The weekend just gone took a few unexpected casualties.
Thurles Sarsfields were given their marching orders after a titanic tussle with Ballygunner in Waterford. Kilkenny giants James Stephens came up second best against Dicksboro in their county decider.
Kilmacud Crokes were dumped out of Dublin after being out-muscled by Cuala. This comes after last year’s finalists Ballyea were defeated early on in the Clare Championship. Perennial contenders St Thomas’ and Portumna were done away with prematurely in Galway, while last year’s Leinster finalists Oulart-the-Ballagh were trumped by a vibrant St Martin’s side in Wexford.
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The clubs are being whittled down, and there are now 16 standing. Here’s how we rate their chances, from 16-1.
16. Castletown Geoghegan (Westmeath) –
The Westmeath winners will be firmly up against it when they take on Offaly’s experienced champions, Kilcormac Killoughey, next weekend in O’Connor Park Tullamore.
They ground out a dogged victory against Raharney in the Lake county decider, but even with the excellent Liam Varley manning their defence, and the lively Aonghus Clarke doing the business up top, it will be a surprise if they advance to the Leinster semi-finals.
15. Camross (Laois) –
Former All-Ireland club finalists Mount Leinster Rangers came through Carlow without much trouble, and looked determined to avenge their early exit from last year’s county Championship.
They should have enough experience and guile to dispatch of the Laois champs when they meet next weekend in O’Moore Park, despite the obvious class of Zane Keenan.
14. Cappataggle (Galway) –
This has been their most impressive year yet at senior ranks, since their promotion in 2015. Former Galway net-minder James Skehill offers a solid foundation, while the zip of Jarlath Mannion up front, and the play-making of Galway intermediate star Dan Nevin in midfield has been crucial in their progression to the semi-finals.
It will be an upset if they come out on top of their clash with Liam Mellows.
13. Liam Mellows (Galway) –
The Galway city side have impressed in their Championship run to date, particularly with their emergence from a dog-fight with 2011 All-Ireland finalists Clarinbridge in the quarter finals last weekend.
They face Cappataggle in the semis, and we think they should have enough to edge this one, but we don’t fancy them to defeat the winner of the other semi-final.
12. Kilcormac/Killoughey – (Offaly)
Just five years after winning their first Faithful senior title, Stephen Byrne’s men raised their fourth Seán Robbins cup this year with a narrow victory over St Rynagh’s in the decider in O’Connor Park.
The reason we don’t expect them to complete their heroics of 2012 and 2013, when they won in Leinster, and only fell at the final hurdle the following year in the All-Ireland series to St Thomas’, is a lack of new faces in the side.
All bar 3 of their 2012/2013 team still start, and we reckon this will come against them.
11. Mount Leinster Rangers (Carlow) –
The Carlow men have added some new faces to their side since their Leinster triumph in 2013, thanks to a fruitful underage set-up, but we can’t see them progressing past Leinster, with heavyweights Cuala, Dicksboro and a youthful St Martin’s looming large.
10. Blackrock (Cork) –
The Rockies’ are still standing, but only by default because Imokilly can’t progress beyond their Rebel triumph. They will be really up against it when they face Na Piarsaigh in next weekend’s Munster semi-final, despite the danger posed by youngster Ciaran Cormack at full forward.
9. Craughwell (Galway) –
The attacking verve of former Galway star Niall Healy and current senior panelist Thomas Monaghan ensures they possess plenty of firepower up front, while Adrian Cullinane brings others into the game superbly from his sweeper base.
Cullinane’s ability to spray ball all over the pitch was crucial in their undoing of a fancied Portumna side in the quarter-finals.
Gort might be a step too far in the semi-finals.
8. Sixmilebridge (Clare) –
Their replay win over Clooney-Quinn in Clare was character building, and having Clare seniors Seadna Morey, Jamie Shanahan, Cathal Malone and Shane Golden in their ranks means they have plenty of potential, but Munster semi-final opponents Ballygunner are a step above them, and will be hell-bent on converting their Waterford dominance to Munster, and All-Ireland level.
A bridge too far.
Seadna didn’t give Peter Duggan much space today, he’s still stuck to him as Peter collects his top scorer and Seadna gets his ManOfMatch! pic.twitter.com/BfdlzpLHrj
— Sixmilebridge GAA (@SMBGAA) October 22, 2017
7. Slaughtneil (Derry) –
The Derry giants have now won two Ulsters on the bounce, and are the only team to have a semi-final place in the bag already.
Were beaten comprehensively by Cuala at that stage last year, and will be up against it again this year when they take on the Munster champions.
They are balancing their hurling commitments with football at the same level, and we feel these demands will have taken their toll on their players by the time the semis roll around in February.
"Everybody's scared of other people's opinions but in Slaughtneil we just embrace who we are"https://t.co/OSOGm7yacR #TheToughest @AIB_GAA
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) February 16, 2017
6. Gort (Galway) –
Gort have experience at this level. They won the Galway Championship in 2015, and were only beaten by eventual winners Ballyhale Shamrocks in the semi-final.
With heavy hitters Portumna and St Thomas’ gone from Galway, they will fancy themselves to emerge victorious, and then, they would have the capabilities to cause a shock in the semi-finals, with their side of the draw placing them against the Leinster winners.
The form of Galway seniors Aidan Harte and Jack Grealish will be important, as will Richie Cummins’.
Should take care of the Craughwell challenge in the semi-final.
5. St Martin’s (Wexford) –
One of the most exciting teams left in the competition. Exciting because of the unpredictability of youth. The average age of the Wexford county champion’s team is less than 22.
They are a youthful, hungry and determined side, from the most up-and-coming club in Leinster. Not only did they win the senior hurling in Wexford, but also the camogie and the intermediate women’s football.
Rory O’Connor is a budding talent, while brothers Harry and Jack, and cousin Joe will be crucial to their progression.
Ciaran Lyng and Jake Firman are a lively and dangerous duo up front, while Daithi Waters and Aaron Maddock are a powerful pair down the spine of the defence.
Will take beating.
What a place to be in @StMartinsGAA https://t.co/V0HYOySHmt
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 24, 2017
4. Dicksboro (Kilkenny) –
Won their first Kilkenny title since 1993 on Sunday, and Jesus, they were impressive.
Cillian Buckley is one of the best centre backs in the business, and this firm foundation offers the perfect environment for lively forwards Oisin Gough, Bill Sheehan, Martin Gaffney and Shane Stapleton to prosper.
Gough, particularly, stood out against James Stephens, with his two goals finished with the cold-blooded ruthlessness all of the best forwards have.
They are a very young team, but like St Martin’s, this could work to their advantage in the long, drawn-out slog they are competing in.
3. Ballygunner (Waterford) –
The assertive, relentless manner they emerged from Sunday’s tussle with Thurles Sarsfields shows that they are sick of being beaten in Munster.
That was a battle of will, it was a test of bottle, and they ticked all the boxes. They wanted it more, with the years of hurt they have experienced driving them on, having not converted any of their four-in-a-row Waterford titles to provincial glory.
Pauric Mahoney is razor-sharp, as is Conor Power and Peter Hogan in the forwards, while Barry Coughlan and Philip Mahoney are solid in front of one of the best goalkeepers in the game in Stephen O’Keeffe.
“Lads still very much have the hunger,” said Stephen O’Keeffe to the GAA Hour Show recently.
They have to do it this year, and that hunger might give them a competitive edge.
2. Cuala (Dublin) –
Last year’s champions haven’t been flawless in Dublin, but that’s one of Mattie Kenny’s side’s biggest strengths, that they regularly come out of tit-for-tat battles on top.
Weren’t overly impressive in the final against Kilmacud Crokes, but they are hard-nosed winners.
The winter conditions suit their physicality, with Sean Moran a behemoth at centre back.
Darragh O’Connell never stops running and delivering from midfield, while Con O’Callaghan and David Treacy are dead eyed in the opposition half, as is Mark Schutte.
It will take something serious to beat them, something we feel the next side has.
1. Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) –
The Limerick men have arguably been the most consistent club side in the country over the last 7 years. They’ve won four county titles since 2011, converting three of those to Munster glory, and they will be hopeful to convert the 4th in the next two weeks.
They have a lethal forward line, with Kevin Downes, Shane Dowling and David Dempsey dovetailing well there. The wispy Peter Casey is one of the brightest young talents in the country, and any defence that keeps them quiet will have earned their salt.
Michael Casey, Ronan Lynch and Cathal King are tigerish, and equally skillful in defence, and that’s what makes them the best balanced team in the competition.
“I consider myself to be a very, very strong club person so I don’t want that to change,” said Shane Dowling earlier in the year, and he’s mad to repeat their 2016 success.
We wouldn’t bet against them.
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