Where to from here...
Hurling
Tipp: Will be hoping to build on last year and unearth one or two more players. In desperate need of a goalie in particular to get some game time for obvious reasons.
KK: Much has been talked about the fact they are in demise. They beat every top team apart from Tipp who they lead after 42 minutes. They'd be hopeful of improving their full back and full forward lines in particular. Will watch in interest particularly in the League.
Galway: Came so close to getting to the final yet the consensus is they wouldn't have won it. Need to find out who their full back and centre back is and unearth some new squad players. Their bench against Tipp was riddled with household names. Have they the talent tho?
Waterford: Ambition has to be to get to a final and playing hurling properly. They beat themselves against KK. They must trust their talent now
Clare: Need Conor Ryan fit for starters. Lack of physical players and their style hasn't suited that. Interesting year ahead
Dublin: Have no idea what is going on but either way they are in transition now
Cork: Plenty of talent in their forward but none of them work hard enough imo. Not as far away as people think
Limerick: Same story unfortunately. When they progress a bit they tend to regress again. Hard to predict
Wexford: I'm just not sure yet if the U21's are good enough to dominate Leinster in the future. Something seems amiss down there lately
Offaly: Hurling needs them but not sure. They need more continued work at underage
Laois. Big improvements in recent years but they always seems to be loosing players
Westmeath: Possibly a big scalp to be had in next year or two?
Kerry: Some nice hurlers but need to develop the club scene to progress

Football
Dublin: My favourite side to watch since the Down team of 94! I'd suggest they need to blood one or two to keep moving forward. They have a number of key players 29+. Been puzzled for two years how Costello hasn't been playing. He needs to from next year I'd suggest. Big boots will need to be filled in the next two years. Flynn, Brogan, O'Suillivan (maybe), Cluxton.
Mayo: Credit has to go to them. I feel they are getting the max out of the players they have but at the end of the day they are always outsiders when they get to the final for a reason. Worrying that they consider Higgins and Moran to be still some important.
Donegal: Brought in some really good young players. MM not playing at full forward is amusing...it cost's them every way as he doesn't contribute much midfield
Kerry: Within two years I can see them dominating. No fear of them!
Tyrone: In transition but are the young players anywhere near as good as what they previously had? I'd suggest no but who knows
...
Tipp; Hopeful but they can't keep loosing their best players. O'Riordan, O'Brien, Acheson (who can play anywhere)....3 players who would make almost any intercounty team at midfield. Hard to see how they can continue to progress unfortunately.

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 09/11/2016 10:43:29    1932947

For us I think if big Neil gives it one more lash and can stay injury free then we can realistically aim for a semi final appearance. Our trouble has always been that we only have one Michael Murphy. With big Neil injured last year it meant we needed Murphy's physicality and influence around the middle. But we also need the same in the full forward line. However, if Gallagher is fit this year it allows us the option of alternating the two between midfield and full forward. This, obviously isn't a long term solution. But we do have two quality young midfielders coming through in Míchéal Carroll and Jason McGee. It will probably take them a couple of years to fully develop physically and get to the pitch of senior inter county football. The early signs are very promising though.

It remains to be seen if the other older guard are staying on, and if they do, what kind of role they'll play. I think it would be foolish to allow experienced players like Karl Lacey, Christy Toye, Anthony Thompson etc just ride off into the sunset. They can still play key roles in seeing out close games, or influencing them as impact subs.

They key will be assimilating the younger players like Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Stephen McBrearty, Cian Mulligan, Ciaran Thompson etc. To that end, the McKenna Cup and NFL will be very interesting for Donegal supporters

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9136 - 09/11/2016 12:57:55    1932994

More rain i'm afraid

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 09/11/2016 13:47:59    1933014

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 09/11/2016 14:03:18    1933023

things 2017 will bring :
1. carnage on the sideline at hurling/football.banty and davy....
2. a fresh crop of new potatoes and strawberries
3. a stretch in the evenings
4. not much else i dont think

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 10/11/2016 16:05:58    1933371

Well I suppose from a Meath perspective there is huge optimism and a sense of great anticipation regarding what Andy McEntee will bring to a talented (albeit seriously underachieving) group of players.
It will take time but I expect Meath to lay the foundations for the next few years in 2017, they could be the surprise, id hope for promotion and perhaps a last 8 appearance and we will see what happens from there.
Hon the Royal

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 10/11/2016 16:52:04    1933382

Hurling : Avoiding relegation would appear a miracle at this stage. Honestly cannot see any chance of improvement the way things are going at moment.Hope I'm wrong.
Football : I'd be happy with less of a big push for league next year as it will take its toll later on after the great achievements of the last few years IMO .Bring a couple of new faces onboard hopefully and give them gametime. Costello has to get more time to play as he is serious forward from what I've seen.Try get Leinster out of the way and then who knows where we could go.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 10/11/2016 17:16:06    1933392

new management in both hurlers and footballers for the green army - hopefully an upturn in fortunes

janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 10/11/2016 17:26:52    1933395

the last all ireland could have easily have been waterford v galway...as you rightly said waterford beat themselves v kk and galway could have beat tipp on another day...ive a feeling this upcoming championship will be the best one of recent years.....tipp kilkenny id say will have it put up to them by waterford clare galway - going on waterfords minor and u21 success in recent years and our progression to semi finals at senior level, i have to think we will get to the all ireland final this year. eitherway i think its gonna be a cracker

juniorjudge (Waterford) - Posts: 383 - 10/11/2016 20:59:32    1933445

juniorjudge (Waterford) - Posts: 383 - 10/11/2016 21:04:32    1933446

mayotyroneman (Tyrone) - Posts: 1821 - 10/11/2016 21:28:25    1933453

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 10/11/2016 21:43:08    1933458

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 10/11/2016 21:47:00    1933460

juniorjudge (Waterford) - Posts: 383 - 10/11/2016 22:30:18    1933470

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 11/11/2016 09:27:25    1933508

From a Wee County point of view coming up from division four this year, keep our place in division three next year would be the main goal. In the Championship wee have Wicklow and then the winners play Meath. A good run in the championship would be winning two matches in a row in Leinster for the first time since 2010. Dublin is the other side of the draw and with Kildare, Meath and Laois on our side all of them will be fancying their chances of reaching the Leinster final. As Johnny Logan would sing about Louth "Whats another year?"

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 11/11/2016 10:42:24    1933532

I think 3 in a row will be too much of a stretch for this Dublin team. I do think they'll make the final unless Tyrone improve and catch them in the semi final or they get one of the tougher teams in the quarter finals. But with Kerry and Mayo looking set to make the semi finals on the other side of the draw I don't see much stopping Dublin getting to the final.
I do think the winners on the other side will have that bit between their teeth to go on and win it. A win over Kerry would prove a massive mental hurdle jumped for Mayo and give them that belief to go on and do it. While the reverse of that would give Kerry the perfect preparation to go on and dethrone Dublin.
It's not so much that Mayo and Kerry will become better than Dublin, more so that momentum will be going Kerry and Mayo's way next year on the back of a big semi final win. Mayo sorted out their defensive frailties this year, they just need to work on their attacking side and get the right balance. Kerry on the other hand can't be written off, they still have some of the best footballers in the country who, if allowed to play to their full potential, can rip back lines to shreds. Yeah they've got some old horses in there but they have talent coming through, even if one or two of these new kids click it could be all they need to get things running.

Of course, this is all based on the assumption that Dublin might not have the same hunger to do it.....quite a big assumption I know!!! But in a knockout competition, anything can happen so who knows what could happen on any given day

keithlemon (Australia) - Posts: 920 - 11/11/2016 11:11:54    1933537

Honestly 3 in a row is a bit of a stretch for us next year so you'd have to be looking at kerry Mayo or Tyrone and a maybe for Donegal.


Ah who am I kidding Dublin are going for the 5 in a row the 3 in a row is already in the bag ffs.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 11/11/2016 11:27:42    1933541

If kerry start draughting in their minors asap, then they may not stop the dubs next year, but the year after they are in with a shout. There is only one way of winning at this level anymore, and that is with your very best panel. Kerry have a few older lads on their books that they are being loyal to.. That is fair enough considering their service, but they are simply not good enough to keep up with the dubs.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 11/11/2016 11:34:21    1933542

...as you rightly said waterford beat themselves v kk ...
juniorjudge (Waterford) - Posts:240 - 10/11/2016 20:59:32 1933445

Nonsense. Waterford gave their all and just fell short on the day against a great team who played better.

I was hugely impressed with Waterford this year and with the experience they will have gained, I expect them to be even better next year. In fact, I've backed them each way (currently 8/1) to win next years AI.

I don't think there'll be much in it between Waterford, Tipp or KK, and it will come down to who's the better team on the day.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2466 - 11/11/2016 12:23:17    1933551