Talk of Kerry even making the final is blarney talk. Sure the dominant Dubs haven't been able to follow up an All-Ireland with a final place in the following year. Sure look it we'll give it our best shot. Ciarraí abú!

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7870 - 21/07/2015 13:19:18    1756924

The same Cork team who finished top of Division 1 and beat Monaghan and Tyrone away losing to Donegal by 1, that Cork team


But yeah Longford, Kildare Westmeath are at the same level!

KYTitletown (Kerry) - Posts: 816 - 21/07/2015 13:27:21    1756932

Mayo's year is finally here. They are best placed to account for Dublin, and surely then will not fall to yet another defeat to Kerry in the final.

Eddie the Exile (Monaghan) - Posts: 1064 - 21/07/2015 13:44:53    1756948

You can analyse it all you want but based on the draw its going to boil down to Dublin V Mayo in one semi and Kerry V An other in the 2nd semi - with Donegal slipping a little.
Kerry should have the edge experience wise irrespective of who they meet in the semi - at this point Kerry have been well tested defensively and look to be improving but still loads to do on their forward play - need another option to Donaghy at FF imo to go all the way.
The 2nd semi is a toss up - two of the real heavy weights going head to head - Mayo physically more imposing but possibly still suspect at the back - Dublin untested but with the pedigree - it'll be interesting...

blacknamber (Kerry) - Posts: 267 - 21/07/2015 14:20:19    1756989

The Contenders
Dublin - Have played some great football but not yet tested against another contender - If they get past the quarters with a test they will be hard to stop.
Mayo - Have also played some great football but also not yet tested. They seem to be fresh and fully focussed - Would be my second fav for the AI.
Kerry - I'm not yet convinced. All the talk about Tommy Walsh earlier have shown fruitless. Gooch has done very little from open play in his two return games. I still think they have a dodgy defence.
Monaghan - Have the potential but haven't played well in any games so far. If they are yet to peak they will have a big say in this years AI but can they peak? I fance them to meet Tyrone in the quarters but on Sundays performance it won't be good enough.
Donegal - Need to come up with a plan B for attack. Some of the seasoned players looked leggy on Sunday. We seemed to have peaked in the Tyrone and Armagh games so it will be hard to get back to that standard. Very much outsiders for the AI as they would have to potentially beat Galway, Mayo, Kerry and Dublin to win - Almost impossible as we'd have to play Galway and Mayo in consecutive weeks.
Tyrone - Have been building nicely in the qualifiers. They have a fairly youg side and confidence of winning will bring them on. They should beat Sligo and won't fear Monaghan having overcome them in the quarters of 2013. Don't rule them out for the AI.
Cork - Looked very average against Kerry in the replay and similar to Donegal seem to have a lack of attacking structure.
The Rest - Sorry lads but just formalities in my opinion.

My current predictions would be
QF - Mayo v Donegal, Monaghan v Tyrone, Kerry v Westmeath, Dublin v Cork
SF - Kerry v Tyrone, Dublin v Mayo
AIF - Tyrone v Dublin
Champs - Dublin

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 21/07/2015 14:25:49    1756992

Kerry in Croke Park with Tommy Walsh to come back in? they are a country mile ahead of the pack. This 2007 all over again

JackoDub (Dublin) - Posts: 458 - 21/07/2015 14:37:30    1757004

Amazing to see the way attitudes or predictions are starting for Sam 2015 are starting to change based on mayo's facile win over sligo whereas dublin's 13 point defeat of westmeath is casting doubts on them. I like the way mayo have changed their style and seem to be playing a little more direct but it was very very easy against sligo who really are a very ordinary outfit and whose form beating roscommon is even more questionable considering how they exited the championship. O' Shea's positioning on the edge of the square could be very interesting but it all comes down to quick delivery which the better teams will curtail. I always thought as good a player as he is, that in the middle of the field he took to long to deliver to the inside forwards. Is it a case of robbing peter to pay paul as the old saying goes and he has been positioned there before with mixed results. Overall mayo are in the same position they have been in for many years and if they kick on no one really could begrudge them but they still have problems at the back and thay would be a worry for them. There basically is flaws in all the teams left some greater than others but it will be fascinating from here on in. Mongahan and tyrone are being dismissed as genuine contenders probably because people expect kerry to come through that side but I have a sneaking feeling that it might not be as straight forward as the general gaa people think for kerry. Can monaghan improve on previous year's performances in croker and how good are tyrone really. They look a team in re-building but no better a county/manager to come through the back-door and build on it. On the other side, donegal are suddenly coming to the end of the road according to a huge portion of the GAA print media!! I am not convinced about that jsut yet as they really were unlucky in the ulster final whcih came down to a kick of the ball. Really they couldn't deal with the blanket defence and they wouldn't be overloaded with options from the bench. Will cork come back from last sataurday night and beat kildare, should do but hard to know with cork. Should have beaten kerry the first day but seemed to have learnt very little for the second day. Dublin are being questioned because of another march through leinster with the blanket defence scenario and how they deal with it being the over-riding question for them. If they go like for like and play less open than last year's semi-final then they possibly have the best forward options left along with kerry. Galway could be a coming force, they impressed greatly last year in the quarter final v kerry and might just be the team on the up. Of course, donegal will be a different challenge but they did deal with derry who are ultra-defensive. Have they the experience to go the whole way. Kildare have bounced back from their leinster semi final humiliation at the hands of dublin but cork will be a step up for them from longford and offaly. Not forgetting about fermanagh and westmeath who to date have had a really good year. A quarter final appearance for either of them would be huge for the year but it is hard to see either of them progressing pass that stage. So in conclusion it will come dowm to the usual suspects,with the winner coming from kerry, dublin, mayo, donegal or cork with galway and tyrone the next best. From there I can't 100% predict the winner but here's hoping it is Dublin.

Adamski (Dublin) - Posts: 339 - 21/07/2015 14:53:13    1757017

Sorry I forgot to put monghan with tyrone and galway in my last posting.

Adamski (Dublin) - Posts: 339 - 21/07/2015 15:19:30    1757033

Aw its the same talk year in year out with the other 3 Provinces...

Leinster - Dublin havent been tested, Play 100% c'ship games in HQ
Connaught - Mayo win "This is our year"
Munster - Cork v Kerry
Ulster - Donegal v Monaghan Final last 3 years Mon winning 2

Dublin have not seen a Div 1 team in the championship this year and yet they get the privledge of playing substandard teams in a 82,000 capicity stadium not even half full. If they play cork I can see it being a tight game.

Connaught - Every year is Mayo's year!!! Any time they've got to the final which has been quite a bit over the last 10 years they poop themselves. They dont have the bottle to win anything but the province. You can't say they havent had the chance, maybe they were unlucky to come up against Kerry teams on their day just like sligo walked into Mayo on their day on Sunday

Munster - One thing thats consistent over the last 13 years of the championship, Kerry are going to give you a real battle. Team of the decade in the naughties with consistency, we may have won 3 AI titles but they got to the final 7/10 years and to win 3 themselves says it all really.

Half way through the teens and there have only been 4 teams to feature in the finals Kerry, Donegal, Mayo and Dublin. Could be the same this year maybe with the exception of Donegal with either Monaghan or Tyrone in there depending on what way the fixtures plan out.

Find_the_space (Tyrone) - Posts: 313 - 21/07/2015 15:36:00    1757044

You would be right JackoDub if we actually had our 2007 team playing in mint condition although Dublin were nowhere near as scary in 2007 as the current blue juggernaut and we still only barely won by 2 points, so it puts into perspective the task we'd face trying to beat the current blue machine, should we somehow get to the final

KYTitletown (Kerry) - Posts: 816 - 21/07/2015 15:36:08    1757045

Seems agreement so far on following points -

1. Dubs have to meet a real team yet and have their new defensive system really tested

2. Kerry on easier side of draw on paper and will have gained vital match time from replay against Cork

3. Mayo have found a ruthless streak at last and have learnt the knack of scoring though defence remains to be really tested

4. Donegal looking tired and have not figured out how to overcome their own blanket creation when opposed to it

5. Monaghan good defensively but have they the guile to improve their forward play and will their form continue in Croker

6. Tyrone are coming, slowly but surely and could be a test for any team yet

7. Cork are just Cork. Classy at best but totally unreliable

8. Galway are not bad but are not that great either

9 Kildare, Fermanagh, Sligo & Westmeath ....... also rans!!!

dingle2 (Kerry) - Posts: 278 - 21/07/2015 21:41:57    1757304

Dublin / Kerry final for me with the Dubs giving the Kingdom a good trimming.

Condorman (Dublin) - Posts: 983 - 22/07/2015 17:07:37    1757686

Cork true to form (or lack of it) again on Saturday night. I cannot fathom how such a potentially bunch of players consistently underperform and underachieve year in year out. Some sort of elite psychoanalyst needed in rebel football methinks to get their heads someway right going forward.

Kildare will now be a tricky challenge for Kerry given that they now have a head of steam up. Last time they met in semi-final (when it was a Micko v Paidi affair) Kildare came out on top although Kerry have beaten them since then in a quarter. However they are in the driving seat now and saw off Cork with much more ease than Kerry did so must be favourites for the tie now going on that line of form. Plus the game on in Croke Park which is nearly a home venue for Kildare.

dingle2 (Kerry) - Posts: 278 - 26/07/2015 19:14:00    1759328

dingle your a good judge ill tell you what as you reckon kildare are favourites..ill have an even bet with you on the match ill be generous and take the outsiders according to you...

kavvie (Clare) - Posts: 505 - 26/07/2015 19:33:21    1759336

Dingle2, Kildare are a Div 3 team now less of the cuteness.

Always_Mayo (Mayo) - Posts: 29 - 26/07/2015 19:40:38    1759338

I think Tyrone could be a nice outside tip for the All Ireland this year.

They should dispatch Sligo, and they are more than a match for Monaghan. That would pit them against either Kerry or Kildare, and I don't think Tyrone would fear either of those sides and can beat either.

It's not beyond the realm of possibility

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 27/07/2015 19:50:07    1759988

To win an All Ireland this year Mayo will, in all likelihood, have to beat Donegal in the quarters, Dublin in the semis and Kerry in the final. Can anyone see them doing so?

IamADragon (Cavan) - Posts: 305 - 28/07/2015 13:19:09    1760227

@IamADragon good question, and I don't think we have the capability or have developed the mental strength to tackle those obstacles YET but we are definitely improving.. Moving AOS to FF and parson's to mid field have been great moves. If we can strengthen the full back line we will be hard beaten.

sxckev (Mayo) - Posts: 211 - 28/07/2015 13:29:45    1760235

Always_Mayo
Technically we are a Division 2 team who will play Division 3 next season. Ourselves and Galway are the only division 2 teams still left in the championship. On the basis of our recent form I would expect us to be promoted from Division 3 next year.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2991 - 28/07/2015 13:50:33    1760249

This was posted as a new thread but has been incorporated here as it is the same subject matter.

HughHunt24
Posts: 620
Cork 06/08/2015 13:09

Do Mayo fear Kerry?

I expect the 2 teams to reach this year final. We have seen produce the goods against anyone bar the 3rd week in september. This year they have new management and AOS factor. However they alawys fall apart against the kingdom boys at the business end of championship. Last they blamed but referee but in both games they were well ahead and let both games slip. Do mayo fear the kingdom boys?

Administrator (None) - Posts: 2274 - 06/08/2015 13:16:36    1765025