Who is going to win the All Ireland Football title this year?

[SuperDooperCooper]

It's hard to look beyond the Big Three.
Tyrone / Armagh and the champions.

Tyrone belief comes from the fact that football has not moved on since September '05 when they were the best team in the country with a really deep talented subs bench. That myth was ended last year when their sub's bench was shown not to be at the races. Canavan is gone, bad injuries don't always clear up etc. They are under pressure this year. Still they have some of the most gifted footballers in the Country. Hope McGuigan comes back to full fitness, he gave an exhibition in '05, his point is the final was pure class.

The champions may have lost two players (Shemo/Mike Mac) from the '06 campaign but we also lost 3 from the '05 campaign (Hassett,O'Cinneide and Kirby). Change is inevitable and we do seem to have a stream of good young talent coming through. Killian Young, Padraig Reidy to step up to the plate this year. Donaghy will have another big year, Gooch hasn't gone away you know. Still think we will be around at the business end - I feel it's time football titles were put back to back.....

Armagh - yet another last chance saloon year. They were not that far away last year. They should have had us buried at half time last year. The down side is that father time caught up with a number of the players in the second half (especially McGrane). Ronan Clarke almost single-handily kept them in it in the second half. If Clarke misses the championship I would rule Armagh out.

Of the rest:
Cork are not that far away. Their defence is excellent, Midfield is good but forward are not great. Donnagh O'Connor is scoring heavily in the McGrath cup if he steps up to support Masters you never know. Will never win a high scoring game so hard to see then stringing three hard win together to win the All-Ireland. If they beat us in the semi final last year they would have beaten Mayo.

Dublin, need to prove there is something behind the hype. Average Defence, Overrated midfield and poor forward....but worst of all very dodgy temperament.

Mayo - Would love to see them win one, remind me of the Munster rugby team, After the final last year they have question marks all over the field. 1 point from play in an all-Ireland final is very poor. Still as I said after the final last year, Kerry lost to Meath by 15 in the semi final in 2001 and were unlucky to lose the final in '02. Tyrone lost to Sligo in '02 and won the All-Ireland in '03. Always believe.

Galway, Donegal, Fermanagh, Derry, Laois and Meath not good enough.

[realredhandfan]

If Mayo were to get to the All Ireland Final and Tyrone were to make it as well.  Id back mayo  In My experiences of Tyrone V Mayo stretching back to 89 Tyrone have only beaten Mayo in one majorly important game - the national league semifoinal in 2002l

[magpie seanie]

Sligo for Sam! Well everyone else is at it so why not me?!!!

If by some twist of outrageous bad luck that doesn't happen then you're left with obvious candidates in Kerry, Tyrone, Dublin and even Armagh and possibles like Laois and Donegal. The two in a row will be done again some time and Kerry are possibly better placed to do it than in 2004. There are loads of question marks yet about Tyrone but they are capable if the likes of Dooher, Gormley & McGuigan return close to their best. Funnily enough scoring forwards could be an issue here with only O'Neill reliable (if Mulligan hits form then him too but thats another "if"). Everyone seems to think the Dubs need more forward talent but I reckon there are a few too many weak links in their backs and midfield. Still - it will take a good team to beat them and they really score heavily when on top. Armagh, the old dogs of war will also be hard beaten. They're like Rocky - you can hit them as much as you like and they still keep coming at you. Would be foolish to write them off at this stage. Laois - I expect that with a proper manager they will improve this year and if they unearth a few hefty lads could be contenders. Donegal will be good too, though the qualifier route probably beckons for them.

[Kerry Mike]

Kerry-Tyrone-Mayo seems to be a bit of a strange triangle in recent years

Tyrone can't beat Mayo but can beat Kerry
Mayo can't beat Kerry but can beat Tyrone
Kerry can't beat Tyrone but can beat Mayo

Something has to give, maybe this year hopefully it will be us getting rid of that ugly annoying Tyrone monkey

[Mayo4Sam]

I'd say we've a slightly bigger monkey to rid ourselves of mike!

Seanie glad to see that ur not even contemplating the unimaginable with no mention of ur neighbours.

JOM gave an interview, on the mayo news, about how there wouldn't be that many scars from last year and that he would deal with each player individually but that he didn't expect it to be a problem this year

[forkinknife]

The Boys in Blue.

[J70]

Assuming everyone is fit, its Tyrone or Kerry for me. Armagh will miss Clarke badly, and the miles on the clock had to catch up on some of their key veterans sometime (been predicted for years, I know!). The Dubs and Mayo will probably push for a semi-final or even a final spot, assuming they avoid the really big guns. Wouldn't give the rest much hope of going all the way. Donegal will give anyone a tough game, but we may struggle for scores again, as last year, and won't be able to stay with a team like Kerry who can run up a big score very quickly when they get a period on top.

[realredhandfan]

I think 2005 was a very special year for football.  As someone said the loss of Clarke fecks up Armagh, the loss of Moynighan takes a little out of this year wheras in 2005 Armagh Kerry and tyrone  were all firing on full cylinders and the Dubs were hot if naive,  Only a kick of the ball beween the top 3 teams in the country whilst they were playing at their best. 

[lynchbhoy]

tyrone will be hard beaten

[heganboy]

armagh vs mayo tyrone vs cork semis, with mayo beating tyrone in one of the great AI finals. CMD as man of the match with Brian McGuigan running him very close for it. 2007 to go down as one of the best years for football in a long long time.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Tipped Armagh last year and I'd tip them again if Clarke was fit. Not much between them, Tyrone and Kerry. Dubs have the players to win Sam but not the management. They still have an outside chance with Mayo and Cork. I'd have ourselves in the chasing group after them with Donegal, Fermanagh, Laois and Gaillimh.

[Billys Boots]

I'd have ourselves in the chasing group after them with Donegal, Fermanagh, Laois and Gaillimh.

That's cos you're deluded - the wheels will be coming off your ass and cart in Longford.

[Croí na hÉireann]

I'd have ourselves in the chasing group after them with Donegal, Fermanagh, Laois and Gaillimh.

That's cos you're deluded - the wheels will be coming off your ass and cart in Longford.

Yous are robbing the wheels now instead of slashing them??? Jaysus, no wonder the Dubs didn't want to set foot in the ahem, county, last summer... 

[The Real Laoislad]

The Boys in Blue.

Laois,Cavan?

[Farrandeelin]

Mayo4sam, calm down. Magpie is just saying what everyone in the media is saying. And I'm loving every minute of the lack of coverage so far in the media regarding Mayo's chances in the AI this year. It's only when I read this discussion board and listen to a few people whenever I get home do I hear or read any hopes for Mayo.