I fully expect us to win in Newry on Saturday Enola Gay, Mayo will present an altogether tougher challenge as they always do and I wouldn't be too disheartened if we took our beating there. I have a feeling that a comfortable mid table position awaits with possible morale boosting wins over Cork and Donegal along the way.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 28/01/2013 10:12:22    1324662

Kildare for the drop. Only having two home games will be a massive blow and it severely hurts our limited chances of staying up.

Who joins us will be interesting to see and will more than likely come down to what teams we can take points off.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3685 - 28/01/2013 10:20:46    1324666

AnRaibh
County: Donegal
Posts: 73
How many games do you need to win to be safe? Thats a big question look at where Cork finished up last year and they lost three games.

Hopefully the league will be very tight, for the spectators. But if you want to stay up, get out of the traps in the first few games and just get the points on the board.

I suspect this will be a very tight division, hopefully anyone who doesn't give it the respect it deserves will find themselves relegated.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4903 - 28/01/2013 10:53:05    1324673

arock
County: Dublin
Posts: 1267

I suspect this will be a very tight division, hopefully anyone who doesn't give it the respect it deserves will find themselves relegated.

Well said arock. I think this last few years managers have started to care more about the league - well at least staying in the top division. This is good for the game.

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 28/01/2013 13:16:59    1324784

A safe midtable position would suit me down to the ground Brend. I think we can win in Newry on Saturday night as well, but equally Down folk are talking up their chances big time as well. They see Tyrone as a team that they can take, especially in the Marshes. Mayo away will be tough alright, but we've done well there in the past. Either way, points of some description are a must from the first two games for Tyrone

EnolaGay (Tyrone) - Posts: 653 - 28/01/2013 14:33:49    1324836

Kildare have Tyrone and Down as our last two games. You'd have to be honest and say there is a decent chance we could already be relegated before we even get to play those games.

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 28/01/2013 15:19:29    1324864

28/01/2013 14:33:49
EnolaGay
County: Tyrone
Posts: 562

Your exactly right there. Us mourne folk do expect a Down win no matter who we play at the marshes- we have a great record at home. I'm sure both teams will go out on to the field fulling expecting to win this one, which in return could make for a very entertaining game.

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 28/01/2013 15:50:09    1324879

That should be 'fully expecting' :)

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 28/01/2013 16:04:12    1324890

arock
County: Dublin
Posts: 1267



Hopefully the league will be very tight, for the spectators. But if you want to stay up, get out of the traps in the first few games and just get the points on the board.

I suspect this will be a very tight division, hopefully anyone who doesn't give it the respect it deserves will find themselves relegated.

I agree Arock to a point. I think the league is important and I am very happy that Cork have won the last three of them. However, if I were to suggest that as a result of winning 4 of the last 6 national titles (3 leagues and an All-Ireland) that we are by far better than everybody else, people on here, would tell me that I was ridiculous (and rightly so) and that we are behind Dublin and Donegal (who have won the All_ireland more recently that us). In my opinion, the league is important but the reality is that it is secondary and is very much treated that way by top counties.

I think the hurling league is more competitive as a few slip-ups and you are relegated. For, example Dublin hurlers performed very well in Division 1 (scored 6-15 v KK and drew with Tipp and Galway) and were relegated. I would scrap the league semi-finals.

Sin ráite, táim ag súil le tosach sraith Allianz agus cruinniú leis na Dubs Dé Sathairn seo chugainn...

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 28/01/2013 17:42:21    1324950

I think Donegal will probably be lucky to avoid relegation this year. They will play their top players in the league, but last season they didnt seem to show their hand until championship.
Mayo always do fairly well in the league, and I will expect something to that degree this year. Dublin, Cork, Kerry and Tyrone will all perform well, and I fancy them to all be vying for the National League Semi final spots.

I feel Down and Kildare will be fighting relegation with Donegal.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 28/01/2013 18:21:53    1324974

I think Mayo & Donegal will struggle early on based on collective fatigue both mentally and physically, as for my native Dublin I'd be content with just staying up provided we fix our midfield problems out during the course of the fixtures, however I'm very excited to see our young lads getting a run in Croker we have pace to burn in a lot of positions.

Bluewave (Dublin) - Posts: 552 - 28/01/2013 19:37:24    1325015

Think Mayo will go well, as they usually do and might just win it.

Kildare, with so many away games, would do well to stay up but I think they will be going down, with Down or Donegal.

The superbly confident Tyrone will just slip up in the final.

KELF (Kildare) - Posts: 775 - 28/01/2013 20:05:52    1325035

finally!!!!! the league is here roll on saturday,id love the dubs to have a good crack at it this year going to be a great double header as for relegations no comment on this.lets take one game at a time come on the dubs bring on cork!!!!!

UP THE DUBS!!!

dubbydave. (Dublin) - Posts: 3927 - 28/01/2013 20:06:44    1325036

Bluewave that's exactly what I'm Hoping for aswell, the wide open spaces of Croker will suit these kids who have pace to burn. Mannion ,Costello , Sweeney , Rock, Mccaffrey etc are flyers and should eat it up.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 28/01/2013 20:33:34    1325045

clondalkindub
you heading pal on saturday night?????

dubbydave. (Dublin) - Posts: 3927 - 28/01/2013 20:43:59    1325053

They will draw fouls to beat the band clondalkin.

Bluewave (Dublin) - Posts: 552 - 28/01/2013 21:08:45    1325071

bennybunny
County: Cork
Posts: 1577

Sin ráite, táim ag súil le tosach sraith Allianz agus cruinniú leis na Dubs Dé Sathairn seo chugainn...

Beidh muid réitithe daoibh!!

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 29/01/2013 13:05:25    1325234

C,mon Da Dubs...

DUB1 (Dublin) - Posts: 5583 - 29/01/2013 13:48:34    1325272

Dublin v Cork final. Down and Kildare to be relagated.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 31/01/2013 20:02:57    1326423

Tyrone have only 3 home games and these are against Cork, Kerry and Donegal. Nothing easy for us. Saturday nights game with Down is therefore a must win game and you get nothing easy in Newry. It will be interesting to see if Kerry, Cork, Dublin and Mayo go full pelt for the league. Donegal didn't last year and used the league period to train heavily, just doing enough to stay up. I would guess that the same formula will be used this year.

MB1 (Tyrone) - Posts: 360 - 31/01/2013 20:59:24    1326452