blue dubstar you say the hunger will still be there but if ballymun do go on to win the club all Ireland i can't see Rock, McCarthy and McMahon having much more hunger to spare.

tic_for_tac (Meath) - Posts: 151 - 11/03/2013 14:39:01    1347130

cacsmckilly
County: Tyrone
Posts: 596

1347095
cacsmckilly
County: Tyrone
Posts: 595

I favour Cork to win it after seeing them in Omagh, its not because they beat Tyrone as we were shocking but how they done it. Cork as we all have become use to play an orthodox game with power. However they did not play like that against us and it was all about defense. Maybe they have learnt from the defeat to Donegal last year. They always had a man or two back in the defense (sweepers) on Sunday and played the defensive system very well.

Cork for me are a team of talented players but lacked a system that could compete with Say Donegal or Dublin for example. With my own eyes i saw a very defensive system in place against Tyrone and they were very good at it.

On top of which they are horses of men!!

How are the holiday plans coming along Cacs?

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5030 - 11/03/2013 14:45:03    1347140

11/03/2013 14:39:01
tic_for_tac
County: Meath
Posts: 56

1347130
blue dubstar you say the hunger will still be there but if ballymun do go on to win the club all Ireland i can't see Rock, McCarthy and McMahon having much more hunger to spare.

Whats that saying 'eating cake is soon forgotten'... I think they will when they discover just how hard it will be to break into the Dublin team! Thats if they win!

bluedubstar (Dublin) - Posts: 835 - 11/03/2013 14:54:21    1347149

blue dubstar you say the hunger will still be there but if ballymun do go on to win the club all Ireland i can't see Rock, McCarthy and McMahon having much more hunger to spare.

_______


I actually think it would have the opposite affect , I reckon whatever the result of the club it will make them doubley determined to win the All ireland with Dublin

A] - If Ballymun win , I reckon they will be determined to win the club and inter county all ireland in the same year, Would complete a perfect year for them

Whereas if they

B] Lose the club final , They will want to try make amends in the inter county ..

Either way Dublin are hungry and want to win the all ireland, Wether they do or not we have to see but its far too early to talk about it ..

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 11/03/2013 15:13:30    1347171

Yes cork will be strong this summer as will tyrone. Dublin and Donegal will also be there. Mayo are going to need a full team this year.

Kerry are looking in dire straights.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3858 - 11/03/2013 15:16:18    1347173

Donegalman
County: All
Posts: 532


Kerry are looking in dire straights.

"We are Sultans. We are the Sultans of Swing"

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5030 - 11/03/2013 15:19:00    1347174

I wouldnt even attempt to pick a winner at this stage of the year.

Dublin, Tyrone, Kildare (before their spanking by the Dubs yesterday) and Cork look to be playing some really good stuff at the minute, but Donegal just hung on to their Division One status last year though and they went on to win the championship. Just goes to show that league form shouldnt be read in to too much (same can be said for club chamoionship also).

As a Donegal supporter I just hope that all the emphasis being placed on the chamionship doesnt back fire on us.

junk (Donegal) - Posts: 197 - 11/03/2013 15:21:24    1347177

11/03/2013 14:08:14
waynoI
County: Dublin
Posts: 4959

1347076
Fact of the matter is , Anybody playing in division one this year can win the All Ireland bar down. (No disrespect to Down i just don't think they will win it)..

No disrespect taken. I don't think anyone in Down expects us to win Sam at the minute or anytime soon. We do have a decent team, but not one capable of overhauling Donegal, Dublin or Cork on the big stage at Croker. However, on our day we can beat anyone and I would be delighted if we made another AI quarter-final this season- Once Down get to Croker you just never know what can happen! In the Mourne county we always carry hope more than expectation lol.

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 11/03/2013 15:24:56    1347182

never write off Kerry. !!

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 11/03/2013 15:26:50    1347184

No disrespect taken. I don't think anyone in Down expects us to win Sam at the minute or anytime soon. We do have a decent team, but not one capable of overhauling Donegal, Dublin or Cork on the big stage at Croker. However, on our day we can beat anyone and I would be delighted if we made another AI quarter-final this season- Once Down get to Croker you just never know what can happen! In the Mourne county we always carry hope more than expectation lol.

___________

You fairly battered us back in Newry last year.. Cant see that happening on saturday week though.. Some very good footballers though

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 11/03/2013 15:37:19    1347200

MourneArmy
County: Down
Posts: 1045

1347182 11/03/2013 14:08:14
waynoI
County: Dublin
Posts: 4959

1347076
Fact of the matter is , Anybody playing in division one this year can win the All Ireland bar down. (No disrespect to Down i just don't think they will win it)..

No disrespect taken. I don't think anyone in Down expects us to win Sam at the minute or anytime soon. We do have a decent team, but not one capable of overhauling Donegal, Dublin or Cork on the big stage at Croker.

I would add a few more counties to that list Mourne Army! There are more than three teams in the country who Down couldnt beat on the big stage at croker not to mention ourselves and Kidare. Dream on kid, your not the fourth best team in the country, third best in Ulster would be more accurate after Donegal and Ourselves

cacsmckilly (Tyrone) - Posts: 1294 - 11/03/2013 15:42:56    1347211

Liamwalkinstown:

Have to agree re Donegal v Dublin 2013... Would be a cracker. Yous are showing serious form already and it's already March. It'll be hard to keep that up but you never know. We're not hitting form properly, but everyone knows Jim is lookin to Championship. Last year we only won 3 league matches. The focus is on 26th May.

At this early stage, I see Donegal and Dublin being the main contenders, with the likes of cork, mayo, Tyrone, Kildare, Kerry etc. knocking around. But anything can happen!!!

up_donegal (Donegal) - Posts: 659 - 11/03/2013 18:27:56    1347453

On current form guide there looks to be only one team in the country who should win SAM this year and that is Dublin. Unfortunately for Donegal, for whom I have great admiration, it is virtually impossible for a senior county team to win back to back All-Irelands. After this you have Cork , who have the best team on paper in the country but I think are slightly misguided by Counihan when it comes to a plan B. Tyrone and Kerry are always hiding in the bushes and could produce an unstoppable run.

There is however one team , despite the tanking they got yesterday by Dublin, that could re-emerge and do some damage and that is Kildare. They were cleaned out in midfield yesterday(possibly due to the lad Whyte headin of to the Lebanon) and that caused all their concession of easy scores. They will tighten up around the middle and win more breaks come summer. i think yesterdays heavy defeat will have done Kildare more good than Dublin. Nothings won in March and I think Dublin will peak much too early.

One will come from the pack and I think McGeeney will get Doyle and co well oiled for championship and give it a serious rattle.

johnjoseph (Derry) - Posts: 158 - 11/03/2013 18:48:20    1347475

Can't judge who's in the running for Sam in the league. Down got relegated in 1991 and won the all Ireland. Armagh beat Kerry in the league and drew with cork in 2012 and went on to get bucked out by Roscommon. Down somehow beat Donegal in 2012 in the league and Donegal went on to win the all Ireland. The leagues the battle, the champo's the war

MissDownFanatic (Down) - Posts: 411 - 11/03/2013 18:52:19    1347478

Dublin are way out in front as the best team in the country,
the only team who might stop them this year is Cork.
Unfortunately for Donegal they are a one-man team, and will
not retain the title!

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 11/03/2013 18:53:25    1347480

What about tyrone? One bad performance doesnt make a team bad and they were playing fantastically before the game against cork.

Goals_Will_Come (UK) - Posts: 375 - 11/03/2013 18:55:26    1347483

I dont think many predicted Donegal would win an all Ireland 2 years ago so you never know. I think there will be many counties pushing for a breakthrough and a few upsets are in prospect. Longford in Leinster is my tip to cause a major upset,they have really come on well the last few years. I cant see Donegal winning three in a row up North so that could go to anyone. Munster and Connaught you would expect Cork and Mayo to come through but there will be a suprise team in each final I feel, which would mean they are only a game away from the quarter finals. I agree there are probably only 3 counties in contention to win Sam but there will certainly be a few upsets along the way. It should be an exciting year as always

lukewalsh96 (Cork) - Posts: 252 - 11/03/2013 18:56:53    1347485

JJ

All Irelands arent won in March..

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 11/03/2013 19:00:19    1347492

What does peaking to early mean?! I mean GAA doesn't follow a formula. Dublin won their all ireland in 2011 by winning everything in league and championship bar the league final playing some good football. Donegal won theirs by having a poor enough league but a good championship. There's more than one way to Skín a cat as they say.

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 11/03/2013 19:01:46    1347497

Jackeen

If a team has a good league but underperforms come summer the experts tell us they peaked took early.

If a team has a good league and performs well come summer the experts tell us that a good league was vital in building momentum and confidence for the Champo.

If a team has a bad league and preforms badly come summer the experts point out that they've been playing badly all year and is no wonder they were bad in the summer after their bad league campaign.

If a team has a bad league but performs well in the summer the experts tell us that their league form meant nothing as they were always focused and building for champo.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13846 - 11/03/2013 19:23:13    1347526