There is always some team that seems to punch above its weight in the championship, who will it be this year?
Possibilities:
Louth, Westmeath, Monaghan, Clare?
Id love to see Monaghan go well again, and I always had a soft spot for the wee county.
I can see Cavan having a decent enough year, Monaghan as well.
As in once they get knocked out of Ulster? or can ye see them doing well in Ulster itself
I reckon that Down are due a few breaks this year.
By one route or another I think they will get to the quarter-finals (at least)
Cavan, purely for the Grimley factor. Has to be the best coach in football.
Would love Down, Monaghan and Louth to have a good wee run.
Have a feeling that Derry are going to be the big disappointment this year in Ulster!
Quote from: The Claw on May 08, 2007, 11:47:06 AM
As in once they get knocked out of Ulster? or can ye see them doing well in Ulster itself
In the qualifiers, dont think they're at the level of Armagh or Tyrone at the minute but should go a fair distance in the qualifiers.
QuoteWho will be the surprize package?
I give up
Being a Derry man I have to agree that I think we will once again flatter to decieve.
Especially without the 2 Bradleys and Kevin McGuckian.
I just think we still havent got the management right.
As for surprize package...dont see any of the "weaker" Ulster teams doing any better than a possible quarter final through the qualifiers.
I do think Cork are up and coming and with the U21 side winning that's bound to give the seniors a lift.
Tyrone will be the surprise package, loosing to Fermanagh in the Ulster and Meath in the back door.
Cork to get to the final.
Meath to be the surprise package.
Monaghan to make the Ulster final....
Louth.
Louth for me too, and possibly Kildare, although they're not exactly minnows or anything.
Funnily enough, I wouldn't be surprised if Sligo caught a few teams with their pants down as well.
1. Louth
2. Kildare
3. Sligo.
I was thinking Louth and Sligo too
dont rule out wicklow. with mick o dwyer at the helm who knows
Mayo to surprise us all and finally win an All Ireland.
I'd love to agree with you, KM, but somehow I doubt it.
Mayo still have the self same problems that were obvious when John O'Mahony took over; namely the entire spine of the team is very unsettled and he is, after 5 months, no nearer to fixing even one of the six positions in question.
I'm referring to the places right down the middle of the field from 3 to 14 and none of the six places in question seem to have been adequately filled.
Okay, if he has a full panel to pick from they will be a formidable side for any team to face but there will be too many fill-ins for Mayo to be fancied to go the whole way.
I think if we experience any major surprise packages this year we could well be looking at Louth or Meath.
Roscommon. I was impressed with them against Cavan in the semi final of Div 2 (although not so impressed with the final). I expect them to get to the connaught final and run whoever is in it close, or possible pull out a win.
Monaghan have Hugh Mcelory back in action 7th top scorer in the country in '05 even though he spent at least 50% of the time on the bench, he should be a good help as it was our failure to take scores more so than the situation at full back which cost us against Meath in the league semi.
Full back is a problem area for us and our preformance in this area will be key to weather our not Monaghan are the surprise package of this years Championship.
Fancy a place for us in the Ulster final but with championship football you never know.
I would like to are monaghan do well and think on their day can. Other than that i' go with Roscommon
Sligo will be the team that will emerge from the abyss the year, they have a tough start to the campaign ;) but I think they will win Connaught the year, they are well past due.
Quote from: cavanmaniac on May 08, 2007, 02:58:18 PM
Louth for me too, and possibly Kildare, although they're not exactly minnows or anything.
Funnily enough, I wouldn't be surprised if Sligo caught a few teams with their pants down as well.
1. Louth
2. Kildare
3. Sligo.
Jaz man thats a scary thought, better makes sure the Mayo dressing room is locked if we play them in the Connacht Final. Those sick Yeatsmen :o
Surprise of the year will be for Kerry to win the A.I. again. What wont be a surprise is that they beat Mayo in September.
Quote from: Fishead_Sam on May 08, 2007, 08:35:11 PM
Quote from: cavanmaniac on May 08, 2007, 02:58:18 PM
Louth for me too, and possibly Kildare, although they're not exactly minnows or anything.
Funnily enough, I wouldn't be surprised if Sligo caught a few teams with their pants down as well.
1. Louth
2. Kildare
3. Sligo.
Jaz man thats a scary thought, better makes sure the Mayo dressing room is locked if we play them in the Connacht Final. Those sick Yeatsmen :o
Surprise of the year will be for Kerry to win the A.I. again. What wont be a surprise is that they beat Mayo in September.
Kerry will win the AI again. :(
Now heres a question, if Kerry beat Meaningless Mayo (as it seems) to win the two in a row will their fans a crack us a smile and actually clelebrate.
Only thing worse for a fan when you get hammered yet again on the biggest day (Im sure same by 1000 for players) is for the opposition fans not really rate it and more of their fans leave early than your own.
Surprise teams for me will be Cork and Laois . Armagh will do a lot better than people expect . Tyrone ,Dublin and Donegal will be in the last 4.
Monaghan to be the best of the less established teams, Laois, Cork and Donegal to most likely break the stranglehold of Kerry, Tyrone and Armagh.
Waterford in the Hurling,While they are a big gun it would still be a surprise as they have failed so often and i think it's now or never for that team
Kildare in football,They might not be considered minnows but if they get to a Leinster Final it would mean beating Meath and Dublin
QuoteWaterford in the Hurling,
to consider the league champions a suprise package is crazy! they have been battering at the door for years now. i would say galway will be the suprise package after this years league campaign. tipp maybe not too far behind them.
yea a BIG surprise in store this year tyrone are once again gonna win the all ireland with the help of the back door of course??? :o
Tipperary to be the surprise packet in hurling.
Armagh the other surprise team in hurling - a surprise that they've entered the Ulster championship to begin with. Fair dues to them.
Great to see so many votes for the likes of Louth, Monaghan & Cavan
Given the way the draws are in thee out of the four provinces it is possible that we could have teams in the provincial finals that wouldn't normally be there, so I'll go for....
Leinster - Louth (well I had to, no shock if Laois make the final)
Ulster - Monaghan (here's hoping, mind you they will do well to beat Derry if they get that far)
Connacht - Roscommon (were worse than useless last year, big improvements, I think they are nailed on for a final place)
And again the big surprise will be Mayo winning Sam
Quote from: 5iveTimes on May 11, 2007, 11:37:41 AM
Quote from: Louth Exile on May 11, 2007, 10:36:51 AM
And again the big surprise will be Mayo winning Sam
Louth played Mayo off the park in a challenge match during the week, won by 9 or 10 points, both teams at full strength.
Yet they stuggled to beat Antrim by 1 point, can never read to much into challenge matches I think
It will be a the year of the Bridesmaids
Hurling Waterford
Football Mayo
Munster Hurling Cork
Leinster Hurling Kilkenny
Ulster Hurling Antrim
Munster Football Kerry
Leinster Football Dublin
Ulster Football Donegal
Connacht Football Mayo
I seen limerick hammmering tyrone but could not score,they ended up losing the game by 2 points. they have a top side up to number nine,if they improve a little they will knock out some bigshot.
Cavan will make the Ulster Final but thats that, hopefully we will put up a good fight.
On the surprise front, its hard to tell.
I reckon Tyrone will win Ulster, Mayo in Connaught, Cork in Munster & Meath in Leinster.
Will it be Mayo or Donegals year? I think both will do well. Galway if they get the forwards going will do fairly well in the back door, mabe make a Semi with Mayo who will win if they play anyone bar Kerry in a Final, Kerry will win if they play anone bar Tyrone in a Final & Tyrone will win as long as they play anyone bar Mayo.
paddy cunningham is injured at the minute broken hand think out of derry game
Quote from: the colonel on May 09, 2007, 12:08:53 PM
QuoteWaterford in the Hurling,
to consider the league champions a suprise package is crazy! they have been battering at the door for years now. i would say galway will be the suprise package after this years league campaign. tipp maybe not too far behind them.
Waterford would be a massive surprise way more than Galway
Galway have at least got too a few All Irelands in the past decade,Name last time Waterford even got to the final? So for that reason alone Waterford winning or even getting to an All Ireland would be a big surprise in my book
I wouldn't be too concerned about the fact they won the league,as i doubt Brian Cody is either