On Saturday, the GAA's best competition - the Allianz Football Leagues - get up and running, with counties battling it out for promotion, relegation and securing Sam Maguire and Tailteann Cup status.
Plenty of questions linger ahead of the Allianz Football Leagues: do teams go all out to win it and risk burning out during the championship? What new tactics will we see implemented by new and/or returning managers (I’m looking at you, Jim McGuinness)? The Sam Maguire/Tailteann Cup divide adds a further wrinkle.
Here are 32 (probably ridiculous) Allianz Football League predictions for all 32 counties for some light relief before the football starts.
SEE ALSO: GAA Fixtures: Your Guide To The Weekend's Allianz Football League Fixtures
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Allianz Football League: Division 1
3 January 2024; Kerry manager Jack O'Connor stands with his players during the playing of Amhrán na bhFiann before the McGrath Cup Group A match between Kerry and Tipperary at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, Kerry. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Kerry
2023 league: 5th
2023 Championship: All-Ireland runner ups losing to Dublin in the final
Manager: Jack O’Connor
Prediction: We expect the Kingdom to be on a mission in 2024, after a disappointing League campaign for Kerry’s standards and not winning the All-Ireland. The plan for Jack O’Connor is a straightforward League title, which has snowballed into All-Ireland success for him in the past. His team for the Derry game is quite young. Both Cliffords are out until week 3.
Verdict: 1st League winners
🏐 Team Announcement: Kerry vs Derry - 2024 Allianz Football League, Division 1 💚💛
Full team news here: https://t.co/o9plqVT5QX#WeAreKerry #CiarraíAbú #AllianzLeagues pic.twitter.com/nIqoE05j0R— Kerry GAA (@Kerry_Official) January 26, 2024
Derry
2023 league: 1st in Division 2, lost League Final to Dublin
2023 championship: All-Ireland Semi-final lost to Kerry
Manager: Mickey Harte
Prediction: The recently crowned McKenna Cup champions will want to keep momentum, and new manager Mickey Harte will want to prove that he is still a top manager. Expect a more or less full-strength team with one or two new additions to gain exposure.
Verdict: 2nd
Galway
2023 league: 2nd in Division 1 after lost league final to Mayo
2023 championship: Lost to Mayo in All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final
Manager: Pádraic Joyce
Prediction: Is 2024 the year that Pádraic Joyce landed a major trophy with Galway? A Connacht title is well and good, but for a team that was only in an All-Ireland final two years ago, the group will want national success either in the League or Championship. Shane Walsh starting against Mayo on Sunday is a signal of intent. Hopefully he'll rediscover his 2022 form and fast.
Verdict: 3rd
The best of luck to Eoghan & Ger and all @Galway_GAA players in the first round of the Football League this weekend.
🏐 Galway v Mayo
📅 Sun Jan 28th
🕜 13:45
📍Pearse Stadium pic.twitter.com/htrUhQBDzL— Maigh Cuilinn (@maighcuilinn) January 26, 2024
Mayo
2023 League: Champions, after beating Galway in League final
2023 championship: Lost to Dublin in All-Ireland quarter-final
Manager: Kevin McStay
Prediction: Mayo will not want to be burnt by last year’s experience of winning the league and losing the opening round of the Championship in the space of a week, so expect McStay and co. to go with a different approach this time around. Interestingly, there are no debutantes in the Mayo fifteen for the Galway game and 12 of the 15 started that Dublin defeat in Croke Park.
Verdict: 4th
Kevin McStay has named his Mayo senior football team for Sunday's Allianz League round one game against Galway.
Team news below ⬇️⬇️⬇️https://t.co/i50z4bKPRw pic.twitter.com/zzFGqNB3sh— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) January 26, 2024
Dublin
2023 League: 2nd in Division 2 beat Derry in League final
2023 championship: All-Ireland champions defeating Kerry in the final
Manager: Dessie Farrell
Prediction: The main goal for Dublin in this league campaign is to blood new players so they can increase impact off their bench in the Championship while integrating back in their senior stars. A comfortable midtable finish will be just fine.
Verdict: 5th
Tyrone
2023 league: 4th
2023 championship: All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Kerry
Manager: Fergal Logan and Brian Dooher
Prediction: With Logan and Dooher getting a new three-year term and established players like McNamee leaving the panel, Tyrone’s rebuild is underway. They should have enough to secure safety.
Verdict: 6th
Monaghan
2023 league: 6th
2023 championship: All-Ireland semi-final losing to Dublin
Manager: Vinny Corey
Prediction: Is this the year Monaghan finally got relegated from Division 1? Well, you can set your clock to the time they usually kick into get and spark a remarkable comeback that no one predicted and secure top-flight football for another season. However, without their talisman in goals Rory Beggan, how long can the magician pull the rabbit out of the hat?
Verdict: 7th
Roscommon
2023 league: 3rd
2023 championship: Lost to Cork in the All-Ireland Preliminary Quarter Final
Manager: Davy Burke
Prediction: Roscommon have a history of being like the West Brom of the Allianz League. They appear a class above the rest in Division 2 and then struggle in Division 1 and get instantly relegated. Davy Burke did change that trend last year when they ran out the traps with a win over Tyrone on day one. However, don’t expect the same trick this season as they try to focus more on the Championship.
Verdict 8th
Allianz Football League: Division 2
13 January 2024; Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney before the Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup semi-final match between Armagh and Derry at BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Armagh
2023 league: 7th in Division 1 (relegated)
2023 championship: Losing on penalties (again) in the All-Ireland quarter-final to Monaghan
Manager: Kieran McGeeney
Prediction: Armagh got a taste for the top table and will want to quickly return to the top after a second-season syndrome occurred on McGeeney’s side last year. It should be straightforward, as penalty shootouts aren’t on the cards (except for the league final).
Verdict: 1st League Winners
Cork
2023 league: 4th in Division 2
2023 championship: Lost to Derry in the All-Ireland quarter-finals
Manager: John Clearly
Prediction: For Cork football to get back closer to being in contention of winning Sam Maguire, they need exposure at the top division. That will be their priority for 2024; anything less will be a failure.
Verdict: 2nd
Donegal
2023 League: 8th in Division 1 (relegated)
2023 championship: Lost to Tyrone in the All-Irland Preliminary Quarterfinal
Manager: Jim McGuiness
Prediction: Jim McGuiness's primary focus is to bring Sammy back to Donegal again, but does he have the players to get out of Division 2? That is the first real question the All-Ireland winning coach has to answer. Despite the turmoil, they showed glimpses of what they could do in last year’s Championship, but I think year one will be all about trying to bleed new players and give Ulster a good rattle.
Verdict: 3rd
Louth
2023 league: 3rd in Division 2
2023 championship: Eliminated in the group stages of the All-Ireland series
Manager: Ger Brennan
Prediction: It will be interesting to see how new manager Ger Brennan takes to the demands of intercounty football and how Louth will respond to Mickey Harte’s departure shock. This could go two ways: one, a steady campaign with no real threat of relegation, or two, a constant slog all year.
Verdict: 4th
Kildare
2023 league: 5th in Division 2
2023 Championship: Lost to Monaghan in the All-Ireland Preliminary Quarter-Final
Manager: Glenn Ryan
Prediction: Glenn Ryan’s side will look dangerously over their shoulders as anywhere from 5th could mean Tailteann Cup football. For all the talent in the squad, they should be pushing for top-flight football.
Verdict: 5th
Cavan
2023 League: 2nd in division 3 beat Fermanagh in the final
2023 Championship: Lost to Down in the Tailteann Cup Quarterfinals
Manager: Raymond Galligan
Prediction: For new boss Galligan, this first season back in Division Two will be about survival and building for next season. Will more than likely be playing Tailteann Cup in the summer.
Verdict: 6th
Meath
2023 league: 6th in Division 2
2023 championship: Tailteann Cup winners beat Down in the final
Manager: Colm O’Rourke
Prediction: With Sam Maguire secured for 2024, Meath could go very experimental in blooding new players to have a right go at the round-robin series. Whether they have the quality of players to stay in this division is another question that O’Rourke has to answer. It could be a long campaign.
Verdict: 7th (relegated)
Fermanagh
2023 League: 1st in Division 3 but lost league final to Cavan
2023 championship: Lost to Laois in the preliminary quarter-final of the Tailteann Cup
Manager: Kieran Donnelly
Prediction: Will learn from the exposure and use it for hopefully a long run in the Tailteann Cup
Verdict: 8th (relegated)
Allianz Football League: Division 3
6 January 2024; Down manager Conor Laverty before the Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup Group B match between Derry and Down at Celtic Park in Derry. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Down
2023 league: Third in Division 3
2023 championship: Ulster semi-final loss to Armagh, beaten by Meath in Tailteann Cup final
Manager: Conor Laverty (2nd year in charge)
Prediction: Down wants to progress up the divisions and needs to get out of Division 3 as soon as possible; they should have too much quality for most teams in this league.
Verdict: 1st, League winners
Westmeath
2023 league: Fourth in Division 3
2023 championship: Lost to Louth in Leinster quarter-final, finished bottom of their group in the All-Ireland round-robin
Manager: Dessie Dolan (2nd year in charge)
Prediction: Will they handle the pressure? If Westmeath wants to prove they can play with the big boys, they need to get back into Division 2
Verdict: 2nd
Sligo
2023 league: Division 4 winners
2023 championship: Connacht’s final loss to Galway finished bottom of their group in the All-Ireland round-robin
Manager: Tony McEntee (4th year in charge)
Captain: Niall Murphy
Prediction: Sligo football is on the up. If McEntee can introduce the under-20 stars and blend them in with the seniors, they could push for back-to-back promotion.
Verdict: 3rd
Offaly
2023 league: Fifth in Division 3
2023 championship: Leinster semi-final loss to Louth, beaten by Wexford in the Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final
Manager: Declan Kelly (1st year in charge)
Prediction: All-Ireland under-20 winning boss Kelly will want to make a big impression in his first season in charge. With the blooding of those young players, they could be the division’s surprise packages.
Verdict 4th
Clare
2023 league: Seventh in Division 2
2023 championship: Munster final loss to Kerry, finished bottom of their group in the All-Ireland round-robin
Manager: Mark Fitzgerald (1st year in charge)
Prediction: It'll be very strange not to see Colm Collins walking the line for Clare. Solidifying and blooding new players will be Fitzgerald’s main focus after so many key players departed the panel.
Verdict 5th
Limerick
2023 league: Relegation from Division 2
2023 championship: Lost to Clare in Munster semi-final, defeated by Laois in the Tailteann Cup quarter-final
Manager: Jimmy Lee (1st year in charge)
Prediction: Jimmy Lee must steady the ship and prevent Limerick from hitting more icebergs, or Limerick will be facing consecutive relegations.
Verdict: 6th
Antrim
2023 league: Sixth in Division 3
2023 championship: Ulster preliminary round defeat to Armagh; Tailteann Cup semi-final loss to Meath.
Manager: Andy McEntee (2nd year in charge)
Prediction: Andy McEntee’s side just about escaped last season. Can lighting strike twice?
Verdict: 7th
Wicklow
2023 league: Promoted to Division 3
2023 championship: Beat Carlow in Leinster's preliminary round before losing to Carlow in the quarter-final; failed to advance to the knockout phase in the Tailteann Cup.
Manager: Oisín McConville (2nd year in charge)
Prediction: This could be a potentially long and painful campaign for Wicklow after an unlikely promotion last year. Star 'keeper Mark Jackson is auditioning for the NFL. It will be interesting to see how McConville deals with the rise in the quality of opponents.
Verdict: 8th
Allianz Football League: Division 4
20 January 2024; Longford players Patrick Fox and Michael Quinn, 23, celebrate after their side's victory in the Dioralyte O'Byrne Cup final match between Dublin and Longford at Laois Hire O'Moore Park in Portlaoise, Laois. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Longford
2023 league: Seventh in Division 3
2023 championship: Leinster preliminary round loss to Offaly, Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final loss to Down
Manager: Paddy Christie (second year in charge)
Prediction: With a second consecutive O'Byrne Cup in the bag, promotion back to Division 3 should be manageable for Paddy Christie
Verdict: 1st, League Winners
Laois
2023 league: Third in Division 4
2023 championship: Leinster quarter-final loss to Dublin, Tailteann Cup semi-final loss to Down
Manager: Justin McNulty (first year in charge)
Prediction: McNulty will want to build on last year’s Tailteann Cup semi-final loss by gaining promotion out of division 4. They have the footballers to do so.
Verdict: 2nd
Wexford
2023 league: Fourth in Division 3
2023 championship: Leinster preliminary round loss to Laois, Tailteann Cup quarter-final loss to Wexford
2024 championship: Leinster preliminary round v Carlow
Manager: John Hegarty (second year in charge)
Prediction: Could push for a promotion
Verdict: 3rd
TIPPERARY
2023 league: Eighth in Division 3
2023 championship: Munster championship loss to Kerry, Tailteann Cup group exit
Manager: Paul Kelly (first year in charge)
Prediction: Midtable seems most likely
Verdict 4th
Carlow
2023 league: Sixth in Division 4
2023 championship: Leinster preliminary round loss to Wicklow, Tailteann Cup quarter-final loss to Antrim
Manager: Niall Carew
Prediction: Carlow will want to be rising once more, but a steady season is more than likely in store
Verdict: 5th
Leitrim
2023 league: Fifth in Division 4
2023 championship: Connacht quarter-final loss to New York, Tailteann Cup group exit
Manager: Andy Moran (third year in charge)
Prediction: With doubts over the return of Keith Berine, it could be a long season for Andy Moran’s men if their talisman doesn’t return.
Verdict: 6th
London
2023 league: Eighth in Division 4
2023 championship: Connacht quarter-final loss to Sligo, Tailteann Cup group exit
Manager: Michael Maher (fifth year in charge)
Prediction: If London didn’t have to deal with such a turnover of players every year, you could make a case that they could win the division. However, with that not being a reality, they will be doing well to be competitive
Verdict: 7th
WATERFORD
2023 league: Seventh in Division 4
2023 championship: Munster quarter-final loss to Tipperary, Tailteann Cup group exit
Manager: Paul Shankey (first year in charge)
Prediction: With key players like Conor Murray gone travel and Brian Looby turning his attention to the hurlers, this could be a long season for All-Ireland winner with Meath Paul Shankey. It will be hard to see them match or beat their sole league win over London last year
Verdict: 8th
