whatâs the feeling like around the N7 borderlands tonight ?
can we envisage Johnny Doyle whoopering and hollering around portalrington later
it must be a most ferocious rivalry is it?
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I think all the âMayo are finishedâ talk is premature. They are not actually a particularly old team Andy Moran might pack it in and possibly Keith Higgins but almost all the rest of them are the right side of 30. James Horan will probably return next year as manager and with their u20 team going well I can see them being contenders for a few years yet. I hope this is the case because last night was another classic match in a long line of classics that this team has been involved in.
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A lot of them are now over the 30 mark and struggling with injury.
If you look at the side and age profile and what they will be next year:
A Moran 35
Clarke 35
K Higgins 34
C Boyle 33
Seamus Oâ'Shea 32/33
Barrett 32/32
Cafferkey 33
Parsons 31 (and unlikely to play at a high level again)
Vaughan 30
McLoughlin 31
Keegan has had a year decimated with injuries, is his body now breaking down on him? I expect a raft of retirements now, I think they will fall off a cliff for a while. A lot of those players above will go now, others may lose the hunger and others just arenât the same players they once were. Very little has came through Mayo in the past 7/8 years.
Iâm sure weâll see Mayo back competing for All Irelands again in the near future but it could be another 5/6 years before they have built a team for it.
Monestrevin is no go .
The Championship is very uncertain at the minute.
Weâve now lost the only tried and tested team who can consistently stick it with Dublin, time was coming to their natural conclusion with them.
Kerry are being hyped up the gills after beating very average Cork and Clare sides. We donât know enough about them, their defence still looks absolutely porous and the young lads introduced still have to prove it at the business end of championship.
Donegal have been going well but avoided Tyrone and Monaghan in Ulster, McBrearty out is a colossal KO for them.
Galway have had a good season so far but were lucky to beat a Mayo side down to 14 for the majority of the game and who are now out and made hard work of a very limited Roscommon side.
Tyrone look like they are ambling along at the minute until a decent side turns up to knock them out.
Monaghan have peaked.
It naturally leaves Dublin out there by themselves, even though I think Dublin are weaker than previous years, the gap may actually have widened between them and the rest. Theyâve added Howard this year who seems to be going well but theyâve lost Connolly and Flynn, Andrews, Brogan, McManamon and McMahon are all in decline now.
I think people investing huge amounts of hope in Kerry toppling Dublin this year will get a reality check.
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Kerry will be hard bet this year.
I donât know why lads are delighted to see mayo beaten,itâll be a much poorer championship without them.Theyâve been involved in some absolute classics over the years.
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Was talking to an old Kerry man last weekend down in Ballybunion he told me whatever about this year not a fuckin hope would Kerry âallowâ Dublin complete a 5 in a row,he had a demented look in his eye and I believed him.
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Yeah, I didnât really like a lot of their players namely COC and AOS.
But the Championship is poorer without them.
There are 8 teams left now, only 3 of those (Tyrone, Monaghan and Kildare) you would fancy can mix it with those sides who are in as Provincial Champions. The other sides will make it up as whipping boys.
Theyâve allowed Dublin to do a lot since the turn of the decade.
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Kerry shit the togs against Dublin and only two years ago they were delighted with plaudits for staying with them for 55 mins. At least mayo didnât lie down for Dublin. If someone manages to take out Dublin then Kerry will win it but they wonât beat Dublin under Fitzmaurice
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Ewan quoting Pink Floyd this morning I see? Must be great gear growing by the Amazon
Maurice Fitz has made a huge difference
Just like in 14 itâs the lieutenant that will make the difference
Cork nor Clare put up much but Kerry have improved 3 major aspects
Speed
Tackling
Kick outs
Still a lot of ground to make up, but they will be close
Connolly gone could be the defining aspect
An average Kerry team ran Dublin a few years ago but gassed .
Ya they are better now and far more conditioned
Agreed and at the minute theyâre doesnât look to be a team who can beat Dublin.
True.The super 8 will also suit dublin as they have a big panel and will be able to rest or replace lads as they want.The days of smaller counties taking a big scalp are well and truly gone.
Draw Prediction
Tyrone v Fermanagh Clones
Monaghan v Roscommon Portlaoise
Kildare v Cork Thurles
Armagh v Laois Navan
How the fuck can you put Monaghan and Roscommon in Portlaoise
I donât care who Kildare get, as long as itâs not fixed as the Sunday match. Supposed to be going to an engagement BBQ on Sunday, Iâll get an earful if I swerve it.