Cian O’Connell
1. Who’s going to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year?
Tipperary because of Eamonn O’Shea’s sideline acumen.
Getting Tipperary minds right is crucial and during the hurling league there were clear signs that the Blue and Gold can recapture the dash of 2010. Kilkenny are the team to beat, but providing Tipp match them physically the Premier can return to the summit.
2. Who’s going to lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year?
It is a wide open field this year, but Dublin have the class and character. Jim Gavin’s rapidly developing panel has been bolstered by several exciting newcomers, who contributed handsomely in the league. Tyrone, Cork, and Donegal are all poised to make bold bids for Sam, but he might return to the capital for another stint.
3. What player will light up the All-Ireland hurling championship?
Seadna Morey. A classy stickman, all skill and style Morey is the archetypal new Clare hurler. In the 90s Clare’s backs and midfielders were regarded and lauded for being feisty, but the current brigade are nifty and nimble too. Morey is a joy to watch, a pure craftsman.
4. What player will light up the All-Ireland football championship?
The usual suspects will spearhead the main contenders, but Paul Flynn’s relevance to the Dublin cause should never be underestimated. Willing to graft, capable of earning dirty ball, and also subtle enough to drill scores, Flynn is a smashing footballer.
5. How do you believe your own county will fare?
Hopefully the Galway hurlers can build on a satisfying campaign last year. The main worry is that following final defeats in 1990, 1993, 2001, and 2005 Galway disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived at the top table.
Anthony Cunningham is a shrewd manager, and the Leinster draw has been kind, but Galway need to unearth a few more players. Davy Glennon is a great man to win a free and is ready to occupy a role up front, but without a certain JC the attack is average.
In football Sunday’s collision with Mayo at Pearse Stadium will tell a tale or two, but the recent statistics aren’t favourable. Earning victories outside Connacht and making small strides is what real Galway football people are seeking.
6. Your one hope for GAA in 2013?
The hurling championship needs to become vibrant again. Can Clare, Limerick, Dublin, and Wexford make a summer impact? One of the most intense and enjoyable matches in 2012 was Clare’s success over Dublin in Cusack Park, Ennis. Those teams need to be operating at Croker in July and August. The revolution years seem so long ago now.
Clare’s Seadna Morey
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
Jackie Cahill
1. Who’s going to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year?
My heart says Tipperary but my head says Kilkenny. Under Eamon O’Shea, Tipperary are Kilkenny’s most serious challengers.
2. Who’s going to lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year?
I have a feeling that Dublin are going to do it but I’d worry a small bit about the expansive nature of their play. If not Dublin, Tyrone.
3. What player will light up the All-Ireland hurling championship?
Lester Ryan has emerged as a brilliant midfielder for Kilkenny but Michael Fennelly is the player that makes them tick. I’m expecting big things from Brendan Maher, too, from Tipperary.
4. What player will light up the All-Ireland football championship?
If Stephen O’Neill can remain fully fit, he can be a massive player for Tyrone. Mayo fans will be pleased to see Andy Moran back fully fit.
5. How do you believe your own county will fare?
The minimum requirement for the Tipperary hurlers has to be an All-Ireland final. And if, as expected, Tipperary and Kilkenny win their respective provincial titles, they could meet in another All-Ireland final in September 9th.
6. Your one hope for GAA in 2013?
That Lar Corbett rediscovers his 2010 form and proves the critics wrong. Some of the worst stick that Corbett has received has come from within his own county, regrettably.
Tipperary’s Lar Corbett
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
Fintan O’Toole
1. Who’s going to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year?
There was not enough evidence in the league to suggest that there will be new champions this year. Kilkenny look as powerful as ever, have a couple of new finds in Eoin Murphy and Lester Ryan, and Colin Fennelly has elevated his game to a new level. The fitness of Henry Shefflin could be a key factor as the summer progresses though.
Tipperary look like they will pack a bigger punch this year under Eamonn O’Shea’s watch but they are still question marks over their attacking return and there’s a sense of second season syndrome about Galway. Kilkenny to triumph again.
2. Who’s going to lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year?
It’s a tricky competition to forecast. Tyrone, Kerry, Mayo and Cork all have their virtues, and could make a strong challenge. Donegal’s capacity to maintain last year’s high standards will play a major role in the destination of a trophy that may just become the preserve of Dublin.
They have the strongest panel in the country and if they can find a midfield partner for Michael Darragh MacAuley, they have the new faces in attack like Paul Mannion and Ciaran Kilkenny to augment Bernard Brogan.
3. What player will light up the All-Ireland hurling championship?
He didn’t feature last season until July because of his Leaving Cert commitments but Tony Kelly made a dazzling impact thereafter for the Clare senior and U21 hurlers. He impressed in the league this year so expect more of the same this summer.
4. What player will light up the All-Ireland football championship?
With his injury woes behind him, Stephen O’Neill’s electric league form for Tyrone hints at a summer where he will wreak havoc on opposition defences. Cork’s Aidan Walsh could be set for a big championship of towering midfield displays as well.
5. How do you believe your own county will fare?
Despite suffering relegation, Cork’s hurlers should still be targeting a Munster final appearance and an August Croke Park date. Travelling beyond that juncture is difficult to see. For the Rebel footballers, it may be no bad thing that they did not challenge strongly in the league and they are entering this summer under the radar in comparison to the favourites tag that accompanied them in recent years.
Antrim’s James Loughrey could be a great addition to the Cork defence and can Brian Hurley transfer his blinding U21 form to the senior stage? Injuries have cursed both squads though with Paudie O’Sullivan and Colm O’Neill major absentees.
6. Your one hope for GAA in 2013?
That Michael Meehan, one of the most gifted footballers in the country, stays fit and enjoys a summer where he can showcase his ability.
Galway’s Michael Meehan
Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Patrick McCarry
1. Who’s going to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year?
Kilkenny. They are looking in ominous form, even without a full deck. A lot may depend on Brian Cody’s return but the backroom coaching staff have been around long enough to know the gameplan and perhaps a Cody return later in the summer can drive them towards a 10th All-Ireland for Shefflin.
2. Who’s going to lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year?
It is rarely done in football – the All-Ireland and National (Allianz) double but Dublin are looking good, vibrant and not solely relying on B Brogan for scores. I’ll go with them and reveal my bias a few questions later.
3. What player will light up the All-Ireland hurling championship?
Looking forward to seeing Walter Walsh in his first full season as a senior inter-county Cat. He’s not too far off being a finished product and it will be exciting to see him work his way through rival defences this summer.
4. What player will light up the All-Ireland football championship?
Stephen O’Neill was looking in great shape in the Allianz Football League and rattling in some nice goals. If, on the mornings of big games, he can avoid stray balls in indoor training areas he’d be my bet. Will be interested to see how Seanie Johnston goes now that he has a Lilywhite season behind him.
5. How do you believe your own county will fare?
Dublin’s hurlers look to be outside the top four this (and last) year so a semi-final could well be deemed a successful campaign.
6. Your one hope for GAA in 2013?
Like most supporters, it would be great to see a decrease in cynical fouling. I would also love to see an outsider make a charge to the quarters or semi finals.
Kildare’s Seanie Johnston
Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Sinead O’Carroll
1. Who’s going to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year?
As always, it’s hard to look past Kilkenny. But the enjoyable moments often come before Cody, Shefflin et al. arrive at Croke Park in September. I’m looking forward to seeing a Davy Fitz-led Clare team during the Munster Championship. If they see off Waterford on 2 June, a repeat of the league relegation battle against Cork could be one to relish.
2. Who’s going to lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year?
Can I say Kildare? Obviously, it’s always a more difficult one to call than Liam. Dublin have impressed so far this year but the league is not always an indicator. For an outside bet, my shout would be Cork. Nothing scientific but they always seem sneak up on us every few years. They’re due a season.
3. What player will light up the All-Ireland hurling championship?
Looking forward to watching Conor Lehane for Cork after a more-than-solid start to the year. And Colm Galvin has been described as Lohan-esque in Clare, which wasn’t far off during the league relegation match. Maybe he can lead the charge again during the Munster Championship?
4. What player will light up the All-Ireland football championship?
Ciarán Kilkenny is already massive favourite to take home the Young Player of the Year honours. Can he survive that pressure and impress? Will be interesting to follow his progress.
5. How do you believe your own county will fare?
Kildare has some nice young players on its roster, with many graduates from the under-21 side that underperformed in this year’s semi-final against Galway. It would be great to see them relax into the senior championship and turn around the county’s reputation for not being able to take our scores on the big day.
My irrational fear for the year? That Kildare will reach the All-Ireland final and be the first team in 60-odd years that allow Mayo to finally lift Sam.
6. Your one hope for GAA in 2013?
Besides Kildare winning the Sam Maguire, that we get some enjoyable games throughout the Leinster Hurling C’ship again. The injection that Galway brought last year will hopefully be maintained and they’ll be no more one-sided damp squibs. The standard of the camogie championship has also been improving year-on-year so seeing the growing interest in the sport continue would be high on my list.
Dublin’s Ciaran Kilkenny
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
Steven O’Rourke
1. Who’s going to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year?
Kilkenny has become something of an adopted home for me over the last few years and I doubt I’d be let over the border again if I didn’t say the Cats were my favourites to win. I don’t expect Galway to to do as well, teams must surely have worked out how to play Joe Canning by now. Cork could well surprise people this year.
2. Who’s going to lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year?
Like Sinead, I’d love it to be Kildare because, if it’s not this year, it’s hard to see it being any year with McGeeney at the helm. Dublin have looked good in the league but that’s not really much of an indicator. So, while it’s not an exciting pick by any means it’s the longest Kerry drought in a decade and I think they’ll be very keen to rectify that.
3. What player will light up the All-Ireland hurling championship?
Tony Kelly for Clare has just two appearances to his name for the county but he’s managed to score 2-4 in that time. Well worth a couple of your hard-earned euros at 6-1 to be the young player of the Championship.
4. What player will light up the All-Ireland football championship?
Niall Kelly – not the one that writes for TheScore.ie – is as exciting a prospect as I’ve seen come out of Kildare in a long time. If Kildare are to make a run at this year’s Championship the Athy man will have to have a big year.
5. How do you believe your own county will fare?
The team has the potential to make the All-Ireland semi-finals in football but I find it hard to believe we’ll do much better than that. Hopefully they’ll prove me wrong.
6. Your one hope for GAA in 2013?
Am I allowed say ‘that Dublin don’t win anything’ and still live and work here?
Galway’s Joe Canning
Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Gavan Reilly
1. Who’s going to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year?
I think it’s difficult to look past Kilkenny, as ever, but Tipperary’s efforts in the league final might suggest that the Cats won’t have it all their own way this year. It remains to be seen whether Galway’s amazing efforts last year are a sign of a new era, or more of a flash in the pan .
But the fact that they were able to push Kilkenny so close last year (giving them only their second championship defeat in seven seasons!) at least shows that there’s capability there. It’s a strange world we live in, where the Leinster championship looks more competitive than the Munster one.
2. Who’s going to lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year?
If Dublin keep their League form, they won’t be beaten – but clearly Donegal’s league performance was far below where they ought to have been. Kerry seem to be in all sorts of bother so perhaps this could be the year where Cork build up their head of steam and power through?
A Dublin-Cork final could be in the offing. That said, I had tipped Mayo last year and don’t think it’s impossible for them to build up another steady campaign and find themselves involved at the business end of things.
3. What player will light up the All-Ireland hurling championship?
I’d have difficulty choosing between Wally Walsh and Lester Ryan, but after last year’s All-Ireland final nobody is surprised by Walsh so I’ll go with Ryan. He’s been part of the Kilkenny senior panel for a couple of seasons now but hadn’t really nudged his way into the first team – but scoring 1-10 in the league, from midfield, is a sign of someone special.
Kilkenny have a fluidity between the midfield and forwards and Ryan could prove to either be a phenomenal impact sub, or someone who could displace the likes of Michael Rice – and if you’re outclassing someone with six Leinster medals, you’re doing okay.
4. What player will light up the All-Ireland football championship?
I think this is Dean Rock’s year. He’s been chipping around the edges for Dublin for a while but if he’s given a decent run in the starting XV he could cause some serious damage. He showed himself to be an adept and useful forward in the Dubs’ league campaign and in any county without the Brogan clan he’d be in the first fifteen every time.
5. How do you believe your own county will fare?
Meath had an up-and-down close season – the Division 3 campaign started horrendously but the lads put a decent run together to secure promotion and were unlucky not to have been closer in the Division 3 final against Monaghan.
While Meath really need to be knocking on the Division 1 door if they fancy a serious tilt at the title, the championship outfit is always a different kettle of fish. The Leinster draw is relatively kind – Dublin and Kildare are on the other side of the draw.
If they make it as far as the Leinster final, they’ll either fancy their chances against Dublin, or be guaranteed to avoid the six-day turnaround that proved their undoing in the past. At worst they should expect a semi-final against Laois which could be vengeance for last year’s Round 4 defeat.
6. Your one hope for GAA in 2013?
The success of the black card experiment. If you ever look back at any of the classic All-Ireland finals of old, you’d be struck by how honest the players were – there was no catenaccio-style deliberate fouling where a team is happier to concede a free than to risk a score from open play.
Deliberate fouling – especially if you’re a county that likes its late comebacks – is spoiling the spectacle and if the black card attempts to stop it are successful, the GAA can be fairly happy at how it’s eradicated the problem.
Meath manager Mick O’Dowd
Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Ben Blake
1. Who’s going to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year?
Few are looking beyond Kilkenny once again and it is hard to see them failing to retain their crown this year. But having watched what turned out to be a cracking Division 1 decider a fortnight ago, I would be optimistic of Tipperary’s chances of causing an upset in the championship.
There were only three points in it at Nowlan Park and the Premier County did get the better of Brian Cody’s men back in March.
2. Who’s going to lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year?
Being a Dub, their league form under Jim Gavin has given me great joy. Huge pressure is annually placed on the team’s shoulders and whether the young players coming through can deal with it in the latter stages of the summer remains to be seen.
3. What player will light up the All-Ireland hurling championship?
Davy Glennon – Galway. One of the top performers for the Tribesmen in the league.
4. What player will light up the All-Ireland football championship?
Ryan McHugh – Donegal. A lot to live up to thanks to his father and brother but the young Donegal player is a real talent.
5. How do you believe your own county will fare?
Finalists at least.
6. Your one hope for GAA in 2013?
Full stands, sunny days and free-flowing games.
Donegal’s Ryan McHugh.
Pic: INPHO/Presseye/Andrew Paton
Paul Fennessy
1. Who’s going to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year?
I can’t see past Kilkenny I’m afraid. They just seem to somehow consistently produce incredibly adept up-and-coming players, and looked fairly convincing in winning the league this year. Tipperary and Galway are really the only sides I can see providing a realistic threat to their dominance.
2. Who’s going to lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year?
I have a feeling Dublin will do it. Last year, they seemed to take their eye off the ball a bit and never really peaked. They were probably still in party mode to an extent on account of their protracted All-Ireland celebrations (visiting New York etc) and thus, were never quite as sharp as they could have been.
This year though, they look eager to make up for their below-par showing if their league performance is anything to go by. Donegal may not be quite the same force they were last year, as Jim McGuinness has his well-documented commitments to Celtic, and their poor showing in the league won’t do much for their confidence, even if it is a somewhat inaccurate reflection of where they’re at right now.
3. What player will light up the All-Ireland hurling championship?
Needless to say, the likes of Joe Canning and Henry Shefflin will almost inevitably figure pretty prominently, but there’s also a substantial number of promising young hurlers coming through that could make a big impact this year. Kilkenny’s Walter Walsh and Galway’s Johnny Coen are two names that spring to mind.
4. What player will light up the All-Ireland football championship?
I can’t really see past the usual suspects. Provided he remains injury-free, there’s no reason why Bernard Brogan can’t spearhead the Dublin attack to great effect once again. Aidan O’Shea was hugely impressive for Mayo last year, so I expect him to star again.
If Michael Murphy is at his best, then Donegal will surely be strong contenders once more. And while Colm Cooper hasn’t been quite so influential for a Kerry side that has ostensibly declined in recent times, at 29, he’s at his peak now, so he’ll surely be especially eager to have a good year.
5. How do you believe your own county will fare?
As stated before, I think Dublin have a very good chance of winning the All-Ireland football championship this year. There have been many false dawns before though, so I’m by no means overly confident that they’ll do it. In hurling, it doesn’t look like the Dubs have improved significantly since last year, so at best, it’ll be a quarter or even semi-final exit if they’re lucky.
6. Your one hope for GAA in 2013?
I hope that the rules of the game and the referees help enhance it as a spectacle, rather than spoiling matches on a regular basis, as is all too often the case. I’d also love to see a less high-profile county go on an unexpected winning streak in either of the codes. Last year’s Championships, while exciting, felt a little too predictable at times.
Kerry’s Colm Cooper.
Pic: INPHO/Colm O’Neill
Sean Farrell
1. Who’s going to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year?
Galway. No doubt. Experience and pain of last year will give them “hunger”. That, as we all know, is the essential ingredient in winning trophies.
2. Who’s going to lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year?
It’s wide open. Dublin and Kerry will be back stronger and it will be interesting to see if Donegal can hit the heights again. Eenie, meenie, minie… Tyrone! No, they’re too dark of a horse. Kerry.
3. What player will light up the All-Ireland hurling championship?
Walter Walsh. He has a knack for this Championship lark.
4. What player will light up the All-Ireland football championship?
If Stephen O’Neill can keep himself fit Tyrone are capable of beating anyone.
5. How do you believe your own county will fare?
Cavan? Probably 1 for 3. Jamie Clarke will hit the ground running this Sunday and then we’re looking for a cushy couple of qualifiers to keep the winter at bay.
6. Your one hope for GAA in 2013?
Big comebacks, shocks, full stands. Nothing makes a game exciting like the guttural roar of a big crowd desperate for a win.
