I think there is little amongst the Top 5 footballing counties at present

Donegal
Cork
Mayo
Kerry
Dublin

No particular order

Whoever wins it out of the above will ride their luck in the big games...

Nothing between the teams... very open this year and as such

Aul lady luck will have a big part to play in 2013...

The whinging will be mighty....

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 22/05/2013 17:12:27    1389183

Is that not the case every year Jim.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 22/05/2013 17:20:10    1389191

It's still great to win a provincial title and shouldn't be over looked.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9798 - 22/05/2013 17:24:11    1389195

You'll be adding Tyrone to that list on Sunday

beir_bua (Kildare) - Posts: 746 - 22/05/2013 17:25:25    1389198

jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 10267

1389183
I think there is little amongst the Top 5 footballing counties at present

Donegal
Cork
Mayo
Kerry
Dublin

No particular order

Whoever wins it out of the above will ride their luck in the big games...

Nothing between the teams... very open this year and as such

Aul lady luck will have a big part to play in 2013...

The whinging will be mighty....
--------

Not too sure why Tyrone are absent their Jim. They're ahead of Cork and Kerry in my book. Every AI winner has some luck, a decision here or there, soft free, opposition sending off etc. One thing to be sure of is that if the Jacks get a decision we'll never hear the end of it.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4749 - 22/05/2013 17:46:59    1389255

My top six as the Championship begins 1 Donegal 2 Dublin 3 Kerry 4 Tyrone 5 Mayo and 6 Cork.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1800 - 22/05/2013 17:58:24    1389270

2013 All Ireland winner will come from Donegal,Kerry,Cork,Dublin. The likes of Kildare,Mayo,Tyrone should all have August football but none will be good enough to win the big prize in September.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3993 - 22/05/2013 20:09:52    1389360

I guarantee tyrone, kerry or cork will not win the all ireland this year. Guarantee it. The winners will come from dublin, mayo or donegal who have moved ahead of the rest

redandgreen (None) - Posts: 691 - 22/05/2013 21:17:40    1389397

redandgreen
I guarantee tyrone, kerry or cork will not win the all ireland this year. Guarantee it. The winners will come from dublin, mayo or donegal who have moved ahead of the rest

I wouldn't disagree with this in terms of favourites for the all-ireland. Dublin, Mayo and Donegal would seem to be the team to beat. I was at the semi-final in '11 when we beat Mayo in the semi-final. I was impressed with Mayo that day and was saying in the early part of last year that they would challenge for the all-ireland. Tyrone, Kerry and Cork's best chance will probably have to be the direct route through a provincial title.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9798 - 22/05/2013 21:29:17    1389406

There is no talk of Cork this year, even without O'Neil, they are still a top side. There problem seems to be an ageing half back line but they still have midfield and forwards to cause most sides damage. I would definately add Tyrone to that list Jim. We will see on Sunday I Suppose

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 22/05/2013 21:45:18    1389425

Cork are serious contenders this year, I don't know how anyone can say likewise. They will win Munster and then once their in Croker it would be hard to bet against them.

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 22/05/2013 21:54:24    1389437

For me its Dublin, donegal, cork, kerry. In that order, id be very surprised if either Tyrone or Mayo were capable of winning it. The rest are not near it

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 23/05/2013 09:36:48    1389459

Well lads I gave my top 5...

And for me Tyrone are not amongst them... just outside it though

Lack of fire power up front will come to haunt Tyrone.

Kerry with the tried and tested starting 15 are ahead of Tyrone in my book

In fact...

My money is on Kerry this year... if I was a gambling man... which I'm not.

Mayo in with a serious shout too... but I'm going to go for Kerry

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 23/05/2013 10:02:04    1389472

Mayo looked very strong on Sunday. They will be automatically in the last 8, as well as Kerry and Cork, which is a serious advantage really.
Ourselves and Tyrone will have to go a longer road. As either Kildare or Dublin will if they dont get to the Leinster final.
The one advantage of going the longer road is big match experience, which is very hard to simulate on a training pitch.

The cons are burn out on all fronts, including injuries and matching up against a fresh outfit.

We will see, I fancy that the best team will win on the day, its nigh impossible to pick before a game any more.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3858 - 23/05/2013 11:14:48    1389529

Tyrone might lack a few options up front, but then you would say the same about donegal last year. Their strength lies in their ability to carry out a gameplan and make it work, and that will put them right in the shake-up in my book. I dont think they will win it, but they have as good a chance as cork or ourselves. As of now my favourites for sam are Dublin, Kerry and Donegal. It is hard to put them in any order at present. If kerry get the luck with injuries that donegal got last year then they are the best team in the country for me, but then again they have a light squad. The dubs are young and Im not convinced that the way they have set up is the right one. Connolly at cf is a gamble for me, and if the inevitable couple of bad games he has this year coincides with one or two other things, they could find themselves scoring less but still conceding a lot, at which point alarm bells should be ringing. Donegal we will know more about after the weekend, but it will be hard for everyone to repeat the feats of last year. Time will tell with them. Interesting championship shaping up.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 23/05/2013 11:45:41    1389549

donegal have no chance, i am going to be very surprised if tyrone dont beat them and they'll get the likes of kildare/cork who'll knock them out of the qualifiers!

loyal82royal (Meath) - Posts: 260 - 23/05/2013 12:17:43    1389586

No one outside Div One will win this years AI. Lets be honest the best 8 teams in the country were there in this years league. I'd go as far as to say that its doubtful team outside of this years Div One will win a provincial title. One or two from this years Div Two MIGHT surprise. Outside of that - forget about it.

However even Div One could be broken into 3 different levels in the race for Sam. I'd narrow the top group down to two.

sedico (Kildare) - Posts: 1682 - 23/05/2013 12:19:01    1389588

Division one definitely will have the winner, but two teams in division one this year have no hope of even reaching a provincial final, neither down or kildare have a hope, the other six this year definitely. But the likes of, laois, cavan, monaghan, meath, limesrick (should have beat kildare last year) would all fancy their chances against two very average teams.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 23/05/2013 12:44:27    1389614

Have to laugh at the lads at the Lyric Irish News/ONeills chat last night. Two of the four put Mayo down for the All Ire this year. That may turn out to be the case, but it is daft asking whos gonna win what after the thing has started. The boys were tryin their best at a bit of revisionism too, by suggesting their choice was based on previous results. Ye right, sure Mayo were touch and go to stay in div one. They looked great against Galway but sure look at ArdMacha?

gaelantrim (Antrim) - Posts: 1616 - 23/05/2013 12:50:11    1389620

Yeah only Six teams can win it IMO.

I would have Mayo top of that list. Not going on last Sunday, they were impressive although, but this new coach they have is top class. I even noticed a difference in their tackling last Sunday, much more refined and disciplined from last year. The likes of Cafferky, Higgins, Boyle and Keegen will make it very difficult for any team out there to get scores and with Andy Moran back they might just have that little bit extra that they need up front.

They will be hard to beat.

DLlegends (Donegal) - Posts: 503 - 23/05/2013 13:22:12    1389661