)

the only reason tyrone win are because of those barbarians that they have on their team.. Cork are going to win so dont worry everyone Haha.. Although they will have to get past the wall of steel that is the limerick footballers in the munster final. :P

irishturkey

my opinion is that of a humble wicklow man, what would i know?? at least thats the reasoning behind my next statement... limerick will put it up to cork in the munster final. i think cork will win, but it wont be a hammering. as i say... a humble wicklow man

netwhizkid

Kildare are a team that people don't even see on the Radar but watch out as there is a Pearl Harbour style attack on its way and expect Dublin's monopoly on Leinster to be broken this year by the lilly whites.

I am still planking my money on the new dark horse Kerry, people have us written off and dead and buried. Expect to see Green and Gold flags in Croker this September and and a good dose of unfortunate Mayoitis for company.

grenache

Every second year, Cork outplay Kerry in a semi final or Munster final. And every second year people say 'oh Cork for the All Ireland'. Now from previous experience one would expect Cork to fall at the penultimate hurdle. Only if they put what they learnt in last years semi and 07's final, into practice, will they actually go and win it. And thats a big if.

Orizio

grenache wrote: »

Every second year, Cork outplay Kerry in a semi final or Munster final. And every second year people say 'oh Cork for the All Ireland'. Now from previous experience one would expect Cork to fall at the penultimate hurdle. Only if they put what they learnt in last years semi and 07's final, into practice, will they actually go and win it. And thats a big if.

Spot on. Cork will **** up IF they get to Croker. Frankly, I can see them going into the Limerick game complacent and full of arrogance, and losing, like they should have done last year.

blackbelt

Netwhizkid makes a good point about Kildare.They could conceivably get to an All Ireland Semi-Final if they do win Leinster and take a major scalp in the quarter finals or qualifiers.A lot of teams won't want to play them and they seem to have changed their gameplan to a happy medium between the Tyrone style of play and the Dublin/Galway/Kerry style of kick diagonal kickpasses into the forward line.However,I think Dublins experience will win out against Kildare provided they beat Westmeath today.Croke Park is Kildares enemy and our friend admittently.

As for Dublin,I wouldn't quite rule us out.This is a changed Dublin side with a new manager,new players and more impressively a team which has 7-8 All Ireland Club Champions between two clubs St Vincents and Kilmacud Crokes.A lot of the team from the Lyons-Caffrey era are still there which means the team is experienced and is obvioulsy knocking on the door of an All Ireland.I don't think we'll win it but ruling Dublin out can be a dangerous thing.

Kerry,I would not write off yet at all.Sure Cork made mince meat of them in the Munster Semi but its an All Ireland Semi or final that matters and Kerry would not go into a game like that and replicate a bad performance as they did against Cork.Kerrys problem is now worse than last years though.Last year their defense was too dodgy to win an all ireland.Subsequently their goalkeeper Diarmuid Murphy was found out as an atrocious goalkeeper.I have only seen a little improvement in their defense but cracks are appearing in other places.Daragh O Se is too old in my opinion to hold down a starting place in midfield and Scanlon is sub-standard for a place on the Kerry panel in my opinion.Meanwhile up front,Kerry are really suffering now.Donaghy's absence and Walsh not fully fit means that Gooch's game is suffering.For far too long he has fed off the tactic of having a target man beside him to catch a high ball and release it to him.He hardly got a sniff of the ball against Cork and seemed to give up in frustration.

Galway are a team a lot of people don't have on the radar.I think they have some quality forwards and midfield is improving a little but against Tyrone,Cork,Dublin and Kerry they'd struggle.Their weak link is defense and certainlyTyrone or Cork at present would expose that.

Cork are a team that I think look more likely to win Sam now that Kerry are struggling.An appearance in the final wouldn't surprise me but I would have to say that they'd probably fall victim to a side like Tyrone or if Kildare get them,they could be victim to an ambush.Cork look really strong now fom 1-15.They are a huge team with plenty of ability and great teamwork.

However,Tyrone look to be the candidate to retain.They aren't necessarily a huge team like the Cork players but their attitude and skill is head and shoulders above every other team.Cavanagh,Dooher,McGuigans,Penrose,Harte,McCullagh,O Neill,McMenamin,McMahon and an in form Mulligan are just too good.

Lemlin

Tyrone.

Dark horses: Cork.

smashey

breaux wrote: »

Tyrone haven't a hope.

How did you arrive at that conclusion?

blackbelt

smashey wrote: »

How did you arrive at that conclusion?

Probably based on an assumption that they'll "peak" too early.

smashey

But they haven't come anywhere near to peaking yet. They're just motoring along nice and quietly until they get out of Ulster.

Forcefield

I think Kerry have a lot to say yet. They don't usually start playing until Croker anyway so its early to be deciding whos who yet.
But I do think Cork have a real chance this year. There is a lot of quality on the panel, lot of the players know each other very well and are used to playing alongside each other.

The CIT also won the Sigursen (sp) cup with a good few of the boys on the current cork panel. Also these boys have u21 titles behind them as well. So I do think there is a lot to come from Cork this year. There is more strength in depth in comparison to 07 and other years. This team has been built over the last number of years.

I reckon they will go to the final, to play whom, I really can't say. Kerry possibly. Yikes

TheSpecialOne

limerick all the way!:D...but seriously we'll give cork a game!but for all ireland it'll be tryone kildare or cork!id say cork just!

davestar

TheSpecialOne wrote: »

limerick all the way!:D...but seriously we'll give cork a game!but for all ireland it'll be tryone kildare or cork!id say cork just!

kildare ??:eek:

TheSpecialOne

yeah yeah have faith!they have impressed me so far this this year...the last four sud end like cork kildare tyrone and mayo!take ure pick ill say cork!

davestar

TheSpecialOne wrote: »

yeah yeah have faith!they have impressed me so far this this year...the last four sud end like cork kildare tyrone and mayo!take ure pick ill say cork!

well if you think bout it they haven't played either of the top leinster teams this year (westmeath , dublin , meath). you are right though , they have impressed . my heart says kildare but my head says dublin .although past the leinster final dublin are all hype , no performance . i've a strong feeling about cork and i'm sure tyrone will go far(all-ireland final) .i'm not ruling out kerry yet but i think they're burnt out and haven't the able bodies this year . i wouldn't be overwhelmed with mayo as they played a dismal roscommon team , we'll see how they do against galway sure . last 4 ...tyrone , cork , connaught champion (mayo/galway) , kerry .

soccymonster

Orizio wrote: »

Spot on. Cork will **** up IF they get to Croker. Frankly, I can see them going into the Limerick game complacent and full of arrogance, and losing, like they should have done last year.

Orizio, you and your mind games. I'm telling ya, do you enjoy saying bad things about you own county..:pac:?
I hope your right about the highlighted area above though ^^^.:D

grenache

Orizio, whether you mean to be or not, you're the funniest man on these boards ;-)

eagle eye

I underestimated Tyrone last year and really it was based on two games, their loss in Ulster and that close run affair with Mayo.

Basically this year I'm not underestimating Tyrone and tbh they look like certainties at this stage.

Kerry needed a good kick up the behind and Cork gave it to them, maybe they will get it together. At their very best they could beat Tyrone but I just can't see them getting there.

Mayo are the dark horses. They have a coach in John O'Mahony who has done it before and I'm not willing to rule them out.

Dublin flatter to deceive every year, personally I believe thats because Leinster football is at its lowest ebb for some time. I can't see them doing it.

Cork are another of those teams that promise a lot but fail to deliver far too often. They have some fine players but I just can't see them doing it either.

Tyrone for me are as certain as it gets. They are crawling through Ulster just doing enough and come mid July they will start to shake the rust off those legs and destroy all around them.

mrgaa1

Tyrone or Armagh will win the all-ireland this year. Reasons - Ulster football is so far ahead of the rest of the pack and Tyrone & Armagh are so far ahead of everyone else in Ulster that its not even funny anymore.
This weekend coming expect Armagh to hammer Monaghan by 8-10points and to do it with ease.
Cork are doing ok but have peaked too early, Kerry are finished, Galway and Dublin are about neck and neck and we won't know how good/bad these teams are until provincial finals are played, Kildare could be the surprise package but after that there is no-one else.

irishturkey

mrgaa1 wrote: »

Tyrone or Armagh will win the all-ireland this year. Reasons - Ulster football is so far ahead of the rest of the pack and Tyrone & Armagh are so far ahead of everyone else in Ulster that its not even funny anymore.
This weekend coming expect Armagh to hammer Monaghan by 8-10points and to do it with ease.
Cork are doing ok but have peaked too early, Kerry are finished, Galway and Dublin are about neck and neck and we won't know how good/bad these teams are until provincial finals are played, Kildare could be the surprise package but after that there is no-one else.

is it just me or am i reading the sun newspaper? armagh to hammer monaghan?, kerry are finished?... bless your cotton socks. you'll learn yet, pray tell what county happens to possess you?

Orizio

davestar wrote: »

i dunno bout kerry orizio . . after what your own county did to them . . kerry look burnt out

Wouldn't agree at all - Kerry will be far stronger after a few hard games and some experimentation through the qualifiers, whereas if Cork get past Limerick I think its clear we have already put in our big performance of the year.

However, after today, I think we can safely put Dublin alongside Tyrone and Kerry as the top tier teams in Gaelic Football.

Orizio

Grenache and soccy, this teasing really isn't funny.

We all have our own unique views, and if I think Limerick are a superior footballing team to Cork, and likewise Offaly a superior hurling team to Cork, can't you simply debate the point rather then taking potshots?

irishturkey

Orizio wrote: »

Wouldn't agree at all - Kerry will be far stronger after a few hard games and some experimentation through the qualifiers, whereas if Cork get past Limerick I think its clear we have already put in our big performance of the year.

However, after today, I think we can safely put Dublin alongside Tyrone and Kerry as the top tier teams in Gaelic Football.

i've held back. i've tried to be reasonable. but eventually you get pushed too far. somebody says something daft and totally ill-thought out. it generally involves dublin being a top tier team when its still june... and all they've done is beat a shockingly bad meath team followed by a worse westmeath team. what evidence makes the dublin team "top tier"?

did i mention just how bad westmeath are? martin flanagan? blatantly unfit. dessie dolan as a sub... if he can play at all he should be starting. denis glennon... sign up for mayo... shocking. the goalposts are 20 yards away from where you're aiming.

im going to seem like a prophet of doom now but dublin need to totally ignore the press now and concentrate, concentrate on kildare, otherwise they will beat you, and beat you on merit. they are no bad team. meath should have made dublin realise how bad they can be, westmeath should have made dublin realise they can be a great team... with the right application.

cork are being written off way too quickly here. fair enough in the past they may have choked but in the past kerry have always taken them in the replay... not this time. this is a new cork team, mentally tougher, they'll take a hammering before they realise the game is out of reach

LeoB

I think Cork will come really close. They are a good side all round and they have a strong panel. Couinhan has brought them on to a new level and while they lost some big games over the last few years they look much better equiped for the big stage now than they have in many years. I would rate them joint favs with Tyrone and Armagh. If Armagh sort out getting the ball moving a little quicker out of defence they will be hard to beat.

And Kildare I think are Favourites for Leinster. They are on the crest of a wave and playing really good football. They could certainly have a big say in where the Sam McGuire sits in September.

Erin Go Brath

Orizio wrote: »

Grenache and soccy, this teasing really isn't funny.

We all have our own unique views, and if I think Limerick are a superior footballing team to Cork, and likewise Offaly a superior hurling team to Cork, can't you simply debate the point rather then taking potshots?

Cork who've been promoted to Division 1, beat Kerry and are playing some of the best football around at the moment haven't a hope against the might of Division 4 bound Limerick alright. If thats your view, i'd say its pretty unique alright.

Erin Go Brath

I'd rate the teams most likely to win the football in the following order:
1) Tyrone
2) Kerry
3) Dublin
4) Cork

I fancy Tyrone to win the All-Ireland again.

corny

mrgaa1 wrote: »

Tyrone or Armagh will win the all-ireland this year. Reasons - Ulster football is so far ahead of the rest of the pack and Tyrone & Armagh are so far ahead of everyone else in Ulster that its not even funny anymore.
This weekend coming expect Armagh to hammer Monaghan by 8-10points and to do it with ease.
Cork are doing ok but have peaked too early, Kerry are finished, Galway and Dublin are about neck and neck and we won't know how good/bad these teams are until provincial finals are played, Kildare could be the surprise package but after that there is no-one else.

Armagh don't hammer teams and i could name you 5 or 6 teams they'd be comfortably beaten by.

K-9

I see this year as a copy of 08 in one way, Kerry need the qualifiers to get the team settled, same for Tyrone last year. Tyrone don't need that this year. Kerry need the Qualifiers but not an easy run, 1/2 decent counties. An Armagh or Derry maybe.

Strangely enough I'd fancy Cork more against Tyrone than Kerry. Obviously no past history to go on, well except Kerrys' :eek: but I think Tyrone would struggle.

It's between Kerry, Tyrone and Cork. That's it. Dark horses Derry if they sort out the discipline problems. The talent is there.

There's a bunch of counties still left in the Championship proper that an AI SF is their limit this year. Dublin, Mayo, Kildare and Galway.

Q/F's depend on luck of the draw. Maybe Armagh, Donegal (just as likely Carlow beating us), Monaghan.

Orizio

did i mention just how bad westmeath are? martin flanagan? blatantly unfit. dessie dolan as a sub... if he can play at all he should be starting. denis glennon... sign up for mayo... shocking. the goalposts are 20 yards away from where you're aiming.

I agree about Flanagan's performance, very poor but not about the other two. Glennon and Dolan are two of the best forwards in the country and yet had little to no impact today - what does that say about Dublin's defence? Individually they were very sharp, very quick and on top of their men everytime their Westmeath opponent touched the ball. As a unit, they defended in packs, often 4 or 5 men chasing done one Westmeath man, and they kept playing to the end even when the came was finished. It was, in my humble opinion, a defence that could carry an often inconsistent attack to an All-Ireland.

I may add that Dublin have a unique trump card - Paul Griffin, and his frankly fabolous accent. They produce the best of the best and the toughest of the toughest in Blackrock, and clearly Griffin, with his intelligent and commanding upper class accent, is a captain who will shame and humilitiate the low brow peasants of Cork, Kerry and Tyrone.

cork are being written off way too quickly here. fair enough in the past they may have choked but in the past kerry have always taken them in the replay... not this time. this is a new cork team, mentally tougher, they'll take a hammering before they realise the game is out of reach

I think you are being rather short-sighted - Cork have repeatedly beaten Kerry in Munster over the last few years, and have then been repeatedly out-played by them in Croker, nevermind the fact that we haven't been Tyrone and Dublin in Croker for years. In fact, we haven't beaten an Ulster team of note in Croker for years now, or any team from any other province for that matter.

What will happen is that we will draw Kerry yet again in an All-Ireland quarter or semi, and this time Kerry will have the twin towers back, and Kerry will double team Pearse O'Neill. Game over.

And even if by some miracle we manage to get over Kerry, what will we do against Dublin's pace and intensity or even worse, Tyrone's swarm defense?

df1985

watch out for kildare.im not saying theyll win it but they could knock some of the favourites out along the way.dublin first!

Orizio

Erin Go Brath wrote: »

I'd rate the teams most likely to win the football in the following order:
1) Tyrone
2) Kerry
3) Dublin
4) Cork

I fancy Tyrone to win the All-Ireland again.

I'd largely agree with this, although I'd put Kildare equal to Cork after their Laois rout.