Football rankings: how does your county rate?
May 09, 2013
The field of dreams in Croke Park
1. DUBLIN (no change)
No change at the top of the rankings after Jim Gavin's side finished off the job and claimed a first FL Division 1 title in 20 years against Tyrone. Bernard Brogan failed to perform up to his usual high standard against the Red Hand County but others, such as Paul Mannion and Dean Rock, proved that the Dubs are no longer over-reliant on the 2010 Footballer of the Year. Difficult to see anyone touching them in Leinster.
2. TYRONE (no change)
No Stephen O'Neill and Peter Harte against Dublin yet Mickey Harte's charges were very much in contention in the league final right up until the final whistle. They are in rude health as the crunch Ulster SFC quarter-final clash with All-Ireland champions Donegal looms close over the horizon. The long-range free-taking of goalkeeper Niall Morgan has added an extra weapon to their arsenal and that could prove useful in dismantling Donegal's blanket defence.
3. DONEGAL (no change)
The pieces of the jigsaw appear to be falling into the place for the All-Ireland champions who have welcomed Footballer of the Year Karl Lacey back in the last week. Mark McHugh's hamstring injury is not as bad as first feared either so it's all systems go for May 26th in Ballybofey. No one is reading too much into their relegation from Division 1 but the spotlight is now very much back on Jim McGuinness and his players.
4. MAYO (up 2)
With both Andy Moran and Alan Dillon on the verge of a return, Mayo manager James Horan is eagerly looking forward to the start of the championship. Arch rivals Galway are first up for last year's defeated All-Ireland finalists in Salthill on Sunday week. Their final round win over Cork plus results elsewhere sent the Connacht men into the league semi-finals where they came up short against Dublin. Nonetheless, they enter the championship in optimistic mood.
5. KILDARE (down 1)
Having qualified for the knock-out stages of the league with one game to spare, Kieran McGeeney and the Lilywhites experienced that, unfortunately for them, all too familiar feeling of leaving Croke Park on the wrong side of the result. Their U21s also flattered to deceive when exiting the All-Ireland championship at the hands of eventual winners Galway in the last four. That defeat will have dented the confidence of their younger players who made good first impressions in the league.
6. CORK (down 1)
Conor Counihan's side just missed out on the latter stages of the league but only had themselves to blame following their 0-11 to 0-10 reversal at home to Mayo. Colm O'Neill's cruciate ligament overshadowed their league campaign which saw them finish in fifth place and lose out to Mayo on goal difference. Eoin Cadogan is also on the injury list struggling with an ankle injury. They will negotiate the hurdles of Limerick and Clare and then it is likely to be Kerry in the Munster decider on July 7th.
7. KERRY (no change)
Sidestepped relegation in dramatic fashion on the last day of the groups stages of Division 1 thanks to their win over Tyrone and Paul Mannion's late equalising point for Dublin against Donegal. Eamonn Fitzmaurice breathed a massive sigh of relief and with the Gooch, Declan O'Sullivan, Paul Galvin and Kieran Donaghy back on board they are sure to be a different animal come championship time.
8. DOWN (no change)
You have to have some sympathy for Down manager James McCartan. The Mourne County's injury woes show no signs of abating with key forwards Donal O'Hare and Conor Laverty now also on the treatment table. He has also lost three players to the US. In comparison, Ulster opponents Derry are riding high on the crest of the wave at the moment following their outright Division 2 success. It will take a big performance to lower the Oak Leaf County's colours on June 2.
9. DERRY (up 1)
Brian McIver has made an instant impression as Derry manager but their league success will count for nothing if they fail to clear the Down hurdle in the Ulster SFC quarter-final. Raymond Wilkinson is out of their championship campaign after sustaining a serious knee injury against Westmeath while Ciaran McFaul has also emerged as doubt.
10. WESTMEATH (down 1)
Pat Flanagan's charges were on level terms with Derry entering injury-time of the Division 2 decider but conceded 1-3 right at the death. The experience of playing in Croke Park will have stood to them, however, and with promotion to the top flight already under their belts, they will approach their Leinster SFC clash with Carlow in upbeat form.
11. LAOIS (no change)
The O'Moore County needs to find a greater consistency to their performances. Finished third in the Division 2 table, two points adrift of Derry and Westmeath. Louth will test their mettle on May 26th in the Leinster SFC.
12. GALWAY (up 1)
The senior camp will hope to emulate the performances of their U21s who went all the way to All-Ireland glory. It will be interesting to see if that success has a positive knock-on effect for Alan Mulholland's charges when they square up to Mayo.
13. MONAGHAN (up 1)
The Farney County finished off their Division 3 campaign in style when claiming Meath's scalp in the decider. They will need to stop conceding goals, however, if they are to have any chance of ending their 15-year wait for a Ulster SFC success.
14. MEATH (up 2)
The number one objective of promotion was achieved by new manager Mick O'Dowd and his players but the league final against Monaghan exposed many frailties in the Royal County's make-up. They have avoided Dublin and Kildare in their half of the Leinster draw so a second successive final appearance is well within their grasp.
15. LIMERICK (no change)
Limerick saw off Offaly to claim the Division 4 silverware but the win came at a cost as captain Ian Ryan sustained ankle ligaments towards the end of the game. He is definitely out of the provincial opener against Cork.
16. ARMAGH (up 1)
Like Kerry, Armagh's championship preparations received a boost when they escaped relegation on the final day of the group stages. The return of Jamie Clarke will greatly enhance their attacking options when they travel to Breffni Park to take on Cavan on Sunday week.
17. LOUTH (up 1)
Ray Finnegan and Brian Donnelly are both rated as extremely doubtful for the Wee County ahead of their Leinster showdown with Laois in two weeks' time. Aidan O'Rourke 's men finished fourth in the Division 2 table.
18. WEXFORD (down 6)
Relegation to Division 3 isn't the best preparation for a Leinster SFC quarter-final against the winners of Laois and Louth. Aidan O'Brien's men won two and drew one of their seven league games.
19. FERMANAGH (up 1)
Fermanagh came close to a second successive promotion in the league but came up short against Meath in round 7 in Pairc Tailteann. Nonetheless, there were more positives than negatives to their campaign and Peter Canavan will look to pull off a surprise when they face the winners of Cavan and Armagh.
20. LONGFORD (down 1)
Glenn Ryan's men failed to win one of their seven games in Division 2 but were unlucky on a couple of occasions. They will be fancied to overcome a Wicklow side who were relegated to the bottom tier.
21. CAVAN (up 2)
The loss of Gearoid McKiernan to a cruciate ligament injury is a massive set-back for Terry Hyland and his team's chances of causing an upset or two in the Anglo Celt Cup race. On the plus side, midfielder Tomas Corr appears to be winning his fitness battle.
22. ANTRIM (down 1)
Frank Dawson ruffled a few feathers when he axed Tony Scullion and Tomas McCann from his squad. Relegation to Division 4 will have heaped further pressure on the Saffrons' new manager.
23. ROSCOMMON (up 1)
John Evans' side showed signs of improvement towards the end of Division 3 and with their St Brigid's contingent now on board they will be a force to be reckoned with in the Connacht championship although they face a tough opener in the form of the winners of Galway/Mayo!
24. TIPPERARY (down 2)
Finished in the bronze medal position in Division 4 when losing on the final day to Offaly. Peter Creedon's men face the daunting prospect of travelling to Killarney for their Munster SFC opener on May 26.
25. SLIGO (no change)
Another team who escaped the relegation trapdoor on the final day. Kevin Walsh has a big job on his hand if he is to turn things around ahead of the Connacht championship. A defeat to London is unthinkable.
26. OFFALY (no change)
Manager Emmett McDonnell was in positive mood following the Division 4 final defeat to Limerick but the Faithful County will have their work cut out when they play Kildare in Croke Park on June 1.
27. WICKLOW (no change)
Harry Murphy's charges didn't enjoy the best of league campaigns but all that will be forgotten if they can overcome Longford in Aughrim on May 26.
28. LEITRIM (no change)
The Barney Breen/George Dugdale managed outfit experienced little difficulty in disposing of New York in their opener at Gaelic Park last Sunday. Captain Emlyn Mulligan pointed the way for the visitors with 3-7 in their 24-point victory.
29. CLARE (no change)
The Banner County won four and lost three of their Division 4 games. Difficult to see life getting any better for Mick O'Dwyer and his men in the championship where they are due to play the winners of Cork and Limerick.
30. WATERFORD (up 1)
Niall Carew's men concluded their league with a morale-boosting win over Carlow. They finished on six points out of a possible 14.
31. CARLOW (down 1)
After a promising start, Carlow's Division 4 campaign petered out and they finished second from bottom in Division 4. They travel to Mullingar to take on Westmeath on May 26.
32. LONDON (no change)
The Exiles finished bottom of the pile in the league. Can they pull of an upset against Sligo in the Connacht SFC? Tweet
