The dust has settled on the 2015 football championship, Dublin are deserved champions, Kerry are the latest in a long line to fail to achieve the two in a row and Mayo have flattered to deceive again. What are posters expectations for their team in 2016? Do Dublin feel they are way ahead of the pack or do Kerry posters feel that they can atone for this year? Do Mayo and Donegal posters feel that they can find some badly needed new blood. Do Tyrone feel that they can continue their recent progress or do Galway or Meath posters feel that this is the year they awake from their slumbers? Do Roscommon posters feel that they are not as bad as their 2015 championship? Do any posters feel that their team might well be the dark horses for next year and have a handy enough draw to go a long way. Will realistic expectations be a good run in the league and a couple of wins in the back door or are you aiming for higher things? Just concentrate on your own County and be honest as it's way too early for coot hoorism. As far as Mayo are concerned I think we badly need to blood new players in the league and as a consequence will finish in fifth or sixth. I think we will have enough in the tank to win our sixth Connaught title in a row having both Galway and Roscommon at home. If we can avoid a top team in the quarters I can see us making the semi final but I think we may well exit at that stage. I think we have been on the road just that little bit too long with basically the same players and I feel that having peaked a couple of years ago it's only the sheer bloody mindedness of the players that's keeping them at the top. I hope I'm wrong but I'm afraid our search for Sam will go on.

Llaw_Gyffes (Mayo) - Posts: 1113 - 03/11/2015 20:25:08    1804226

- Would expect Roscommon to do better next year and get to a 1/4
- Mayo? Who knows.. need another forward, the fact u avoid dublin and kerry in AI series providing all 3 with their provincial I could see Mayo make the final
- Tyrone to be Ulster champions and are very dangerous oppossion in AI series
- Galway to improve - could be a cracker of a connaught championship
- Down could be my surprise Ulster package
- Donegal is again tough to call but maybe 1/4s
- Cork have the talent but need to solve the internal problems
- Tipp to have a good run in the qualifiers and maybe reach a 1/4
- Dublin and Kerry be in the mix and would expect 1 in the final

AthCliath87 (Dublin) - Posts: 345 - 03/11/2015 20:44:27    1804232

AthCliath87..... Seriously pal , Down don't even have a manager at the minute, never mind a team to surprise Ulster

topdownfan (Down) - Posts: 555 - 03/11/2015 21:40:00    1804253

From a Wee County point of view promation out of Div 4 and a good run in the championship. Louth have Carlow up first in the Championship. They have a brill record against the Barrowsiders. They have only lost once to them and that was the last time that they played each other in 2011. Then if they beat Carlow they will face the oule enemy Meath. Louth have not beaten Meath in the Championship since 1975.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 03/11/2015 21:48:12    1804257

I fear for Galway.. Word is that three of our more experienced starters from last year will be unavailable next year and this will be a massive blow. I fancy Roscommon to cause a shock in Connacht, with two great men over them and they will learn from getting caught on the hop last summer. As for the All Ireland, I see one from Tyrone/ Kerry / Dublin lifting Sam

Belclare1 (Galway) - Posts: 1626 - 04/11/2015 08:29:32    1804265

It would be great to see Limerick get to the Munster Final but with Kerry in our side of the draw, that is unlikely.

Being realistic, getting out of division 3 would be a major step forward but beating Tipperary, Kildare and Westmeath would be a big ask. The other games v Clare, Offaly, Sligo & Longford should be more keenly contested.

In championship, beating Clare and then two wins in the qualifiers, would be a good return for the year.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 04/11/2015 08:35:22    1804270

Well ultimately the year ended in disappointment for Kerry, but there were positives too along the way and we put up a stronger title defence than any side since 2007.

I see a lot of people on here are quick to proclaim the Dubs a 'far superior' outfit to the rest of us.

I don't by it. Dublin deservedly won the Final, but I don't think Kerry are that far away at all. We played terribly in the final (as bad as I've ever seen us) and we still could have pipped them with that goal chance at the end.

I expect Kerry to be in the hunt again come next September.

But we need to really target the League this year, there's plenty of young talent down here so we need to shake up the panel and unearth a few new players in key positions.

I think 2016 could be another big year for the Kerry GAA, the hurt over last September will fuel a serious tilt at the All Ireland next year.


Other than Kerry, well you are looking at Dublin, possibly Tyrone?

Can't see Cork sorting things out any time soon, Donegal are a fading force.

Mayo just don't have it for whatever reason, Connacht could be interesting next year.

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 04/11/2015 09:38:31    1804282

Straight to point I'm worried about Meath next year for various reasons, we've lost a lot of important players through a combination of injury, retirement and lads just wanting a year out (and our squad was already thin before that), our manager is heading into his 4th clueless season and fundamental change within the county is still only being talked about by the County Board. Ps they still can't even get floodlights sorted for Navan!

Specifically I think we'll badly struggle to avoid relegation in div2 having just missed promotion the previous 2 seasons. In the championship I think Louth will have a great chance of beating us and if they don't then Dublin will probably make sh1te of us anyway, after that it's up to the draw but I wouldn't expect anymore than 2 qualifier games before we're out.

I know that's incredibly negative but given what I've seen from the county over the last number of years that's just honestly how I feel, it's the lowest expectations I've had for Meath since probably 2004 or 2005.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 04/11/2015 11:32:19    1804317

Kerry- be interesting if they bring a few minors in and give a bit of pace to their team, also the older players need to walk away you've had great careers but Father Time waits for no one and its caught up with a lot of them. A semi final v Dublin awaits that's the big one for them next season.

Mayo- same team again as last year give or take but the big plus for Mayo is there on the other side to Dublin/Kerry and they've no fear of Donegal/Tyrone, I think a final appearance awaits them and anything can happen on all Ireland final day.

Donegal- no doubt will lose Kerry whose gone abroad to work which will be a big loss , more or less same team with the same system that's be figured out , hard to know where they'll end up but you'd be brave to write them off from at least a semi spot.

Dublin- the best team with the best panel with O Gara Mannion back on board going for back to back titles very hard to look past this team as 2016 All Ireland Champions

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 04/11/2015 11:36:04    1804319

Keeper not Kerry.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 04/11/2015 11:44:19    1804325

Mayo will be in an All ireland Quarter Final the August bank Holiday or so.
They cant be just written off for the AI.
A good pyschologist is what they need...and a forward of 2 to help out O Connor

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 04/11/2015 11:54:51    1804328

Tyrone for Ulster ? That's a big call for a team that had one win of note last year .

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 04/11/2015 12:10:56    1804338

I don't see any problems for Dublin or Kerry getting out of their provinces and expect one of them to lift Sam. I think Roscommon will come through in the west although Galway in Salthill would be tough. In Ulster I believe that Fermanagh can finally win the title despite having to go away to DonegaL and, probably, Monaghan. I feel that Tyrone and Mayo will come through the back-door to challenge for Sam.

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 04/11/2015 12:12:47    1804339

Greengrass, Tyrone are improving steadily over the last 2 years. I think Monaghan are finished and Donegal is hard to call.

The Hermit, Kerry were not allowed play.. it was the most one sided 2 point win I have ever seen. On a dry day I believe we would have wiped the floor with you. However Kerry are still huge contenders and are not far off Dublin obviously. There is serious talent coming through from the minors over last 2 years and I suspect that will transfer into the U21s (while we still have it) Possibly 1 or 2 to be brought into the senior squad?

AthCliath87 (Dublin) - Posts: 345 - 04/11/2015 12:36:01    1804348

Kerry to target the league? How things have changed, there must be a new super power in town :)

KerryKillers (Dublin) - Posts: 711 - 04/11/2015 13:10:45    1804358

woops
County: Kerry
Posts: 1459

1804328 Mayo will be in an All ireland Quarter Final the August bank Holiday or so.
They cant be just written off for the AI.
A good miracle is what they need...and a forward or 5 to help out O Connor

Fixed that for yi woops

ConnollyDub (Dublin) - Posts: 2007 - 04/11/2015 13:24:15    1804362

The Ulster Championship is as hard to call as ever so while Tyrone should set their stall out to win the Ulster Championship they could just as easy get knocked out in Celtic Park. That said Tyrone's record in the back door is great and they should be in the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals come August alongside Monaghan. The standard in Ulster has probably fallen and at this moment no All-Ireland winner looks likely to come out of the north.

Roscommon should make the final out west but Mayo still look ahead of the pack and should make the last four of the All-Ireland.

Dublin and Kerry look all over winners and the last four beckons. A repeat of the 2013 semi-final's Mayo v Tyrone and Dublin v Kerry would be no surprise.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 04/11/2015 14:54:43    1804403

Dublin and Kerry will be in the mix, I expect Kerry to win Munster but with Cork under new management they may make a big impact, Dublin to win Leinster, unless Dublin head to Australia on holidays and a volcanic eruption occurs in Iceland which means they can't fly back home into Europe to play the championship matches no other county has a chance of winning the Leinster title, with Connaught and Ulster it's hard to know, new managers showing their teams, the League will show some pieces of their hand. Have Tyrone enough to win Ulster, will Donegal be out to claim back the title, will Monaghan win 2 in a row, will Armagh finally come out of the shadows, will Derry and Down be in the mix, what about Fermanagh and Antrim, Ulster is too hard to call, here in the west have Galway learned enough from last year, will the Rossies win the title under their new management or will Mayo win 6 in a row, are Sligo too far behind the rest to make an impact, I'll wait until the end of the League to make a proper prediction

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 04/11/2015 21:41:25    1804531