Oak Leaf to upset odds

ONCE the identities of the last eight – most of whom are likely to resemble a photofit of The Usual Suspects – are unmasked, then the cut and thrust of this summer’s All-Ireland Senior Football Championship will seriously intensify.

BY EAMONN O'HARA
The provincials will shuffle the contenders cards about a bit, but by how much really? A provincial title for, say, Fermanagh in Ulster would be fantastic given the fact this is the only county not to have savoured success in the Anglo-Celt Cup, or Antrim who haven’t flown at that altitude since 1951.
Apply the same to Fermanagh’s Division Three final conquerors Wexford in Leinster, anyone bar Kerry and Cork in Munster and the likes of Leitrim out west and tipsters would choke on their cornflakes, but the Championship wouldn’t lack unexpected twists and colour.
The reality, probably, is for the various heavyweights to claim bragging rights to the Anglo- Celt etc, others to re-route their campaigns via the scenic Qualifiers, keeping enough in reserve to try and begin to peak for the weekend of August 9-10.
This is when the quest for Sam should really heat up.
Kerry will surely be one of eight still standing at that point.
Division One champions Derry are taken to be there, as are Armagh, Tyrone and Monaghan – Donegal have the talent pool to reach this far too – Galway, Dublin and Mayo with Cork and possibly Westmeath, Meath or Wexford there or thereabouts.
Unless Limerick or Tipperary unseat Cork in Munster’s semi-final, Cork’s best chance of putting Kerry’s three in-a-row All-Ireland title bid out of its stride, temporarily, is likely to happen somewhere in the south-west.
Kerry may be fairly untroubled until August 9-10, when the eight sorting out session will carry as much risk to them as Monaghan offered last year. Kerry were lucky to survive.
Galway have a fair bit about them, under-achievers Mayo also, and what of Dublin? A fourth Leinster in-a-row, probably, fair achievement but nowhere near what the capital is crying out for.
Dublin’s 22nd All-Ireland arrived nearly 13 years ago. A certain numbers game may be of interest.
Dublin won it in 1908. They won it 50 years later. What’s the odds on a hat-trick of sorts in 2008?
Of the big guns Kerry have the easiest passage, any of Ulster’s heavyweights the hardest. Kerry versus any of them would be fascinating. The fancy is for mighty Oak to oppose. Matured, stronger and capable of better to work the course and obstacles to stay the distance if their potential shows through consistently on the days that matter.
As good an ante-post wager, and there are a few fair enough, to deny the Kingdom the glory.

Galway could be surprise package
KILKENNY will walk Leinster. The Munster battle will be just that. Cork or Tipperary – who meet in the first round – and Waterford are most fancied to take their mark in Munster and all could be jockeying for positions by All-Ireland semi-final time.
The unpredictable element in the mix – outside of the All-Ireland champions who are strengthened by the return of Henry Shefflin for the McCarthy Cup series – is Ger Loughnane’s (right) Galway.
Question marks raised during the League about their defence, which leaked 10 goals before Tipperary finally edged them for the Division One title, will be forensically examined.
Tipp appear capable of going all the way on form, but Championship experience of winning at Croke Park points to Kilkenny again.
The romantic’s choice is again Waterford.
They may have left it behind them last year, but remain the great white (and blue) hope.
However, Kilkenny are favoured to maintain the status quo with another win.


Eamonn O'Hara's Predictions
Ulster SFC: Armagh
All-Ireland SFC: Derry
Ulster SHC: Antrim
All-Ireland SHC: Kilkenny