NFL Division 1

Cork: vs Dublin (A), Kildare (H), Down (A), Tyrone (A), Donegal (H), Kerry (A), Mayo (H)

Donegal: vs Kildare (CP), Down (H), Tyrone (A), Kerry (H), Cork (A), Mayo (A), Dublin (H)

Down: vs Tyrone (H), Donegal (A), Cork (H), Mayo (H), Kerry (A), Dublin (A), Kildare (H)

Dublin: vs Cork (H), Kerry (A), Mayo (H), Kildare (CP), Tyrone (H), Down (H), Donegal (A)

Kerry: vs Mayo (A), Dublin (H), Kildare (A), Donegal (A), Down (H), Cork (H), Tyrone (A)

Kildare: vs Donegal (CP), Cork (A), Kerry (H), Dublin (CP), Mayo (A), Tyrone (H), Down (A)

Mayo: vs Kerry (H), Tyrone (H), Dublin (A), Down (A), Kildare (H), Donegal (H), Cork (A)

Tyrone: vs Down (A), Mayo (A), Doneagl (H), Cork (H), Dublin (A), Kildare (A), Kerry (H)

We have 5 home games - granted our two away are Kerry and Donegal but if we show good home form and pick something up 'on the road' we should be at least good enough for a top 4 and thus semi final place.

Parouisa wrote:We have 5 home games - granted our two away are Kerry and Donegal but if we show good home form and pick something up 'on the road' we should be at least good enough for a top 4 and thus semi final place.

I'd agree totally, I think that Dublin look strong favourites for a top 4 finish (after which they will get 2 further home games in the knockout stages!).

It is a very competitive top flight this year, with Tyrone/Kildare replacing Armagh/Laois. With only 3 home games (Donegal, Cork & Kerry), I think that Tyrone will do well to survive. Kildare will also find it very tough.

Thomas Clarke wrote:I'd agree totally, I think that Dublin look strong favourites for a top 4 finish (after which they will get 2 further home games in the knockout stages!).

Well one step at a time - you obviously have to win the first 'further' game to get a second one ... but I doubt they will play either in Parnell Park ....

how many points is it going to take to stay up TC would 6-7 be sufficient?

Tyrone: vs Down (A), Mayo (A), Donegal (H), Cork (H), Dublin (A), Kildare (A), Kerry (H)

6 is almost always enough to stay up, Boc. Some years you might survive with 5 or even (very occasionally 4 points).

Looking at our games, I think that Tyrone would need a mimimum of 3 points from the first 3 games, as it gets very tough after that. Those initial 3 points will be difficult to engineer, as I wouldn't expect much away to Mayo, and our recent record against Donegal is poor. Down are always fit early in the year and they are tough to beat at home, hence they generally do well in the league.

The only side whose fixture list looks less appealing than Tyrone's is Kildare.

I'd forecast Donegal doing something similar to last year
Jim may try and blood a few new faces and vary things a little
The full intensity game plan cant be maintained in any case from February
so 6 points and a 5/6 position - Staying up will be the objective

OMAR wrote:I'd forecast Donegal doing something similar to last year
Jim may try and blood a few new faces and vary things a little
The full intensity game plan cant be maintained in any case from February
so 6 points and a 5/6 position - Staying up will be the objective

I'd be a bit concerned if I was Donegal. Injuries to key players, and the lack of any competitive games thus far points towards another struggle. The draw hasn't been unkind to them, but the competition is tougher than last year. I'd agree that survival is the objective.

Thomas Clarke wrote:I'd agree that survival is the objective.

Yes. And management have very little experience of this ... even more so since Rangers were banished to Div 3 ....

Parouisa wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:I'd agree that survival is the objective.

Yes. And management have very little experience of this ... even more so since Rangers were banished to Div 3 ....

Indeed. Let's hope he doesn't let assisting at the Ryder Cup take his eye off the Parkhead ball!

Incidentally I see Enda McNulty has followed in the footsteps of Bryan Cullen into the oval ball sphere (!) and will try to get into the heads of the Irish rugby squad this coming season. Always good to see a Na Fianna man do well .....

Thomas Clarke wrote:

Parouisa wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:I'd agree that survival is the objective.

Yes. And management have very little experience of this ... even more so since Rangers were banished to Div 3 ....

Indeed. Let's hope he doesn't let assisting at the Ryder Cup take his eye off the Parkhead ball!

I recall Mcginley gave a pep talk to the Donegal team before their 2009 "Last 12" victory over Galway
- Sadly the midas touch had diluted before they conceded a cricket score to Cork

OMAR wrote:[ recall Mcginley gave a pep talk to the Donegal team before their 2009 "Last 12" victory over Galway
- Sadly the midas touch had diluted before they conceded a cricket score to Cork

Well I thought McGinley's talk really had an effect for the Cork game because Donegal were really under par that day ......

Thomas Clarke wrote:Tyrone: vs Down (A), Mayo (A), Donegal (H), Cork (H), Dublin (A), Kildare (A), Kerry (H)

6 is almost always enough to stay up, Boc. Some years you might survive with 5 or even (very occasionally 4 points).

Looking at our games, I think that Tyrone would need a mimimum of 3 points from the first 3 games, as it gets very tough after that. Those initial 3 points will be difficult to engineer, as I wouldn't expect much away to Mayo, and our recent record against Donegal is poor. Down are always fit early in the year and they are tough to beat at home, hence they generally do well in the league.

The only side whose fixture list looks less appealing than Tyrone's is Kildare.

i predict wins against Down Donegal and Kildare Kerry and a draw against either Mayo or Cork

Tyrone: vs Down (2), Mayo (2), Donegal (2), Cork (2), Dublin (0), Kildare (0), Kerry (0).

I think Tyrone have every chance in the first 4 games and would only select Kerry because of the revenge factor.

I think its good for football that we are on a run of 5 different winners of Sam.

When Donegal won in 1992 it started a run of 7 different winners - followed by Derry, Down, Dublin, Meath, Kerry & Galway. And even among that you had 5 different losers (Dubs twice though they were one of the 7 winners too and Mayo twice too!) and then Tyrone, Cork and Kildare.

[quote="Thomas Clarke"]The only side whose fixture list looks less appealing than Tyrone's is Kildare.[/quote]

The ham looks enticing.

Failure to bring home the bacon this year could see McGeeney's arxe on the bacon slicer.....Now truly described as Ham-actors....

Cavan names on the shirt and in
The shirt

Jesus, he makes Dooher look young.

I'd envisage a mighty day in Tullamore in June when Offaly meet Kildare....

Hang sangwedges being handed out to all and sundry as Carroll Meats clash with Brady's ham from about a mile radius.....

It'll be a case of bring home the HAM for both I feel, as neither look capable of "rinding" out the required results....

Yeah, yeah...poor I know...

Boxtyeater wrote:I'd envisage a mighty day in Tullamore in June when Offaly meet Kildare....

Hang sangwedges being handed out to all and sundry as Carroll Meats clash with Brady's ham from about a mile radius.....

It'll be a case of bring home the HAM for both I feel, as neither look capable of "rinding" out the required results....

Yeah, yeah...poor I know...

MUC

I don't see the point of having semi finals for a group of 8 teams i think the GAA need to change the format next year. Should be a decent league containing probably the best 8 sides in Ireland.

Gaa_lover wrote:I don't see the point of having semi finals for a group of 8 teams

Absolutely correct. A league that sees half the teams go into the knockouts .... daft.

a lot of folk, our own TC included, think Tyrone are going to struggle to retain Div1 status. Personally i think we have a decent chance of making the semi finals.

Granted we are a team in transition and have a lot of new inexperienced lads in the squad but sometimes that can be an advantage, youthful enthusiasm can come with no fear as these lads dont really know what to expect when it comes to league football. Cavanagh seems to be coming back into form and O'Neill is showing some signs of recovering his scoring touch. Add in the McMahon brothers, though Justy needs to start showing some of his 2008 form, Aidan McCrory and a few other old heads we are headed in the right direction. Thats said we still have one enigma that needs sorting. Peter Harte had a standout league campaign last year and scored a goal in almost every game he played. the championship came and went and he never featured and hasnt really done a lot through the McKenna cup campaign.

He is a talented footballer but we need to find out his best position and keep him there, we also need to work at negating the opposition tactic of targetting him for 'special' treatment.

I think the final league table will be as follows

Mayo
Dublin
Cork
Tyrone
Kildare
Kerry
Donegal
Down

i note that Kerry manager Fitzmaurice is still playing for his club Finuge who are now through to an All Ireland Club final where they will meet Tyrone side Cookstown, who won the title 2 years ago.

I wonder if this will have a negative effect on Kerry's preparations for the league?