Gaelic Football: End of season Power Rankings

1. Donegal

Who else? The newly crowned All-Ireland champions left no doubt this year as who was the best team in the country, beating recent champions Kerry, Cork and Tyrone along the way. Donegal have the perfect blend of physicality and footballing talent, and if they can stay hungry, there's no reason to think they won't repeat next September.

2. Mayo

As disappointing as Sunday's defeat was for Mayo, James Horan's men should be proud of the heart and resilience they displayed in fighting their way back into that game. Mayo should also take encouragement from the fact that they have been the most consistent team in the country this year. They've reached two national finals (NFL and All-Ireland), and with so many young players on board, the future is bright for the green and red.

3. Cork

The lasting image of Cork football in 2012 is not flattering one, and the manner of their defeat to Donegal raises serious questions about this team's future. Despite the way in which it ended though, Cork actually put together another excellent campaign. The Rebels were excellent en route to the National League title, and looked relatively comfortable dispatching Kerry in Munster. Cork remain one of the elite teams, though now more than ever before, their ability to win big games should come into question. This Cork team never managed to become the dominant force they could well have been.

6. Kerry

Yet another disappointing season for the Kingdom, as they were eliminated at the quarter-final stage for the second time in three years. Kerry will be back, as always, and they still possess some of the most naturally gifted footballers in the country, but there's a lot of work to be done if they're to really challenge next year. Kerry's weakness in midfield has continued to plague them, and though Bryan Sheehan had a successful campaign there in 2011, he can't match the kind of fielding exhibited by the likes of Neil Gallagher, or the physical presence of a Michael Dara-McAuley or Aidan O'Shea. Unless Kerry can solve this problem, they're going to struggle against the elite teams who funnel men back behind the ball.

5. Dublin

It may be only a year since their All-Ireland success, but after the season they've put in, it feels somewhat generous to rank Dublin this high. Dublin's tendency to rely too much on certain players (the Brogans in particular), and a distinct lack of focus saw them come back to earth with a crash. That said, Dublin still have a very good team and if they can improve they're discipline and shot selection they can be right back competing with the best of them next year.

6.  Down

Are Down really the sixth best team in gaelic football right now? They were a disaster against Mayo in the All-Ireland quarter-final, but other than that, it's been a decent year for the Mourne men. They produced a very solid league campaign, winning four of their seven games to qualify for the semi-final stage. In reaching the provincial final, the beat a resurgent Fermanagh and a good Monaghan side. A further win (against Tipperary) was sandwiched between dreadful defeats to Donegal and Mayo, but look where those two teams ended up. Down still have a ways to go, but they proved this year that they're closer to the 2010 All-Ireland runner-up team, than the Division 3 struggled of a few seasons ago.

7. Kildare

Kildare just seem to be a team that's already reached it's peak and missed their chance. What could have been if it was not for Benny Coulter's square-ball goal in 2010? In all likelihood, Kildare would have won the All-Ireland, McGeeney would have been hailed the way Jim McGuinness is now, and that Cork team would have been forever burdened with the proverbial monkey on their backs. Fast-forward two years, and Kildare just don't seem like they quite have enough anymore to compete at that top table. They had another strong league showing but were mugged by Meath in Leinster and their three championship wins came against teams (Cavan, Limerick and Sligo) that with all due respect, you would expect the Lilywhites to dispatch with ease. Look for this team to take further steps backward in 2013.

8. Laois

The O'Moore men had a mixed 2012. Back in Division 1, they struggled to compete and were ultimately relegated, though their two wins were something of a consolation. In the championship they were deservedly beaten by a game Longford team at the death, but responded well and put together a nice qualifier run, with wins over Monaghan and Meath a particular highlight.

9. Meath

Meath looked dead and buried at the end of the league -  relegated, embroiled in conflict over the manager, rumours of disquiet within in the squad, - but showed real progress as they year went on. The looked awful for much of the Leinster championship as well, struggling to beat Wicklow and needing a replay to overcome Carlow, but the Kildare match was a turning point. The performance against Dublin was encouraging and despite falling to Laois, this Meath team gave their supporters some hope again.

10. Tyrone

he manner of their defeat to Kerry was nothing short of humiliating and it's clear that Tyrone don't have the defensive presence that once brought them so much success. Nonetheless, they were good in the league, marching to the Division 2 title and the could well have beaten Donegal is Ulster had it not been for Paul Durcan's heroics. That said, Donegal were a different team then and the only truly began to blossom in the Ulster final. Tyrone went the opposite direction. They may have gleamed some sense of false hope from their comfortable win over a poor Roscommon side, but their destruction at the hands of Kerry will have left Mickey Harte with plenty to think about ahead of next year's campaign.

11. Sligo

Sligo will look back on 2012 as another missed chance of a Connacht title. After a fine league campaign the Yeat's men were unlucky to miss promotion by a whisker. They had a good win over Galway in the Connacht semi-final and pushed Mayo (who couldn't buy a score that day) to the wire. Losing so handily to Kildare was disappointing, but Sligo are better than that and they've shown in recent years that they can put it up to anyone on their day. I still think Sligo look like the primary challengers for Mayo's Connacht crown in 2013.

12. Galway

The disappointing losses to Sligo and Antrim that signalled the end of Galway's 2012 season will still leave a bitter taste in the Tribesmen's mouthes, but all in all, it's been a much improved year for Galway football. Looking to build for the future, Galway introduced a number of players from last year's All-Ireland U-21 winning team onto this year's senior panel. The achieved great success in the National League, missing out on a place in the final only by virtue of a late penalty against Kildare. The dismantled a then fancied Roscommon team in Hyde Park in the Connacht championship, and while they have some way to go, Galway are very much still on the rise.

13. Wexford

For the third year running, it was a case of whats should have been for Jason Ryan's men, as they let yet another chance to beat Dublin slip away. After an excellent league campaign, and a hard-earned win over Longford (extra-tim after a replay), it was another crushing blow for a team that should have won a couple of Leinster titles by now, but just can't seem to get over the line. The qualifier defeat to Tipperary was typical of Wexford team that's not been fond of the back door.

14. Tipperary

Following on from last year's All-Ireland minor success, Tipperary's senior footballers gave the county a lift with a nice qualifier run this summer. The year began in disappointing fashion for Tipp who were desperately poor in the Division 3 and duly relegated. The stepped it up in time for the championship though, competing reasonably well with Kerry and embarking on a qualifier run that saw them beat Offaly, Wexford and Antrim, before gamely falling to a superior Down side in Round 4.

15. Longford

Longford were one of the biggest surprise packages in gaelic football this year and can be justly proud of the improvements they have made. Winning Division 3 of the NFL was a huge achievement for a county starved of success. They carried that form into the championship and were well worth their win over a fancied Laois in the first round. Longford gave Wexford all they could handle and probably should have beaten them twice (in the drawn game and the replay) but ultimately the Slaneysider's experience won out. Beating Derry in the qualifiers was deserved milestone for this team, though they'll be desperately disappointed they couldn't push on against Limerick. It will be interesting to see how Longford fare in Division 2 next season.

16. Westmeath

Westmeath had another good if unspectacular year. The Lake county achieved stability in Division 2, recording three wins - arguably their number one goal this year after earning promotion from Division 3 last season. Westmeath suffered a devastating last gasp defeat to Louth in Leinster but made good on that disappointment when the gained revenge on the Wee county in qualifier action. Westmeath ultimately fell at the hands of Kerry, but they gave the Kingdom a scare, and can look at 2012 as postive progression on from last summer.

17. Monaghan

Monaghan are yet another example of a team that seems to have peaked a couple of years ago, and missed it's chance to pick up some silverware. The Farney men are by no means a bad team though. Admittedly, they struggled mightily during the National League and their relegation to Division 3 leaves them further down the ladder than they've been in quite some time, but their championship form was reasonably good. Beating Antrim was no mean feat, and the went right to the wire with Down in the Ulster semi-final. How well they might have handled Donegal is debatable, but Monaghan's performance in Ulster was admirable nonetheless. In the qualifiers they succumbed to a surging Laois team that was building momentum through a long back-door run.

18. Antrim

Antrim pulled of arguably the shock of the year when they beat Galway in the qualifiers, a result that undoubtedly ranks as the stand-out moment during another good year for Antrim football. The county has seen a marked improvement in their footballing pedigree over the last five years or so, and while they didn't really progress as such this year, Antrim are establishing a stable base for themselves. They showed in the National League that they can score goals, netting eleven of them, and were unlucky not to gain promotion,

19. Louth

For the Wee county, the championship may have ended in disappointment, but there were some positives to pick out in a mixed year for Louth football. The most important task for Louth at the beginning of this year would have been to preserve their Division 2 status after achieving promotion in 2011. This they did, picking up two wins, and a pair of draws along the way. The championship began on a high note with a thrilling victory over Westmeath but Dublin were quick to wipe the smiles from Louth faces, registering a comfortable victory in Croke Park. Losing to Westmeath in the qualifiers will seem like a step backwards for Louth supporters but given that they'll be playing Division 2 football next spring, Louth can still continue to improve.

20. Derry

After coming so close to an Ulster title last July, big things were expected from Derry this year, beginning with a challenge for the the NFL Division 2 title. Instead they found themselves in a dogfight to avoid relegation (from which the barely emerged with their Division 2 status intact). In the Ulster championship, things only got worse for the Oak Leaf county as Donegal tore them asunder en route to a dominant 10-point win. With their championship plans in tatters, Derry travelled to Longford, where the home side duly put them out of their misery. It's been an awful year for a Derry team that has struggled more than any other over the last decade, to find consistency. Not so long ago, a similar problem plagued Donegal. Derry have the footballers to be a whole lot better than this, and if they can get themselves together, this group could easily rise 10 spots next year.

21. Armagh

Ten years on from the county's lone All-Ireland victory, and Armagh football is at as low an ebb as I can ever remember. Their National League campaign was disappointing and their resultant relegation somewhat inevitable. In Ulster, they proved no match for a Tyrone team that we now know to be clearly past it's heyday, and the defeat to Roscommon was nothing short of an embarrassment. Like Derry, Armagh is a county clearly not getting the most of out the players they have, though they probably don't possess as talented footballers as Derry do. It's going to take something special to turn this team around before the return to Division 2 next spring.

22. Limerick

With Cork and Kerry on the same side of the draw in Munster this past year, the onus was on Limerick to march through to meet one or other in the final. Their ensuing defeat to Clare in the Munster semi-final is ultimately the game that mattered, and the one we'll all remember, from 2012. After the progress of 2011 (finally reaching Croke Park for an All-Ireland quarter-final), it was very disappointing to see Limerick failing to kick on in this year's National League. Playing in Division 4, the Treaty men really should have been able to gain promotion, so failing to do so was a let down. In the championship, their only significant result was a qualifier victory over Longford after extra-time, but given that Longford had just gone the whole hog in their battle with Wexford the week before, even this result loses some validity.

23. Roscommon

Another year on, and a Roscommon team that once seemed ready to be a consistent force in Connacht again, is very clearly the fourth best team in province. This year's National League campaign was decent, but despite winning four games, the Rossies missed out on promotion and they need that higher level of competition if they're to develop this team. For Roscommon, the number one goal next year should be a good National League performance and gaining promotion to Division 2. They'll always have at least an outside chance of a Connacht title anyway. Roscommon supporters will be hoping that some of the players from this year's excellent U-21 crop can make the leap. The only worry is that with so many holes to fill, some of these players could be thrown in at the deep end. Roscommon did pick themselves up from the Galway defeat and showed great spirit to come from behind to beat Armagh, but they've still a long way to go.

24. Cavan

Despite recording only two wins in Division 3, 2012 has been a year of improvement for Cavan. The wins they got in the league were enough to see them stave off relegation and retain Division 3 status for another year. In the Championship, they battled gamely against Donegal before eventually succumbing to a six-point defeat, but Cavan picked themselves up well to record a nice win over Fermanagh in qualifier action. Round 3 was not so pleasant, with Cavan on the end of a a very heavy defeat to Kildare, but there are reasons to be positive about this team. I can't get much worse than it had been in recent years for the them, and the influx of more of the 2011 U-21 team will make a marked difference next season.

25. Clare

With Kerry and Cork both on the opposite side of the draw, Clare knew that this year they would have a real chance to reach their first Munster football final in twelve years, and they did just that with an exciting win over a heavily favoured Limerick side. This came on the back of an excellent league campaign that included six wins, though the Banner were desperately disappointed to miss out on promotion to Wicklow. Heavy defeats should not take the gloss of what has been an excellent year for Clare. Gaining promotion from Division 4 next year is essential though.

26. Wicklow

What a year Wicklow were having, until Leitrim upset that party on that Saturday evening in Páirc Seán MacDiurmuida. In their first year without Micko, Wicklow finally achieved what they could not manage for so long - promotion from Division 4. In many ways, nothing else that happened this year matters. Competing in a better Division next year should be a massive boost for a Wicklow team that has been improving in recent years and has shown the ability to take the odd championship scalp. The next step for Wicklow is to avoid relegation next spring and try and firmly establish themselves as a Division 3 team going forward. The Championship had it's bright moments for Wicklow this summer too. They gave a good account of themselves against Meath, and picked up a nice win against Waterford. The Leitrim game was disappointing for a number of reasons, not least that Wicklow would have fancied their chances of upsetting Laois in the next round, but it's still been a very positive year for them.

27. Fermanagh

Through most of the spring, Peter Canavan's first year at helm couldn't have gone any better for Fermanagh. They stormed through the National League, winning 7 out of their 8 games (they drew with Limerick) to gain promotion. In the final against Wicklow, the Erne men, just failed to show up and the Garden County took full advantage, in what was an anti-climatic end to Fermanagh's fine league campaign. The Championship brought Fermanagh further back down to earth, and though the games were competitive for long spells, both Down and Cavan ultimately beat them comfortably. Division 3 football next year will make a big difference and you can expect Fermanagh to be in better shape for Championship 2013.

28. Leitrim

For the smaller counties, just a single win here or there, can mean that much more, and for Leitrim, 2 championship victories in a single year, undoubtedly constitutes a success. After a decent league run (W4, L4), Leitrim had the tricky assignment of travelling to Ruislip to play London. Given that Mayo needed extra-time to escape the English capital in 2011, many felt this could be London's day, but the Leitrim boys obviously weren't listening - they emerged victorious by the narrowest or margins. The semi-final against Mayo was not so pleasant. Leitrim hung with them early on, but once Andy Moran slotted home Mayo's first goal, it was game over and the floodgates opened soon after. Leitrim did will to get themselves together for the qualifiers, and a beating Wicklow the next day out was most certainly the highlight of their year. They gave Laois scare in Round 3 aswell, but fell short by two points 1-11 to 1-13.

29. Carlow

Carlow, like Wicklow are a team that's struggled to make the leap from Division 4 up to Division 3, despite showing some promise in Championship action. It was more of the same from the Barrow men this season though, with their league form underwhelming. Winning only three out of eight games in Division 4 is just not very good. In the championship, Carlow had more success. The gave Meath and torrid time and deservedly earned a replay, though they were hammered the second time out. The qualifier draw pitted them against Laois, and again they gave a good account of themselves before come up short.

30. Offaly

What has happened to Offaly football? I know many may not agree with me ranking Offaly so low, but I just can't justify placing them above any of the teams above who have at least shown some desire to win/improvement. Offaly were awful in Division 3 this year and it's no surprise to see them back in Division 4 once again. Against Kildare in Leinster, they were torn asunder, and the surrendered meekly to Tipp in the qualifiers. There's a lot of work to be done to get Offaly back anywhere near the standards tradition sets for them.

31. London

London would have been hoping for a substantial improvement this year, after dragging Mayo through extra-time in Ruislip last summer, but for the most part, that failed to materialise. In the league, London recorded just one win and a draw from eight games. In the championship, the Exiles gave a better account of themselves, scrapping with both Leitrim and Antrim to the bitter end, though in both cases they came up narrowly short.

32. Waterford

Having been relegated from Division 3 in 2011, Waterford would have been among the favourites to win promotion back up, coming into this year. Their promotion challenge however, failed to materialise and they ended the league campaign with a disappointing 3 wins from 8 games. In Munster, the produced an awful showing against Limerick who beat them by 11 points. The qualifiers weren't much kinder to Waterford supporters, as their team crashed out of Championship 2012, suffering a 5-point defeat to lowly Wicklow.

33. New York

There's only one game a year for New York, and 2012 was not one of the better ones, as they suffered a 27-point defeat at the hands of Sligo.

34. Kilkenny

Bringing up the rear, and they probably will be for a long-time yet. Kilkenny had yet another wretched year, conceding 26-195 in just eight league games - that's an average of 34.13 points conceded per game. On the other end, they managed only 3-25 (6 of Division 4's nine teams put at least that much past Kilkenny in a single game), - that's a meagre 4.25 points scored per game. Enough said. 

Donegal take command of the race for Sam

Donegal established themselves as a firm favourites for the All-Ireland title with a resounding win over a favoured Cork side at Croke Park last Sunday. Yes, there is still football yet to be played in this years Championship, but is hard to imagine how Mayo or Dublin, on current form can break down the interpretable wall that is Donegal's defence. Cork, with arguably the best group of forwards in the country, succeeded for spells, but ultimately they too were revoked. Dublin got over the line last year because Donegal couldn't get the scores to put them away, but that won't be the case of those two meet again in four weeks time. Dublin have regressed hugely from last year, and they would be ideal fodder for a Donegal team which lives off frustrating its opponents - something which the Metropolitans are easily susceptible to.

One of the more nonsensical points of debate which has arisen in the last couple of days, is the claim that Donegal don't possess the same natural footballing talent that other elite counties do, and that their success is purely down to hard work and the discipline imposed on the squad by manager Jim McGuinness. This suggestion was first made by Tom Carr on RTÉ Radio's 'Take Your Point' on Sunday evening, and again was a topic of conversation on 'Drivetime Sport' yesterday. Personally I think such a suggestion lacks substance and is totally unfair to the Donegal team. Donegal may employ a defence-first style of play, but this doesn't mean that they don't play good football. Some of Donegal's play last Sunday, particularly the speed at which the moved from defence to attack, was superb. Colm McFadden is one player in particular who has been singled out as a beneficiary of the system he plays in, though he is now tied as the top scorer in this season's Championship with 3-28 to his name. Admittedly his tally has been bolstered by the fact that he's Donegal's free taker, but most of top-scorers each year have had that same boost to their numbers. McFadden has struggled with his consistency in the past, but every player does at some point. Look at Bernard Brogan over the last two years. Has he really been a consistently stellar performer? Certainly he hasn't played up to the hype that sponsors, pundits and supporters alike still attach to him. The bottom-line, you don't become such a prolific scorer at inter-county level unless you're a really talented player. Michael Murphy is another interesting case. If anything he's taken a lesser role than his talent demands, for the betterment of the team. He's scored much less in the last couple of years and instead has done much of the donkey-work, winning the ball to create scoring opportunities for others. In defence, Donegal's strength is definitely based on team work and determination, but it's unfounded to suggest that those players are not good footballers. Karl Lacey won an All-Star before McGuinness ever came along, and he continues to be the most key player for Donegal now. I find it very hard to believe that Dublin would have come back to beat Donegal in last year's semi-final had Lacey not missed most of the second half through injury.

It will be interesting to see over the coming months what the fallout from this loss will be like for Cork football. I think Sunday's defeat in many ways, will come to define how we look back on this Cork team in future. They'll always be a team that should have won more. At first, there was the alleged 'Kerry stigma'. Cork could always beat the Kingdom in Munster, but Kerry in Croke Park was different animal, and one that the Rebels couldn't tame. The won their All-Ireland in a year when Kerry and Tyrone had begun to decline, and Dublin were not yet ready. Last year they were taken down by a gallant if not spectacular Mayo side, and last Sunday they went down looking helpless and broken. This is Cork team that promised so much more. They've been consistenly superb in the league and Munster championship, and brought a size and physicality to the game that no other county could boast. Cork should have been the dominant force in football over the last five years, particularly given the lack of stand-out teams competing. Last year was a riveting Championship, in terms of entertainment, and Dublin's heroics gave the GAA a needed boost, but they were arguably the weakest team to win an All-Ireland in 20 or 25 years. The last few years could have been a dominant era for Cork football with 3 All-Irelands to supplement their league titles, instead this team will forever be looked upon as one that could have been truly great, but never managed achieve it's lofty potential.

Donegal v Cork (a short preview)

For the second year in a row, the four provincial champions have qualified for the All-Ireland semi-finals, with Donegal and Cork kicking off the action this afternoon. In many ways, I think this match-up looks to be the 'real' final, as either of these teams looks superior to Dublin and Mayo.

The key for Cork to winning this game will be how they attack Donegal's relentless defence.  Given the physical presence that Cork will bring to the game, I think their best weapon will be to to run at the Donegal defence with pace, and move the ball quickly. If Cork do this, they can put the Tír Conaill men on the back foot and they'll force Donegal to concede frees. The key really is to keep the ball moving, so the Cork forwards and wing-backs will need to work hard and show for possession constantly. That said, this would be an extremely difficult game plan to execute for the full 70 minutes, and I can't see Cork being able to sustain such intensity for the game's duration.

For Donegal, the big question is whether they can find enough scores to get over the line. I can't see Cork putting any more than 10 or 12 points past them, but they'll still need Colm McFadden and Michael Murphy to have big games. McFadden was superb against Kerry, but rather then being a reassuring sign, I find that somewhat worrying, as McFadden has struggled with consistency in the past, and two straight huge performances is a big ask. If Donegal are to create enough scoring chances to win, they'll have to at least break even at midfield. This is no small task, as Cork have so many physically intimidating players around the centre of the park. Aidan Walsh is arguably the best midfielder in the country, and with either Alan O'Connor and Nicholas Murphy alongside him, Cork should win the battle there. Donegal's best hope of competing in midfield is by sticking to short kick-outs and carrying the ball out of defence so as to bypass the Cork midfield.

Obviously, in a game such as this, a goal for either side would be an enormous game changer. If Donegal can get one, I think they'll be able to shut up shop and keep the Leesiders at bay, but without that goal, I see Donegal falling by a point or two in what will almost certainly be a scrappy, hard-fought match.

NBA Off-season Grades: Atlantic Division

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be publishing a series of blogs breaking down the NBA off-season, division-by-divsion, and assigning each team a grade based on the moves they've made. The is first such blog, and covers the Atlantic Division.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics have had a another good off-season and one which sets them up to remain a contender in the Eastern Conference for the coming year. The first and most pressing move, was to re-sign veteran forward Kevin Garnett. There had been some rumours suggesting Garnett was considering retirement but KG has ultimately decided to come back and give it two more years. With Garnett back, the Celtics looked to the draft to secure some front-court help for him. With the No. 21 pick in this year's draft, their choice of Jared Sullinger was a no-brainer. 'Sully', as Boston's fans are already calling him, was touted as a potential top ten pick before his stock dropped due to injury. He'll get plenty of minutes in Boston and can play an important role right away offensively. Look for Sullinger to get in the post and score with his back to the basket, - something which should help open up a Celtic's offense which struggled at times last season. Taking Fab Melo (who averaged only 7.8 ppg, and 5.7 rpg in college last season), with the No. 22 was not such a bright move. I understand the lure of any semi-skilled big guy late in the first-round, especially given the Celtic's current big man rotation, but Melo just seems like a major red flag to me. I'll be shocked if he's still in the rotation by December. The Celts also re-signed Brandon Bass, who earned his contract with a very solid showing last year.

On the perimeter, Boston made two significant moves. First, they let go of Ray Allen, replacing him with Jason Terry, and then they re-signed Jeff Green, who sat out last season with a heart condition. Both of these signings seem like good moves to me. Allen's time in Boston had clearly come to an end, and Terry should prove a more that capable replacement. He's not the shooter that Allen is, but he's a much better ball-handler and can create his own shot. Alongside Rondo and Avery Bradley, Terry gives the Celtics an excellent three-man guard rotation. Green can also be a significant contributor if he's healthy. He didn't have the best of times during his first few months in Boston, but Green has good upside is certainly over-qualified to back up Paul Pierce. He'll mostly play the three but could see plenty of time at power-forward too if the Celtics want to play a small-ball line-up.

Grade: A-

Brooklyn Nets

It looks like Brooklyn won't be welcoming Dwight Howard any time soon. Instead Deron Williams' supporting cast will be led by Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez, and Gerald Wallace. Let's start at the top. Re-signing Williams was a huge move. This should guarantee relevancy for the Nets for the duration of his contract, providing they can maintain a decent team around him. Something that admittedly seems highly questionable. The Joe Johnson trade was a good move. The Nets gave up a platter of role players and bad draft picks, and landed an All-Star guard, who'll be a great fit next to Williams. The question marks I have over Brooklyn's off-season centre around the Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez contracts. Wallace is a super athletic energy guy, and a great perimeter defender, but he's thirty now, and the track record for players like him at that age isn't inspiring. The four-year forty-million dollar deal the Nets gave him is ludicrous, and  no doubt they'll regret it year or two down the line. The Lopez contract is more debatable. Brook is a quality scoring big - a kind of player that's rare in the NBA. That said, Lopez missed most of last season through injury and he's not an elite rebounder, averaging only 7.5 boards per game for his career. A max. contract seems a stretch and I think it's a big gamble as Brooklyn will struggle to trade him if things don't work out.

The Nets made some nice moves to fill out their roster, adding CJ Watson to be their back-up point guard, and re-signing Kris Humphries. Mirza Teletovic is another guy who could make an impact.

Grade: C+

New York Knicks

Where do I start? It's been a strange off-season for the Knicks, with the most obvious example being the Jeremy Lin debacle. In Lin's place the Knicks have a point-guard rotation of Jason Kidd, Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni. Hardly inspiring stuff. Kidd is way past his prime and should really only be playing a back-up role. Felton is much more of an enigma. He played his best basketball for the Knicks two seasons ago, but has faded remarkably since the Carmelo Anthony trade, culminating in last season's shameful campaign in Portland. Can MSG re-ignite Felton? If so it was a good trade for the Knicks, and he'll be a solid starter. Knicks fans will also be hoping Felton can help get Amare Stoudamire engaged again. The duo ran the pick-and-roll to perfection a couple of years ago, but that was Mike D'Antoni's system, and this is Mike Woodson's. Prigioni was impressive for Argentina in the Olympics, but he likely won't play much for the Knicks - barring injury. That said, he looks more than capable of filling in when called upon. Adding Ronnie Brewer will help shore up their perimeter defense until Shumpert gets back, and he's an excellent value acquisition at the vet. min.

Up-front the Knick's added veteran depth with Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas, ironically the only remaining active NBA players from the 1999 Knicks team that made the finals as an eighth-seed. Thomas has shown he can still be a great 5th big man, and Camby's size continues to make him an effective player, though he's well into the twilight of his career. New York rounded out it's roster by re-signing J.R. Smith and Steve Novak. So, as you can see, it's been a somewhat tumultuous off-season for New York, and we haven't even mentioned the Steve Nash stakes.

It's very hard to know how these moves will effect the Knicks ability to contend next year, until we see how they co-exist on the floor. On paper, I certainly think New York has improved but they desperately need one of their point guard options to prove themselves worthy of the starting job. The elephant in the room, of course is Amare Stoudamire's seeming decline. If they can get Amare back to full health, and playing in tandem with 'Melo, the sky's the limit. If not, the Knicks are probably locked into four year of mediocrity given their salary cap situation.

Grade: C

Philadelphia 76ers

The biggest off-season move for Philadelphia is, of course, the recent arrival of Andrew Bynum from LA, as part of the four-team Dwight Howard trade. I broke down this trade shortly after it happened, and outlined why I feel it benefits Philly:

1. Bynum is the second best center in the NBA, and has the potential to be a franchise player.
2. His contract only has a year remaining so if injuries/maturity issues derail him, the Sixers can cut their losses and clear cap-space.
3. If things work out, Bynum is a local guy and would probably be open to re-signing with Philadelphia.
4. Most importantly: Boom or Bust, he will help the Sixers avoid the dreaded NBA middle ground

Bynum change's everything about the way Philadelphia will set up it's offense next season. Post-ups constitute 54.6% of Bynum's possessions (according to Synergysports.com). The Sixers will need use their perimeter players wisely to take advantage of the double teams Bynum will draw inside. With Elton Brand gone, Thaddeus Young should assume the starting power forward role, as he would be an ideal fit next to Bynum because of his ability to stretch the floor.

Other notable off-season moves for Philadelphia include singing Nick Young and trading for Dorell Wright. Both guys can shoot the ball, and they'll be valuable pieces for Philly. Kwame Brown's signing seemed ominous only a week ago, but given the new circumstances with Bynum's arrival, I've come around on that one. Brown is much maligned because he was a number one draft pick, and never lived up to expectations, but he's still a good player and a great guy to have coming off the bench. Re-signing Spencer Hawes seems a bad piece of business now, but the Sixers couldn't have predicted Bynum falling into their laps, so the Hawes contract is somewhat forgivable. Look for him to be on the move before the trade deadline if Philly can find a taker.

Grade: B+

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors are another team who have had quite a turnover this off-season. They'll have an infusion of young talent next year, with Jonas Valunciunas arriving, as well their three draft choices from this year. Terrence Ross seemed like a reach with the No. 8 pick, but he should still be a good player and he'll be able to contribute. Quincy Acy, who they snagged with the No. 37 pick is another athletic young player who has some upside.

The real prize of the summer for Toronto though, is Kyle Lowry. Given the quality of point-guard play in the NBA right now, having a good point man is fast becoming essential. Lowry is just that. With Lowry on the perimeter, and Bargnani and Valunciunas inside, the Raptors have made big strides forward ahead of the coming season. Landry Fields is another new addition who could make an impact. The Raps overpaid for Fields to try and tie up New York's unsuccesful Steve Nash bid, but he is a good player and if he can regain the form of his rookie season, he could yet be worth the dollars. Toronto filled out it's roster with former Bulls John Lucas III and Aaron Gray, two perfectly fine, if likely unimportant, back-ups.

Grade: B

Howard saga finally at an end?

Somewhere in London this morning, Kobe Bryant will be waking up with a wide smile on his face. Dwight Howard looks set to be wearing the famous purple and gold of the Los Angeles Lakers when the new NBA season opens at the end of October. Nothing is yet official, but ESPN and league sources have been strongly indicating through the press that a deal is done that will see the controversial center traded to the Lakers. The final deal looks set to be a four-team trade in which the Lakers will receive Howard and Earl Clark, the Sixers will receive Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson, the Nuggets get Andre Iguodala, and the Magic will end up with Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Mo Harkless and a 1st round pick from each team, as well as a 2nd-round pick belonging to Golden State.

How is it that Lakers always have this uncanny ability to re-invent themselves? Just when one era of Laker history is ending, the next one seems to begin. In the fifties there was Mikan and Pollard. In the sixties West and Baylor led the way. Wilt Chamberlain arrived in 1972. Before long Kareem was in town and he and Magic were running 'Showtime'. Only five year passed between Magic's last hurrah in the 1991 finals, and the arrival of Shaq and Kobe ahead of the 1996/97 season. After Shaq left, Gasol soon arrived. Now they have Howard and Nash to help prolong Kobe's championship window yet again. It's a truly remarkable tradition, one that only the Celtics could boast to equal.

Traditions and history will be written later though. The 'Big Four' Lakers may be the natural successors to the past dynasties, but they'll have to earn their place in Lakers lore on the court. It's hard to imagine a seamless transition. This Lakers outfit will stutter at times during the season as they adjust to a new style of play. If they're to maximise Nash's effectiveness, Kobe is going to have to share the ball more. He'll also need to show greater trust in his big men, - and Howard will have to earn that trust just as Bynum did last season. Kobe's scoring is going to drop of slightly - how could it not, playing with three other potential All-Stars - but he'll also use less possessions. I still think Kobe will score twenty or twenty-five a night, but he'll do so more efficiently with the open looks Nash and Howard can create for him. The Lakers were a solid, if not elite, defensive team last season, but Howard's arrival will vault them into the top tier. Howard's defensive presence inside will do much to negate the matador defense of the ageing Nash, and Kobe should have more energy to expend on offense, knowing that Dwight will be covering his back. Potentially Howard's biggest contribution will be how he helps the Lakers spacing. He'll draw double teams every time he posts-up, leaving Nash and/or Kobe wide open on the perimeter. The next challenge for the Lakers should be to find vet. minimum players who shoot the three to fill out their roster. Carlos Delfino could be one such option? Leandro Barbosa has also been linked with LA, and though he's more of a slasher than a shooter, the Brazilian would be a steal for the vet. min. and could play a sixth man role off the bench.

This trade is not just about the Lakers though. It will have a profoud effect on the fate of all four franchises involved. For Philadelphia, it seems a steal to me. They had been trying to trade Iguodala for much of the last two years. Netting Bynum for him was somewhat of a coup for them. Bynum doesn't look like he'll sign an extension so it'll be a wait and see scenario for Philly but it's a gamble worth taking. If Bynum stays and can continue to develop upon last year's dominance, they could build a contender with him and Evan Turner at the forefront. If Bynum leaves, the Sixers will likely drop back into the lottery and acquire better draft picks. Either way, this is Philly's best chance of avoiding the dreaded NBA middle ground. For Nuggets, this trade is somewhat more perplexing. Iguodala is a fine player for them, to acquire, but he plays the same position as Danilo Galinari and is not a major upgrade over Arron Afflalo, who they shipped out in this deal. Denver also gave up a number one pick, which really make me wonder is this deal one the Nuggets will regret in a few years time. A play-off berth and a spirited first round exit still seems the best case scenario to me, for this Denver team. As for Orlando, they come away with little more than a bitter taste in their mouths after arguably the most tumultuous year in franchise history. Arron Afflalo is a nice piece going forward and they'll have plenty of draft picks, albeit middle to late first-rounders. Orlando's best hope is that this team gets really bad, really quickly, so that they can get some quality picks are re-stock in the lottery, ala New Orleans this past season.

What an incredibly unpredictable off-season this has proven to be - one that has totally changed the landscape of the NBA for the coming years. There now look to be three outstanding title contenders - Miami, Oklahoma, and the Lakers - as well as a chasing pack that retains hope - Chicago, Boston and San Antonio. The coming season looks set to be one of most exciting in league history. Remember how great 2010-11 was before the lockout ruined all that momentum? It's time for the NBA to pick up where it left off and remind us all why it's the most exciting professional sports league around.

Olympic Basketball group stages draw to a close

The group stages of the men's basketball competition at these 2012 Olympic games have been completed, with eight teams now advancing to the medal rounds, while China, Great Britain, Tunisia and Nigeria go home. None of the major teams have been eliminated yet, but that's not to say that these group stages haven't thrown up their fair share of surprises. Let's look at each team one by one, and break down their performance so far, and their prospects of further progress in London.

Argentina

Argentina looked solid, if not particularly threatening while qualifying comfortably from the group stage. The Argentines are old heads at major international competitions such as this one, and they know how to pace themselves in the early rounds. That said, they'll need to reach a level of performance we haven't yet seen from them at these games if they're to overcome the challenge of South American rivals Brazil in tomorrow's quarter-final. The Argentinians have been superb offensively, as might have been expected with Ginobili and Scola leading the way. The NBA veterans are each averaging 20 ppg, and accounting for the bulk of the team's scoring, but most impressive has been the way in which they've created their scoring opportunities. They rank second in the tournament in assists to point ratio, which is testament both to their excellent ball movement and the quality play of new Knick's point guard, Pablo Prigioni.

Australia

From Day 1, the battle in group B seemed likely to boil down to achieving a top-three finish, and thus avoiding a likely quarter-final against the USA. It was Australia who drew the short straw. They just didn't have enough to stand out in the group round and looking back now, just getting this far and holding off a determined Team GB has been a solid achievement. Patty Mills, of course, has been the star of the show, and regardless of the result against USA, Mills buzzer-beating heroics against Russia will live long in Boomers fan's memories.

Australia's problem has been that they don't have anyone capable of stepping up and helping Mills out. If USA continue show the lack of focus they've sometimes exuded thus far, then the Aussie might run with them for a half, but ultimately, they've way to contain USA's multi-dimensional offensive, while the States will be more than capable of shutting Mills down should the game get close. The quarter-final exit will be surely be viewed with major disappointment by some down under, but realistically, it's probably been as much as they could hope for, especially without Andrew Bogut.

Brazil

Brazil have been the surprise package of this tournament, overcoming the favoured Spain, en route to second place in group B. The Brazilian's started off with two solid, if not outstanding wins over Australia and Great Britain, and despite losing by a single point against Russia, continued to build momentum. The culmination of this was an excellent win over Spain yesterday.

Brazil's success has come about through their ability to be versatile and play a team game. They've had different players step-up in each game and make the difference. Barbosa has been their main scorer thus fair, but he'still averaging less than 16 ppg, and they've relied on Tiago Splitter, Nene, and Marcelinho Huertas top step up at different times. Defensively, they've done a great job of bullying their opponents in the paint, and are far and away, the best overall defensive team in the tournament so far, allowing just 69.8 ppg. This has been largely due to stellar defence from Anderson Varejao, and the intimidating size of Splitter and Nene. On the offensive end, the have been scoring with efficiency, something which they'll need to continue, if they're to take further scalps at these games. Marcelinho Huertas has been revelation at the point, doing a great job of finding his team mates in scoring positions, to the tune of a tournament-leading 6.2 asssists per game.

Next up for Brazil, are old rivals Argentina, in what should prove to be a fascinating encounter. Argentina have dominated this match-up for the last decade and a half, and will be favourites once again, but I see Brazil putting it up to them, and I think the Samba boys will pull through. That said, if Brazil are to push on and really challenge for a medal at this games, they're going to need someone to step up and be that go to guy who'll score 20 or 25 points in a big game. I had thought before the tournament that Nene could fill this role, but thus far I've been frustrated by his passiveness. Instead, Brazil will likely rely on Barbosa or Huertas to make things happen on offensive, and against superior defences I think they'll struggle mightily. I still believe they'll have enough to see off an ageing Argentina, but, without a dominant takeover scorer, they'll likely fall short of a bronze medal.

China

For Chinese basketball, these Olympic games were not merely a disappointment, they were a total embarrassment. The Chinese team may not have been expected to medal, or even reach the knock-out stages, but no one really expected them to be this bad, and to play with so little fire or determination. When the going got tough, China rolled over. This was certainly epitomised in their final group match when they were convincingly beaten by a GB team missing Pops Mensah-Bonsu, and which sat Luol Deng for much of the game. There really were no positives for China to take home, and the performances paint a very bleak picture of the state of basketball in Asia.

In fact when you consider how much China, and - to a lesser extent - Tunisia struggled at these games, it becomes even harder to fathom why far superior teams like Greece, Italy and Serbia were not at these games. I understand that FIBA wanted an Asian representative and China were Asian champions, but the Greeks are fourth in the world rankings and would have been a legitimate medal threat. The argument against Tunisia goes likewise. Some may ask why I exclude Nigeria and Great Britain in this discussion, but I think there is strong evidence to suggest that both of those nations were worthy of their places at these games. Nigeria fought through a tough qualifying competition to get here, and Great Britain worked extremely hard to build a competitive team. If there continues to be an insistence that only twelve teams may participate at the Olympics, then FIBA needs to reorganise the qualification process to ensure that the best teams are the ones competing. Whether that means, no Asian/African teams or not. Personally, I would be in favour of merely expanding the format to include 16 or 20 teams.

France

France have done what was expected of them at these Games so far. The comprehensively beaten by Team USA in their opening game, but have bounced back well, with victory over Argentina a particular highlight. Next up, are silver medal favourites Spain, and it's an enormous challenge for Tony Parker and Co. France have had a two-pronged approach throughout these Games with Parker and Nicolas Batum to the fore-front. Nonetheless, the French have struggled to put points on the board at times and their strength, surprisingly, has been on the defensive end, where they're in the top-five in points allowed, steals, and blocks. 

In terms of further progress, France have been handed a difficult, if not impossible task. The key to the game will be Kevin Seraphin's ability to slow down Pau Gasol. Seraphin has been really impressive on the defensive end in this tournament, making good use of his size to block shots. Gasol though, looks rejuvenated, and has been dominant. He's currently the tournament's leading scoring at 20.6 ppg (tied with Australia's Patty Mills), and will be the main threat for Spain. If Gasol gets going, Spain will use him as a decoy to draw double-teams and create open looks for their perimeter shooters. France will need to nullify, or at least limit Gasol, if they're to have a realistic shot of winning this next game. It'll be close, but I think Spain's depth will be enough and the French will fall just short, by 4 or 5 points.

Great Britain

Great Britain may be among teams eliminated from the tournament at the group stages, but for the hosts things really went as well as they could realistically have hoped for. In the end, they were knocked-out with a 1-4 record, but when you consider how close some of the games were, it could easily have been 3-2. Their solitary win came in the final game against China, but the highlight of these games for Britain must surely be the magnificent performance they produced to bring Spain to the wire, before eventually falling short by a single point. Luol Deng was masterful that night, - as he was throughout the competition - leading his team in every major statistical category with 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. We knew this British team was going to lack the talent of their more illustrious opponents, but they made up the difference with hustle and determination. By the end of group play, they had three players in the top-ten rebounding list, - Pops Mensah-Bonsu (7.2 rpg), Luol Deng (6.6), and Joel Freeland (6.6) -  more than any other nation. In the end, this kind of titanic effort was not enough to make up for their shortcomings in other departments. The key for GB really, was that aside from Deng, Freeland and Mensah-Bonsu, they had no one with the talent to step up and compete consistently at such a high level. Nonetheless, this has been a great tournament for Great Britain, and hopefully British Basketball will invest in a programme to build towards qualification in 2016, as BBC's John Amaechi has suggested. Basketball on the international level needs more teams who can compete in these major competitions and be competitive, and there's no reason why GB can't be on a par with the Italys and Germanys of the basketball world.

Lithuania

Progress has been mixed so far at these games for Lithuania. They were very disappointing in the defeats to France and Argentina, but they ran Team USA close than anyone else, and will be relieved to have beaten Nigeria and Tunisia to progress without too much trouble. Just qualifying for the next stage is a minor success for the Lithuanians when you consider that they were beaten by that same Nigerian team just over a month ago in the qualifying tournament in Caracas. Next the meet Russia, in an eastern European quarter-final showdown, and it's a match-up the Lithuanians will be relish. Certainly Russia must go in as favourites, but the Baltic nation won't fear their larger neighbour. Linas Kleiza will have to step up again for Lithuania, as he did against USA, if they're to cause Russia trouble. The Lithuanians are heavily relient on Kleiza for scoring, but thus far, he's averaging a slightly disappointing 15.8 ppg. Lithuania would love to see him back at the level he played at in the 2010 World Championships when scored 19 ppg. Those extra few points could easily be the difference between playing for a medal, and going home early. The Lithuanians will focus on playing an inside-outside game with Kleiza and Valunciunas to try and stretch the Russian defense and free up space for their perimeter players. This is easier said that done though. Russia are currently one of the best, if not THE best defensive teams remaining. They have  allowed only 71.8 ppg so far (second), and they lead the competition in Blocks per game, at an impressive 6. This is a testament to Russia's interior defense, and their ability to close off the paint to opposing attackers. Lithuania will need their jump shots to be falling early, if they're to open up that Russian defense and get some better looks at the rim. All in all, my greatest worry for Lithuania, is that they're good in all facets of the game, but this current team, is great in none. They lack a true star to carry the burden in crunch time, and their defense isn't at an elite level. If the draw was more favourable I might give them some hope, but I believe this Russian team is set for a medal, and I think they'll dispatch Lithuania will relative ease.

Nigeria

For Nigeria, the greatest success of these games was qualifying in the first place. They're heroic performances against Greece and Lithuania in Caracas won't be forgotten easily. The tournament itself though, has been somewhat of an anti-climax for the Africans. The opened the competition with a solid win over Tunisia but things deteriorated from there and disappointing defeats to Argentina and Lithuania sandwiched an 83 point humiliation at hands of the United States. Nigeria regained some pride in the final game when they showed impressive resolve to hang with France for most of the game, but their legacy at this tournament will forever be associated with that USA game. I think the next challenge for Nigeria now, is to get this same squad to compete at the next AfroBasket. The Aminus, and Ike Diogu did not play in 2011, and so it would be interesting to see could this current model of Nigerian basketball, could win an African Championship. With that would come an automatic place at next FIBA World Championships.

Russia

Arguably the most impressive team outside of USA thus far, Russia have established themselves as strong medal contenders heading into the knockout rounds.They've earned their wins with tough interior defensive, leading the tournament in blocks per game, while holding opponents to a meagre 71.8 points per game. Offensively, Russia may not have the same free-flowing offense or scoring ability as teams like USA, Argentina and Spain, but they've gotten by with efficient offense, moving the ball well, and when all else fails, relying on Andrei Kirilenko to bail them out.

Kirilenko has been magnificent at these games. As well as providing his usual elite, perimeter defense, Kirilenko has shouldered much of the scoring load for the Russians thus far, averaging 18.2 ppg and reminded NBA fans of why he was once an All-Star. Watching Kirilenko, and his compatriot Alexey Schved, at these games, must have Minnesota Timberwolves fans wishing the season could start tomorrow. Schved has looked great for Russia during the Olympics, and his ability to run the pick and roll in particular, will excite 'Wolves fans. If the Russian continue to click and perform the way have been doing, I think they're sure to bag a medal. If the progress past Lithuania, they'll likely face Spain in the semi-final, a game which, I give them every chance of winning on current form.

Spain

Despite qualifying comfortably from Group B, Spain have been one of the more disappointing performers at these games so far. They suffered two defeats (to Russia, and Brazil) and only just avoided a giant-killing upset against a valiant GB. Nevertheless, Spain have the talent and experience to turn it around. Pau Gasol has looked rejuvenated offensively and he's thrived in playing a bigger role than the Lakers afford him. He'll be the key man that France, and later Russia/Lithuania will need to stop if they're to send Spain home early.

Spain's biggest problem seems to be the point guard position. Their merry-go-round rotation has really struggled, and they miss Ricky Rubio more than we could have expected. Juan Carlos Navarro has looked shockingly over hill at times, and both Sergio Rodriguez and two-guard Rudy Fernandez have struggled shooting the ball. Spain have also struggled to figure out how to maximise their talent up front. Serge Ibaka has been the odd-man out as Pau and Marc Gasol have garnered most of the minutes at the four and five positions. With Spain's hopes of seriously challenging for the gold medal, so dependent on their ability to overwhelm USA upfront, they need to find out how to play that trio together, and fast. Despite their solid all round play and experience at this level, there has been something unerring about Spain's performances at these games. I think they'll have enough to see off France, but beyond that they'll need to improve. USA, Brazil, Russia and Argentina all look more impressive to me thus far, but Spain certainly have the most room to grow. They'll most likely improve and medal, but it's by no means the certainty it seemed before this tournament began.

Tunisia

Tunisia's debut Olympic appearance won't live long in the memory. They crashed out as expected, without a win. That doesn't tell the whole story though. Tunisia grew in strength as the tournament went on and gave a brave account themselves considering how much of a talent disparity they faced. They certainly equitted themselves better than the Chinese. Mejri and Benrhomdane in particular made an impact. Tunisia's goal now  will be to develop further as a basketball nation. They should set a target to retain they're AfroBasket crown, and build from the bottom up so that in the near future they'll be better equipped to compete on the global stage.

Cork in pole position as the race for Sam heats up

The All-Ireland semi-final pairings are set. Donegal will face Cork, while Mayo take on the defending All-Ireland champions, Dublin. So what did we learn from this past weekend about each of these teams, as we head towards the penultimate stage?

Cork re-asserted themselves with their victory over Kildare on Sunday, producing the kind of clinical performance we haven't seen from them since the early of the 2009 campaign. Cork won their All-Ireland in 2010 playing arguably the worst football we had seen from that team, but they seem to be back to their best now and they bring a physicality no other team can match. In many ways, I see Cork, when the play their game, as a better version of what Dublin are. Cork have the same size, strength and physicality to overpower their opponents, but they possess far more skilled footballers than Dublin. This balance is the key to why Cork will be All-Ireland favourites with most bookmakers this morning. Cork's strength in midfield is sets them apart from their challengers. Aidan Walsh is probably the best centrefielder in the country right now, and he showing again yesterday the impact he can have on a game. Cork showed a ruthlessness yesterday that they might have been lacking in the past, and if they continue to play with such confidence, it's difficult to see how any team might beat them.

Cork's next opponents, Donegal, were almost equally impressive in quarter-final action. For sixty-five minutes yesterday, Donegal gave a masterclass in how play defend, that Kerry supporters will have found eerily reminiscent of the Tyrone team of 2003. Despite that comparison, Donegal yesterday reminded me more of a different Tyrone vintage, with their overall performance. The 2005 class. That 2005 team, was Tyrone football at its zenith, playing a groundbreaking brand of football in which every man was an attacker when the team had possession, and every man was a defender when possession was lost. We saw flashes of such a style yesterday from Donegal, though they will need to produce a seventy-minute performance of that calibre if they're to see of Cork in the semi-final. Colm McFadden put in a masterful performance yesterday, and one which Donegal badly needed. McFadden struggled against Dublin in last year's semi-final, so it was nice to see him atone for that yesterday. Donegal will need him to be at his very best again the next day out. Despite the class Donegal showed yesterday, I do have a couple of major worries for them heading into the semi-final. In the final few minutes of yesterday's game, Kerry final exposed the one minor flaw in the Tír Chonaill men's defensive armour. Over the last two years, it's become abundantly clear that trying to play though the packed Donegal defence is a futile exercise. The will get men back in numbers and they do an incredible job of forcing turnovers. They way to beat them, is route one. When Kerry finally played long, high ball into Kieran Donaghy, they reaped the benefits. If Cork take heed of this, they could well cause the Donegal full-back line some serious problems. The second worry for Donegal, will be the physical presence that Cork bring to the game. Donegal have proven themselves to be one of the fittest teams in the country, with the relentless approach they take to every game. That said, they ran out of steam last year against Dublin, and this Cork team will inspire many of the same problems. Donegal may be a better team this year that last, but this Cork team are also a superior outfit to the Dublin one which won last year's Championship.

As for Dublin, I can't help but feel that they're living on borrowed time. They've flattered to deceive all year and seem to lack the hunger and determination which got them over the finish line - just about - last year. Bernard Brogan has gone back hugely since his Footballer of the Year season. He's no longer playing like a guy you can depend of for 4-6 points a game, and yet Dublin are still looking to him to fill that role. With Bernard misfiring, Dublin lack quality scoring forwards. Diurmuid Connolly cannot seem to stay on the field and continues to frustrate with his inconsistent play. Connolly has the potential to be one the best forwards in the country but he often seems to lack focus, and his discipline has of course, been an issue. The news that Alan Brogan may miss the semi-final is also very worrying given that he acts as Dublin's playmaker from the half-forward line. Without him, the Dubs will struggle to find scores, and Eoghan O'Gara is most certainly not the answer. In the backs, Dublin are strong and they won't make things easy for opposing forward lines, but they have been indisciplined at times, and the can't afford to give away too many frees against Mayo, as Cillian O'Connor is more than capable of taking full advantage. It will take a massive improvement from Dublin if they're to make their second successive All-Ireland final, but despite the negatives if mentioned, they are certainly capable of raising their game, especially at Croke Park. The semi-final will be the occasion that Bernard Brogan needs to step-up and really prove that he still warrants the hype that surrounds him.

Mayo on the other hand will go into the semi-final clash on the pack of an excellent display against Down. Mayo's attack was widely criticised after the Connacht final, but they did create plenty of chances against Sligo. The difference on Saturday was that Mayo made the most of those chances. I really like the Mayo midfield and this is where they're greatest strength lies. Aidan O'Shea is developing into a magnificent footballer, and for the most part, when he's on song, Mayo are flying. In the forward line, Alan Dillon remains one of the most underrated footballers in the country. He scores efficiently and is the kind of leader that some of Mayo's younger players need. The key for Mayo in the semi-final, will be how they cope with Dublin's physical presence. If they can get men behind the ball and frustrate Dublin, the champions will resort to pot-shots from long range. Mayo will need to play their strengths by running hard at the Dublin defence. As I mentioned above, Dublin's defenders are not the most discipline in the tackle at times, and if Mayo run at them they will earn score-able frees. I think this could be well be the difference at the end of the day.

No matter the outcomes, we're sure to see two quality semi-finals in the coming weeks. Donegal and Mayo always travel well for the big games, and there'll be hardly a person left in either county come throw-in of their respective games. Cork may be the favourites at this point, but this still looks to be the most wide open championship in years, and the best of it is still yet to come.