Hi folks
I have just backed my own team on a personal bet @ 12/1 on the basis that Murphy is fully fit for first time in 3 years, Toye, McHugh & Lacey are fully fit and on basis of last 2 games (opposition excluded) Donegal have got serious zip and legs back in their game. I think at this early stage though that Tyrone with Morgan back at 10/1 are serious value. Your thoughts?

fintownsuburbs (Donegal) - Posts: 30 - 14/02/2014 19:57:56    1546250

Too hard to judge Donegal on Division 2 form so I'll wait until Ulster to pass judgement.

If we assume the bookies are right and the winner comes from Dublin, Mayo, Cork, Kerry, Donegal or Tyrone... you might find good value on Cork? Gutted by retirements but would you fancy facing a forward line including O'Connor, Goulding, Kerrigan, Hurley and (we can only hope) a fit Colm O'Neill?

Other than that- Dublin will be there guaranteed and I expect this to be Horan's last roll of the Mayo dice so I expect him to have something up his sleeve.

Also- little surprised to see Monaghan so far out in the betting.

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 14/02/2014 20:28:09    1546264

Yeah Tyrone at 10/1 is good value. Last year they had a very poor inside forward line but this season McCurry has his scoring boots on and the move of Mattie Donnelly to full forward has proved a good one. Their new attack minded game has suited them well but they were on fire this time last year too but then struggled against Donegal,and were far from impressive against Roscommon, Meath, and then Mayo in the championship.

For Donegal, I'd be concerned about how much milage is left in that midfield. Think Cavan, Monaghan and Tyrone would out-manoeuvre them in the middle of the field.

Ned_Stormcrow (Cavan) - Posts: 1071 - 14/02/2014 20:29:44    1546266

I take your point re Cork and certainly with the older brigade moving on this youunger team will not be as lateral when matched physically and they are in the last 12 already. I think Derry with McIvor and yes Monaghan are best placed to do damage outside the so called top 6.

fintownsuburbs (Donegal) - Posts: 30 - 14/02/2014 20:45:18    1546274

Yes it is too early but I will stick my neck out again and say that dublin obviously are the team we are all chasing

Kerry are next in my reckoning, they will be eager to go one better on last year, and the manager will be trying to deliver on his second year, some players too will be hanging up the boots this year, so they will want to finish on a high.

Cork are very dark horses this year, and I would see them dumping kerry into the back door (pity they wernt drawn v each other in the first round, then it would be a very interesting back door season indeed!)

Mayo are finished. I think that their year will fall apart.

I also expect that tyrone will do very well indeed, and will be a force that could well upset the dubs, any of the munster opposition, and of course mayo. All on the day though.

AS much as I have enjoyed watching donegal play so far this year, I cannot see them doing much as there is so many good first division teams out there, that will benefit from being in the first division. That is the reality of the competition, it makes teams seasoned.

Kildare will not win the all ireland, but could cause trouble in the back door and defo will push dublin hard in leinster.

Meath are yesterdays news already.

Monaghan are barking very loudly at the moment, are a bogey team for us too, but have not got the footballing skill to go all the way despite having the desire.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3853 - 14/02/2014 21:15:23    1546285

at this stage it looks like only 5 teams are in the running at this stage.

Dublin are very much out in front. At this stage no-one on their level

Mayo. Kerry, Cork and Tyrone are the chasing pack, and do have a realistic chance if they can improve during the year.

outside bets are Donegal, Kildare and Down.

TEams who might have a hint of an all-ireland QF are Derry, Monaghan, Laois, Armagh, Galway, Meath, Roscommon and Cavan.

The rest are complete no hopers of winning anything on current eveidence

mayotyroneman (Tyrone) - Posts: 1821 - 14/02/2014 21:41:26    1546293

To reach the last eight eight Kerry, Cork, Dublin and Mayo looked nailed on. In Ulster you could make cases for six counties but not all of these will make it through. Kildare and Galway would be my only other contenders for the last eight spot. My last four would be Cork v Mayo and Dublin v Tyrone with a Cork v Dublin final.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1792 - 15/02/2014 10:02:40    1546323

Dublin to be the first back to back winners since Kerry,
Mayo/cork/tyrone and kerry will be in the hunt bigtime.
Donegal will stifle a few teams before its all over,
And my own little county could be the dark horse.

lilypad (Kildare) - Posts: 1363 - 15/02/2014 10:24:17    1546328

mayotyroneman
County: Tyrone
Posts: 1096

outside bets are Donegal, Kildare and Down.
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Down have virtually no chance of winning the AI. I really can't understand what anyone sees in them. They have a far weaker squad than they did in 2010, and have shown little or no form in league or championship over the last couple of years. As well as the top 6, I'd put them behind Monaghan, Derry, Kildare, Meath and Galway, and perhaps a couple of others. They won't be winning anything.

Thomas Clarke (Tyrone) - Posts: 1002 - 15/02/2014 10:31:32    1546329

The favourites can be put in the following tiers:
1. Dublin.

2. Mayo, Donegal & Tyrone.

3. Kildare, Cork, Meath & Monaghan.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9003 - 15/02/2014 10:40:28    1546332

Dublin are a way out of front, in truth the only team to beat the dubs are themselves, if they do get knocked, I could not pick a team to win, Kerry, Cork, Donegal , Tyrone are all a pale shadow of their former selves. Mayo have to win one soon, I think this is their year, that's if the dubs implode. In my opinion i think it will be a Dublin Mayo final.

kerryrowz (Kerry) - Posts: 833 - 15/02/2014 11:20:09    1546348

[DONEGALMAN] you say monaghan havent got the footballing skills...could you tell us all who on the mon team [panel] hasnt got the skill level to challenge for top honours in 2014..

millybeau (Monaghan) - Posts: 14 - 15/02/2014 12:28:44    1546367

People appear to be overstating Dublins advantage here. Granted we are defending champions and will naturally be ranked amoung the top sides but placing Dublin 'out on their own' is hyperbole in my view. We beat Kerry in the last minute of the semi and beat Mayo by a point in the final. The chasing pack is very close and there are about 5-6 teams with genuine title ambitions. If Dublin win all before them this year such praise would be warranted but on the basis of last year Dublin are pitched directly into what will be a dogfight for top honours. It will be an exciting championship this year i reckon.

seany16 (Dublin) - Posts: 1663 - 15/02/2014 13:23:30    1546385

All bets have to be on Dublin to win it again. They are immense, full of talent and have great fitness. No county can touch them.

My second favourites are Cork, they have underachieved and will be chomping at the bit with the new management.

I cant see any Ulster teams making any headway, Donegal have nothing new to offer unless they regain their fitness levels and give us another year of rugby league football. Cavan are a bit young and green with no real experience, Monaghan cannot get over Tyrone and Down are tragic.

I would like to see Tyrone regain the ulster title but cant see them matching the big guns of the free state. Will be interesting how RTE will react to an attacking open style approach of Tyrone, no doubt they wont be shouting from the rooftops of how we play wonderful free flowing football, that just wouldn't suit RTE.

Game2Halves (Tyrone) - Posts: 265 - 15/02/2014 13:28:01    1546387

Ned_Stormcrow
County: Cavan
Posts: 147

1546266 For Donegal, I'd be concerned about how much milage is left in that midfield. Think Cavan, Monaghan and Tyrone would out-manoeuvre them in the middle of the field.

I'm not sure Cavan are there just yet, having witnessed your defeat to Kerry last August, I felt Cavan are a good distance of the top level. If Cavan bring through another crop of excellent underage players, and fuse them with the cream of the current crop, then they will do serious damage on the All Ireland stage.

Donegal will next need to replace their midfield soon, with Rory Kavanagh, Neil Gallagher over 30 now. But they are still very strong team, with quality all over the pitch. Most of Donegal's squad have 2 x Ulster titles, and 1 x All Ireland title to their name, which is a mighty experience. No other current squad of players in Ulster can boast so many medals. And with the majority of their players under the age of 25, they could be a big threat over the next few years.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 15/02/2014 13:43:36    1546392

If you predict 8 teams to win the All Ireland then you are not really predicting anything.

I predict Tyrone.

tyroneed (Tyrone) - Posts: 753 - 15/02/2014 15:04:24    1546413

GaryMc82, your heart is ruling your head. Forget about Donegal this year, the black card will almost certainly see off Donegal as a potential threat to any of the top sides. Even the neighbours dog knows how Donegal won their second All Ireland. They won it by a heavily defensive approach with a serious cynical element. Donegal backs would have in their glory year, happily fouled any attacking player by nook or by crook, each maybe sharing a yellow card between them. Im afraid to say those days are over, the half backs of most of the decent sides will be attacking in waves and the Donegal boys wont be able to lay a finger on them, and if they do , they'll be watching the rest of the game from the sideline. If Donegal attempt an open game they will get hammered.

Game2Halves (Tyrone) - Posts: 265 - 15/02/2014 15:08:59    1546415

Kerry or Derry

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1237 - 15/02/2014 15:14:55    1546417

Dublin way out in front

Cork/ Kerry/ Mayo next best.

Derry/ Monaghan could make a semi.


Donegal/ Meath/ Kildare / down but won't get near a semi final, best hope quarters.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 15/02/2014 15:33:27    1546426

royaldunne
County: Meath
Posts: 5436

1546426
Dublin way out in front

Cork/ Kerry/ Mayo next best.

Derry/ Monaghan could make a semi.


Donegal/ Meath/ Kildare / down but won't get near a semi final, best hope quarters.


Lol, you really do have it bad against Tyrone-are we going to disappear into oblivion? Dream on! I heard Meath were very poor against Monaghan last week. See you're jumping on Derry bandwagon, sure you predicted them to drop from Div, only after you realised they were playing Div 1 football! .....at this rate of going we'd struggle to beat Kilkenny if they fielded!

Gael01 (Tyrone) - Posts: 74 - 15/02/2014 17:25:23    1546476