Good analysis Royal. I might move the odd one up a bit or down a bit but I don't think you are too far off the mark with your ranking.
A very open year methinks and I am really looking forward to it.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5030 - 17/01/2013 20:45:24    1319945

Eight teams in Div 1 and eight teams in Div 2 yet Meath a Div 3 team find themselves above nine of them.

Stop stop ye're killing me.

sedico (Kildare) - Posts: 1682 - 17/01/2013 20:57:50    1319951

Sorry sedico i didn't know id have to explain it, but we are talking about CHAMPIONSHIP not league,
Donegal were lucky to stay up in division one yet they were easily best team, it would do you good to remember league means sfa when it comes to summer, and although your obsession with the royal is admirable do remember that meath are only team to beat Dublin in leinster recently and easily disposed of kildare team that in div one last summer, it's a accurate reflection on all those counties chances, but as i said bar mayo it would be a major shock if any other than top 4 won all ire, there is a major gap between top 5 and bottom 5 which meath and kildare are in

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 17/01/2013 21:12:35    1319954

Top 8 are probably in Div 1 this year though i would replace Down with Armagh. Meath are in Div 3 for a reason and aren't a top ten side at the moment. Mayo biggest negative self beliefs?? are you serious??? it's the high expectations that usually brings them down.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3878 - 17/01/2013 21:19:58    1319956

how in the name of god are louth up there?..they got hammered by dublin and lost to westmeath...id even put my own county longford ahead of them along with plenty of others

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 17/01/2013 21:38:19    1319965

Meath reached leinster final last year so yeah they easily top ten team, as for louth i just feel there is something about them, i think they can finally pick up from ten and move on, but by all means put up your top teams, and if anyone wants to start thread about leagues ill gladly contribute but i thought this was about sam and in that leagues don't count

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 17/01/2013 22:03:13    1319977

Plus everyone knows meath have had a relatively ok championship over past 6 years, 07/09 semi finalists, quarter final in 10 and leinster champion 12 reached leinster final easily beating kildare along the way, add to that the fact meath have uncovered some very good young talent like donal keoghan, Damian Carroll, paddy gilsenan, and one that may become a household name by end of year crosbie, add to that they have top scorer from play last year Graham Reilly, the immanent return of kevin reilly, young menton, yeah I think they are easily top ten championship team, the haven't a hope of winning all ire though, and what would be seen as progress is a leinster title and the same can be said of kildare too,
Ffgg i agree about louth not been as good as longford but i included them cause of tipp., lford., offaly., cavan, etc i feel they may be the ones to cause a few surprises thats the only logic, that and their performance v meath for half a hour, I was critical of them for letting lead slip that night but if they can produce that form for a full seventy then i feel they could threaten a few teams ahead of them
Last thing by all means disagree with me but try not let this turn into another anti meath thread

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 18/01/2013 10:02:36    1320021

Laois beat Meath to reach the q finals and find themselves below Meath. A Meath team whose only conquest last year was beating a overated Kildare team.

Its there in black and white folks.

sedico (Kildare) - Posts: 1682 - 18/01/2013 10:37:46    1320037

The two best minors of the last two championships have been kilkenny and Costello there's no disputing that, Rory O Carroll has been robbed of an all star over the last 3 seasons, haha ah Muck slagging me spellings haha is that all you've got? You know you have a man angry when his only come back is your spelling mistakes hahaha. Oh Las Vegas in the Hills of Donegal ha I'm singing that to myself here laughing.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 18/01/2013 12:38:57    1320142

Sam 2013 is a hard one to call. There are four or five teams that could beat anyone on any given day i.e. Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Donegal, Mayo and then there are a few teams who could get to the QF

i.e Kildare, Tyrone, Down, Derry, Laois will have sights on headquarters although i think they miss a quality forward like Brogan, Gooch, O' Neill. I think Derry will have a decent run this year with Mc Iver at the helm, he is a quality manager.
Tyrone will be hard to beat, tyrone mean business in Ulster this year and division 1 football will stand to them.

It will be interesting to see the Dubs this year. Will Gavin put Flynn to midfield, i would actually give him a free role, to stay deep and run of the shoulder. Kerry also have a few things to prove. Mayo well who knows! Donegal v Tyrone is 50/50 in Ulster although if their beat i would still expect us to make QF of the all ireland.

DLlegends (Donegal) - Posts: 503 - 18/01/2013 13:14:54    1320169

does it really matter where anyone outside kerry,dublin, donegal and cork are ranked. Highly unlikely anyone else will win it--maybe tyrone or down a surprise package but meath,kildare,mayo are not at the level required. Lots of people say its wide open but not really. Kildare and mayo would be genuine contenders if its wide open but everyone knows they don't have the necessary ability.

switec (Kildare) - Posts: 525 - 18/01/2013 13:21:39    1320179

The two best minors of the last two championships have been kilkenny and Costello there's no disputing that, Rory O Carroll has been robbed of an all star over the last 3 seasons, haha ah Muck slagging me spellings haha is that all you've got? You know you have a man angry when his only come back is your spelling mistakes hahaha. Oh Las Vegas in the Hills of Donegal ha I'm singing that to myself here laughing.
clondalkindub



Ya hit the nail on the head there clondalkin, let us have wit over spelling prowess any day!
The great Pink floyd once penned: !Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!" It was a dark
day when the white collar overtook the blue collar in the GAA world! A dark day!

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 18/01/2013 13:54:55    1320223

switec
County: Kildare
Posts: 124

1320179 does it really matter where anyone outside kerry,dublin, donegal and cork are ranked. Highly unlikely anyone else will win it--maybe tyrone or down a surprise package but meath,kildare,mayo are not at the level required. Lots of people say its wide open but not really. Kildare and mayo would be genuine contenders if its wide open but everyone knows they don't have the necessary ability


How you have Mayo in the same bracket as Kildare and Meath beggars belief.

sedico (Kildare) - Posts: 1682 - 18/01/2013 14:18:40    1320247

master why do you try and insult other posters?..can you not debate without slagging off their knowledge on a consistent basis and ignoring their points?

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 18/01/2013 14:37:47    1320279

The Gate there's obviously no place for a working class man like myself on hoganstand , it really is a middle class sport where spelling mistakes are forbidden. Anyway roll on the summer when The Dubs take Sam home again and Donegal will be the nobodies of this island once again.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 18/01/2013 14:45:33    1320289

@Gaa_lover I have actually had it with you. You have a serious chip on your shoulder over Mayo and I really don't care why. But to come on here and relentlessly talk down a county without ever offering anything constructive really grinds my gears. Not to mention the fact that you won't even say your county or who you support. Your like that kid who sits to the side watching and waiting and then when someone else tries something and fails, your the first in.

You say we have high expectations?? Of course we bloody do, we have played in 5 finals in the last 15 years, our minor teams are constantly reaching semi-finals and finals. There is a hell of a lot of talent coming through. We play a sport along with 32 other teams and we are always in the top 10 or much higher. Now if you want to close out the sport completely and say that only 2 or 3 teams have a chance then so be it, goes in tandem with your negative character. But as I see it if this sport is to survive, counties like Mayo who are always there or thereabouts should have high expectations of our team, otherwise the sport is done and will lose any sort of competitive edge.

For what its worth i fancy Dublin to win it in 2013, I think someone will catch donegal out along the way.

unstoppable (Mayo) - Posts: 38 - 18/01/2013 16:10:00    1320386

i have a great feeling that kerry will win this years all ireland, the reason i think this is because skillswise we are far superior than any other county in ireland, and i like the look of this new trainer cian o'neill if he can raise our fitness levels just a little bit we'll be on the pigs back, plus eamon fitz and mikey sheehy are serious tacticians.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 18/01/2013 16:11:17    1320388

KingdomBoy1
County: Kerry
Posts: 64

1320388 i have a great feeling that kerry will win this years all ireland, the reason i think this is because skillswise we are far superior than any other county in ireland, and i like the look of this new trainer cian o'neill if he can raise our fitness levels just a little bit we'll be on the pigs back, plus eamon fitz and mikey sheehy are serious tacticians.

Agree.. but I;'d be weary of the Dub's though

Horsebox77 (Kerry) - Posts: 5491 - 18/01/2013 16:16:51    1320389

Unstoppable, nice rant but don't get your knickers in a twist. The Meath poster said "Mayo biggest negative is self belief" that's a load of bull! as you can see in your own post and many Mayo posts across Hoganstand plus the confidence from Horan and his players Mayo certainly don't suffer from self belief! I give open honest neutral views Mayo happen to be currently in the limelight and history will tell you your team doe better when the expectations are less.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3878 - 18/01/2013 16:58:10    1320413

KingdomBoy1
County: Kerry
Posts: 66

1320388 i have a great feeling that kerry will win this years all ireland, the reason i think this is because skillswise we are far superior than any other county in ireland, and i like the look of this new trainer cian o'neill if he can raise our fitness levels just a little bit we'll be on the pigs back, plus eamon fitz and mikey sheehy are serious tacticians.


Kerry have been the most skilfull team for as long as i can remember, but skill alone doesnt win you Sam, remember 2011 v Dublin.

I predict the Semi Finals this year will be Kerry V Dublin and Tyrone V Cork. These are the 4 best teams in Ireland in my opinion. The Dubs are a better team than their 2011 team and i feel its between Kerry and Dublin this year.

kerryrowz (Kerry) - Posts: 833 - 18/01/2013 17:18:22    1320423