Sam Maguire 2013

DARK-KNIGHT

I like most knowledgable fans don't count Kildare as outright contenders but they are a good group of lads and when they click they play some lovely football. One team the top teams will want to avoid IMO they are due a good run

Stoner

It would be good to see the management team get something too.

DARK-KNIGHT

Stoner wrote: »

It would be good to see the management team get something too.

definitely agree geezer and rest of the lads have worked wonders with the senior team. and geezer is having a huge influence on under 21s now great to see the younger guys hungry to impress and dying to make the senior breakthrough.

Dublin are beastly though fantastic group of players and the team to beat this year imo

Always_Running

Syferus wrote: »

Jesus, Kerry ain't stronger than they were last year. Donegal had Kerry killed off long before that late goal let them entertain faint hopes of a revival, they simply couldn't cope with Donegal's massed defence. Donegal put in their worst performance of the championship and still beat Kerry relatively handily. If Donegal's heads are screwed on and they meet Kerry this year I can foresee a mini hockeying for the Kingdom.

The will go down as one of the great teams in the history of the game. They just aren't a great team anymore.

Oh, and Dublin are clearly anything but a one man team now. They could leave Brogan off and still beat top teams.

Disagree Donegal had to be at their best to beat Kerry likewise v Cork however the late goal did flatter Kerry.

Syferus

Always_Running wrote: »

Disagree Donegal had to be at their best to beat Kerry likewise v Cork however the late goal did flatter Kerry.

I thought Donegal played into Kerry's reputation in the first half and looked jittery in attack. They were forcing Kerry to dump very low percentage long balls over their defence to Donaghy because Kerry couldn't find a way through the bodies.

Of all their performances last years, Derry, Tyrone, Down, Kerry, Cork, Mayo, that QF was the one where their inexperience shone through. They could have easily put a 8-10 point win on the board if they'd taken a decent amount of the chances they manufactured.

If the two teams meet again this year I don't see Donegal being as forgiving and I'd genuinely fear that great players like the O'Ses would end their Kerry careers with a pasting.

Lemlin

Football is in danger of becoming like hurling to be honest. Bar the top six teams - Donegal, Dublin, Tyrone, Kerry, Cork and Mayo - there are few, if any, contenders.

Any of the teams from Division 2 down are capable of beating each other on any given day I'd think. That's where the real competition is but few of those teams would stand a chance against any of the six above.

I think population is playing more and more of a key. Brolly or some of the lads on the Sunday Game panel threw out a stat on Sunday about how its consistently the teams with higher populations that are in Division 1 and making All-Ireland quarter finals and semis.

I like the backdoor system but it doesn't help. Before you could catch a good team on an off day but there's little chance of catching them twice now.

DARK-KNIGHT

Lemlin wrote: »

Football is in danger of becoming like hurling to be honest. Bar the top six teams - Donegal, Dublin, Tyrone, Kerry, Cork and Mayo - there are few, if any, contenders.

Any of the teams from Division 2 down are capable of beating each other on any given day I'd think. That's where the real competition is but few of those teams would stand a chance against any of the six above.

I think population is playing more and more of a key. Brolly or some of the lads on the Sunday Game panel threw out a stat on Sunday about how its consistently the teams with higher populations that are in Division 1 and making All-Ireland quarter finals and semis.

I like the backdoor system but it doesn't help. Before you could catch a good team on an off day but there's little chance of catching them twice now.

Really don't rate Kerry as contenders now. Still a very talented team but lacking confidence big time

robbiezero

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

Really don't rate Kerry as contenders now. Still a very talented team but lacking confidence big time

Don't rate them as contenders either. Capable of beating anyone on their day at this stage, but can't see them winning the 2/3 matches against the top 6/7 sides that would be required to win an all-ireland.
Wouldn't really see it as a confidence issue though. Just that their great players are old and their young players just aren't at the required level yet (if they ever will reach those heights).

robbiezero

Lemlin wrote: »

Football is in danger of becoming like hurling to be honest. Bar the top six teams - Donegal, Dublin, Tyrone, Kerry, Cork and Mayo - there are few, if any, contenders.

Any of the teams from Division 2 down are capable of beating each other on any given day I'd think. That's where the real competition is but few of those teams would stand a chance against any of the six above.

I think population is playing more and more of a key. Brolly or some of the lads on the Sunday Game panel threw out a stat on Sunday about how its consistently the teams with higher populations that are in Division 1 and making All-Ireland quarter finals and semis.

I like the backdoor system but it doesn't help. Before you could catch a good team on an off day but there's little chance of catching them twice now.

Not sure about the population thing. Kerry, Donegal and Mayo are 14, 12 and 17 in population rankings (Wikipedia). At a certain point it does kick in alright i.e. Leitrim vs Dublin.
If population had a lot to do with it, Dublin should be winning as much as Kilkenny are in hurling and Waterford, Limerick, Galway should be a lot better

DARK-KNIGHT

robbiezero wrote: »

Don't rate them as contenders either. Capable of beating anyone on their day at this stage, but can't see them winning the 2/3 matches against the top 6/7 sides that would be required to win an all-ireland.
Wouldn't really see it as a confidence issue though. Just that their great players are old and their young players just aren't at the required level yet (if they ever will reach those heights).

When I say lacking confidence I'm talking about them as an ageing squad it's like they don't believe in themselves fully as they have in years gone by. Good point though

robbiezero

Always_Running wrote: »

Disagree Donegal had to be at their best to beat Kerry likewise v Cork however the late goal did flatter Kerry.

Disagree. Think Donegal really feared Kerry, it comes out in their talk after the match where they regarded it as their biggest test. As another poster said, They seemed jittery and didnt really go to kill off the game the way they did with Cork.
They probably were at their best v Cork, but didn't really have to be. They just played "rope a dope" football and very easily dealt with Cork in that game.
I really can't see Cork getting anywhere with current management and tactics.
Their fitness and power isn't counting for as much as it was 3/4 years ago.

DoctaDee

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

definitely agree geezer and rest of the lads have worked wonders with the senior team. and geezer is having a huge influence on under 21s now great to see the younger guys hungry to impress and dying to make the senior breakthrough.

Dublin are beastly though fantastic group of players and the team to beat this year imo

Strangely enough I think that we'll see the best of Kildare when McGeeney steps aside and from a Kildare perspective hopefully anyway Jason Ryan takes over. Ryan with limited resources has been quite successful with his team planning particularly against Dublin and I'd hasten to add have probably been the one team that's given Dublin serious problems in Leinster.

The current Kildare panel plus the burgeoning talent in their U21 set up I feel will give Ryan that extra scope to up the performance and take their place at the top table.

Lemlin

robbiezero wrote: »

Not sure about the population thing. Kerry, Donegal and Mayo are 14, 12 and 17 in population rankings (Wikipedia). At a certain point it does kick in alright i.e. Leitrim vs Dublin.
If population had a lot to do with it, Dublin should be winning as much as Kilkenny are in hurling and Waterford, Limerick, Galway should be a lot better

Mayo still has a population of 130k though. That's still four times the likes of Leitrim and twice that of counties like Cavan.

klairondavis

DoctaDee wrote: »

Strangely enough I think that we'll see the best of Kildare when McGeeney steps aside and from a Kildare perspective hopefully anyway Jason Ryan takes over. Ryan with limited resources has been quite successful with his team planning particularly against Dublin and I'd hasten to add have probably been the one team that's given Dublin serious problems in Leinster.

The current Kildare panel plus the burgeoning talent in their U21 set up I feel will give Ryan that extra scope to up the performance and take their place at the top table.

It's likely that a man called Ryan will take over when McGeeney eventually departs but I don't think his first name will be Jason!

intellectual dosser

A Leinster Championship would turn Kildare into proper All Ireland contenders in the eyes of everyone in the country. I think they'd have to see that as the main mid point in their ambitions to win Sam over the next few years. Donegal went about it the same way by winning Ulster (if you listen to Jimmy).

Winning Leinster would give them that confidence, that head strength to take on the Dublins/Corks/Mayos/Donegals. I'm sure this wouldnt be news to McGeeney.

DoctaDee

klairondavis wrote: »

It's likely that a man called Ryan will take over when McGeeney eventually departs but I don't think his first name will be Jason!

Seriously ? ... the word on the street is Glenn ? ...

klairondavis

It's only a matter of time IMO.

DARK-KNIGHT

klairondavis wrote: »

It's likely that a man called Ryan will take over when McGeeney eventually departs but I don't think his first name will be Jason!

I heard rumours a while ago and dismissed them. Jesus if we had big glen back

Absolute lily white royalty

Dubliner28

intellectual dosser wrote: »

A Leinster Championship would turn Kildare into proper All Ireland contenders in the eyes of everyone in the country. I think they'd have to see that as the main mid point in their ambitions to win Sam over the next few years. Donegal went about it the same way by winning Ulster (if you listen to Jimmy).

Winning Leinster would give them that confidence, that head strength to take on the Dublins/Corks/Mayos/Donegals. I'm sure this wouldnt be news to McGeeney.

Dublin will beat Kildare in the Leinster semi.I think the Dubs have a hoodoo over Kildare in Leinster and have what it takes if it is a close match as in previous years. Kildare will get a few handy wins in the back door and will fall at the 1/4 stage.

DARK-KNIGHT

Dubliner28 wrote: »

Dublin will beat Kildare in the Leinster semi.I think the Dubs have a hoodoo over Kildare in Leinster and have what it takes if it is a close match as in previous years. Kildare will get a few handy wins in the back door and will fall at the 1/4 stage.

You have it in one I reckon

Right so Offaly are gonna lose Westmeath are gonna lose then Dublin beat Kildare what else do you see happening this summer? Save us travelling to Croker park.. Thanks saves me a bomb

Cosmo Kramer

Dubliner28 wrote: »

Dublin will beat Kildare in the Leinster semi.I think the Dubs have a hoodoo over Kildare in Leinster and have what it takes if it is a close match as in previous years. Kildare will get a few handy wins in the back door and will fall at the 1/4 stage.

This will probably happen alright but not before Kildare give Dublin a close game and are reinstated by the press as the 'fourth best team in the country' or something similar. I just don't get why they are talked up year after year - is it because they look better than they actually are because they're usually playing in Croke Park or something? Dont know.

Dubliner28

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

You have it in one I reckon

Right so Offaly are gonna lose Westmeath are gonna lose then Dublin beat Kildare what else do you see happening this summer? Save us travelling to Croker park.. Thanks saves me a bomb

Ooops... God forbid I give my opinion on what will happen a Kildare team that has only won a Div 2 title in the last number of years that are constantly labeled as contenders, when infact they are simply not in the same class as the top 3-4 teams.

iDave

Dubliner28 wrote: »

Ooops... God forbid I give my opinion on what will happen a Kildare team that has only won a Div 2 title in the last number of years that are constantly labeled as contenders, when infact they are simply not in the same class as the top 3-4 teams.

Your bang on though. The only aspect of Leinster thats unpredicable is who from Meath/Longford/Laois/Wexford/Louth will lose to Dublin in the final.
Kildare will poddle through the qualies and lose in QF. Their qualy record will then be talked up as some sort of an achievement.

fatalll

Yeah..
between a few counties..
Dublin,Cork,Mayo,Kerry, Donegal and an outsider Kildare.
Would like to see Mayo or kildare win it if Kerry Dont...
Yes Im from Kerry

Think Dublin may win it this year htough

klairondavis

I don't want to hijack the thread and turn it into a "Kildare's prospects" thread but I don't see us getting close to Dublin and I think we will have to be fortunate with the draw to get to the quarters this year.

The team that has been competitive in championship under McGeeney between 2008 and 2012 has been largely dismantled this spring. Kildare will have a very inexperienced transitional line up this summer. They are a panel of players that might well develop into contenders in two or three years but it is too soon for them at the moment.

paulahern

lads i can't decide who will lift sam this september.
I thought there would be 2 or 3 teams in contention then i read an article about the main sides and now i think there could be up to seven sides!!!
I was leaning towards Dublin, Cork and Donegal but this peice tinyurl.com/ptjbrpo changed my view

intellectual dosser

klairondavis wrote: »

I don't want to hijack the thread and turn it into a "Kildare's prospects" thread but I don't see us getting close to Dublin and I think we will have to be fortunate with the draw to get to the quarters this year.

The team that has been competitive in championship under McGeeney between 2008 and 2012 has been largely dismantled this spring. Kildare will have a very inexperienced transitional line up this summer. They are a panel of players that might well develop into contenders in two or three years but it is too soon for them at the moment.

This is why I think Leinster must be their focus, despite the strength of Dublin.

I'm open to correction, but Galway, Tyrone and Kerry are the only teams to win the AI through the back door. Their teams were already lined with AI winners, players that knew how to win.

I appreciate they're young and might need time, but if Kildare won a Leinster they'd have to be odds on to win an AI within 3 years.

I realise Im talking to other people here Klairon and not just your posts.

klairondavis

I'm sure Leinster is the aim as it has been in previous years but Kildare have failed to get over the line against Dublin since 2000 despite being in good positions, particularly in 2002 and 2009. I don't see this year's likely clash being any different being realistic about it.

ColeTrain

paulahern wrote: »

lads i can't decide who will lift sam this september.
I thought there would be 2 or 3 teams in contention then i read an article about the main sides and now i think there could be up to seven sides!!!
I was leaning towards Dublin, Cork and Donegal but this peice tinyurl.com/ptjbrpo changed my view

Shameless advertising but a decent article none the less!

ColeTrain

intellectual dosser wrote: »

This is why I think Leinster must be their focus, despite the strength of Dublin.

I'm open to correction, but Galway, Tyrone and Kerry are the only teams to win the AI through the back door. Their teams were already lined with AI winners, players that knew how to win.

I appreciate they're young and might need time, but if Kildare won a Leinster they'd have to be odds on to win an AI within 3 years.

I realise Im talking to other people here Klairon and not just your posts.

Even if they win Leinster I don't think you'd make them odds on to win Sam in 3 years. They would still have plenty to prove, not to mention going back and winning Leinster the following year