I know it is premature but after seeing the interview with James O'Donoghue it got me thinking about 2015. I know how Donegal will be feeling today but that team over the past 4 years have achieved legend status up in the hills. In terms of Ulster it is by far the most competitive championship and with that comes 'different era's'. Armagh and Tyrone dominated from 1999 to 2010 which led to national success. Monaghan and Donegal have had there time during the past 4 years. However Monaghan will struggle to compete next year and with teams like Armagh, Down and Cavan showing promise can Donegal maintain the management and players to win Ulster and compete nationally also where does Tyrone stand?. The rest of the country is predictable with Mayo Kerry and Dublin competing for Sam again in 2015. Thoughts ?.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 22/09/2014 18:00:42    1655557

Obviously things can change in the meantime but it'd be hard enough to see anyone in Ulster stopping Donegal next year so they should arrive back into the All-Ireland series next year with too much trouble.

They're a very good team that'll be in the hunt for Sam again next year along with Kerry, Dublin and Mayo probably.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 22/09/2014 18:58:48    1655577

sam1884
County: UK
Posts: 20

1655557 . I know it is premature but after seeing the interview with James O'Donoghue it got me thinking about 2015. I know how Donegal will be feeling today but that team over the past 4 years have achieved legend status up in the hills. In terms of Ulster it is by far the most competitive championship and with that comes 'different era's'. Armagh and Tyrone dominated from 1999 to 2010 which led to national success. Monaghan and Donegal have had there time during the past 4 years. However Monaghan will struggle to compete next year and with teams like Armagh, Down and Cavan showing promise can Donegal maintain the management and players to win Ulster and compete nationally also where does Tyrone stand?. The rest of the country is predictable with Mayo Kerry and Dublin competing for Sam again in 2015. Thoughts ?.

What is your basis for saying Monaghan will struggle to compete next year ? They are well ahead of Cavan and Down. Armagh are a work in progress and will be very dangerous next year. Monaghan have no fear of Donegal and with a full compliment of players they will give anyone in Ulster their fill of it next year.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 22/09/2014 19:44:54    1655595

Ulster next year is between Armagh and Donegal. Monaghan are up there too mind. Not much between the 3 of them. As for ourselves, well not quite yet I don't think, still very young and Id say a lot of the cream of our u21 crop havnt even played senior yet.

Ned_Stormcrow (Cavan) - Posts: 1071 - 22/09/2014 20:44:33    1655625

This time last year everyone was saying who would stop Clare and Dublin next year (this year)?

Even at the end of this years league who would have thought Kerry for football and Tipp would be a whisker away to winning the hurling?

Its Championship lads - it takes on a journey of its own. Wouldn't spend too much time thinking about it till next July! For me, its all about the local Championship now, and Saturday of course

Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1415 - 22/09/2014 21:00:23    1655636

i think monaghan have peaked and should be on the way down now unless there is big improvements made or an introduction of new players..armagh and tyrone you would expect to be an awful lot better

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 22/09/2014 21:12:13    1655641

Armagh and Tyrone. Dangerous opponents for any county.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7845 - 22/09/2014 21:33:03    1655658

While the top four will be in around in August again. You will find that Galway, Roscommon, Cork, Down, Monaghan, Tyrone and Derry will be closer next year and one of them will probably make the semis.
Its a Ulster/Munster and Connaught/Leinster draw next year so I'm predicting

Dublin v Roscommon, Mayo v Galway, Cork v Armagh, Kerry v Donegal

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1109 - 23/09/2014 08:25:43    1655692

Think Monaghan hit their peak in Ulster in 2013. Ulster this year was the holy grail for them, exposed big time in Croker V the Dubs. Surely Down and Cavan have to produce something in Ulster next year. Cavan have the underage while Down have a very shrewd appointment in Jim Mc Corry and players home from Austraila. Lets not rule out Derry either.However if Jim MC G stays on and Donegal have no retirements, they will be the team to beat!

222 (UK) - Posts: 693 - 23/09/2014 10:30:49    1655759

I love this talk of Monaghan having peaked and are going to fade away again, just because everything went arseways and we were well beat by an excellent Dublin team - Donegal beating them doesn't change that they're still a class team. There is a clear top 4 after this year, but I'd still fancy our chances against any team outside of that, and if we met Donegal in Ulster there'd be no fear either(if they have departures in management and players it'll get interesting, though they'll still be there or thereabouts). People still have this lazy analysis of Monaghan being an ageing team, if they bother to actually look through the team they'll see it's mostly fairly young. We have promising players coming through in defence and attack - the only problem is midfield, where we'll need new blood if we want to progress.

We play Division 1 football next year which should help the younger players no end. After the Dublin performance most teams will probably see us as a good chance of 2 points, and it'll be tough for us with 4 away games. But I see 3-4 games where we can definitely get points so I'm hopeful we can have a decent league to set us up well for next summer.

patk (Monaghan) - Posts: 936 - 23/09/2014 11:26:03    1655799

Armagh will test a lot of teams next year for sure.

If McGuinness leaves who's most likely to take over? Rory Gallagher? Damian Diver?

HarryHoudini (Donegal) - Posts: 2 - 23/09/2014 11:50:52    1655840

Monaghan still have a cracking forward line and are really difficult to play against in Clones. They wont be far away but in my opinion they will need to add pace. My point is Donegal and Monaghan have been the top two in Ulster and deserve to be seen as the teams to beat. In saying that 2015 looks like it will throw up serious competition in the province, Down have players coming back possibly, players that got them to an All Ireland final in the past. I may be wrong but Cavan will be good in 2015 and Armagh are steadily improving as are Tyrone. I dont think any county will hold any fear and see it as a new era of opportunity.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 23/09/2014 12:14:02    1655866