Donegal Are Completely Underestimated in All-Ireland SFC

Last year I thought the gap was closing in between Dublin and other teams but I think it’s foolish to read too much into their League campaign.

Dubs Never In Doubt
This year, it just didn’t seem as important to them as other years but there’s a lot to like about the way they’ve gone about things. Bringing Rory O’Carroll back into the fold is a shrewd move by Jim Gavin. The fact that Diarmuid Connolly come back into the squad is huge too. Dublin definitely deserve to be favourites.

I wouldn’t back them at 4/6 to win the All-Ireland though.

If big hitting punters do fancy Dublin, then wait until the end of July or start of August and at least you know at that stage that they have gone through the Super 8s. Like, how short are they going to get? There’s no way Dublin are going to be 1/4 approaching an All-Ireland semi-final if the likes of Mayo and Kerry are in it too.

Best of The Rest
Kerry are lacking an experienced leader. They do have a really good side but when it comes to the crunch and the big Super 8 clashes, are they going to have the mental stability to get through them? I think they will potentially dominate in a couple of years but 2019 is a year too soon.

Mayo have made giant strides in a very short space of time under James Horan. For me, they were contenders for relegation in Division 1 in the league and they ended up winning it. It was a terrific performance from them in the final. It was Aidan O’Shea’s best game in Mayo shirt for a long time.

Tyrone seem to be in transition and seem to have realised that they won’t win an All-Ireland in the style that they have been playing in the last three or four years. They’re kicking the ball more and keeping Mattie Donnelly and Cathal McShane. They have a presence in there and target men and it seems to be working for them.

Overpriced Underdogs
The one side that I’m convinced is overpriced in this year’s championship is Donegal. I’d be inviting punters to back them now at 22/1. I tipped them to get to the All-Ireland semi-finals and to win the competition outright in this week’s Racing Post.

They’re completely underestimated. They were very impressive in the Division 2 League final against Meath.

Michael Murphy was interchanging between between midfield, full-forward and centre-forward and Oisin Gallen has been a great find. He’s only 19-years-old and was terrific in the final. He’s a natural scorer and his ability to get crucial scores was a big factor in that final.

Of course, Paddy McBrearty is back in action after missing most of last season with a knee injury and he is going to be a huge boost for Donegal.

I think this Donegal team are every bit as good as the side that won the All-Ireland in 2012.

People forget that Donegal were the only team to give Dublin a proper game last year.

They tick all the boxes. I’m genuinely surprised that BoyleSports are offering 22/1 for them to win the All-Ireland! I also think the 15/8 about Donegal to reach the All-Ireland final is a great price.

Ulster
Of the other sides, I think Monaghan could win the Ulster Championship and I think Armagh are overpriced to reach the Super 8s at 4/1. It’s Ciaran McGeeney’s last throw of the dice. If he doesn’t do something with Armagh this year, I think we’ll see a new manager. They might surprise a few people this year.

I think Galway will struggle this year and have a lot of injury worries. I expect Mayo to win the Connacht Championship which could leave Galway on the back foot.