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Has Cork any chance do ye think? KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 17/01/2019 18:16:26 2157844 Link 0 |
Absolutely have a chance. But they need a coach on the sideline that can get the team working as a unit. They beat Meath easily last year. However that was a nightmare from a Meath perspective, as honestly you'd swear they had never played together before. But make no mistake cork have the individual players to be contenders, it's to get them to play as a team that seems to be the problem.
royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 17/01/2019 18:48:10 2157853 Link 1 |
Difficult to look beyond Donegal and Kildare, hard to see how Meath are any better than last year which is not saying a whole lot. Just have to start with a win in a very difficult opening match against Tipp. After that its pretty much 50/50 against the rest. seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2128 - 17/01/2019 18:48:37 2157854 Link 2 |
Very competitive. From mid last year I predicted Kildare to do serious damage in 2019. Major blip since by Carlow but upward curve since then. Donegal naturally will be strong and a throw of the dice with the rest. Think Armagh will finally get it together under KMcG. kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1941 - 17/01/2019 19:34:41 2157867 Link 1 |
Cork have a great chance of being relegated. In 2014 when Cuthbert took over I thought we had a great chance of winning the All Ireland. However, we have had four disastrous seasons. In each of those four years we have received hammerings once or twice or more times. That is deflating. UCC had a big win yesterday but that really was just a Kerry team with a handful of Cork players. CIT is a Cork team that were hammered today. They have been hammered in most games and just plain lost all of the others. Some players quit the panel, others didn't join in the first place and confidence and there was all sorts of messing going on with putting a panel together for the McGrath cup games. I made a prediction before last year's league that we would win all our games and get promoted. This year, I would think we might win one game (can't point to which one mind you) and get relegated. Division 3 is our level unfortunately. bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 17/01/2019 21:51:42 2157909 Link 0 |
I will be shocked if Clare or fermanagh could be promoted, either could stay up easily and comfortably but promotion is too far for them I reckon. Donegal should go up. The rest could easily go up or be relegated....no one really knows how it will pan out. Should make for a brilliant and exciting league tipp11 (Tipperary) - Posts: 353 - 18/01/2019 09:11:27 2157940 Link 0 |
I expecting Armagh to go well this year and will be interested to see them in the McKenna Cup final tomorrow night. I will go for Donegal and Armagh to get promotion. Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 18/01/2019 09:34:09 2157946 Link 0 |
Jays that's bleak, although I read during the week that ye have put a 5 year plan in place so that's something I suppose, I think ye have great player as I saw them from under age but ye needs a manager with a tactical brain.
KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 18/01/2019 10:26:04 2157955 Link 0 |
Donegal would be my favourite to go up, Gweedore's involvement in Club Championship may weaken them but I think it will give Bonner a chance to get serious game time into otherwise fringe players. Second spot rests between Kildare and Armagh. In a head to head Armagh know better how to win than Kildare (Newbridge or nowhere excepted) so I just about give them No 2 spot. MillerX (Meath) - Posts: 1058 - 18/01/2019 11:05:50 2157970 Link 1 |
This will be a competitive division & while people are tipping Donegal they will be without Murph & Patrick McBrearty for most of the campaign. MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 18/01/2019 15:40:46 2158037 Link 0 |
Fair assessment. Not to mention Fermanagh, who beat Monaghan in Ulster last year and Tipp who weren't long ago All Ireland Semi finalists, this is a division where anyone could catch anyone on the hop and my only expectations are surprises. Hard to say what type of Meath team we'll see, they have the potential to cause an upset but hard to tell right now.
Sweetspot (Kildare) - Posts: 323 - 18/01/2019 16:03:41 2158043 Link 0 |
Cen fath? Just for the record I don't think Fermanagh will get promoted but i'm curious as to why you think they have no chance, I doubt you've seen Fermanagh play to much. gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 18/01/2019 16:09:45 2158044 Link 0 |
Donegal will go up easily I feel. Best team in the division and I believe they have 4 home games. Kildare in with a shout but you never know with Kildare. Fermanagh to go down with a record low points for tally. I can honestly see there games been shockingly poor low scoring affairs. Donegal and Kildare to go up. Fermanagh and Tipp to go down The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2087 - 18/01/2019 16:39:35 2158051 Link 1 |
Sad to see Cork football struggling as it is. Cork used to add a unique spice to football when they were competetive at the top. Now it seems that they can do no right, much like my own county. I havent a clue how its all going to go but on paper Donegal will be top dog in this division, however the loss of Murphy/McBrearty could be very dramatic and itll be interesting to see how they cope. From watching Donegal play over the last few seasons, they have a reliance on those two players, as good as the rest of the team is. Kildare should look to seek promotion and are good enough to get there. Armagh/Fermanagh could be surprise packages. McGeeney has slowly been getting the gears moving again in Armagh over a few seasobs, and they should look to push on this year. Fermanagh are always tricky, a defensively sound team. Clare/Tipperary are both good teams with no fear of anyone and not as much intrinsic pressure as some of the counties, and its not unlikely that they could win 3/4 games each. That leaves Meath and Cork, two traditionally strong counties who are both wandering in the wilderness, but neither are TOO far off the pace of the best sides such as Kildare/Donegal etc when they perform... Its a total enigma to me, but we'll know an awful lot more after the first round of games Young_gael (Meath) - Posts: 586 - 18/01/2019 18:01:27 2158064 Link 2 |
I agree the first 3 or 4 games will decide alot esp the first game in Clare from a Donegal perspective. However I seen enough last weekend to be fairly confident with players to come back Donegal will get one of the automatic places. The fact we have 4 home games (though debatable if the game in LK is any advantage) increases my confidence. Though one word of caution is the new rules. If the 3 hand pass rule somehow makes it through I think this will effect Donegal possibly more than any other team in the country.
panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2771 - 19/01/2019 01:34:25 2158132 Link 0 |
Between injuries and suspension and possible club commitments Kildare will have a weakened team out next weekend against Armagh. Going to be a difficult one to win with Armagh strengthened by the return of three key players. lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2984 - 19/01/2019 19:14:12 2158265 Link 0 |
Didn't realize that either.
royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 19/01/2019 19:33:16 2158270 Link 0 |
Food round of games this week. Obviously Meath v tipp will be of most interest to me, and while keeping a close eye on all games , the Armagh Kildare game is the highlight as I feel the winner will be in a strong position come end of league. It's a 4 pointer. royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 21/01/2019 11:18:41 2158600 Link 1 |
I'd be hopeful Donegal will be strong enough to go up even without Murphy, McBrearty and the Gaoth Dobhair lads. I think our starting 15 will be along the lines of: Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9073 - 21/01/2019 12:01:30 2158611 Link 0 |
Strong team on paper there and with the elder statesmen Murphy and McGlynn and the Gweedore bunch to come back in during the latter stages, Donegal appear to be best placed in the division. Looking forward to seeing more of Niall O'Donnell this year also. I agree Armagh played very well on Saturday night. Jamie Clarke, Stefan Campbell and young O'Neill will take a lot of watching inside. Kildare could be slow to start with a lot of last year's team absent for different reasons. Tipperary were pipped for promotion at the death last year, maybe they're going under the radar. Clare actually finished third ahead of Tipp last year in the final standings and I expect them to finish thereabouts again. Meath are in decline but are a match for anyone on their day. Cork have to be the most inconsistent team in the country. Fermanagh should struggle, they're short a few quality forwards. gaelicgab (USA) - Posts: 878 - 21/01/2019 17:20:21 2158702 Link 0 |