1. Are the Dubs actually unstoppable, or will Sam be heading outside the capital this September?
Fintan O’Toole: Completing back-to-back All-Ireland crowns is the last challenge this Dublin team has to negotiate. All signs point to them doing just that in 2016. Losing Jack McCaffrey and Rory O’Carroll may pose a problem down the line, and they will get at least one serious examination in August. But their form graph shows no sign of slipping and the talent that exists in the squad is remarkable.
Kevin O’Brien: They’re an outstanding team, but not unstoppable. Sure, they have squad depth, scoring power and athleticism that no other county can match. But we’ll only truly know how the absence of Jack McCaffrey and, more significantly, Rory O’Carroll affects them when the heat comes on in the All-Ireland semi-final and final. Will a team properly test that full-back position? Can somebody devise a system to get around Cian O’Sullivan? Mayo, Kerry, Donegal and Tyrone have it in their locker to beat them. They just need the gameplan, self-belief and a bit of luck on the day. Then anything is possible.
Paul Hosford: Yes — they’re just too strong from 1-30 and the 25 beyond that.
Jackie Cahill: They are unstoppable. Dublin’s most likely championship challengers are Kerry but the Kingdom were obliterated in the league final. The winners of the All-Ireland title will come from Dublin, Kerry, Mayo or Tyrone and at this point in time, Jim Gavin’s champions are streets ahead of the rest. They may have lost Jack McCaffrey and Rory O’Carroll for the summer but Dublin’s strength in depth is phenomenal.
Will Conor McManus be the one to cause Dublin problems? Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
Alan Waldron: Of course not, and it is foolish to see them as such. Every team is fallible, there a number of sides that can cause them problems, and I’m sure plenty are already targeting an aerial assault on their full-back line without the reassuring presence of Rory O’Carroll. Any team with a forward of the calibre of Colm O’Neill or Conor McManus cannot be discounted either. Dublin are rightly favourites for Sam this year but particularly Mayo and Kerry have the weaponry to derail their plans of winning back to back All-Irelands.
Steve O’Rourke: No, they’re not unstoppable. Eventually the Dublin north/south split will hit the football team causing a mass walkout of northside based players. Main sponsor AIG will pull their funding resulting in the GAA having to step in with a major bridging loan. Faced with a squad of just 12 players by the end of June, the Dublin County Board will withdraw their side from the championship in disgrace… that, or they will win every game by double-digit points.
2. Call it: who will be the four provincial champions?
Fintan O’Toole: Mayo to do six-in-a-row in Connacht and Dublin to do likewise in Leinster. Kerry to win again on home soil in Munster and Tyrone can reclaim an Ulster title that they last won in 2010.
Kevin O’Brien: Tyrone, Mayo, Dublin, Cork.
Paul Hosford: Dublin, Kerry, Mayo, Tyrone.
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Mayo are a unanimous pick for victory out west. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Jackie Cahill: Tyrone, Dublin, Kerry, Mayo.
Alan Waldron: Dublin, Mayo, Kerry, Monaghan.
Steve O’Rourke: Dublin, Kerry, Tyrone, Mayo
3. This year’s surprise package will be…
Fintan O’Toole: They endured a huge scare in New York a couple of weeks ago but Roscommon showed enough in the league and have players maturing at the right time to suggest that they can become a last-eight team this summer.
Kevin O’Brien: Mayo: All-Ireland champions as long as Stephen Rochford recognises, as I feel he will, that Mayo can’t beat Dublin in a shoot-out. Mayo to roll-out a fine-tuned tactical system that shores up their defence and finally, finally deliver the All-Ireland.
Paul Hosford: Roscommon, but would it be a surprise at this stage?
After their scare in New York, what can Roscommon muster this summer? Ed Mulholland
Ed Mulholland
Jackie Cahill: If ending a six-year wait for a provincial title constitutes a surprise package, well then Tyrone are it if they can win the Ulster crown. Mickey Harte’s men lost to Donegal in their opening fixture last year but still bounced back to reach an All-Ireland semi-final. They’re good enough to make a big impact in the All-Ireland series again and winning Ulster would give them huge momentum.
Alan Waldron: Monaghan (All-Ireland semi or final).
Steve O’Rourke: Meath. Surprisingly bad.
4. Who’ll be the Footballer of the Year?
Fintan O’Toole: James McCarthy, the defensive Rolls Royce who will follow in the footsteps of his Dublin colleague Jack McCaffrey from last summer.
Kevin O’Brien: If Dublin win the All-Ireland, Cian O’Sullivan. If Sam goes west, Aidan O’Shea.
Paul Hosford: Ciaran Kilkenny.
Ciaran Kilkenny: the bookies' favourite to be Footballer of the Year. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Jackie Cahill: Paddy Andrews.
Alan Waldron: Cian O’Sullivan.
Steve O’Rourke: Philly McMahon.
5. This summer I expect to see…
Fintan O’Toole: More evidence that the provincial football model is not fit for purpose. Plenty talk as well about systems and sweepers and restarts and pressing.
Kevin O’Brien: More debate on championship reform after weaker teams ship heavy beatings in the provinces. Plus a relatively boring championship until it sparks into life in August.
Paul Hosford: Schemozzles, handbags, dirty ball, sending it in, breaking the ball, black cards and some decent football.
Jackie Cahill: More of the same from Dublin, Kerry winning Munster again but falling short in their All-Ireland quest, Mayo given their most serious test West of the Shannon again but still claiming six-in-a-row, and Tyrone to end their Ulster famine. The Sunday Game will provide its usual share of controversies and talking points and Tiernan McCann will shave his hair off and lose power like Samson.
Alan Waldron: Dublin to win the All-Ireland but with plenty of drama along the way, once they get out of Leinster.
Steve O’Rourke: My heart broken by Kildare. Again.
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'Are Dublin unstoppable?' And 5 more questions for our writers ahead of the football championship
1. Are the Dubs actually unstoppable, or will Sam be heading outside the capital this September?
Fintan O’Toole: Completing back-to-back All-Ireland crowns is the last challenge this Dublin team has to negotiate. All signs point to them doing just that in 2016. Losing Jack McCaffrey and Rory O’Carroll may pose a problem down the line, and they will get at least one serious examination in August. But their form graph shows no sign of slipping and the talent that exists in the squad is remarkable.
Kevin O’Brien: They’re an outstanding team, but not unstoppable. Sure, they have squad depth, scoring power and athleticism that no other county can match. But we’ll only truly know how the absence of Jack McCaffrey and, more significantly, Rory O’Carroll affects them when the heat comes on in the All-Ireland semi-final and final. Will a team properly test that full-back position? Can somebody devise a system to get around Cian O’Sullivan? Mayo, Kerry, Donegal and Tyrone have it in their locker to beat them. They just need the gameplan, self-belief and a bit of luck on the day. Then anything is possible.
Paul Hosford: Yes — they’re just too strong from 1-30 and the 25 beyond that.
Jackie Cahill: They are unstoppable. Dublin’s most likely championship challengers are Kerry but the Kingdom were obliterated in the league final. The winners of the All-Ireland title will come from Dublin, Kerry, Mayo or Tyrone and at this point in time, Jim Gavin’s champions are streets ahead of the rest. They may have lost Jack McCaffrey and Rory O’Carroll for the summer but Dublin’s strength in depth is phenomenal.
Alan Waldron: Of course not, and it is foolish to see them as such. Every team is fallible, there a number of sides that can cause them problems, and I’m sure plenty are already targeting an aerial assault on their full-back line without the reassuring presence of Rory O’Carroll. Any team with a forward of the calibre of Colm O’Neill or Conor McManus cannot be discounted either. Dublin are rightly favourites for Sam this year but particularly Mayo and Kerry have the weaponry to derail their plans of winning back to back All-Irelands.
Steve O’Rourke: No, they’re not unstoppable. Eventually the Dublin north/south split will hit the football team causing a mass walkout of northside based players. Main sponsor AIG will pull their funding resulting in the GAA having to step in with a major bridging loan. Faced with a squad of just 12 players by the end of June, the Dublin County Board will withdraw their side from the championship in disgrace… that, or they will win every game by double-digit points.
2. Call it: who will be the four provincial champions?
Fintan O’Toole: Mayo to do six-in-a-row in Connacht and Dublin to do likewise in Leinster. Kerry to win again on home soil in Munster and Tyrone can reclaim an Ulster title that they last won in 2010.
Kevin O’Brien: Tyrone, Mayo, Dublin, Cork.
Paul Hosford: Dublin, Kerry, Mayo, Tyrone.
Jackie Cahill: Tyrone, Dublin, Kerry, Mayo.
Alan Waldron: Dublin, Mayo, Kerry, Monaghan.
Steve O’Rourke: Dublin, Kerry, Tyrone, Mayo
3. This year’s surprise package will be…
Fintan O’Toole: They endured a huge scare in New York a couple of weeks ago but Roscommon showed enough in the league and have players maturing at the right time to suggest that they can become a last-eight team this summer.
Kevin O’Brien: Mayo: All-Ireland champions as long as Stephen Rochford recognises, as I feel he will, that Mayo can’t beat Dublin in a shoot-out. Mayo to roll-out a fine-tuned tactical system that shores up their defence and finally, finally deliver the All-Ireland.
Paul Hosford: Roscommon, but would it be a surprise at this stage?
Jackie Cahill: If ending a six-year wait for a provincial title constitutes a surprise package, well then Tyrone are it if they can win the Ulster crown. Mickey Harte’s men lost to Donegal in their opening fixture last year but still bounced back to reach an All-Ireland semi-final. They’re good enough to make a big impact in the All-Ireland series again and winning Ulster would give them huge momentum.
Alan Waldron: Monaghan (All-Ireland semi or final).
Steve O’Rourke: Meath. Surprisingly bad.
4. Who’ll be the Footballer of the Year?
Fintan O’Toole: James McCarthy, the defensive Rolls Royce who will follow in the footsteps of his Dublin colleague Jack McCaffrey from last summer.
Kevin O’Brien: If Dublin win the All-Ireland, Cian O’Sullivan. If Sam goes west, Aidan O’Shea.
Paul Hosford: Ciaran Kilkenny.
Jackie Cahill: Paddy Andrews.
Alan Waldron: Cian O’Sullivan.
Steve O’Rourke: Philly McMahon.
5. This summer I expect to see…
Fintan O’Toole: More evidence that the provincial football model is not fit for purpose. Plenty talk as well about systems and sweepers and restarts and pressing.
Kevin O’Brien: More debate on championship reform after weaker teams ship heavy beatings in the provinces. Plus a relatively boring championship until it sparks into life in August.
Paul Hosford: Schemozzles, handbags, dirty ball, sending it in, breaking the ball, black cards and some decent football.
Jackie Cahill: More of the same from Dublin, Kerry winning Munster again but falling short in their All-Ireland quest, Mayo given their most serious test West of the Shannon again but still claiming six-in-a-row, and Tyrone to end their Ulster famine. The Sunday Game will provide its usual share of controversies and talking points and Tiernan McCann will shave his hair off and lose power like Samson.
Alan Waldron: Dublin to win the All-Ireland but with plenty of drama along the way, once they get out of Leinster.
Steve O’Rourke: My heart broken by Kildare. Again.
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