Let’s cut to the chase-Sam 2014 is between Dublin, Kerry, Mayo. Rest also rans!

[Syferus]

Honestly think Mayo's chance was in 2012 . Imo would have won it but for the terrible goal conceded that came off the post.

Think Cork are in with a serious shout and despite the facts in front of me I just have a hunch that Galway will do well.

Hard to know with Kerry. They will try the usual rope a dope trick, PLAY up Cooper's absence, yerra yerra away and still be standing in CP in August.

Honestly will be disappointed if Dublin don't win though. Players (esp forwards ) like we have at the moment don't come around regularly and we must win titles Kerrystyle while we have them.

So for me anyone between Cork, Kerry or Dublin.

Tyrone fans may disagree but can't see the forwards now to compare with those in the 00s.

Although we have no marquee forward of Canavan's class, I think Tyrone do have the forwards to compete at the highest level. It's the defence that's the problem.

Tyrone's forwards are no better than Mayo's.

[nrico2006]

Honestly think Mayo's chance was in 2012 . Imo would have won it but for the terrible goal conceded that came off the post.

Think Cork are in with a serious shout and despite the facts in front of me I just have a hunch that Galway will do well.

Hard to know with Kerry. They will try the usual rope a dope trick, PLAY up Cooper's absence, yerra yerra away and still be standing in CP in August.

Honestly will be disappointed if Dublin don't win though. Players (esp forwards ) like we have at the moment don't come around regularly and we must win titles Kerrystyle while we have them.

So for me anyone between Cork, Kerry or Dublin.

Tyrone fans may disagree but can't see the forwards now to compare with those in the 00s.

Although we have no marquee forward of Canavan's class, I think Tyrone do have the forwards to compete at the highest level. It's the defence that's the problem.

Tyrone's forwards are no better than Mayo's.

Tyrone have very promising forwards coming through.  Ronan O'Neill, Kyle Coney, Mattie Donnelly and Darren McCurry are all potentially top drawer.  Only time will tell, but when you look at the scores they were racking up in the league then I'd be more inclined to believe that they will deliver on their potential.   

[Walter Cronc]

Honestly think Mayo's chance was in 2012 . Imo would have won it but for the terrible goal conceded that came off the post.

Think Cork are in with a serious shout and despite the facts in front of me I just have a hunch that Galway will do well.

Hard to know with Kerry. They will try the usual rope a dope trick, PLAY up Cooper's absence, yerra yerra away and still be standing in CP in August.

Honestly will be disappointed if Dublin don't win though. Players (esp forwards ) like we have at the moment don't come around regularly and we must win titles Kerrystyle while we have them.

So for me anyone between Cork, Kerry or Dublin.

Tyrone fans may disagree but can't see the forwards now to compare with those in the 00s.

Although we have no marquee forward of Canavan's class, I think Tyrone do have the forwards to compete at the highest level. It's the defence that's the problem.

Tyrone's forwards are no better than Mayo's.

Tyrone have very promising forwards coming through.  Ronan O'Neill, Kyle Coney, Mattie Donnelly and Darren McCurry are all potentially top drawer.  Only time will tell, but when you look at the scores they were racking up in the league then I'd be more inclined to believe that they will deliver on their potential.   

[From the Bunker]

To the Mayo lads, somewhere in my above posts, it seems that i haven't got across properly what i was trying to say.. By no means am i being dismissive of Mayo as a team. I still regard them as one of the top teams in the country, with many excellent players. What i was trying to say was that i don't regard them as serious a contender as they were last year.. I actually backed them to win Sam in the bookies last year the day after they hammered Galway..I wouldn't back them this year..If we overlook the amount of goals being conceded, there are two main reasons i say that...1- I don't think they have enough top quality forwards to win it...2- To keep the show on the road again til late Sept will take a huge toll on players, mentally and physically. Those Mayo players have been to hell and back with effort, pain and disappointment over the last 3 years. Can they do it all again?..That's all i was trying to say.

That's 100%. Will hurt allot of Mayo people but it is the truth.

[Tubberman]

To the Mayo lads, somewhere in my above posts, it seems that i haven't got across properly what i was trying to say.. By no means am i being dismissive of Mayo as a team. I still regard them as one of the top teams in the country, with many excellent players. What i was trying to say was that i don't regard them as serious a contender as they were last year.. I actually backed them to win Sam in the bookies last year the day after they hammered Galway..I wouldn't back them this year..If we overlook the amount of goals being conceded, there are two main reasons i say that...1- I don't think they have enough top quality forwards to win it...2- To keep the show on the road again til late Sept will take a huge toll on players, mentally and physically. Those Mayo players have been to hell and back with effort, pain and disappointment over the last 3 years. Can they do it all again?..That's all i was trying to say.

That's 100%. Will hurt allot of Mayo people but it is the truth.

It would be the honest opinion of a lot of Mayo supporters, but you have to have hope!
They still ran the invincible Dublin team closer than anyone, and always seem to be able to put in at least one top-drawer performance in Croker each summer. It's never happened on final day for whatever reason, and there are countless theories for that.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Cork and Mayo are the teams that could account for Dublin in a semi or final....................................to a lesser extent Tyrone or Moanaghan could give us a surprise and Meath could beat us in a Leinster Final

Mayo had us well bet up until the 56th minute of the league game and Cork were in a similar position only to collapse, I would not foresee that happening in August or September ................................

[Dinny Breen]

This is what we are all up against. 

https://dontfoul.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/dublin-v-derry-2014-league-final/

[Croí na hÉireann]

This is what we are all up against. 

https://dontfoul.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/dublin-v-derry-2014-league-final/

The turnovers and shots from them are jaw dropping. Consider that the players leading the turnovers are what we in other counties would consider to be the luxury players (2 Brogans, Andrews, Connolly) is even more startling. Another stat I saw was that by the time Derry had their first ATTEMPT at a point in the 20th minute Dublin had 15 shots at the goals. Unreal. Time for the rest of us in Leinster to concentrate on the club calendar I think.

[BennyHarp]

Honestly think Mayo's chance was in 2012 . Imo would have won it but for the terrible goal conceded that came off the post.

Think Cork are in with a serious shout and despite the facts in front of me I just have a hunch that Galway will do well.

Hard to know with Kerry. They will try the usual rope a dope trick, PLAY up Cooper's absence, yerra yerra away and still be standing in CP in August.

Honestly will be disappointed if Dublin don't win though. Players (esp forwards ) like we have at the moment don't come around regularly and we must win titles Kerrystyle while we have them.

So for me anyone between Cork, Kerry or Dublin.

Tyrone fans may disagree but can't see the forwards now to compare with those in the 00s.

Although we have no marquee forward of Canavan's class, I think Tyrone do have the forwards to compete at the highest level. It's the defence that's the problem.

Tyrone's forwards are no better than Mayo's.

Tyrone's forward line are at a different stage of development than Mayo's so it may be hard to make that comparison. Tyrone's potential front 6 of Matty Donnelly, Shay McGuigan / Ronan O'Neill, Mark Donnelly, Darren McCurry, Kyle Coney, Conor McAliskey (with Steven O'Neill and Martin Penrose as reserves) have not really played together that much as a unit in the championship bar last year but I have been impressed enough with them in dispatches. This is why i said "i think" they may be able to compete at the highest level but i'm not sure. You may be right or you may be wrong in your assertion but in my opinion Tyrone's forwards have a much greater capacity to improve than Mayo's front 6 or 7 do. Again, its just my opinion, but if you were to offer me any of Mayo's front 6 i think i would only take Killian O'Connor to replace any of those guys. However, if you were to offer me any of the defence - i'd take the whole lot of them.

[Jinxy]

This is what we are all up against. 

https://dontfoul.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/dublin-v-derry-2014-league-final/

The turnovers and shots from them are jaw dropping. Consider that the players leading the turnovers are what we in other counties would consider to be the luxury players (2 Brogans, Andrews, Connolly) is even more startling. Another stat I saw was that by the time Derry had their first ATTEMPT at a point in the 20th minute Dublin had 15 shots at the goals. Unreal. Time for the rest of us in Leinster to concentrate on the club calendar I think.

Tackling used to be something you did to stop the opposition doing what they wanted with the ball i.e. make them pick a different option, misplace the pass, slow their progress etc.
The top teams now see it as an offensive weapon as if you turn over possession, the players around you have to scramble to react and defensive alignment goes out the window.
You can see when the Dublin forwards smell blood they immediately commit more players to the tackle area.
When they do steal the ball they then have runners coming at pace or a player standing off as a 'quarterback' to shift the direction of attack to the other side of the field where there are invariably fewer defenders.
It takes massive fitness and discipline and pace is also key as support is always very quick to arrive.
In terms of other teams ability to emulate this, your fitness and discipline is completely under your own control.
The worst forward in the country can still be a very effective tackler, what he won't be able to do is make the turnover count on the scoreboard.

[J OGorman]

This is what we are all up against. 

https://dontfoul.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/dublin-v-derry-2014-league-final/

The turnovers and shots from them are jaw dropping. Consider that the players leading the turnovers are what we in other counties would consider to be the luxury players (2 Brogans, Andrews, Connolly) is even more startling. Another stat I saw was that by the time Derry had their first ATTEMPT at a point in the 20th minute Dublin had 15 shots at the goals. Unreal. Time for the rest of us in Leinster to concentrate on the club calendar I think.

Tackling used to be something you did to stop the opposition doing what they wanted with the ball i.e. make them pick a different option, misplace the pass, slow their progress etc.
The top teams now see it as an offensive weapon as if you turn over possession, the players around you have to scramble to react and defensive alignment goes out the window.
You can see when the Dublin forwards smell blood they immediately commit more players to the tackle area.
When they do steal the ball they then have runners coming at pace or a player standing off as a 'quarterback' to shift the direction of attack to the other side of the field where there are invariably fewer defenders.
It takes massive fitness and discipline and pace is also key as support is always very quick to arrive.
In terms of other teams ability to emulate this, your fitness and discipline is completely under your own control.
The worst forward in the country can still be a very effective tackler, what he won't be able to do is make the turnover count on the scoreboard.

alot depending on the man in the middle and what he deems a legal tackle

[screenexile]

This is what we are all up against. 

https://dontfoul.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/dublin-v-derry-2014-league-final/

The turnovers and shots from them are jaw dropping. Consider that the players leading the turnovers are what we in other counties would consider to be the luxury players (2 Brogans, Andrews, Connolly) is even more startling. Another stat I saw was that by the time Derry had their first ATTEMPT at a point in the 20th minute Dublin had 15 shots at the goals. Unreal. Time for the rest of us in Leinster to concentrate on the club calendar I think.

Tackling used to be something you did to stop the opposition doing what they wanted with the ball i.e. make them pick a different option, misplace the pass, slow their progress etc.
The top teams now see it as an offensive weapon as if you turn over possession, the players around you have to scramble to react and defensive alignment goes out the window.
You can see when the Dublin forwards smell blood they immediately commit more players to the tackle area.
When they do steal the ball they then have runners coming at pace or a player standing off as a 'quarterback' to shift the direction of attack to the other side of the field where there are invariably fewer defenders.
It takes massive fitness and discipline and pace is also key as support is always very quick to arrive.
In terms of other teams ability to emulate this, your fitness and discipline is completely under your own control.
The worst forward in the country can still be a very effective tackler, what he won't be able to do is make the turnover count on the scoreboard.

This is an area of the game which is starting to mirror soccer and Rugby... Turnover ball is crucial and is the best time to get scores and especially goals.

It's going to be the big buzz word over the next few years replacing "breaking ball"... I would imagine McStay will start talking about "the contact area" and "the tackle zone" this season as well.

Dublin have latched on to this and it's the main reason they're so far ahead of everyone else (aside from the money/population/playing at home etc.). Because of the new rules teams are bombing 4/5/6 men forward and if the ball is turned quickly then the team becomes all at sea.

The Dubs are working ferociously on turning the ball over by whatever means necessary and as mentioned in another thread they train themselves to get into a shooting position within 8 seconds. As the stats show they aren't particularly clinical but they're creating that many chances that it simply doesn't matter. Even converting 50% of their chances has them destroying teams... god help whatever team gets them when they actually click!

It will take a year or two for other teams to get to this level of ability in what Dublin will do but they also need to be physically as strong and fit as them as well to be able to cope. It's going to be an interesting summer!

[Johnnybegood]

This is what we are all up against. 

https://dontfoul.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/dublin-v-derry-2014-league-final/

The turnovers and shots from them are jaw dropping. Consider that the players leading the turnovers are what we in other counties would consider to be the luxury players (2 Brogans, Andrews, Connolly) is even more startling. Another stat I saw was that by the time Derry had their first ATTEMPT at a point in the 20th minute Dublin had 15 shots at the goals. Unreal. Time for the rest of us in Leinster to concentrate on the club calendar I think.

regardless of venue and advantages and what not work rate is a gift to all teams

[Mayo Mick]

Nothing in c'ship so far to suggest any dark horse challengers. Tyrone and Donegal look quarter material at best.

[Captain Obvious]

Nothing in c'ship so far to suggest any dark horse challengers. Tyrone and Donegal look quarter material at best.

Tyrone,Donegal could beat Kerry,Mayo this summer however i hope Dublin gets a few challengers and its doesn't become a one horse race.