How will we do in 2005?

[Lone Shark]

Tis a glorious time to be alive. Cut grass everywhere, and Championship looming! So I just want to see how optimistic everyone is regarding our teams this year. I've just listed Championship by Championship, what I'd hope for (within reason!) and what I expect. Be interesting to see how it compares with everyone else.

Football

Seniors - 1st round against Louth.

Hope Leinster is there to be won, and you certainly wouldn't fear any of the other counties in contention. 8 years is too long, so you'd hope that they could slay that particular demon anyway.
Expect Too many tough games between here and lifting Delaney. I think they'll get by Louth, run Laois to within a point or two, pick up a qualifier win or two and lose in the third round of qualifiers, probably to a good team like Meath or Donegal.

Minor Footballers - QF vs Westmeath

Hope With any minor team you never really know how good they could be, so in theory the sky is the limit. In practice they're very limited around the middle third of the pitch, so a Leinster title would constitute a great achievement, or even maybe losing a Leinster Final and getting a couple of days in Croke Park for experience.
Expect Ken Casey looks to have the makings of a fantastic player at this level, and although the supporting cast up front looks moderate, a good display from him should see them past Westmeath. Kildare or Meath in the semi final looks a bridge too far though - both of these lads have huge midfielders that would do a lot of damage against us, and look a bit too much for us.

Junior Footballers - QF vs Louth

Hope As far as I'm aware we're reverting to the system of any player who has not played senior for two years can play. If that's the case I expect this team to give a reasonable account of themselves, and hopefully throw up a few potential new squad additions for 2006. Meath and Dublin are always strong at this level, but if they get past Louth and then Dublin anything is possible.
Expect Hard to know. Dublin would get a marginal call over them in the semi, but I genuinely believe that this team could go a long way.


Hurling

Seniors - Semi vs Kilkenny

Hope Hope springs eternal. But not here. We don't seem to have the players, the league has left us hugely underprepared, and Kilkenny are coming in with fresh vigour. A ten point defeat looks almost acceptable, sad though it is to say. Regarding the qualifiers, ultimate success looks out of our reach, so I'd prefer to see us in a really tough group and maybe sneak a win over a Limerick, Tipp or Galway.
Expect Nothing. 20 pt defeat at the hands of Kilkenny and scraping a win over Antrim or Dublin to avoid relegation.

U-21 - Semi vs Dublin

Hope It's hard to see us having the wherewithal to really make an impact at this grade. Our team will have a smattering of seniors, but no superstars, and as always we'll be carrying a few very moderate players. I'd hope for a good win over Dublin and a competitive Leinster Final display.
Expect Realistically Dublin have had our number at this grade for some time now. I'd still hold out hope we'll get by them, but it'll be a close call.

Minor - QF vs Dublin

Hope That loss in Wexford was very costly. Win that and we would have got into a semi with KK on the other side, and at least would have had the backdoor to keep us going. Now we'll have to beat them to reach that stage. But of all our hurling teams, there is something about these lads. Coughlan and Nolan up front are very dangerous, there is both size and hurling around the middle, and Joe Bergin is a massive player at this level, assuming he doesn't get suspended for too long. Feck it this is about what we hope for. There's an All Ireland in these. There, I've said it....
Expect Unfortunately while you think that there might be the beating of a Kilkenny team in them, you still couldn't expect it. Hopefully the good performances from Birr this year will have eliminated some of the fear associated with hurling Kilkenny, so I expect them to get by Dublin and really put it up to the Cats, but still losing. Losing by as little as any team on the road to another KK All Ireland, but losing nonetheless.


The floor is open......

[Hyper]

The Juniors - well they would want to start getting their act together. They had a challenge game against Tipp last Monday evening and Laz had to tog out in goals. They were beaten. They couldn't field a team for a challenge on Sunday against Rhode seniors.
There doesn't seem to be a great deal of encouragement being created for this team from the County Board and/or club mentors.

[Lone Shark]

This is what happens when you're in Dublin Monday to Friday - you miss stuff like this.

Why would they bother change the rules to make ourselves more competitive and then mess it about like that? That team could be great to encourage decent club players in their mid twenties that they're not completely forgotten about. Offhand looking across the county, players like Enda Egan, Paul Rosney (injury notwithstanding), Inky Ryan, Ciaran McGuinness, Willie Reynolds and Niall Slattery would all spring to mind as players suitable for this kind of competition and seeing how they'd do at a grade higher.

Throwing in a goalie in his late forties won't encourage anyone.

[Hyper]

Ah in fairness Laz is only circa 42......... but I agree that the opportunity is there for guys to play at a higher level and have the priv of wearing the county jersey