I know it officially started last weekend out in New York, and fair play to the men in black doing a professional job on the New Yorkers. But, the real start of the race for Nestor is Sunday in my eyes....And i can't bloody wait. It seems our sheep stealing friends have been getting a bit of stick recently but Sunday will hopefully be a great kick start to the championship and hopefully be a Galway win.........Be interesting to see what team Mulholland names and whether Micheal or Army make the starting 15...Also what young guns get included.....

tribeinbrum (Galway) - Posts: 4155 - 14/05/2012 10:49:35    1171554

Go n-éirí go geal le Gaillimh i gCraobh Chonnacht!

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 14/05/2012 12:31:03    1171669

I will be going to the game in hope more so than expectation. Galway had a good league.

ros747 (Roscommon) - Posts: 160 - 14/05/2012 12:48:46    1171693

Few "shocks" coming, I think.....

Roscommon to beat Galway.......then get beaten in turn by Sligo in semi-final
Leitrim to beat London (just)......then Mayo to win comfortably in Castlebar

Mayo to beat Sligo in the decider.

Solo Run (None) - Posts: 317 - 14/05/2012 13:22:16    1171734

Going to be a very close game, home advantage will be very beneficial for the Rossies, Galway wont start Meehen or Armie but if things not going there way they will be on.. Galway by 2/3 points

Belclare1 (Galway) - Posts: 1626 - 14/05/2012 13:25:03    1171740

Iv a sneaky feeling London might beat Leitrim this year!

I cant see anyone stopping Mayo at the minute though.

ros747 (Roscommon) - Posts: 160 - 14/05/2012 14:03:22    1171804

Can't see past Mayo.Although Galway have had a promising league campaign, they are still rebuilding. Roscommon are capable of a big game on their day too but it's Mayo's to lose.

derp92 (Kildare) - Posts: 39 - 14/05/2012 14:07:18    1171812

Galway v Roscommon will be very interesting. Galway are heading in the right direction but are probably a year or two behind mayo in team development. The rossies need to step up and have been together a few years now.

Sligo are a dark horse alight - nobody talking about them and they could shock galway/ros. It's the first connacht championship in years where anyone from Mayo.Galway/Roscommon and even Sligo could win.

Leitrim/London - shock on the card there maybe? My own county are favourites but that counts for little and we have not won back to back connacht finals since 96/97

Interesting summer ahead in the west.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 12122 - 14/05/2012 14:16:04    1171831

Unfortunately, I think London could possibly get past Leitrim as well! I hope not, but its likely to be close - Leitrim would be more skillful but their lack of physical presence could be their undoing against a robust London side.

Solo Run (None) - Posts: 317 - 14/05/2012 14:18:36    1171834

I can't see London beating Leitrim. It would be great for the championship if it happened, but Leitrim do have some decent players. Mayo have been going great recently and are definitely the team to beat. The other side of the draw is hard to gauge. The winners of Galway/Ross will have a decent win behind them going into the Sligo game so i'd have whoever wins on Sunday to be marginal favourites for that.

For Galway to win Nestor they would have to beat Roscommon, Sligo and Mayo all in the one season. I can't remember the last time that happened so will be a very tough ask. If it did come off we'd be well battle hardened for the 1/4s anyway!!!!

If we get Army, Meehan and the Legend fit and firing we could be hard to stop though, if we get past the Rossies.......

tribeinbrum (Galway) - Posts: 4155 - 14/05/2012 14:20:23    1171836

Realistically, I'd be happy with a reasonably good run in Connacht, followed by a win or two through the back door. To win a championship game outside of Connacht for the first time in how long, is all I ask!

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3154 - 14/05/2012 15:10:13    1171914

one of the big two will win it out right , Mayo or Galway

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 14/05/2012 15:12:43    1171918

14/05/2012 14:16:04
yew_tree
County: Mayo
Posts: 3505

1171831
Galway v Roscommon will be very interesting. Galway are heading in the right direction but are probably a year or two behind mayo in team development. The rossies need to step up and have been together a few years now.

Sligo are a dark horse alight - nobody talking about them and they could shock galway/ros. It's the first connacht championship in years where anyone from Mayo.Galway/Roscommon and even Sligo could win.

---------------------
We are still in development also. The 2006 minors are only 23/24 plus we'll have about 7 of this year's u-21 players on the senior panel. So in short both are behind Mayo in the development stage.

It's a real open championship Sligo,Mayo,Galway & ourselves will all fancy their chances but i think it's all set up for Galway to give their best Connacht showing since 2008. (i hope i wrong of course) With the quality of players now in Connacht there's no reason why at least three Connacht team can't reach the quarter finals.

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4397 - 14/05/2012 18:50:07    1172224

tribeinbrum
County: Galway
Posts: 1417



For Galway to win Nestor they would have to beat Roscommon, Sligo and Mayo all in the one season. I can't remember the last time that happened so will be a very tough ask. If it did come off we'd be well battle hardened for the 1/4s anyway!!!!

For Cavan to get to an Ulster Final they would have to beat Donegal, Derry and the winners of Tyrone and Armagh. Who has the tougher task, Cavan or Galway? Mayo have a home semi-final against the winners of Leitrim and London. They are not out until June 24. Hardly the most demanding schedule.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6199 - 14/05/2012 19:44:49    1172269

I can't see anyone but Mayo win here miles ahead of everyone else in con.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 14/05/2012 20:14:05    1172300

Mayo strong favourites no doubt about it, the other side is fairly open and I wouldn't be surprised to see Galway, Roscommon or Sligo in the final but I will go with a Galway/Mayo final with Mayo being champions

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3772 - 14/05/2012 20:16:35    1172301

14/05/2012 20:14:05
clondalkindub
County: Dublin
Posts: 1911

1172300
I can't see anyone but Mayo win here miles ahead of everyone else in con.
--------------------
Mayo were minutes away from getting knocked out by London last year. They only beat us by two points in the Connacht final. No side in Connacht "miles ahead"

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4397 - 14/05/2012 20:26:29    1172307

Greengrass, i'm not going to get into the ins and outs of who would have a harder task, or which province is harder/easier....All i was saying was that if it did come off, i can't remember the last time a Galway team beat Roscommon, Sligo and Mayo in Connacht. If Cavan got to an Ulster final beating all those teams, fair play to them.

And if Galway did beat all those teams they would be well prepared for what is to come at them in a 1/4 final.

Anyway, that can only be thought of if we get out of the Hyde with a win on Sunday.

tribeinbrum (Galway) - Posts: 4155 - 15/05/2012 09:34:15    1172430

Looking forward to Leitrim coming over in June. Don't think we'll have a better chance of getting a Connacht Championship win, despite Croke Park sticking their oar in.

scruff (UK) - Posts: 467 - 15/05/2012 10:25:13    1172463

It feels like it's going to be good, there seems to be a bit more interest too. Maybe it's stronger than other years, I'm not convinced of that though, it seems a lot of people are making out Ross are a serious team because of underage success.
Again im not convinced that's the case, senior football is a different animal, of course good underage success does no harm but it does in no way guarantee senior success ahead.

Roscommon have failed to deliver at senior for a long time, they have failed time and time again to beat Mayo.

If they fail to beat an understrength Galway in their own hay barn, they will have failed again as a senior outfit.

Mayo/Galway final for me, too close to call with it been in salthill .

51longago (Mayo) - Posts: 2981 - 15/05/2012 11:07:08    1172517