Senior championship contenders

[far from croghan hill]

well, over here in boston, its great to be able to keep in touch with whats going on back home, this is a great discussion board unlike that hoganstand rubbish. just wondering what the thoughts are on the senior championship for this year, last year lone shark did a great synopisis of each club....just wondering will croghan make the breakthrough!!or am i living in hope. what other teams are likely to put it up to rhode?as the saying goes ya cant beat championship, and i think our own will have to improve before our county team can reap the rewards

[naasmanxrhode]

Its hard to see beyond Rhode, but they are looking at a Leinster now, so they could be caught napping at the semi final stage. Croghan have some nice footballers but not enough of them and are looking to get to a quarter final at least. Tullamore will always be a dangerous opponent as will Edenderry especially if they get a crack at Rhode. They would love nothing better than beating a Rhode team going for three in a row.

[Skippy]

Shamrocks will have to stand up dis year and make the breakthrough, they have been there, there abouts for the last few years, and with certain lads gettin near the end, heres hopin this year will be the year.

apart from the obvious with rhode the team to beat, tullamore, clara, croghan, and gracefield could create an upset on any given day, but heres hopin for Shamrocks!!

[Lone Shark]

Rhode clear favourites, Tullamore with their ongoing stream of minors and under 21 players just behind, and Shamrocks the only other contender that would be a single figure betting price.

Croghan and Ballycumber have both done well in recent years, while Doon might improve under Vinny - certainly no greater motivator for Doon players - but realistically beating Rhode could be a bridge too far. It's hard to see further improvement in any of them.

Clara, Ferbane and Edenderry are three clubs that at the moment look about ten points off Rhode, so if any of them come on by four or five points on their 2005 form it would be interesting, but I'll believe it when I see it. At the moment all three of them are 20/1 shots, possibly a little shorter in Clara's case due to the potential if they actually had a summer with all their players fit and on this side of the Atlantic.

A lot of Shamrock's hopes rest on what way Derek Molloy goes. If he can mature - a carefully chosen phrase - and really muck in with the team then he adds a serious amount of penetration to their forward line. Defensively they are fine, and their options around the middle are as good as anyone's.

I'd say Rhode trading at around even money for now.