So here we are 2001, Wexford and Clare begin their campaigns with new management. Best of luck to them both.

For the first time in awhile and certainly since the 'back door' was introduced, Wexford have the so-called easier half of the draw and should be odds-on to make the Leinster Final and at least an All-Ireland quarter-final. 

Clare on the other hand have Tipp again. Hopefully last year's rest will have done them good.

I suppose the favourites are Kilkenny who will be defending their title. They were the last county to win two in a row and could do it again. Despite the perceived superiority of Munster hurling, it must be remembered that Leinster have won 6 of the last 10 All-Irelands. 

Kilkenny should retain their Leinster title for the 4th year, Munster could be anyone bar Kerry. Ulster anyone of the three. From Munster I think only Cork or Clare could stop the Cats.

Update June 11 2001:

Well where am I with my predictions so far, having seen most of the contenders? Well Wexford are still there. A dodgy, shaky performance against Laois but there was never any real doubts that they wouldn't make it to the Leinster Final. 

Clare have serious concerns with referees but 16 wides told the tale as they lost to Tipp by a point. You need more than two forwards scoring.... 

Tipp looked good at times against Clare but the Banner where probably the better team on the day without winning. The most impressive performer in Munster and the most surprising so far has been Limerick. Superb against Cork, they held their heads when the Rebels clawed their way back into the game sns stole the lead with minutes to play. The Limerick teams of old would have capitulated (remember '94). But not this one it seems. Next up was Waterford who have threatened in recent years. They got a flying start but again Limerick kept their cool and won with a storming comeback in each half.

The Munster Final could be the game of the year.

This of course leaves me with my two threats, Cork and Clare, gone. So does that make life easier for the Cats. It should do. Since '92 only four teams have beaten Kilkenny and of those three of them have beaten them in the All-Ireland series, Cork ('99) and Clare ('97) are gone leaving only Offaly ('98). Yesterday the Cats took care of that with style. For the fourth year running Klkenny put Offaly to the sword in Leinster and this time there was no back door, side window, key under the mat, whatever, to save Offaly. The first Wexford/Kilkenny final since '97 is next.

Being honest on the two teams performances, I can't see Wexford winning a Leinster title this year and will settle for the quarter-final berth. A bit of luck and we get the Munster champions in the semis. Who that'll be is the question?

Predictions:

Leinster - Kilkenny

Munster - Limerick

All-Ireland - Kilkenny       

The football championship probably won't yield much for my two counties. In Leinster you're looking at Kildare, Meath or Dublin. Down in Munster it's either Cork or Kerry. Ulster is the usual lottery although Armagh will probably start as favourites. Galway will assume that role in the west but we can't forget that there's rarely more than a kick of the ball between them over there.

Who'll claim the big prize? Provided they survive their provinces, Kerry and Galway will be strong. Meath, if they progress but I think that provincial honours is all that Kildare or Dublin can aspire to. From Ulster Armagh or Derry could be in the hunt, the rest are just provincial contenders.   

Update June 11 2001:

Well I called Leinster and Munster so far. Only Offaly can spoil my predictions for Leinster and I doubt they will. Meath got a fright and that always makes them stronger.

Cork have to take care of Clare and I expect they will setting up a traditional Munster final.

The surprises are around the rest of the country. Galway and Armagh surrendered their provincial crowns but could still have a say in the All-Ireland series. Mayo are on course to add the Connacht crown to their National League and All-Ireland Club successes. Ulster is a bigger lottery than ever. Most likely winner? Tyrone?

The real question here is going to be who makes it to the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals from the qualifiers. 

Update June 19 2001:

Oh boy, have theDubs got a bit of work to do? A poor game which could have gone either way. Let's hope Meath & Kildare provide better fare this Sunday.

Cork and Clare provide the other 'big' game this weekend along with the Cavan/Monaghan match up north. With my Banner connections and with friends from both Ulster counties, I'll be watching these two games closely. 

The Saturday games have thrown up a few unique fixtures as well as a few familiar ones. Antrim almost pipped Derry in Casement Park last year. They get another this weekend. And what about Carlow/Sligo and Limerick/Westmeath? When did they ever meet in championship fare? 

The prospects of who will be in the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals are quite intriquing. 

Update June 25 2001:

Well another week with a mix of good and poor fare. We now know who all the provincial fottbal finalists are. Meath are probably the favourites for Leinster if they hadn't been before this weekend. A poor display from Cork suggests they need a lot more to beat Kerry. While Tyrone should emerge from Ulster. Connacht is intriguing but you would expect with their record this year so far that Mayo should be just about good enough.  

That leaves the qualifiers. Well we know four for the next round, Louth, Westmeath, Sligo and Derry and they should be joined by Clare, Galway, Kildare and Armagh but stranger things have happened. Those eight play each other with the winners playing the likely group of Dublin, Cavan, Roscommon and Cork for the right to play in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

Next weekend we have the first of the Provincial finals in both codes, Connacht with the big ball and in Munster the eagerly awaited clash between Nicky English's Tipperary and Eamonn Cregan's Limerick. It's hard to credit it but Limerick have won two Munster titles since Tipp's last win. Can they make it three?

Up North the hurling semi-finals are also on although they wouldn't traditionally attract a lot of media attention. For years considered practice matches for Antrim, in more recent times Derry and then last year, Down's success have at least guaranteed competitiveness.

The glamour fixture weekend must be, however, the unique visit of Galway to Aughrim to take on the 'Wickilla men'.... There's a saying about Aughrim concerning  boots, where they're put or what's put in them but it's not fit to print on these pages. Anyway good luck to my neighbours next Saturday.      

Update July 2 2001:

Well one down so far. Congrats to my buddy Nicky English and his Tipperary team, Munster Champions 2001, the first of the 21st century. While I'm delighted for Nicky, it means that my predictions so far have been fairly abysmal. A colleague and I have regular weekly bet of a fiver on one game each weekend. So far I owe him £25. The bet for the weekend just past was on the Mayo/Roscommon game, close but no cigar. 

Anyway it was another great weekend. The Kildare/Donegal game on Saturday evening took awhile to get going (at least Kildare took their time). But what a great match. Then on Sunday two great encounters. The first half of the Connacht final wasn't pretty but the second half more than made up for it. As for the Munster Final, well it was the classic everyone expected.  But for the game of the weekend see below.

So now next weekend is the big one as far as I'm concerned, the Leinster Final. With my luck it will be the beginning of my predictions coming true and Kilkenny will trounce us. I only hope we draw Down or Derry in the quarter-finals, we might have a chance.

The Saturday games have a nice juicy one, Galway v. Armagh. While Tyrone/Cavan should see Tyrone emerge.    

Update July 9 2001:

God It was as bad as I feared. I can't even look to the next match with any degree of hope. What a beating. I can't say anymore than that.

So let's talk about the football instead. We're getting down to the contenders. There are 12 teams left and the surprise is that 4 of them are from Connacht  

Update July 16 2001:

A quiet weekend in so far as there were only a handful of games but they were all biggies. Congrats to the Kingdom and the Royal County (Hmm is there a trend there) and retaining and regaining their provincial crowns (ah there is) respectively. And special congratulations to Derry and retaining their Ulster SHC title, their first ever back to back titles.

Kerry and Meath join Roscommon and Tyrone in the SFC quarter-finals while Cork must face Galway next Saturday and Dublin face giant-killers Sligo; neither are 'easy' games. The other matches in this round see Westmeath play Mayo and Derry face Cavan in another all Ulster draw. All four ties are intriquing to say the least.

But the draw I watched with bated breath last night was the hurling draw. And there it was, the 1996 All-Ireland finalists face each other again, Limerick v. Wexford. The other match seeing Derry face Galway. Interesting....        

Update July 23 2001:

What a weekend! Westmeath maintain the fairytale and get through to the All-Ireland quarter-finals. Galway contrive to hand the game back to Cork and just about get away with it. Derry continue their sequence of wins over Cavan and Dublin suddenly remember how to score and blitz a brave Sligo side.

And then there was that quarter-final draw. As some wag put it, three provincial finals and an All-Ireland final.

Update July 30 2001

Hallelujah!!! What can I say? As the Wild Swans sang in '96 about seeing grown men crying in the Hogan Stand. Well yesterday that was me....

Beware the underdogs. They still have teeth. Glorious! When no one was looking, Wexford threw out the script they were supposed to use and ad-libbed a brilliant performance. Bring on Tipp. Revenge for '97.

Update August 7 2001

Wow! This summer just gets better and better.... The mighty Dubs fight back from the dead and haul back the Kingdom. And what can we say about Westmeath. Two incredible games that more than made up for the other half of the draw. As most people predicted Derry and Galway revenged their earlier defeats and face each other in the semi-final.

But what a weekend in store. Can Wexford continue the dream? Have Westmeath blown their chance? And now that Dublin know where the goal is are the reigning champions in trouble. Two provincial champions gone. How many will be left by Sunday. Is it the year of the 'back door' finals?

Update August 14 2001

WE'RE STILL THERE!!!! "Never Give Up! Never Surrender!". Taking a leave out of Meath's play book, the boys of Wexford did us proud again at the weekend and we've another go at Tipp this Saturday. For the time being I'm borrowing a few shots from the Irish Times again, I hope they don't mind. They're all © Inpho. And the last photo is courtesy of the Irish Independent.

 As for the the rest of the weekend, well Kerry and Meath did pretty much as expected. So it's so long to the Dubs and their year of highs and lows and its farewell to Westmeath who have been a major delight all year. The semi-finals are now made up of 4 teams who between them have won 6 of the last 8 All-Irelands, Derry '93, Meath, '96, '99, Galway '98 and Kerry '97 and '00.   

Update August 20 2001

Well the dream is over for another year. At least we got a good run this year and we still have the Under 21s. There is a future for Wexford Hurling. Next year with the same system as the football should make life very interesting indeed. Who knows we might get that long anticipated Clare/Wexford game. 

And so September 9th sees an old rivalry renewed. Having to content themselves with clashing in League finals over the last few seasons and and a couple of quarter-finals Tipperary and Galway finally meet in the All-Ireland Final again. As for the cats? What happened? Can anyone remember when Kilkenny could only score 3 points from play in a championship match? Did it ever happen???? 

Update September 3

Well It's been two weeks since the last update and I'm just about over the Wexford defeat. The All-Ireland Football finalists have now been decided and what a pair of semi-finals they were. Galway well out of it, score 1-6 without reply and win by 3 in the end. And what about Kerry? I don't feel nearly as bad now about Wexford's loss.  What odds a Galway double? 

Update September 26

I've been a bit negligent but the season is over and we have new All-Ireland champs in both codes. Shock horror both the hot favourites in both finals lost. To be honest I never thought Galway should have been favourites in the hurling and they would have been favs in the footie only for Meath's demolition of Kerry. 

Congrats to my buddy Nicky English, I'm sure when I bump into again he'll be a lot happier thhan he was when I met him after the Galway game last year. To be honest I thought he was going to give up the manager's job. I bet he's glad he didn't....

Well done Connacht all three Senior football trophies, All-Ireland, All-Ireland Club & National League, are the other side of the Shannon. It's been a good year, and what can you say about Galway. First team to lose a match and still win the final. First team to play 8 games to win it out.

Bring on the Aussies!!!

Leinster SFC

Munster SFC

Connacht SFC

Ulster SFC

All-Ireland qualifier series SFC

All-Ireland SFC

Leinster SHC

Munster SHC

Ulster SHC

All Ireland SHC

For results, scores and fixtures between my updates see http://www.gaa.ie/

Meanwhile we're three points clear of the chasing pack although Portugal have a game in hand and their next matches are against the so-called minnows. We need a win at home to Cyprus and a draw at home to Holland to guarantee the play-off slot. Should we win both games, then it's down to goal difference or hope Portugal slip up. Both prospects are slim unfortunately. 

Update September 3 Well a lot's happened since I wrote that at the start of the summer. In fairness we've only played one game but what a game. The build-up to the Holland game last Saturday was mooted. Rumours about Roy Keane's health then Ian Harte's did not do a lot for Irish fans. The news that Steve Staunton might partner Richard Dunne in the centre of the defence was very troubling to all those who knew anything about football. A few month's ago I forewent a chance to get tickets to see U2 in Slane as I had a ticket to the match on the same day. As the day approached I was questioning my judgement. Having had a number of highs (& lows) in Croke Park all summer, 90 minutes of a dour soccer match did not appeal to me. With the penchant of a minority, albeit a vocal one, of the Irish fans to get on the backs of their team when things go wrong I was apprehensive to say the least when I set off last Saturday morning. FIFA had upped the stakes by their unexpected and sudden decision to make the draw for the play-offs, the group 2 runners-up would play the runners-up of the Asian qualifiers. Realistically the odds of making the finals had dropped significantly. But if our odds dropped, those of the Dutch making the final had also dropped. A win on Saturday and their class should have meant that they would be in Japan and South Korea next summer. So there we were, Lansdowne Road, Ireland v. Holland. The Dutch started with all guns blazing and their £100m+ team looked set to run riot, but we stood fast. The crowd were magnificent, for once 100% behind the boys. Half time and it's 0-0. We're still there. I hate games where we only need a draw. The Dutch need to win or it's their World Cup ambitions goodbye. There's still half an hour or more to play and we're down to 10 men. The fans in the Orange on the North Terrace start to sing. The other three stands respond becoming Ireland's 'new' 11th man. A goal. He may not have played for his club in 5 months but Jason McAteer has a goal to his name in both matches against the Dutch. If the one in Amsterdam was later to be cancelled out by late Dutch scores, this time we held out. The Dutch ended up with 4 strikers hopping to catch a lucky break while our patched up defence was resolute. Hey, we couldn't even score against ourselves and we tried to.... In 24 years of attending Lansdowne Road, I have never heard anything like last Saturday, the closest probably was Ireland's valiant attempt against Australia in the quarter-finals of the 2nd Rugby World Cup. At the end of the match, no one left, not even the Dutch fans. We sang, they applauded us. Then we applauded them.  Come October, the Cyprus game will be a party, even if we lose, we've got the Asia trip in November and another home match. There's still the outside chance we might have to beat Cyprus to send Portugal to Asia instead but only if the Cypriots take points of Portugal this Wednesday.

In rugby, the foot and mouth outbreak has meant that our remaining three 6 Nations matches are not going to be played until the autumn. This delay has had an effect on the Lions selection as well with only 6 Irish picked as opposed to 10 Welsh and 18 English. What would have happened had we played either of these and beaten them???  Anyway at least we can look forward to seeing Woodie and O'Gara hopefully in the test  team. O'Driscoll has to be a certainty.

Update July 2 2001:

Wow!!! Woody rules! Man of  'The' Match. The Lions were rampant as Australia, the so-called best team in the world were trounced. The three Irish boys Woods, O'Driscoll and Henderson, did their part. Roll on next Saturday.

Lions 29 - Australia 13.

Update July 16 2001:

What a difference two weeks make. The Wallabies win the series. Ok Roll on the International Rules series in October and also the resumption of the 6 Nations.

Other News

The new look Jordan had a good start to this season but seem to have faltered. Lrt's hope they pick up as the season progresses. See http://www.jordangp.com/ 

We're now into June and we've had some great games and some poor games. The championships are in full swing. A few big names are out of the hurling while the jury is still out on football's back door. The Lions tour has started with a record score of 116, appropriately enough achieved on a cricket ground. Ferrari are still going well in F1. The World Athletic championships are just around the corner while the World Amateur Boxing championships in Belfast had some good Irish performances but yielded few medals.  

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Last updated Sep 2001