Super 8 Dark Horses

[Itchy]

There is no doubt Galway can only dream about being as good as Roscommon.

[Blowitupref]

The sly digs are flying in today.

In 'fairness' that Galway team in 2013 had Comer, Shane Walsh and Ian Burke all in the same forward line.

Roscommon had a forward line of C Murtagh,D Smith and E Smith. From what i recall It was really a Connacht final that Roscommon lost more than Galway won.

[seafoid]

Nailed on

Dublin Kerry

Probables

Galway Monaghan

Maybes

Roscommon Kildare Donegal Tipperary Tyrone Mayo Cavan

Dark Horses

Meath Cork Clare


Clare are my Dark horse tip.

I really don't get ranking a team we absolutely hammered away last year above us when we've a home CF final them this year, assuming either team slips up. Galway's recent record against Sligo is also far worse than ours is against Leitrim.

Despite what the media might have told people, Galway still have most of the same flaws they've had for the last five to ten years.

Which is what exactly?

A poor FB line and non-exsistent half-back play. Sean Andy might turn out to be a great player but the rest of that back line has some big flaws that can be exposed with good attacking play. Which is of course part of the reason Walsh relies on such a defensive system, in turn limiting what Galway can do at the opposite end. But teams that set up like Galway usually hit a wall when they need to respond to something that wasn't in the plan, like playing with an extra man in the league final or being blown away by Tipp, Ros or Kerry and having to attack more. And with all due respect, both your keepers are subpar too.

I'm just telling you the truth, which is more than the media and probably most Mayo or Roscommon supporters would tell you in the lead up to a match. Galway could win the CF but anyone who thinks they're particularly ahead of Roscommon haven't watched these Galway and Roscommon teams develop over multiple years.

The forwards are fabulous.
Backs conceded lowest number of scores in D1
Considering where they were 5 years ago that is not bad. 
If they do beat Sligo I would expect plenty of intinsity in the next match.

[Blowitupref]

Back to the topic of the thread.

According to the odds the super 8 will be Dublin,Kerry,Galway,Monaghan,Donegal,Mayo,Tyrone,Roscommon but all of those sides may not reach it especially if drawn against each other on route.

What interests me more is the current odds for the dark horses to reach the super 8s as nearly every year you get at least one dark horse to reach the last 8.

Cork 6/5, Kildare 11/8,Meath 7/2 Clare 5/1 Fermanagh 7/1 Cavan 13/2 Down 6/1 Derry 8/1 Westmeath 10/1 Armagh 10/1 Sligo 10/1,Laois 11/1,Carlow 16/1,Longford 25/1 the rest are given no hope.

Cork and Kildare not really dark horses given those odds and its expected one of those two teams will likely reach the last 8.

Out of that list i'd pick 5 that are possible true dark horses this summer.

Sligo - under new management that might improve them in defence,good forwards and a lot of good young players in their side.

Longford - Best value odds and depends on the draw but they love the qualifiers and capable of producing a shock or two.

Westmeath - Could reach another Leinster final leaving them one win away from reaching the super 8s

Clare - Good manager with one of the best midfield pairings around and decent forwards have the experience of reaching the last 8 just 2 years ago.

Fermanagh - Great win last week won't win Ulster but you never know how the qualifiers will go for them and they also have the experience of reaching the last 8 recently.

[Never beat the deeler]

Back to the topic of the thread.

According to the odds the super 8 will be Dublin,Kerry,Galway,Monaghan,Donegal,Mayo,Tyrone,Roscommon but all of those sides may not reach it especially if drawn against each other on route.

What interests me more is the current odds for the dark horses to reach the super 8s as nearly every year you get at least one dark horse to reach the last 8.

Cork 6/5, Kildare 11/8,Meath 7/2 Clare 5/1 Fermanagh 7/1 Cavan 13/2 Down 6/1 Derry 8/1 Westmeath 10/1 Armagh 10/1 Sligo 10/1,Laois 11/1,Carlow 16/1,Longford 25/1 the rest are given no hope.

Cork and Kildare not really dark horses given those odds and its expected one of those two teams will likely reach the last 8.

Out of that list i'd pick 5 that are possible true dark horses this summer.

Sligo - under new management that might improve them in defence,good forwards and a lot of good young players in their side.

Longford - Best value odds and depends on the draw but they love the qualifiers and capable of producing a shock or two.

Westmeath - Could reach another Leinster final leaving them one win away from reaching the super 8s

Clare - Good manager with one of the best midfield pairings around and decent forwards have the experience of reaching the last 8 just 2 years ago.

Fermanagh - Great win last week won't win Ulster but you never know how the qualifiers will go for them and they also have the experience of reaching the last 8 recently.

No tipp?

[Blowitupref]

Well spotted. I somehow left Tipp out a good omen for them perhaps? They are 11/10 fall into the same bracket as Cork and Kildare.

[larryin89]

Mayo are 10/11 pretty much same as cork and Tipp. 

[Blowitupref]

Mayo are 10/11 pretty much same as cork and Tipp.

8/11 Mayo were last time i checked and bare in mind unlike Cork and Tipp they are one defeat away from getting out knocked of the championship.

[Syferus]

The sly digs are flying in today.

In 'fairness' that Galway team in 2013 had Comer, Shane Walsh and Ian Burke all in the same forward line.

Roscommon had a forward line of C Murtagh,D Smith and E Smith. From what i recall It was really a Connacht final that Roscommon lost more than Galway won.

Donie has a rush of blood to the head and got the line despite being the best player on show. And Thomas Corcoran missed more frees that day than he probably had in his life combined up to that point.

[An Fhairche Abu]

The sly digs are flying in today.

In 'fairness' that Galway team in 2013 had Comer, Shane Walsh and Ian Burke all in the same forward line.

Roscommon had a forward line of C Murtagh,D Smith and E Smith. From what i recall It was really a Connacht final that Roscommon lost more than Galway won.

Is there a procedure there to allow for the Galway lads to transfer their 2013 winners medals for the Connacht and All Ireland U21 over to what should have been (by the sounds of it) the rightful winners?
Bit of a disgrace if there's not really.

[Syferus]

The sly digs are flying in today.

In 'fairness' that Galway team in 2013 had Comer, Shane Walsh and Ian Burke all in the same forward line.

Roscommon had a forward line of C Murtagh,D Smith and E Smith. From what i recall It was really a Connacht final that Roscommon lost more than Galway won.

Is there a procedure there to allow for the Galway lads to transfer their 2013 winners medals for the Connacht and All Ireland U21 over to what should have been (by the sounds of it) the rightful winners?
Bit of a disgrace if there's not really.

You seem bothered.

[seafoid]

The sly digs are flying in today.

In 'fairness' that Galway team in 2013 had Comer, Shane Walsh and Ian Burke all in the same forward line.

Roscommon had a forward line of C Murtagh,D Smith and E Smith. From what i recall It was really a Connacht final that Roscommon lost more than Galway won.

Is there a procedure there to allow for the Galway lads to transfer their 2013 winners medals for the Connacht and All Ireland U21 over to what should have been (by the sounds of it) the rightful winners?
Bit of a disgrace if there's not really.

The 1925 All Ireland was worse

[GalwayBayBoy]

Nailed on

Dublin Kerry

Probables

Galway Monaghan

Maybes

Roscommon Kildare Donegal Tipperary Tyrone Mayo Cavan

Dark Horses

Meath Cork Clare


Clare are my Dark horse tip.

I really don't get ranking a team we absolutely hammered away last year above us when we've a home CF final them this year, assuming either team slips up. Galway's recent record against Sligo is also far worse than ours is against Leitrim.

Despite what the media might have told people, Galway still have most of the same flaws they've had for the last five to ten years.

Which is what exactly?

A poor FB line and non-exsistent half-back play.

It's not a poor full-back line though. Sean Andy and Kerin are both very good players in their respective positions already. Kyne I'm less enthused about and he probably would not even be on the team were Silke around for the Summer but he's still a solid, aggressive if unspectacular defender.

The half-back line I would half agree with you as it's probably the weakest line on the team. It's the only line where we don't have any young players on. Not helped by McDaid fecking off to OZ and Wall heading to the US but Molloy at least might get a chance at some stage this Summer.

Anyway this is all off topic stuff.

[larryin89]

Mayo are 10/11 pretty much same as cork and Tipp.

8/11 Mayo were last time i checked and bare in mind unlike Cork and Tipp they are one defeat away from getting out knocked of the championship.

Been 10/11 since Galway beat them with PP and still are .

[Captain Obvious]

Dark horses lads!! Mayo not part of the conversation of this thread.