GAA; All-Ireland Championships

Stuff the Goat

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a Farney man in Galway, next stop America.
Just got under way yesterday, with Down defeating Cavan in Ulster football.

Football; I'm originally from Monaghan myself, I quietly fancy us to beat Armagh next Sun. & have a decent run, possibly eventually via qualifiers !

Have a sneaking feeling Laois could go all the way this year. Obviously Tyrone, Kerry, Armagh & Dublin will be widely tipped. I also think Cork, Meath & Derry could go well.

Hurling; Usual suspects, namely Cork & K'kenny, will be there or thereabouts. It will be one of the most open in years, as Limerick, Waterford & Clare could all go well. Offaly howing signs of improvement. Tipp & Wexford may fall short.......... However, I think Galway, with Eugene Cloonan back, can go one better this year & bring the McCarthy cup West !

Any other thoughts out there !
 
Monaghan gave us( Dublin) a roasting in the league. That full forward is a class player, the tubby bloke :)

Down looked decent yesterday too, benny coulter played a stormer.

To be honest I think I am an ABU this year in the football ( anyone but Ulster)


IT will be the usual suspects I presume in hurling, it was great to see Galway get to the final last year. I would like to see waterford do well this year.
 
Well we (Mayo) definately won't win the football this year, despite winning the U-21 for the first time in 21 years.

I'd say it could be Dublin this year. I'm with Small Paul on this one, an ABU.

Hurling, Tipp could be a surprise team (well out of 14 teams that are in it).
 
Big game in hurling on Sunday between Cork and Clare. Should be very close. It was a cracking All Ireland semi final last August, Jerry O Connor with the last gasp winner for Cork, that and the other semi final between Galway and Kilkenny were the 2 best games of the year.
 
thoward said:
Big game in hurling on Sunday between Cork and Clare. Should be very close. It was a cracking All Ireland semi final last August, Jerry O Connor with the last gasp winner for Cork, that and the other semi final between Galway and Kilkenny were the 2 best games of the year.
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The Munster Hurling Championship is probabley one of the most passionate competitions in sport. The atmosphere is unbelieveable.
 
Tyrone hockeyed out of it by Derry.

The Born Again's aren't out of it yet though, another long summer of tough matches will leave them as the most thoroughly drilled team in the championship again.

They were bad though, complete shite...and they've a feck load of injuries as well, Sean Cavanagh as well today. I'd love another crack at them when they get their full team back.

Murt's crowd beat Meath.....and they're as surprised as anyone else about it.
 
Keane16 said:
Tyrone hockeyed out of it by Derry.

The Born Again's aren't out of it yet though, another long summer of tough matches will leave them as the most thoroughly drilled team in the championship again.

They were bad though, complete shite...and they've a feck load of injuries as well, Sean Cavanagh as well today. I'd love another crack at them when they get their full team back.

Murt's crowd beat Meath.....and they're as surprised as anyone else about it.
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Surprised to see Derry beat Tyrone. Derry normally bottle it except for Lockhart, and for them to do it without him is an achievement. Wouldn't like to face their full forward line (Bradley's, Muldoon etc). By the quarter final stage Tyrone will be fitter than anyone else and will have seen plenty of hard days. O'Neill and McGuigan were massive losses. What happened to Cavanagh ?

Thought Meath would beat Wexford but again it seems Forde did the business. 9 points was it?

We (Mayo) beat London. No great achievement. Thought about going but have exams soon.
 
UnitedIrishman said:
The Munster Hurling Championship is probabley one of the most passionate competitions in sport. The atmosphere is unbelieveable.
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Agreed. I was at the Cork-Clare match and in the end fairly comfortable for Cork but there are a few clear concerns. Kieran Murphy and both McCarthys in the forwards were disappointing(and with the exception of Niall McCarthy none have ever consistently done well for Cork) but at least Ben O Connor should be fit for the Munster Final. The midfield, keeper and most of the defence is fine although Diarmuid O Sullivan looked very shaky. He lacks balance and agility which is understandable for such a big man. Wayne Sherlock(the most underrated hurler in Ireland for me) should be brought in as a corner back and Mulcahy moved to full back.

Happy to hear Meath getting beaten. Amazing that it took Tyrone so long to score as well.
 
Tyrone & Derry was more of a battle, than a game. I thought Derry got away with a lot from the ref. Still, they fully deserved teir win, amazing it took tyone 40mins to score.

Cork were excellent against Clare, notably Dean was excellent. ...... They have certainly put down a "marker", then again the longer the "marker" is down, the more chance there is to remove it !

Team of the week , has to be Wexford.......... a great win & also looked very impressive !
 
Keane16 said:
It's on now.....Forde should've been born in Kerry.
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If he was he'd be without doubt the best player in the country. Same with Declan Browne in his day.
 
Keane16 said:
Cooper O'Sullivan Forde


That's a nice full forward line....you can even have Mike Frank coming off the bench.
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Through Darren O'Sullivan into the equation aswell. I remember seeing him play for Kerry minors two years ago against Tyrone (when Mayo lost to Kerry in the Senior...bah). He looked identical to Pat Spillane and played like him too. Give him 2 years and he'll be there or thereabouts. Milled a few northern boys aswell.
 
UnitedIrishman said:
Through Darren O'Sullivan into the equation aswell. I remember seeing him play for Kerry minors two years ago against Tyrone (when Mayo lost to Kerry in the Senior...bah). He looked identical to Pat Spillane and played like him too. Give him 2 years and he'll be there or thereabouts. Milled a few northern boys aswell.
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Bryan Sheehan looks a bit special as well, Decky Sullivan will be the best footballer in the country before long, there;s no doubt about that......Declan Quill seems to have been lost though, which is a pity. He's a pure Kerry footballer on the pitch that fella, but has his problems off it.
 
Big hurling match in Munster between Tipp and Waterford. I think Waterford are without Ken McGrath and John Mullane so thats a big blow. If Eoin Kelly plays anything like he did against Limerick then I think Tipp will be playing Cork in the final on the 25th.
 
Pity Mullane is out, he's a nutcase. Kelly is something special at the moment. There's not many one man teams in hurling but Tipp are.
 
thoward said:
Kelly was outstanding again on Sunday. Mind you Waterford had their chances.
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I was at the match and I must say Kelly looked unstoppable but then again I think Sherlock should handle him easinly enough and I doubt Cork will leave any ball get into him!

Waterford played ok apart from their shooting they wern't too bad at all!Still rekon we'll do feck all though!!Once Mullane and Ken get back fit i'd be hopin for an All Ireland Semi Final anyway!
 
Munch said:
I was at the match and I must say Kelly looked unstoppable but then again I think Sherlock should handle him easinly enough and I doubt Cork will leave any ball get into him!

Waterford played ok apart from their shooting they wern't too bad at all!Still rekon we'll do feck all though!!Once Mullane and Ken get back fit i'd be hopin for an All Ireland Semi Final anyway!
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Sherlock along with Canning of Galway is the best corner back in Ireland in my opinion but he probably won't play, it'll be Mulcahy. Its true that Kelly probably wont get as much ball so Id be fairly confident of Cork beating Tipp, Corks half back line should be too strong for Tipps half forwards and their midfield should win out as well.

Waterford could get to the semis alright, Cork and Kilkenny are probably the 2 best teams with little to choose between Tipp, Clare, Waterford and Galway. Eoin Kelly was a clear loss as well to Waterford, hes one of the best around at shooting long range points.
 
Armagh have definately had it after this season. McGeeney in midfield? he couldn't handle that position in his prime. They still have a few youngsters coming through that'll be decent, but not up to the standard of the guys that are there.

Tyrone will be interesting to see. I think it's a case of the players being overplayed. The likes of Dooher and O'Neill and McMenemin have been playing 12 months solid with very little respite. They still depend on a couple of outstanding players aswell. Cut off the supply lines and they struggle.
 
Down - always a disappointment. Ah well, theres always next year...
 
We nearly lost to Leitrim, says it all about our chances this year.

That is all.
 
Was there myself. Lower Hogan about 15 rows from the front. Quality seats for a quality game.
 
dublin said:
The Dubs Are Back!! (again):D
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They've been saying that for quite some time.

Still no settled squad though. Calling Sherlock back in was the last act of a desperate man. He came up with the goods but if they're pinning their hopes on him, then I'm afraid Kerry, Armagh, Galway even Donegal will fancy a rattle at them.

When it comes to the crunch Brogan, Cosgrave, Keaney, Cullen and Whelan need to step up. And how often do they buckle?
 
dublin said:
The Dubs Are Back!! (again):D
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Ye, no doubt !....and I must say they were very impressive ! & could easily go all the way.
However, there are 2 things that could unhinge them.. (1) Consistency, it's seems to be an "Achilles" for the Dubs down through the years. (11) Eceptionally high Media-hype/circus that seems to go with the Dubs, even though they would certainly love a " low-key" status.

PS; Some of my predictions are coming a cropper, but the Dubs will be there or thereabouts, if the above pitfalls are avoided.
 
Let The Word Go Out! It's Dublin's Year!! Sick Of All These Boggers
Coming Up And Pissing In The Gardens;)
 
UnitedIrishman said:
They've been saying that for quite some time.

Still no settled squad though. Calling Sherlock back in was the last act of a desperate man. He came up with the goods but if they're pinning their hopes on him, then I'm afraid Kerry, Armagh, Galway even Donegal will fancy a rattle at them.

When it comes to the crunch Brogan, Cosgrave, Keaney, Cullen and Whelan need to step up. And how often do they buckle?
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Disagree with your comments regarding Sherlock, as it turned out it was a masterstroke by the management and the other players you mentioned have in fairness already stepped up and are very experienced championship campaigners at this stage. Keaney in particular is turning into a top class player since ditching the hurley stick to concentrate on football. Are Dublin good enough, I don't know, they need to scalp one of the so-called big three this summer and then who knows.
 
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