The Official All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2013 Thread

Sport
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Leitrim travel to neighbours New York for the start of this year’s championship…Barney Breen has been doing his homework and crushed a few stereotypes in the process…

Breen and co. will be hoping to avoid a potential banana skin when they face the Exiles at Gaelic Park in the first round of the Connacht SFC on Sunday and the travelling joint-manager says he’s been looking into what his opponents might bring to the table:

“We’ve done a good bit of homework on them,” he told gaa.ie. "We can’t afford to take them lightly. We’re a mid-table Division Four team so therefore we can’t afford to take any team lightly.

“New York are a bit of an unknown, but we’re preparing for it the same as if it were Sligo, Roscommon, Mayo or Galway.”

One of the players in the opposition corner will be Leitrim man Eoin Ward…

"He was on the Leitrim squad there a number of years ago, he’s likely to be playing with them. We know Eoin fairly well, he’s a good lad and I’ve no doubt he’s going to be well up for it too.

"They have the likes of Rory Woods there. There’s a young Lynam fella there from Westmeath. The other thing then is they have three or four home based players who will be on their team as well.

"That brings a whole different edge to it too, in the sense that these guys, for example, CJ Molloy there is a young homegrown lad and he’d have fair pride for his team. He would regard New York as his home county.

“So that brings an extra bit of pride to his game and he’s a big, strapping, fit lad. That’s a new breed of New York footballer, and we have to commend New York for developing them. And, they’re not all lads over there ploughing into concrete day after day. These young lads are college students and so on.”

:smiley: some serious muldoon speak in them there words… If leitrim have anything about them they should make bits of New York…

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Rory Woods isn’t playing. As opposed to being unfit which he always was.

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[quote=“scumpot, post: 767830, member: 182”]Leitrim travel to neighbours New York for the start of this year’s championship…Barney Breen has been doing his homework and crushed a few stereotypes in the process…

Breen and co. will be hoping to avoid a potential banana skin when they face the Exiles at Gaelic Park in the first round of the Connacht SFC on Sunday and the travelling joint-manager says he’s been looking into what his opponents might bring to the table:

“We’ve done a good bit of homework on them,” he told gaa.ie. "We can’t afford to take them lightly. We’re a mid-table Division Four team so therefore we can’t afford to take any team lightly.

“New York are a bit of an unknown, but we’re preparing for it the same as if it were Sligo, Roscommon, Mayo or Galway.”

One of the players in the opposition corner will be Leitrim man Eoin Ward…

"He was on the Leitrim squad there a number of years ago, he’s likely to be playing with them. We know Eoin fairly well, he’s a good lad and I’ve no doubt he’s going to be well up for it too.

"They have the likes of Rory Woods there. There’s a young Lynam fella there from Westmeath. The other thing then is they have three or four home based players who will be on their team as well.

"That brings a whole different edge to it too, in the sense that these guys, for example, CJ Molloy there is a young homegrown lad and he’d have fair pride for his team. He would regard New York as his home county.

“So that brings an extra bit of pride to his game and he’s a big, strapping, fit lad. That’s a new breed of New York footballer, and we have to commend New York for developing them. And, they’re not all lads over there ploughing into concrete day after day. These young lads are college students and so on.”

:smiley: some serious muldoon speak in them there words… If leitrim have anything about them they should make bits of New York…[/quote]
Leitrim don’t make bits of anyone these days I’ll be happy if we win by 9 or more then its London or sligo

4

A rather worrying start to this thread. I’ll make a few predictions and a top 10 list to get a bit of debate going.

Munster - Cork
Leinster - Dublin
Connaught - Mayo
Ulster - Donegal

Maybe a bit predictable and Turone, Kerry & Kildare will hae a fair bit to say about the provincials. Galway and Laois are long shots.

Top 10 in order of likelihood of winning All-Ireland.

  1. Donegal - Just so well organized with a few brilliant forwards and a very competitive midfield. Speed all over the pitch.
  2. Dublin - More for their depth than anything. One would have to assume they’ll get Brogan or Killkenny right for August. They could become a Cork of 2010 type side where intelligent use of subs could bring them along way. Major concerns in places though which despite their fire power (some of which is unproven at Senior) makes them vulnerable.
  3. Cork - An argument could be made to put them behind Kerry and Mayo, but they, like Dublin, have great depth. Colm O 'Neil is a big loss, how big remains to be seen as I think Brian Hurley and Barry O Driscoll can tear up Croke Park, along with the older forwards Cork can do damage. The big issue with Cork, for me, is the incorrect use of Michael Shields (an almost identical issue to Stevie O brien in 90’s). Robbing Peter to pay Paul situation and Cadogan being fit is big. If Cork can suitably fit both corner back positions and allow Shields at No.6 I’d give them a big chance. Remains to be seen how much tactics and coaching has been handed over to new selectors, that’s also key. You can’t play as laterally as Cork have been and expect to win the AI in 2013.
  4. Mayo - Are probably not as talented as old Mayo teams, but probably more likely to win an AI than the older teams ever were. They are very well conditioned and well coached. They are not amazingly strong anywhere but solid everywhere, probably the reason they are not ranked higher(as well as they have win nothing) O’ Connor is underestimated IMO but to have any chance they need him, Aidan O Shea, Higgins, Dillion, Andy Moran all fit, yet all of them are somewhat injury prone. Like Galway football people, Mayo are alright sorts and I’d like to see them win, but I doubt it.
  5. Kerry - The lowest ranked in a while, but they are behind the pack. But they do have some important areas sorted somewhat, as in competition at midfield. I believe Bryan Sheehan let himself go while injured and is a good bit off the team, which is a big loss. Even though I think he’s a bit of a bluffer in terms of true midfield play, he’s the best free taker in the business. Johnny Buckley is showing his undoubted class and potential and I predict he"ll win YPOTY. Won’t be enough though and unless Dec O’Sullivan, Gooch, Donaghy and Galvin have stellar years I can’t see Kerry even making Semi’s. they still are potentially a very good side.
  6. Tyrone - Based more in pedigree that I put them ahead of Kildare really. They have found a new improved style and are clearly trying to think their way around the more athletic teams. They are very fit and all that, but I don’t think they are as athletic as other sides. The Donnellys are proving a nice addition and SON is obviously on fire while Cavanagh looks to have matured alot and has stopped trying to be superman. They are able to adjust to different situations and are well coached. They will probably cause one big shock. I could see them being a potential thorn in Donegal’s side, losing to them early but possibly upsetting them later on. Unlikely winners though.
  7. Kildare - Hard to stomach in ways. That u21 performance was worrying as it shows the new brigade have inherited some of the same old problems i. e. shooting. Something you’d think an Armagh man would have sorted out by now. They remind me of alot AFL teams actually, headless chicken running and aggressive tackling but woeful shooting. Still they have qualities though and might win a Leinster were Dublin to get too complacent.
    8,9, 10 - Galway, Laois, Derry in any order you want. Laois arguably the best performing Senior side in last 12 months but Derry are showing marked improvement and Galway are capable of turning things around with good young players although it might take a year or two more. All 3 are slight outsiders for their provincial titles, but any of them winning would be good. Could cause surprises too with home advantage in qualifiers.
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[quote=“caoimhaoin, post: 768662, member: 273”]Like Galway football people, Mayo are alright sorts and I’d like to see them win, but I doubt it.
[/quote]
Are you suggesting Galway hurling people are a shower of cunts Kev?

You’d quite probably be right

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[quote=“Lazarus, post: 768667, member: 286”]Are you suggesting Galway hurling people are a shower of cunts Kev?

You’d quite probably be right[/quote]

Nothing like Tipp or KK cunts, but nevertheless they can be cuntish. The Galway Senior hurling Championship and the hacketing that goes in doesn’t help either.

It’s more that te football people are bang on than anything very negative about the hurlers it’s probably I have just met more and spent more time in the north part of the county.

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Connacht - Mayo
Leinster - Dublin
Ulster - Tyrone
Munster - Cork
Outsiders to have a good run in the qualifiers - Offaly

All Ireland champions - Dublin.

Footballer of the Year - Ciaran Sheehan (Cork)
Young Footballer of the Year - Mannion (Dublin)

8

Connacht - Mayo
Leinster - Dublin
Ulster - Tyrone
Munster - Cork
Outsiders to have a good run in the qualifiers - Derry

All-Ireland Final: Dublin v Mayo

All Ireland Champions - Dublin

Footballer of the Year - Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone)
Young Footballer of the Year - Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin)

9

Connacht-Mayo
Leinster- Dublin
Ulster-Derry
Munster -Cork

AI final Dublin v Donegal
Winners - Dublin

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well that´s settled…leitrim made bits of New York 4-19 to 0-07 …

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[quote=“caoimhaoin, post: 768662, member: 273”]A rather worrying start to this thread. I’ll make a few predictions and a top 10 list to get a bit of debate going.
.[/quote]

did we not have this exact discussion on the national football league thread ???..:rolleyes:

12

Tyrone’s defensive job in the second half of the League final has shown that Dublin can definitely be caught out by a team playing a Donegal-style system. But who are that team?

I don’t think it’ll be Donegal because I think they’ll fall into the same trap as every other defending All-Ireland champions over the last 23 years have fallen into - success takes the edge off you and for me there’s no way Donegal can bring quite the same intensity to their game that they brought last year.

Kerry? No, as Dublin are now a more talented, fitter harder-working and rounded team.

Tyrone? They have adapted their system to become more Donegal-like and could pose a serious threat if they get a bit of momentum but probably won’t quite have what it takes. But they are definitely moving the right way and they play in a style that Dublin won’t like playing against at all if they meet them.

That leaves Cork and Mayo. Cork from what I can see have been experimenting with a more defensive system and have generally had the edge on Dublin over the last few years anyway. But Dublin have moved on from what they were while it’s doubtful Cork have. Doubts would persist over whether they have the tactical nous to implement that defensive system when it matters. Colm O’Neill is a massive loss, but they still look to be the strongest contenders to beat Dublin and a showdown semi-final clash looks likely.

Mayo should improve again and had a decent enough league, despite losing a good few matches they were unlucky in all of them, bar the semi-final loss to Dublin. They have the confidence that they can beat Dublin in Croke Park in the championship but Dublin destroyed them in truth in the League semi-final. They need Andy Moran back playing. At the back they don’t employ a Donegal-style defensive system and they don’t look to have sorted out problems in the full-back line. That was good enough against a very flat Dublin team last year but won’t be this year and if they don’t sort out their defensive naivety they won’t beat Dublin again.

13

Connaught - Mayo
Leinster - Dublin
Munster - Cork
Ulster - Tyrone

All Ireland Final - Dublin V Donegal

All Ireland Champions - Donegal

Outsiders to have a poxy good run in the qualifiers - Kerry (!)

Footballer of the Year - Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone are the big danger to Dublin / Donegal and will go far this year, assuming Cavanagh doesn’t get injured)

Young Footballer of the Year - Ciaran Kilkenny

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Paddy Kelly played yesterday for Ballincollig and played well apparently, his first game in 2013, good news for Cork.

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I see the GAA has banned London from playing two challenge games in Ireland this weekend…under the rule which prevents team from going abroad for training camps. :smiley:

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Seriously? Is this a joke?

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No. Disgraceful treatment of the diaspora.

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Ag seriously, what am I missing here. There has to be a hidden joke or something in this.

This could be quite easily the most stupid thing I ever heard from these clowns. Well up there.

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Agreed caoimhaoin

Full story & details here, http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/croke-park-denies-exiles-home-trip-for-preconnacht-friendlies-29246555.html

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Jesus try are an embarrassment.