Who will win the All-Ireland SFC?

Stinicker

Give us your opinion, things are coming to a boil nicely now and I think it is time to nail the colors to the mast. Half of the teams are now gone and it will be interesting to see where it all ends up

Discuss.

Mountainlad

Port Láirge gan amhras!

Fireball07

Kildare

I think Kerry will, they have the best forward line and I think by August/September they'll be hitting top form.

Kildare are my darker horses. Can't call them true dark horses but I think they have a great chance.

The_Kew_Tour

Down

I think Kildare have what it takes.

I hope its Cork but to loose their 2 best young footballers will be tough.

Of course Kerry will be hard to beat too, but I just have a hunch for Kildare

Syferus

Antrim

Honestly if it isn't my own county I want it to be Killdare. Not only do they look ominously good this year but Dermot Earley, Snr and Jr, have meant there's a bit of a bond between Roscommon and Kildare and particularly so in my locality which is where Dermot is from. Indeed the only regret I'd have if Kildare won this year would be that Dermot Earley Jr wouldn't get the All-Ireland medal both he and his father so clearly deserve.

blowitupref

Kerry

Like last year Cork will recover from the Kerry defeat to win the All Ireland. Kildare are the real up in coming team however they are still a level below the likes of Dublin,Cork & Kerry.

keane2097

Kildare

Kerry are certainties imo.

Beat a Cork team that is worse for wear after that game while missing possibly our best back and probably the best forward in the game.

Add to that Scanlon to come back to bolster the midfield options and they're going to be pretty much untouchable unless something fairly bizarre happens.

tossy

Kerry

blowitupref wrote: »

Kildare are the real up in coming team however they are still a level below the likes of Dublin,Cork & Kerry.

Are Kildare really a level below Dublin ? i think our come back against them while down a man and their subsequent performance against Wexford prove otherwise in my eyes.

Anyway as a Kildare man i voted for Cork,of course i'd love to see us win it but my head says Cork.I hope its wrong and my heart is right

keane2097 wrote: »

Beat a Cork team

Same the Cork team they also beat last year.......

corny

Kildare

The Kildare resurgence is really overstated in my view. Outplayed poor Laois and Meath teams but lost again when it mattered to Dublin.

I voted for Kerry anyway. Think they have it in them to take the game away from every team in the country. Cork, Tyrone and Dublin in that order have what it takes if it falls right for them on the day.

rossie1977

Kildare

kerry in that first half against cork looked unbeatable, i think the best chance for the others is to hope they get tired on a hot day or something at this stage

keane2097

Kildare

tossy wrote: »

Same the Cork team they also beat last year.......

The same Cork team that has been trying and failing to knock Kerry out of the championship for a decade, only without several of their most talented players now.

What's your point?

keane2097

Kildare

rossie1977 wrote: »

kerry in that first half against cork looked unbeatable, i think the best chance for the others is to hope they get tired on a hot day or something at this stage

Fitness is a potential issue for them, but if they can avoid injuries and suspensions and the injured players get back to fitness as expected the panel should be deep enough to cover it.

crebel81

Kerry

keane2097 wrote: »

The same Cork team that has been trying and failing to knock Kerry out of the championship for a decade, only without several of their most talented players now.

Oh, I love this Cork Kerry rivalry . Well we have beat Kerry but due to the qualifiers we havent knocked ye out of the championship...YET....lets just wait and see how Cork get on in the next game.

They were asleep against kerry in the 1st half and showed some sign of the team that won the AI in the second half.

The 2 lads are a big loss, no doubt.

Galvin being the best forward in the country though is laughable...a very good player yes, but IMO not the best...look at Brogan, Bradley, Gooch etc.

I would fear Kildare the most...from watching them the last 2 years they have really impressed and have been let down by some bad refereeing decisions.

Fandango

Kerry

Obviously hope Dublin do it but if not us, would love to see one of the 2nd tier teams do it. Nothing at all against the Kerrys and Corks etc but rarely a team comes from behind to take it. Anytime it does happen its usually an off form top tier team who come back strong so a surprise is well overdue. As for who i think (instead of hope) will win it, have to go with Cork again tbh. Could get caught on the hop by Kerry as they are a team that tend to grow into the championship but so do Cork and i think they are stronger at their peak. Dublin could pull a surprise on both but only if we improve dramatically in the next few weeks. Kildare again could but alot of improvement needed also. So Cork for me, Kerry slightly behind that and Dublin/Kildare a bit behind again.

aidan24326

Kildare

The 3 people that voted for Limerick, have you been drinking heavily all day or something? Limerick have no chance at all of winning the All-Ireland.

I think it will be Kerry.

keane2097

Kildare

crebel81 wrote: »

Galvin being the best forward in the country though is laughable...a very good player yes, but IMO not the best...look at Brogan, Bradley, Gooch etc.

I would fear Kildare the most...from watching them the last 2 years they have really impressed and have been let down by some bad refereeing decisions.

derp

tossy

Kerry

keane2097 wrote: »

The same Cork team that has been trying and failing to knock Kerry out of the championship for a decade, only without several of their most talented players now.

What's your point?

My point is it's mid July Kerry are still Munster champions and Cork are still all Ireland champions so i wouldn't be getting carried away just yet.As for knocking Kerry out of championship proper who cares,as a Kildare man i'd gladly suffer the indignity of being hammered by Laois or Dublin in the 1st round of the championship every year if we finished the year as all Ireland champions.

keane2097

Kildare

tossy wrote: »

My point is it's mid July Kerry are still Munster champions and Cork are still all Ireland champions so i wouldn't be getting carried away just yet.As for knocking Kerry out of championship proper who cares,as a Kildare man i'd gladly suffer the indignity of being hammered by Laois or Dublin in the 1st round of the championship every year if we finished the year as all Ireland champions.

Kerry will beat Cork by 5 points plus if we meet them again this year.

Browney7

Kildare

aidan24326 wrote: »

The 3 people that voted for Limerick, have you been drinking heavily all day or something? Limerick have no chance at all of winning the All-Ireland.

I think it will be Kerry.

It wasn't me but they must have been out with the Waterford and Wicklow voters and got caught into a round ha.

If the Kerry lads can resist the urge to get themselves suspended they should do it. Darren O'Sullivan is on form and Declan O'Sullivan is motoring well and with Cooper inside and Galvin out around the middle of the field cleaning up the dirty ball they are only going to get better.

rpurfield

Donegal

voted meath for the craic but seriously think its between dublin and cork

Pride Fighter

Derry

I believe Tyrone will. They'll want to do it for Michaela Hart, who was so tragically taken from them. They'll win it or die on their shields trying.

tossy

Kerry

keane2097 wrote: »

Kerry will beat Cork by 5 points plus if we meet them again this year.

If you are wondering why i thanked your post it is to make it easier to find when i go looking for it later in the year

aidan24326

Kildare

Pride Fighter wrote: »

I believe Tyrone will. They'll want to do it for Michaela Hart, who was so tragically taken from them. They'll win it or die on their shields trying.

That Tyrone team of 2003-2008 won't win another All-Ireland. Dooher is nearly finished, O'Neill is always injured and Cavanagh hasn't played well for two years now. The likes of Conor Gormley, Phillip Jordan etc they're still good players but they had their time in the sun and it's very unlikely they'll come back and win another one at this stage. They're heading towards a rebuilding phase now but they do have good young players coming through alright.

(and of course I may look foolish when September comes for saying that, but I doubt it).

Kojak

Kildare

Kerry are in pole positon imo. Cork have suffered 2 major injuries in O'Neill and Sheehan. Also, for whatever reason, they still don't know the best positions for their starting 15.

Fitness would be Kerry's biggest problem - they have a huge amount of mileage on the clock and would find it extremely difficult if they were to, say, playe Kildare who must be the fittest team in the country.

If Kildare can keep the wides down, they would be my second favourites to win Sam after Kerry purely on the basis of their extreme levels of fitness and solving the wides issue (which to be fair to them, they solved spectacularly against Laois).

Colm R

Tyrone

I went with Dublin. Can't see us (Cork) getting there but stranger things have happened.

Of course, Kerry, they haven't gone away you know. I was going to vote for them, but for some technical glitch, its not possible for me to do so

keane2097

Kildare

tossy wrote: »

If you are wondering why i thanked your post it is to make it easier to find when i go looking for it later in the year

I've given my opinion, if it turns out to be wrong and you want to come along and rub salt in the wounds in September time you're entitled to I suppose. I'm not worried about it coming to pass too much anyway.

Kojak wrote: »

Fitness would be Kerry's biggest problem - they have a huge amount of mileage on the clock and would find it extremely difficult if they were to, say, playe Kildare who must be the fittest team in the country.

Are Kildare that fit or are they just well rested after sleeping till half time? If Kildare met Kerry and both teams play to form there could be 15 points between them after 35 minutes.

Do Kerry have much more mileage than Cork for example? Think that's a bit of a red herring tbh, there's experience in some vital areas of the team, infused with a lot of great young players.

aidan24326

Kildare

keane2097 wrote: »

Are Kildare that fit or are they just well rested after sleeping till half time? If Kildare met Kerry and both teams play to form there could be 15 points between them after 35 minutes.

I agree with you there. Whatever about Kildare solving the wides issue they need to sort out the slow starts. They got away with the slow starts so far because the opposition weren't good enough to really punish them. But start like that against Kerry and well, they mightn't be as much as 15 pts down at halftime but they'd be in trouble that's for sure. Probably be in trouble after 20 minutes never mind 35.

McGeeney is a shrewd coach though and he wouldn't need to be told about the dangers of a slow start against Kerry and how they can blitz you in the first 15 or 20 minutes, so I'm sure he's have them well prepared.

hisholinessnb

tossy wrote: »

Are Kildare really a level below Dublin ? i think our come back against them while down a man and their subsequent performance against Wexford prove otherwise in my eyes.

It was Dublin that were a man down, not Kildare.
So your point is that despite Dublin winning even with a man down, this proves they are not above Kildare??

Bizzare logic.

I actually think they are very close level wise, and would not be surprised to see either county lift Sam. But if I was a betting man I'd go Cork or Kerry.

The Wexford game was a poor game, but Dublin pulled through. I wouldn't dwell on it. Sure Cork where within a whisker of defeat to Limerick in the back door last year, it took some last gasp stuff to pull them through a bad performance. This did'nt set the tone for the rest of their season and I'm surprised so many people think the Wexford game sets the tone for Dublins.

Most counties who win an all Ireland can pick out some poor performances along the way, but once they keep winning the quality of the performances matter very little.

keane2097

Kildare

I think there's more to the Dublin/Wexford game than just an off-day tbh.

For me, it confirmed a suspicion I've had for a while that Dublin - the Brogans ~= Wexford.

Granted, they have the Brogans and so are usually >>>> Wexford, but they're pretty much done if they come up against a decent team who have a back capable of keeping Bernard Brogan quiet.

corny

Kildare

hisholinessnb wrote: »

The Wexford game was a poor game, but Dublin pulled through. I wouldn't dwell on it. Sure Cork where within a whisker of defeat to Limerick in the back door last year, it took some last gasp stuff to pull them through a bad performance. This did'nt set the tone for the rest of their season and I'm surprised so many people think the Wexford game sets the tone for Dublins.

Me too but sure most people are like that. I remember i was in Thurles in 09 watching the hurling and in a pub afterwards watching the draw for the football quarter finals. Dublin V Kerry was announced and a loud cheer went around from the Dublin supporters (i was the only one distraught:)) because Kerry had struggled to a win against Sligo the week previous week and were considered in poor form. Anyway we all know what happened the following week!

Moral of the story don't read too much into one performance.

keane2097

Kildare

corny wrote: »

Me too but sure most people are like that. I remember i was in Thurles in 09 watching the hurling and in a pub afterwards watching the draw for the football quarter finals. Dublin V Kerry was announced and a loud cheer went around from the Dublin supporters (i was the only one distraught:)) because Kerry had struggled to a win against Sligo the week previous week and were considered in poor form. Anyway we all know what happened the following week!

Moral of the story don't read too much into one performance.

I misread your post there and thought you were talking about the time we played out an epic draw with my former clubman and all-time great Vinnie Murphy the hero off the bench to rescue the Dubs!

I really hope Kerry and Dublin meet this year, it's such a brilliant occasion. I don't think there's anything in the GAA to match it.

millhouse11

Tyrone

i dont buy into this kildare thing at all, this is a county with no tradition, they have won just two leinster titles since 1956 yes 1956, no all ireland since 1928, dont think they ever won the league and never wow a minor all ireland ,a mid table division 2 team like ourselves,limited teams like ourselves and kildare just dont win all irelands,if we remember the dublin game, they were cruising untill that late goal went in ,even with the man down. because of the fack that kildare dont win anything they tend to be popular hence the sympathy vote, the bookies are seldom wrong its kerry cork and dubs in that order with the rest way behind.

keane2097

Kildare

What Kildare have are a handful of good players (one or two excellent players) and an extremely good backroom team.

In football, that is usually enough to make a team competitive for the most part, without being enough to really make you a serious contender for the Championship.

A pretty good illustration of this would be Mick O'Dwyer's Laois, where he took on a fairly average team, brought through some of the excellent youngsters they had been developing over a number of years and won them a Leinster Championship.

That team was never going to win an AI, but good management was enough to bring their modest players a fair bit of success.

Similarly Bantee with Monaghan, with some good management (which fell apart towards the end of his stint in charge tbf) was able to make a very ordinary group of players with a couple of gems into a seriously tough nut to craic.

IMO, Pat Gilroy is doing pretty much the same thing with Dublin fwiw.

starlit

Kildare

Its a toss up between Kerry, Cork or Dublin I say!

blowitupref

Kerry

Without getting at the OP, IMO All Ireland poll should only have 4/5 teams max & another option A.N.other. Your always going to get this tomfoolery of people voting their own county.

Tucker.Tim

Down

blowitupref wrote: »

Without getting at the OP, IMO All Ireland poll should only have 4/5 teams max & another option A.N.other. Your always going to get this tomfoolery of people voting their own county.

Jesus, did someone eat your Frosties on you this morning? It's a forum poll; it's not mean to give a serious result!

largepants

millhouse11 wrote: »

i dont buy into this kildare thing at all, this is a county with no tradition, they have won just two leinster titles since 1956 yes 1956, no all ireland since 1928, dont think they ever won the league and never wow a minor all ireland ,a mid table division 2 team like ourselves,limited teams like ourselves and kildare just dont win all irelands,if we remember the dublin game, they were cruising untill that late goal went in ,even with the man down. because of the fack that kildare dont win anything they tend to be popular hence the sympathy vote, the bookies are seldom wrong its kerry cork and dubs in that order with the rest way behind.

I cannot understand this 'tradition' ****. Whats it all about? Tradition or history win sweet f*** all for any team. Tyrone had no tradition in '03, Armagh had none in '02 and even go back as far as Donegal in '92 and Derry in '93. Fair enough not buying into this Kildare thing but your argument about tradition is a complete of of bull. Its not even 25 years ago that Meath had the same amount of AI's as Kildare.

ebbsy

Waterford

I would have thought Wicklow would have topped the poll.

Power, pace, and poise.

Carthy303

Kildare

As a Cork man I voted for Kerry.The return of O Sé and Galvin can only improve them.Would love to see us win it again this year but Ciarán Sheehan is going to be a massive loss to us and rumour has it that Aidan Walsh is playing half fit since the All-Ireland semi final loss to Galway in u21 and looking back on his performance in Killarney those rumours might have some foundation!

yayamark

Kerry

As a kerry man i voted for cork i think overall they are a stronger package than us.

We defo have stronger players in certain positions but cork overall better.

Kerry 2nd

KIldare 3rd

Dublin 4TH

Mayo 5th

Fireball07

Kildare

yayamark wrote: »

As a kerry man i voted for cork i think overall they are a stronger package than us.

We defo have stronger players in certain positions but cork overall better.

Kerry 2nd

KIldare 3rd

Dublin 4TH

Mayo 5th

Mayo 5th? I don't see that at all. I can't see them winning the All-Ireland at all, and I would certainly put them lower than 5th in terms of best teams in Ireland.

I expect Roscommon to beat him, and I think Derry, Donegal, Down, Tyrone and maybe even Armagh are better. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on Mayo but if they put in a good performance in the Connacht final I'll revise my opinion but so far, they haven't shown anything to suggest they're better than them.

baztard

Down

Hmm other than a few votes, I notice no one has mentioned Down. They are as good as they were lst year I'm sure. Their trip through the qualifers so far hasn't exactly been glorious but they are building momentum the whole time. I bet they will really put it up to Cork if they can beat (should beat really) Antrim to get there.

Kildare have had quite an ordinary progression to where they are so far. They have beaten some good teams but no great teams. I think the spotlight is on them because they done so well last year. There is an expectation that they can do the same this year, and theres no reson why they cant really.

Dublin are just an unknown for me. No doubt they are a quality side and are capable of making it to the final. But once the get there, I'm not sure they have the mental strength to go the whole way. (It would be refreshing to see them win in though)

Kerry look great so far. If someone is going to knock them out its gotta be in the quarter finals. Thats the only place this year that they will be vunerable. If they get to a final, they will win it.

Cork can also go the whole way. Some one else will have to knock kerry out for them though. I think Cork can be beaten by the likes of Dublin, Kildare, Tyrone and Down, so they'll could have a potentially tough path to the final.

If Meath beat Kildare I dont think they'll go much further. They don't look like a polished team at all. They're not very consistent in their performances.

Mayo are an unknown quantity to me. They always have potential, but not enoug this year to make it to the final. They might be dark horses and may take a big name or two down, but they certainly wont wim Sam.

Donegal have great potential. I'm not sure how the draw works out for them if they lose in Ulster, but they can make it to the semis easy.

Tyrone are also keping a very low profile. They have yet to show their cards this year. Well I hope for their sake thats true! Otherwise they've no chance.

Armagh are potential dark horses also. they could cause some damage, but I don't think they have what it takes to get to the final.

The rest of the teams. no dis-respect but I don't think you're title contenders.

I really hope Wicklow will shock me though! Up the garden county.

starlit

Kildare

Pains me to say it as a fellow Kerry person I think at the mo Cork is 1st

Kerry 2nd

Dublin 3rd

Between Meath/Down/Kildare for 4th and 5th place

Mountainlad

corny wrote: »

Me too but sure most people are like that. I remember i was in Thurles in 09 watching the hurling and in a pub afterwards watching the draw for the football quarter finals. Dublin V Kerry was announced and a loud cheer went around from the Dublin supporters (i was the only one distraught:)) because Kerry had struggled to a win against Sligo the week previous week and were considered in poor form. Anyway we all know what happened the following week!

Moral of the story don't read too much into one performance.

To a certain extent.

However, there is a big difference between Dublin and Kerry.

spiralism

take your eye off Down at your peril, they've quietly started to build up a run through the qualifiers from the 1st phase just like they did last year.. Cork could get a right land next week from a Down team looking for their revenge! get down to croke park and it's definitely on for them, Down are excellent at HQ

Carthy303

Kildare

spiralism wrote: »

take your eye off Down at your peril, they've quietly started to build up a run through the qualifiers from the 1st phase just like they did last year.. Cork could get a right land next week from a Down team looking for their revenge! get down to croke park and it's definitely on for them, Down are excellent at HQ

Dont think Down are as good as last year but I'd agree with you in that they shouldn't be written off.Cork and Down should be an interesting game anyway but I'd still fancy Cork to edge it...just!!!

Browney7

Kildare

I don't buy into the down thing at all. Last year they drew a Sligo team in the qualifiers that were in disarray. Then played Kerry although playing well Kerry got no luck that day. Goalie made 2 great saves and a good goal ruled out that would have changed the game. Against Kildare got a square ball goal. If they beat cork I will gladly admit I'm wrong about them.

spiralism

Carthy303 wrote: »

Dont think Down are as good as last year but I'd agree with you in that they shouldn't be written off.Cork and Down should be an interesting game anyway but I'd still fancy Cork to edge it...just!!!

I think Cork are coming off a loss cold having not played in 3 weeks while down have built up a head of steam and want revenge for last year.... could make all the difference

jemser

Where are the next round of the qualifiers been played,neutral venue or first team out home?

baztard

Down

jemser wrote: »

Where are the next round of the qualifiers been played,neutral venue or first team out home?

Neutral venues next Saturday

Chiarrai_abu

Kildare

Kerry are back to their best... When Paul Galvin and Tomas O'Se return to the team they will be a much stronger force. Cork are lost without Ciaran Sheehan & Colm O'Neill... Dublin done have the bottle.... Don't rule Kildare & Down out yet.