FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP 2012

dekop

With dublin not looking the team they were last year, (hangover champions), i reckon kerry are favs to reclaim their crown bar none

DARK-KNIGHT

dekop wrote: »

With dublin not looking the team they were last year, (hangover champions), i reckon kerry are favs to reclaim their crown bar none

now will you come out of that... tyrone are the form side...

sanbrafyffe

watch this young mayo side

rossie1977

sanbrafyffe wrote: »

watch this young mayo side

lose to leitrim

DARK-KNIGHT

KILDARE more than ever are the darkhorses tbh. strong finish in league, promotion crack at tyrone in final and a fantastic group of players..

now lets not go saying dublin wont be there cos you all know how dangerous they are playing well or not....

Fr Tod Umptious

Dublin - Still have 2011 hangover, very hard to win back to back.

Kerry - Core getting old and youth untested, tough game v Cork on Munster semi will be a big factor on the rest of their year.

Mayo - Improving, but still possibly a year away from being a true contender.

Kildare - Annual good runs in the qualifiers masks the fact that they are an average outfit.

Tyrone - Rebuilding and still a year away from being a real contender.

Donegal - As David Brady said on 2011, 'you can't play tactics for 70 mins', in other words, they are not good enough football.

And all that leaves is

Cork - 2010 hangover gone, still a good team, in the league final, a lot to prove, recent experience of winning it.

nobody told me

I can see wexford suprising a few people this year maybe not good enough to win it out, but hopefully rattle the dubs.

Sunnyisland

nobody told me wrote: »

I can see wexford suprising a few people this year maybe not good enough to win it out, but hopefully rattle the dubs.

Rattling the dubs does not win all Irelands.

DARK-KNIGHT

Agree Kildare tried to rattle them last few years to no avail lol although very close matches. This year we need to beat Dublin. Well try and do so lol

Dublin AI champs counted as non contenders by some posters here??? That's a ridiculous thought I guarantee Dublin
Will be ready for championship!!!

Felexicon

Dublin will be there or there abouts. You can't write them off as no team bar Mayo seem to have made much improvement on last year.

Prepare for a summer with Kildare be praised for thier fitness as they fade in obscurity, Kerrys guile and experience being mentioned after every win and TV 3 commentating driving more and more people to the Olympics.

One thing is for certain. I am not worried about booking my summer holidays as I don't see Meath doing too much

Drummerboy2

Cork for me. They had the hangover last year and were also hampered by injuries. A lot of players back now and they are my favourites. Although I'd love the Dubs to do it again.

DARK-KNIGHT

All those that think Kildare won't be there or there abouts more fool you

If I eat my words come championship but Kildare are improving all the time..

6 teams in real contention this year are Tyrone, cork, Kildare, Dublin, mayo and Kerry IMO anyways

Good luck to all involved this year btw!!!

Can't wait for summer, football, sun, pride and a few pints back in newbridge to recap the days play !!!!!

Nothing like walking up north circular road towards croker.. Oh the excitement!!!!God I miss championship football!!

Fr Tod Umptious

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

All those that think Kildare won't be there or there abouts more fool you

If I eat my words come championship but Kildare are improving all the time..

6 teams in real contention this year are Tyrone, cork, Kildare, Dublin, mayo and Kerry IMO anyways

Good luck to all involved this year btw!!!

Can't wait for summer, football, sun, pride and a few pints back in newbridge to recap the days play !!!!!

Nothing like walking up north circular road towards croker.. Oh the excitement!!!!God I miss championship football!!

I'd cut that down to three, in no particular order
Dublin, Cork, Kerry
With Mayo being the single legitimate dark horse.

Felexicon

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

All those that think Kildare won't be there or there abouts more fool you

If I eat my words come championship but Kildare are improving all the time..

6 teams in real contention this year are Tyrone, cork, Kildare, Dublin, mayo and Kerry IMO anyways

Good luck to all involved this year btw!!!

Can't wait for summer, football, sun, pride and a few pints back in newbridge to recap the days play !!!!!

Nothing like walking up north circular road towards croker.. Oh the excitement!!!!God I miss championship football!!

Would you catch yourself on! Kiladre? Sure yous are starting to sound like Liverpool now. "Next year next year". Ye won't even win a provincial at this rate

DARK-KNIGHT

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

I'd cut that down to three, in no particular order
Dublin, Cork, Kerry
With Mayo being the single legitimate dark horse.

Sure Tyrone alone are ahead of Dublin cork and Kerry at moment?????

DARK-KNIGHT

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

I'd cut that down to three, in no particular order
Dublin, Cork, Kerry
With Mayo being the single legitimate dark horse.

Felexicon wrote: »

Would you catch yourself on! Kiladre? Sure yous are starting to sound like Liverpool now. "Next year next year". Ye won't even win a provincial at this rate

yous??

corny

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

I'd cut that down to three, in no particular order
Dublin, Cork, Kerry
With Mayo being the single legitimate dark horse.

Me too.

Dublin- I'm highly sceptical of the Dubs and their ability to hit the hunger levels needed.

Kerry- The team that beats them will win the AI but i'd bet they finish second best again.

Cork- Best team in the championship if their heads are in the right place. I think they'll win league and AI.

Mayo- Disrespectful for me to call them dark horses after the trouncing they gave Dublin. A live chance but don't think they'll win it.

Tyrone- Will find the division 1 teams a completely different animal to what they've been facing.

Kildare- They have to start with a Leinster medal first. Breaking the strangle hold the Dubs have over them would be a success.

Donegal- Won't be the same threat they were last year.

Down- Not the same side of 2010 but capable of a performance.

DARK-KNIGHT

corny wrote: »

Me too.

Dublin- I'm highly sceptical of the Dubs and their ability to hit the hunger levels needed.

Kerry- The team that beats them will win the AI but i'd bet they finish second best again.

Cork- Best team in the championship if their heads are in the right place. I think they'll win league and AI.

Mayo- Disrespectful for me to call them dark horses after the trouncing they gave Dublin. A live chance but don't think they'll win it.

Tyrone- Will find the division 1 teams a completely different animal to what they've been facing.

Kildare- They have to start with a Leinster medal first. Breaking the strangle hold the Dubs have over them would be a success.

Donegal- Won't be the same threat they were last year.

Down- Not the same side of 2010 but capable of a performance.

Strangle hold over Kildare? When is last time Dublin beat Kildare by more than a single point? Very close games could have gone either way tbh!

Felexicon

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

Strangle hold over Kildare? When is last time Dublin beat Kildare by more than a single point? Very close games could have gone either way tbh!

Winning margins don't count. Wins count. Kildare haven't smashed Meath every time but I'd say they have a strangle hold on us

corny

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

Strangle hold over Kildare? When is last time Dublin beat Kildare by more than a single point? Very close games could have gone either way tbh!

Better question would be when has it ever gone Kildares way?

Felexicon

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

yous??

Well played sir!!!!!!!
Under no circumstances should you argue the validity of your own or someone elses point if they have made a grammar or spelling mistake

DARK-KNIGHT

corny wrote: »

Better question would be when has it ever gone Kildares way?

We will see this summer, expect a kicking in croker son

I jest of course

Fr Tod Umptious

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

Sure Tyrone alone are ahead of Dublin cork and Kerry at moment?????

I don't know if they are or not but Moment is the operative word,

It's 10:30am on 19th April
The All Ireland final will be over in 157 Days, 6hrs and 35mins

Wait and see

corny

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

We will see this summer, expect a kicking in croker son

I jest of course

I'm nearly 100% sure you said the same thing to me last year in a thread like this!!!:D Two Leinster championships in 60 years isn't good form i'm afraid.

castletownman

One thing that is really starting to annoy me is this bigging up of Kildare by the media and so called "experts" of the game. Since McGeeney took over (2008 if I'm not mistaken) they have only reached one Leinster final (Wexford have reached two) and have gotten beaten by both Wicklow and Louth in the Leinster championship in that time. They advance through the qualifiers under the radar until they get beat by a better team, and then proceed to moan about a disallowed goal or something (even though they probably have the least accurate set of forwards I've seen in a while).
And then there's the whole Seanie Johnston transfer debacle......

As regards the championship my tip would be Cork. They were severly hampered by injuries at the tail end of the championship last year and you would be foolish not to acknowledge the strength of their panel when eveyone is fit. I'd have the perrenials Kerry and Dublin as there or thereabouts too, and my tip as darkhorses would be Mayo and Tyrone. As for my own Wexford, they will continue to rack up huge scores up front, and provided they sort out the defence, may well get to a third Leinster final since 2008 (have to get through Laois/Longford and the Dubs first).

kippy

Dare I say it but I think Mayo will do damage this year (Biased opinion)
Decent manager, a really good mix of youth and experience and I feel this league run (win or lose) has been of great benefit to the squad as a whole (as has beating Kerry for a change in Croke park)

razor425

As for the AI I see it as a 3 horse race between Dublin, Cork and Kerry with one of the latter 2 taking home sam. Next best in my eyes would be Tyrone and Kildare, followed by Mayo, Down, Donegal. Longford and Wexford to cause a few shocks this year and Galway to have an extended run in the qualifiers, possibly even reaching an AI quarter final if they get some good draws.

Leinster Final - Dublin to beat Kildare
Connacht Final - Mayo to beat Sligo/Roscommon
Munster Final - Kerry to beat Limerick
Ulster Final - Tyrone to beat Down.

DARK-KNIGHT

castletownman wrote: »

One thing that is really starting to annoy me is this bigging up of Kildare by the media and so called "experts" of the game. Since McGeeney took over (2008 if I'm not mistaken) they have only reached one Leinster final (Wexford have reached two) and have gotten beaten by both Wicklow and Louth in the Leinster championship in that time. They advance through the qualifiers under the radar until they get beat by a better team, and then proceed to moan about a disallowed goal or something (even though they probably have the least accurate set of forwards I've seen in a while).
And then there's the whole Seanie Johnston transfer debacle......

As regards the championship my tip would be Cork. They were severly hampered by injuries at the tail end of the championship last year and you would be foolish not to acknowledge the strength of their panel when eveyone is fit. I'd have the perrenials Kerry and Dublin as there or thereabouts too, and my tip as darkhorses would be Mayo and Tyrone. As for my own Wexford, they will continue to rack up huge scores up front, and provided they sort out the defence, may well get to a third Leinster final since 2008 (have to get through Laois/Longford and the Dubs first).

If you think Wexford have half a hope against Dublin that's laughable..

Getting to Leinster finals from easy side of draw as in if Kildare and Dublin are on opposite sides to you that means **** all to be honest!! Your lucky to get any big day action at all tbh

castletownman

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

If you think Wexford have half a hope against Dublin that's laughable..

Getting to Leinster finals from easy side of draw as in if Kildare and Dublin are on opposite sides to you that means **** all to be honest!! Your lucky to get any big day action at all tbh

Grade one arrogance there lad. I just gave a frank opinion of how I feel the championship might go. You turned it on the head and conviently chose to ignore a few facts I gave about Kildare, and instead used it to have a dig at Wexford, a team with a better record in Leinster than Kildare in recent seasons. It looks like Kildare's mountains of recent success has got to your head :rolleyes:

corny

castletownman wrote: »

Grade one arrogance there lad. I just gave a frank opinion of how I feel the championship might go. You turned it on the head and conviently chose to ignore a few facts I gave about Kildare, and instead used it to have a dig at Wexford, a team with a better record in Leinster than Kildare in recent seasons. It looks like Kildare's mountains of recent success has got to your head :rolleyes:

In fairness it was a little too frank in parts.

Hammer Archer

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

If you think Wexford have half a hope against Dublin that's laughable..

Getting to Leinster finals from easy side of draw as in if Kildare and Dublin are on opposite sides to you that means **** all to be honest!! Your lucky to get any big day action at all tbh

That's a bit harsh. Wexford have had a better run in Leinster than Kildare recently and arguably have beaten better teams than Kildare in the AI championship over the past 4 or 5 years and have gotten as far as Kildare have.
It doesn't matter what side of the draw they were on in Leinster. They beat who was put in front of them and were unlucky to lose to Dublin in the final. Kildare were on the similar side of the draw the previous year (which contained Louth, Longford, Wicklow, Carlow, Westmeath and Kildare as opposed to Louth, Offaly, Carlow, Westmeath and Wexford in 2011) and were knocked out in the quarter final.
And Wexford have also gotten closer to beating Dublin than Kildare have recently.

keane2097

Kerry are justifiably the bookies considerable favourites.

Cork are slightly longer than they should be, Dublin are about right.

None of the other teams will be capable of beating more than one of these, so unless they get a lucky draw the winner is listed above.

cgpg5

Mayo could be a team to watch this year and in my view are worth a punt each way. Firstly, they did something last Sunday against a big team which is not typical of mayo- they won despite being the inferior side. In fact this is what sets the great teams apart from others an ability to win despite not being the better team. League champions or not I think they'll have a major say.

Also, they are as good as certainties to win Connacht. A nice gimme of a Connacht semi and they only have to beat one half-decent side to make an AI QF. Ulster is wide open but I can't see an Ulster AI finalist never mind winner. In fact it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if there was no Ulster semi-finallist.

At the end of the day though it's hard to look past Dublin. A poor league yes but missing the Brogan's v Mayo didn't help. They were a foggy evening away from qualifying for the semis! They have some firepower up front and will really take stopping.

For what its worth, my provincial picks:

Ulster- Tyrone (by default almost)
Connacht- Mayo
Leinster- Dublin
Munster- Cork

DDC1990

Kerry
Tyrone
Dublin
Cork
Mayo

In that order. Now different combinations between the teams could lead to one of the lower teams knocking a higher team out.

I think the Dubs would beat Tyrone, wheras I think Tyrone would beat Kerry.

I think Kerry will win this year if they avoid Tyrone.

Far too early at the moment. The Ulster Championship will tell a lot.

IsMiseJoe

My provincial predictions would be:
Connacht - Mayo (it kills me to say it)
Leinster - Dublin
Munster - Cork
Ulster - Donegal

All Ireland - Cork (Really want to say Galway)

Sunnyisland

Its way to early to pick, The championship brings out a better class of football and it is the one any teams wants to win the most,At this stage all I would say is no doubt Kerry be up there somewhere :-) Would personally be hoping Dublin gets its act together and goes for the double,you never know.

68Murph68

I think between Kerry and Cork with Tyrone as a possible dark horse.
(This is in terms of winning the whole thing)

Kerry have the forwards but there are definite areas of concern in the team
- very little in the way of cover in the middle of the field :- Moran injured, and the following lost from the panel within the last 2 years - Dara O Se, Tommy Griffin, Michael Quirke.

- concerns about full-back and keeper, especially under a high ball/against a tall full forward

- as against that you have 4 player of the years on the team and if you were picking a top 15 players of the Championship before things get started you would more than likely end up with Kerry having the majority.

- some people seem to harp on about the age profile but I think a lot of this is media generated. The only over 30s who are automatic names on the teamsheet are Marc and Tomas and if you have seen them play recently I doubt you will be thinking they are ready for retirement just yet.

Cork
- I think if Counihan and the management team were any good then Cork would be clear favourites. However I very little faith in the selections as well as the tactical and strategic ability of Counihan and his selectors.

- The fact that so few of the younger prospects were given any serious gametime in the league and the old stagers featured so strongly, would have me hopping mad if I were a Cork supporter, especially given how Cork have preformed at u21 levels over the past few years.It looks like Counihan is going to stick with the guys that won it before and will only bring younger guys into the team when he has no real alternative.

- Everyone knows how Cork will set there stall out and how they will play. It requires no real tactical ability to counter their threat. A lot of the time they win games because they have the better players who win in spite of their tactics.

Tyrone
- I think the fact that they were in Division 2 this year is a major hindrance to them. Playing Division 2 football is no proper preparation if you want to be winning All-Irelands. Mikey Harte knows this - the fact that he was giving out about a lack of intensity after they had hammered a few teams. However they still have the ability to hit a switch and take it to another level which I think is one of the marks of a top team. The fact that they did this so easily in the second half of the game against Kildare (who looked fitter and sharper) would have me thinking they are still serious operators. I would be much more wary of them next year after they had the preparation of playing in Division 1 for a season.

Dublin
-Would be shocked if they won it - too many factors against them.
- Second year syndrome ; much harder to win 2 AIs back-to-back - if some players made the effort of a life-time to win last year, can they now make the effort of a life-time again this year?
- as the league showed take the 2 Brograns out of the team and there just isnt the depth of quality in the forwards there. Connolly either has his good days or his bad days and they sort of inconsistency could kill them in Croke Park someday.
- very little in the way of competition in terms of the starting 15
- Everything went right last year in a sense, the bounce of the ball. They still had to go out and win it but I think luck/the run of the green just went their way last year

Kildare
- the fact that they are so reliant on John Doyle - If Doyle has an off-day the team will most likely struggle big time. They have good players not great players - you need great players to win an All-Ireland and Kildare.
- Must harder to win an All-Ireland from Division 2

Mayo
- have a relatively easy route to the quarters and look a more resolute unit than before.
- as against that I think the results against Kerry and Dublin have been blown slightly out of proportion. These 3 results alone won't wipe out their recent history in the Championship. However I definitely can see them causing an upset at the later end of the Championship I just can't see them getting over the line in terms of winning Sam.

The fact that even with the qualifiers there is an element of luck involved in winning Sam but hard to see anyone else featuring in terms of winning the All-Ireland. Getting excited now.

aidan24326

Tyrone are being over-rated on the back of their league form. Sure they may have won their 7 league games but in an inferior division. What did they beat?

Westmeath - no better than average
Louth - no better than average
Meath - going from bad to worse
Derry - out of sorts for the most part
Galway - rebuilding. very average.
Monaghan - had a bad league and seem to be going backwards
Kildare - were playing poorly when Tyrone met them

I know Tyrone could only beat what's put in front of them, but with the possible exception of Kildare they didn't beat one team that has any real hopes of being involved at the business end of this year's championhip. So I'd hold off on rushing to Paddy Powers to back them just yet.

68Murph68

aidan24326 wrote: »

Tyrone are being over-rated on the back of their league form. Sure they may have won their 7 league games but in an inferior division. What did they beat?

Westmeath - no better than average
Louth - no better than average
Meath - going from bad to worse
Derry - out of sorts for the most part
Galway - rebuilding. very average.
Monaghan - had a bad league and seem to be going backwards
Kildare - were playing poorly when Tyrone met them

I know Tyrone could only beat what's put in front of them, but with the possible exception of Kildare they didn't beat one team that has any real hopes of being involved at the business end of this year's championhip. So I'd hold off on rushing to Paddy Powers to back them just yet.

While I'd agree with this to a large extent, I don't think it's far to say that Tyrone that Kildare were playing badly when Tyrone met them. Kildare started well initially and looked more up for it and looked to be a fair bit further along in terms of physical preparation. However in the second half Tyrone turned it on and just blew Kildare away with their class.

I'd suspect that Mickey Harte knows this - pretty sure he made comments after the Louth game complaining about a lack of intensity by players and have a notion that he made similar type comments after another game.

It's one reason why I think the Division 2 final should be a decent game and think Tyrone will win it (Harte will be looking for a high intensity performance and will be shocked if he doesnt get it)

Given the quality of players, the experience and Harte on the sideline I think Tyrone definitely have a serious chance of picking up Sam this year.

blowitupref

sanbrafyffe wrote: »

watch this young mayo side

Apart from O'Connor how young is this Mayo side? Moran,Dillion,Conor Mortimer have been round for years others were part of the 2006 U21 panel.

For me it's between Cork,Kerry,Tyrone. Kildare,Donegal have gone down a level Dublin will be like Cork last year.

rossie1977

people are placing too much emphasis on the league once again (the pat spillane effect i call it) it will have very little bearing on the championship once it starts

mayo are doing well in the league but they did well in the league in 2010 topping the table also reaching the final and yet lost to sligo and then to longford in the qualifiers

i actually see galway winning connacht, excellent young players and a manager who knows those players inside out

keane2097

68Murph68 wrote: »

While I'd agree with this to a large extent, I don't think it's far to say that Tyrone that Kildare were playing badly when Tyrone met them. Kildare started well initially and looked more up for it and looked to be a fair bit further along in terms of physical preparation. However in the second half Tyrone turned it on and just blew Kildare away with their class.

I'd suspect that Mickey Harte knows this - pretty sure he made comments after the Louth game complaining about a lack of intensity by players and have a notion that he made similar type comments after another game.

It's one reason why I think the Division 2 final should be a decent game and think Tyrone will win it (Harte will be looking for a high intensity performance and will be shocked if he doesnt get it)

Given the quality of players, the experience and Harte on the sideline I think Tyrone definitely have a serious chance of picking up Sam this year.

The Kildare team that played Tyrone on the first day of the league was wildly different to the team they will field in the championship.

rossie1977

blowitupref wrote: »

Apart from O'Connor how young is this Mayo side? Moran,Dillion,Conor Mortimer have been round for years others were part of the 2006 U21 panel.

aidan o shea is early 20s, aidan walsh (if he plays) is also early 20s

cafferkey, keith higgins, barry moran and sheamus o shea were all on that under 21 team in 2006

mortimer and dillon are 30 now, moran is 28 and he last played under 21 in 2004

ShamoBuc

I think the draw will have a major effect on who wins Sam this year.
Cork and Kerry are joint favourites for me. Next would be Dublin and Mayo and finally Tyrone/Kldare/Donegal. There really isn't anything much between the teams in each group but on their day these teams are capable of going all the way. Getting a few 'on their day' performances back to back is always the problem though.

Fr Tod Umptious

rossie1977 wrote: »

people are placing too much emphasis on the league once again (the pat spillane effect i call it) it will have very little bearing on the championship once it starts

mayo are doing well in the league but they did well in the league in 2010 topping the table also reaching the final and yet lost to sligo and then to longford in the qualifiers

i actually see galway winning connacht, excellent young players and a manager who knows those players inside out

Yea the league is a bit like international soccer friendlies.
Win them and you think thinks are great, loose them and 'sure it's only a friendly'

As for Galway, they could struggle straight away v Ros in Ros
If Mayo beat London\Letrim and they have to meet Galway in Galway then they (Mayo) may have a few jitters, but should have more than enough to win it.

rossie1977

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

As for Galway, they could struggle straight away v Ros in Ros

they won't, last time galway lost in roscommon is 1990 and if newton decides to play collins, dineen and purcell in defence (which he will even though far better players exist) galway forwards will have a field day

bradlente

Hopefully we can get another shot at the Dubs this year in the Leinster final,Last year was such a close race I think it would give our lads some extra motivation this time around.

As for outright winners,I'll play it safe and say the old heads down in Kerry.As far as a flutter goes though,I might take a chance on Mayo.

MickySticks

Just to say DK is not a typical example of a Kildare fan....

IMO there are 5 contenders for the All Ireland.

Kerry: They have looked solid in the league if not spectacular, as always they will be there or there abouts come September. If they can sort out their discipline problems they could win it. My favorites.

Dublin: They've had a poor league but come Championship Gilroy will have them ready. Again a lot will depend on the form of the Brogan brothers, can't see them winning it though.

Cork: Solid league campaign, they don't have enough top class forwards to win the AI IMO.

Tyrone: Swept all before them in the league, looking excellent in the forwards although they will be without Brian McGuigan and Kyle Coney for the year. An Ulster title is the least Harte will expect from Tyrone.

Kildare: A much hyped team who will have to deliver the goods in McGeeney's 5th year in charge (Leinster or the holy grail). If they can stay injury free and have a little luck (which has seriously deserted them in recent years) they could well bring Sam back to his first home.

Dark Horse, Galway:

DARK-KNIGHT

MickySticks wrote: »

Just to say DK is not a typical example of a Kildare fan....

<snip>

ShamoBuc

MickySticks wrote: »

Cork: Solid league campaign, they don't have enough top class forwards to win the AI IMO.

I could have sworn they already won Sam with the very same forwards:rolleyes:

DARK-KNIGHT

ShamoBuc wrote: »

I could have sworn they already won Sam with the very same forwards:rolleyes:

careful micky will be telling you cork need to poach seanie johnston to win sam :rolleyes: