Gaelic Life

Sportsfile got arty when they set up their promotional pictures at the launch of the Allianz National League

Declan Bogue's predictions
Division one
League final: Mayo V Kerry
Going down: Armagh and Laois
Division two
League final: Tyrone V Kildare
Going down: Louth and Westmeath
Division three
League final: Wexford V Roscommon
Going down: Offaly and Longford
Division four
League final: Fermanagh V Limerick.

I am rather taken with the job going on in Mayo, and feel that they can have a big year, although I realise that sort of chat comes with a health warning. Jack O’Connor has spoken in Kerry about the need to get back to closing out games, as a direct result of the manner in which they lost the All-Ireland final, so they should be strong in the league. Tyrone have spent long enough in the second tier, and Fermanagh should capitalise on the feel-good factor at present, and Shane McCabe’s transfer deadline-day switch, to win promotion.
It might happen
Brian McGuigan will do a Paul Scholes and be coaxed back into the Tyrone fold around April time. Nothing beats class, and Mickey Harte’s pragmatic side will long for his creativity.

Division one
League final: Dublin v Down
Going down: Laois and Armagh
Division two
League final: Derry v Tyrone
Going down: Galway and Louth
Division three
League final: Cavan v Wexford
Going down: Longford and Roscommon
Division four
League final: Fermanagh v LeitrimPrediction text

Ronan Scott's predictions

Dublin have plenty of Croke Park matches and that gives them a huge advantage, not least because of the positivity behind them. Down will get there too because they did plenty of good work last year, and have the panel to deal with anything. Armagh are too short-handed to stay up.
In division two, John Brennan is going to make his team attack all day, while Tyrone will beat everyone in their path, the youthful revolution starts here. Galway are in disarray. Louth will lose too many too early. I predict Cavan to do well every year, and one of these days they’ll come good. As regards Fermanagh, I’d rather predict success for the Erne and see them fail than the other way around.

It might happen
Derry win seven straight games and the county somehow remains calm, doesn’t lose the run of itself, and enters the championship ‘quietly confident’.

John Hughes' predictions

Division one
League final: Cork v Mayo
Going down: Laois and Armagh
Division two
League final:  Derry v Tyrone
Going down: Louth and Westmeath
Division three
League final: Cavan v Antrim
Going down: Offaly and Tipperary
Division four
League final: Limerick v Fermanagh

Cork and Mayo are always good league teams, plus they have motivation to make these seven games count for them. Laois are probably the weakest team in division one and Armagh are only in it thanks to a fluke goal against Monaghan last year. As above, Tyrone and Derry are both go well in the league and both seem in better shape than last year. Louth and Westmeath both came up out of division three last year and history shows that the gap between these two divisions is particularly hard to bridge. Division three is a real lottery. I’ll go for Cavan and Antrim. They can certainly beat anything else in the division. Unfortunately they could also be beaten by anyone else. Relegation is an equally open race, it’s hard to really think of either Offaly or Tipp as division four sides. Division four offers the most straightforward prediction. Limerick and Fermanagh should comfortably emerge.

It might happen
Pat Spillane will write an article grudgingly admitting that, ‘Donegal play really quite good football.’

Ciaran Woods' predictions

Division one
League final: Kerry v Dublin
Going down: Laois and Armagh
Division two
League final: Tyrone v Kildare
Going down: Westmeath and Louth
Division three
League final: Antrim and Sligo
Going down: Offaly and Longford
Division four
League final: Limerick and Fermanagh

Kerry and Dublin will do the necessary, setting up the glamour final the GAA so badly want. Laois will drop, while Armagh’s lack of the Cross contingent will ultimately be their downfall. It’s a three-horse race between Tyrone, Derry and Kildare to gain promotion from the second tier, and Derry’s ongoing injury problems could once again cost them. Westmeath and Louth for the drop in this one. I was tempted to go with Antrim and Cavan for the Division Three decider, but instead I’m tipping the Saffrons and Sligo to cross swords for the 148th time in the past five years, with Sligo once again prevailing. Offaly are going nowhere fast, the same can be said of Longford. Fermanagh will make a hell of a go of it in the basement, and will take the league honours, but it won’t be a clean sweep as either Limerick or Wicklow will catch them out along the way.

It might happen
Dublin are on the receiving end of an outrageous blunder by match officials, sparking panic at HQ, with goal line technology, stop-clocks, a second referee and Hawkeye being brought in within 48 hours.