Are you more or less optimistic about your chances than you were before the league campaign started?
I'm actually a good bit more optimistic about our chances, but then again, I was starting from a pretty low base.
I'm a bit more optimistic, but like yourself Jinxy, only because our starting point was so low. The negative for us is that I believe we are playing the Leinster Champions elect in the first game. If Kildare get over us, I think they'll win it out.
Hurling is the same as before the season. We put up big scores when expected to, but had a poor day out against Wexford. To be honest though, I don't think that will have much relevance come May in the Championship.
Quote from: AZOffaly on April 13, 2009, 03:46:33 PM
I'm a bit more optimistic, but like yourself Jinxy, only because our starting point was so low. The negative for us is that I believe we are playing the Leinster Champions elect in the first game. If Kildare get over us, I think they'll win it out.
Hurling is the same as before the season. We put up big scores when expected to, but had a poor day out against Wexford. To be honest though, I don't think that will have much relevance come May in the Championship.
I dunno about that AZ.
Saw them in the flesh for the first time yesterday.
I think the Dubs would be comfortable enough against them.
Big, fit team alright but I honestly think we should have beaten them and we are only starting to get our act together.
They were very impressive against Monaghan but they haven't really hit those heights since then I think.
Mind you, we should have beaten Monaghan too.
Quote from: Jinxy on April 13, 2009, 03:58:42 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on April 13, 2009, 03:46:33 PM
I'm a bit more optimistic, but like yourself Jinxy, only because our starting point was so low. The negative for us is that I believe we are playing the Leinster Champions elect in the first game. If Kildare get over us, I think they'll win it out.
Hurling is the same as before the season. We put up big scores when expected to, but had a poor day out against Wexford. To be honest though, I don't think that will have much relevance come May in the Championship.
I dunno about that AZ.
Saw them in the flesh for the first time yesterday.
I think the Dubs would be comfortable enough against them.
Big, fit team alright but I honestly think we should have beaten them and we are only starting to get our act together.
They were very impressive against Monaghan but they haven't really hit those heights since then I think.
Mind you, we should have beaten Monaghan too.
Indeed, that was a point we had no right to get, and a crucial one without which we wouldn't have been in contention for promotion.
I'd be a bit more optimistic about our chances as it was a good league performance, achieving promotion while at the same time using the whole of the squad and trying out different things. But at the end of the day we still have a hoor of a draw in Ulster and Derry are flying themselves, in line to retain their league title and have been experimenting in the league a good bit themselves. It would be nice to win the Division 2 final against Cork, but now promotion is secured all eyes are set on Derry on May 24th, massive game.
Yeah that's another thing to bear in mind. There's some serious match-ups in the first round, so for the likes of ourselves, Monaghan and Armagh there's no handy game to ease our way into the championship before running into the big guns. We'll all be underdogs in our first game. Maybe that's not a bad situation to be in.
My expectations are about the same. Don't think we'll win Ulster, don't think we'll win the All Ireland. Might make the quarter finals through the qualifiers. Possible but unlikely that we'd be in the last 4.
Quote from: Jinxy on April 13, 2009, 03:29:19 PM
Are you more or less optimistic about your chances than you were before the league campaign started?
I'm actually a good bit more optimistic about our chances, but then again, I was starting from a pretty low base.
Assuming we get over NY on May 10th we play Ros/Leitrim, before the league started, Roscommon, who are on our side of the draw I have to say I was wary of them, I thought that they could well beat us. They had the minor management of 2006 in place and they were talking themselves up a bit. However, they lost 4 league games in Division 3. Leitrim however failed to win promotion from Division 4. I'd be surprised we don't make the Connacht final. On the other side of the draw in Connacht is London/Galway v Sligo. Galway will dismantle London easy enough and should beat Sligo too. But they lacked heart against us and I'm now wondering if Galway are as good as everyone makes out to be. The All-Ireland won't be coming west of the Shannon this year, but if Mayo win Connacht and get to an all-Ireland semi-final it'd just about do me.
Christ knows with Armagh, I'd be reasonably confident of beating Tyrone, dont see us getting past Derry, who I will be having a bet on to win Ulster this year. With a bit of luck in the back door, last 8 is probably realistic enough. McDonnell's(manager) job was never going to be an easy one after the success of the Kernan era, that aside he's not covering himself in glory.
Think we should have enough to win Connacht and maybe an All-Ireland semi-final although knowing our luck we'll probably draw Kerry in the quarters again. That's the limit of our ambitions I think. Can't see anyone touching Tyrone or especially Kerry this year. One of them might trip up or they might meet each other before the final opening the door for someone else but one of them is going to win the AI. Tyrone haven't had a great league but sure they won't get motoring until July anyway.
Quote from: TacadoirArdMhacha on April 13, 2009, 04:31:38 PM
My expectations are about the same. Don't think we'll win Ulster, don't think we'll win the All Ireland. Might make the quarter finals through the qualifiers. Possible but unlikely that we'd be in the last 4.
That would be my expectation also. Think we'll give Tyrone a good rattle (even after yesterday) and make it to the last 8.
Quote from: Schkite on April 13, 2009, 04:07:44 PM
Quote from: Jinxy on April 13, 2009, 03:58:42 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on April 13, 2009, 03:46:33 PM
I'm a bit more optimistic, but like yourself Jinxy, only because our starting point was so low. The negative for us is that I believe we are playing the Leinster Champions elect in the first game. If Kildare get over us, I think they'll win it out.
Hurling is the same as before the season. We put up big scores when expected to, but had a poor day out against Wexford. To be honest though, I don't think that will have much relevance come May in the Championship.
I dunno about that AZ.
Saw them in the flesh for the first time yesterday.
I think the Dubs would be comfortable enough against them.
Big, fit team alright but I honestly think we should have beaten them and we are only starting to get our act together.
They were very impressive against Monaghan but they haven't really hit those heights since then I think.
Mind you, we should have beaten Monaghan too.
Indeed, that was a point we had no right to get, and a crucial one without which we wouldn't have been in contention for promotion.
I'd be a bit more optimistic about our chances as it was a good league performance, achieving promotion while at the same time using the whole of the squad and trying out different things. But at the end of the day we still have a hoor of a draw in Ulster and Derry are flying themselves, in line to retain their league title and have been experimenting in the league a good bit themselves. It would be nice to win the Division 2 final against Cork, but now promotion is secured all eyes are set on Derry on May 24th, massive game.
The way things worked out in the end, we still would have been promoted even without that point, with Kildare dropping the point in Navan yesterday.
Quote from: Maguire01 on April 13, 2009, 09:19:04 PM
Quote from: Schkite on April 13, 2009, 04:07:44 PM
Quote from: Jinxy on April 13, 2009, 03:58:42 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on April 13, 2009, 03:46:33 PM
I'm a bit more optimistic, but like yourself Jinxy, only because our starting point was so low. The negative for us is that I believe we are playing the Leinster Champions elect in the first game. If Kildare get over us, I think they'll win it out.
Hurling is the same as before the season. We put up big scores when expected to, but had a poor day out against Wexford. To be honest though, I don't think that will have much relevance come May in the Championship.
I dunno about that AZ.
Saw them in the flesh for the first time yesterday.
I think the Dubs would be comfortable enough against them.
Big, fit team alright but I honestly think we should have beaten them and we are only starting to get our act together.
They were very impressive against Monaghan but they haven't really hit those heights since then I think.
Mind you, we should have beaten Monaghan too.
Indeed, that was a point we had no right to get, and a crucial one without which we wouldn't have been in contention for promotion.
I'd be a bit more optimistic about our chances as it was a good league performance, achieving promotion while at the same time using the whole of the squad and trying out different things. But at the end of the day we still have a hoor of a draw in Ulster and Derry are flying themselves, in line to retain their league title and have been experimenting in the league a good bit themselves. It would be nice to win the Division 2 final against Cork, but now promotion is secured all eyes are set on Derry on May 24th, massive game.
The way things worked out in the end, we still would have been promoted even without that point, with Kildare dropping the point in Navan yesterday.
Well that's true, I suppose I meant it would have put a very different look on the table before the final game. If we'd have been on 8 pts and Kildare and Cork on 9 pts with 8+ better score difference would the same performances have resulted? Doesn't matter now but it could have been very different only for that point against Meath.
I think Meath have emerged from the league as a team that is defensively ok and will be hard for most teams to beat but we will have to work extra hard to win games, the form of the forwards are a major concern at the minute.
Certainly far more confident after the league campaign than I was beforehand....We have brought through about 5/6 potential new starters through the league and played without guys like Alan Brogan, Shane Ryan etc and is looking like we will have Cullen, Ryan, Sherlock, Quinn, Vaughan, etc all as bench players this year..
DFS, I don't see why Gilroy doesn't go back to playing Cullen at wing forward.
He'd be an improvement on Collie Moran in that he can actually kick a point.
He was very good there in 2005.
Kerry/Tyrone
followed by Cork and Derry
The rest could beat each other on any given day.
Dublin- think we'll get to the last 8 -could scrape a last 4- but definitely not good enough to win the all-ireland. Not a semblance of a wing forward -a la Dooher/Galvin and the massive concesson rate hasn't been addressed.
Dublin will score enough to beat any team in Ireland. They simply won't keep the scoreboard down. Even Kerry playing badly still scored 1-15. What i'd do for the likes of Mick Kennedy and Hargan in the fb line and david hickey/anton o toole as half forwards. If we had that we'd be genuine contenders.
Quote from: INDIANA on April 14, 2009, 12:22:14 PM
Kerry/Tyrone
followed by Cork and Derry
The rest could beat each other on any given day.
Dublin- think we'll get to the last 8 -could scrape a last 4- but definitely not good enough to win the all-ireland. Not a semblance of a wing forward -a la Dooher/Galvin and the massive concesson rate hasn't been addressed.
Dublin will score enough to beat any team in Ireland. They simply won't keep the scoreboard down. Even Kerry playing badly still scored 1-15. What i'd do for the likes of Mick Kennedy and Hargan in the fb line and david hickey/anton o toole as half forwards. If we had that we'd be genuine contenders.
Could Cullen not fill that role?
Quote from: Jinxy on April 14, 2009, 12:20:53 PM
DFS, I don't see why Gilroy doesn't go back to playing Cullen at wing forward.
He'd be an improvement on Collie Moran in that he can actually kick a point.
He was very good there in 2005.
I think the half forward line could be Flynn, Keaney, Burke who will be very hard working etc and should be able to track back etc...and can all score..with Brogan *2 and Davoren in the full forward line..
He could Jinxy but he's been switched between 5/6 and 12 at nausoeum now and they need to find a position for him. He's has so much talent this guy- i think he'd be ideal at 10/12. He was excellent in 2005 there. But he may not start at all under this management. the reality is if Dublin play Tyrone- Davy Harte and Philip Jordan will take one look at our half forwards and say- defensively weak and simply spend their day pissing up the pitch. If we had a David Hickeyesque type of player they'd be sitting on their arse everytime they attempted to go up the pitch.
DSFM- That half forward line won't cut it against top class opposition. Connolly will be number 12- that is an absolute cast iron certainty under this management. Great going forward but not a good defender. Burke is a very good club player- but he's not senior inter county IMO. Keaney is too good close to goal and offers us the left foot balance in the FF line. Dunno about Flynn-lacks consistency and his kick passing isn't especially good. And he's essentially a midfielder at club level.
Quote from: Jinxy on April 14, 2009, 12:33:25 PM
Quote from: INDIANA on April 14, 2009, 12:22:14 PM
Kerry/Tyrone
followed by Cork and Derry
The rest could beat each other on any given day.
Dublin- think we'll get to the last 8 -could scrape a last 4- but definitely not good enough to win the all-ireland. Not a semblance of a wing forward -a la Dooher/Galvin and the massive concesson rate hasn't been addressed.
Dublin will score enough to beat any team in Ireland. They simply won't keep the scoreboard down. Even Kerry playing badly still scored 1-15. What i'd do for the likes of Mick Kennedy and Hargan in the fb line and david hickey/anton o toole as half forwards. If we had that we'd be genuine contenders.
Could Cullen not fill that role?
I dont think so!
I think wing forward is a position you have to grow into because so much is required of you.
Galvin started off as a wing back don't forget.
I remember watching Dooher in '96 thinking he was the most awkward looking fecker I'd seen on a football field.
I honestly think if Cullen had been left where he was from 2005 onwards he would have developed into a serious player in that position.
Slightly more optimistic but again coming from a low base. We should produce a decent showing against Galway but I don't think we'll have enough to beat them (I better hide now from Sligonian!). We're a little bit too light but things definitely improving. Difficult to see us winning much possession in the middle third but some great pace in the team and that badly needed bit more guile up front with Costello and Marren. A good run in the qualifiers should occur if we fall to Galway.