All Ireland contenders...

[From the Bunker]

It's sorta sad that Clare are completely off the radar on this board (Don't think there is even a stream on them v Kerry), Like Limerick drawing Kerry in the Quarters last year, when the other Munster counties (outside of Kerry and Cork) draw Kerry or Cork in the back door there is an inevitability about the result . It would have been nice to see Clare draw Kildare or Laois. I hope it's a good game but for Kerry i fear it's will probably be like a weekend off in preparation for the quarters. A break they probably need as much emotionally as physically.

[seafoid]

Mayo have to come good at some stage so why not this year?

[From the Bunker]

Mayo have to come good at some stage so why not this year?

They are the forgotten team. Simply because they have played two low profile games. Even the Connacht final was low key because Galway were not in it (and Sligo have been clearly better than them in the championship for the past 3 years or more).

[moysider]

Mayo have to come good at some stage so why not this year?

Quit stirring Seafóid by name and ...... only messin.

Mayo are not in the end game. Check out the odds. Last 8 and still 14/1. Top 4 are 3/1 or less. We were as short before a ball was kicked. There's a reason for this. 

[ONeill]

It's Cork or Donegal. The winner of that game has Sam.

[Captain Obvious]

It's Cork or Donegal. The winner of that game has Sam.

Dublin won't give up their All Ireland without a fight and Kerry could be drawn with Cork or Donegal.

[maddog]

Mayo have to come good at some stage so why not this year?

As one local pundit said to me the other week, "any team that can leave Conor Mortimer aside has to be winning all irelands"

[Hound]

Mayo at 14/1 are undoubtedly the value bet. Especially if the QF draw puts Kerry on the opposite side, they'll only have Dublin of the Bookies Top 4 in their half of the draw.

Mayo could be vulnerable in the QF, given their lack of football, but if they get by that I'm sure they'll put in a big performance in the semi.

I'm looking forward to seeing Donegal in their upcoming games. Them v Kerry would be fascinating, as would a rematch of last year's QF v Kildare. I wonder though is there some parallels with Pillar Caffrey's Dublin team - defending their provincial title in style, with relative ease, perhaps slightly masking that the standard in that province has dropped a bit.

Like most of the bookies I'd still rate Cork as the best team (interestingly Boyles go against everyone else and have Kerry as favs).

[ballinaman]

Mayo have to come good at some stage so why not this year?

As one local pundit said to me the other week, "any team that can leave Conor Mortimer aside has to be winning all irelands"

What a shite pundit so.

[Syferus]

Crazy to rate Kerry favourites after one good win in a sea of mediocrity (by their own standards) . The provincial winners are still ahead of them and I'd fancy Kildare to cause them all sorts of problems, not least with their fitness.

[orangeman]

Crazy to rate Kerry favourites after one good win in a sea of mediocrity (by their own standards) . The provincial winners are still ahead of them and I'd fancy Kildare to cause them all sorts of problems, not least with their fitness.

After the way they played against Meath and Limerick ?

Or the way they played against Cavan ?

[Syferus]

Form is temporary, age is permanent, so to speak.

[Boghopper]

The 2012 All Ireland Championship will be won by one of the following five Cork, Dublin/Donegal, Mayo/Kerry. Cork, Donegal and the Dubs stand out for me, Mayo have been impressive this year and I like the look of some of their players such as Vaughan, McLaughlin, Moran and O'Connor although I'm still not convinced if they'll win the All Ireland, James Horan has done a fantastic job to date and I would love to see them end their All Ireland hoodoo. Kerry despite the impressive win over Tyrone aren't as great as some may think after that win although on their day they could beat any of the above if they all preform.

[cadence]

Form is temporary, age is permanent, so to speak.

proof of a classless irish society if it was ever needed right there.

[Aristo 60]

My order of preference for the teams I see as broad contenders :

1) Down (for obvious reasons)
2) Meath
3) Laois
4) Kerry (just delighted they put Tyrone out!)
5) Donegal 
6) Mayo (have had too many wasted opportunities)
7) Cork (still can't stand the thug O'Leary)
8 ) Kildare (have been the silly billy county all year)
9) Dublin (they had it last year)

I know Tipp will now prob put us out on Saturday !