Championship 2010 - serious analysis only

Well in a way your right i am being abit harsh but I know wexford GAA well enough and i know Leinster football inside out... for me wexford just arnt a good enough team they had a good 2008 but they over achieved and last year just showed the though quality of th eteam.. a good league campaighn would of brought them on abit but the draw is against them and its a long run then in the qualifiers too long i think...

Patrique's point about the provincial winners depending on who wants to win them is a fair one, and in many ways it makes the provincials harder to predict than the all-ireland series. So, instead of looking at it by province, here are my thoughts on counties that will have genuine hopes of some silverwear:

Kerry - Despite last year's win, their form has been patchy for some time now, and the loss of several big, strong players won't have helped. They still have the forwards to destroy anyone, but midfield and defence in particular look very vulnerable. Retaining their crown depends on 2-3 younger players making significant improvement, but it certainly isnt beyond them.

Cork - The best side in Ireland but, then again, they were last year too. Strong and fast, they can steamroller sides when they get going. If you can slow them down and limit the damage when they are on a roll you can beat them, as they do seem to hit prolonged flat spots in all their matches. Weaknesses may be a lack of leadership under pressure, as well as a defence better equipt to attack than defend. Still, the all-ireland is there for the taking, but the still have to convince themselves they can do it.

Tyrone - Quite simply, how much do the veterans have left in the tank? Badly exposed for lack of pace last year against Cork, relegated in the league, the death knell for Tyrone has been sounded, but perhaps prematurely. At full strength they still look like the best side in Ulster, but, like Kerry, the likes of Cassidy. Peter Harte, Coney, Sean O'Neill stepping up will have a big say in how far they go. Stevie O'Neill's fitness is also crucial.

Dublin - New look side with more emphasis on defence. Bernard Brogan is crucial to their season, as a good run in Leinster. The qualifiers are ok for the very best sides, but who would fancy an away tie in Killarney, Derry, Letterkenny or Crossmaglen? I dont see them winning the all-ireland, but I suspect a Leinster title and a spirited defeat in a semi-final would stsfy Gilroy fo this year.

Meath - Semi-finalist in '07 & '09, yet horrific in '08, Meath have replaced Donegal as the game's great enigma. Leinster looks difficult for them, as they will probably have tobeat Laois, Dublin & Kildare to win it. Not beyond them, but a big ask. A fit Shane O'Rourke would be plus this summer, but man-for-man they still seem a bit behind the top sides.

Kildare - On the easier side of the draw, so a Leinster final is beckoning. After 2 qtr final appearances in McGeeney's first 2 seasons, Kildare will be hoping for either a provincial title or all-ireland semi to indicate real progress. I have reservations though, mainly because Paul Grimley's loss figures to be huge though, and their over-dependency on Dermot Earley is matched only by Donegal with Michael Murphy.

Armagh - Improving. Looked strong and fit against Down, and Stevie McDonnell looks better thanhe has for some time. Ronan Clarke has to be fit for them to make any impression, but a fit-again Charlie Vernon will be a good addition. Silverwear looks unlikely (though not impossible) but they are going in the right direction for the first time in 5 years.

Monaghan - Very good league campaign, surviving in division 1 and blooding a few new players. Paul Grimley will add to an already impressive management team for what must be one final push for silverwear for some of this side. After Tyrone, they'd be my 2nd favourites for Ulster, athough facing the winners of Armagh/Derry (who will have had a game under their belt to shake off the rust) will be very tough.

Derry - Seome very good players, but som ey average players. Will probably have to beat Armagh, Monaghan, Cavan & Tyrone to win Ulster, and I think that is beyond them. Eoin Bradley is improving, but Paddy is not the player he was. Relegated from division 1, Cassidy is under real pressure this summer.

Down - Out-muscled by Armagh in league final, they have a lot of weaknesses. Defence and midfield are weak, and very reliant on Marty Clarke and Coulter to make things happen up front. Talking about them as dark horses for the all-ireland is totally unrealistic.

Mayo - Looked awful in the league final. Small, light, and it is hard to see where they have improved in 3.5 years under O'Mahony. In all honesty, they are still among the top 10 sides in Ireland, but they want an all-ireland, and that looks unrealistic. Sligo will be hard to beat in Connaught, and then Galway in a semi-final. Time for McGarrity, Mortimors, Howley, Dillon and some others to start to deliver.

Galway - Terrible result last night, albeit not atfull strength. Of all the sides in Connaught they look the best equipt for a long run, based mainly on having bigger and stronger forwards than Mayo or Sligo. A provincial win and all Ireland semi appearance looks like the best they can hope for.

Donegal - have disappointed with better sides than this one.

Antrim - Improving, and deserve credit for that, but nowhere near as good as some people are rating them.

Sligo - Connaght champons 3 years ago, the draw looks to be against them doing it again. Still, not impossible, and no-one will fancy going to Markiewicz park in the qualifiers.

Limerick - Strong and well-drilled but hard to see them figuring come late July.

Laois - Meath, Dublin and Kildae all stand in their way in Leinster, so it looks like the qualifiers beckon. Attitude has been a problem in recent years.

Wexford - seem to have steadied the ship a bit, but the semi-final of 2008 seems a lifetime away.

In hindsight, some very poor analysis on this thread.

If I'm honest, I was probably the most accurate with my predictions.

So when I think that the All-Ireland is between Meath, Kerry and Tyrone, I'm inclined to think I'm right. And so should everyone else.

Yeah Loyal you are probably partly right in saying that, but I'm not sure if we'll have enough to go the distance THIS year. Cork are probably the best team in the country but I'm not sure if they'll have the balls to win it, much the same as last year. Tyrone are looking impressive enough as they have in previous years and Kerry are their usual selves but they didn't really convincingly beat Cork or Limerick. I'd say we could end up with a Tyrone v. Kerry final for the fourth time in the century. I wouldn't completely write off Dublin though.