The Championship has finally kicked off and Mayo and New York started the party on Sunday last with a comfortable win after an early scare in the Bronx.

The New York trip got a lot of coverage in the papers prior to the game, which mainly was due to the lack of any other GAA action at the weekend and also due to the current economic climate. Quite a lot was made of the viability of this game and the cost to the teams involved (Û40,000 each by most estimates). My opinion of events like this and the London game are well known – I am heartily in favour of them as not only does it add an international dimension to the GAA but it also represents a vital opportunity for people in New York and London to connect with the GAA at a level that they might not otherwise be able to. And if you don’t believe me the picture on the RTE website accompanying the match report as well as hopefully at the bottom of the page tells its own story –what are those two famous Ballagh men talking about? Answers to the Mayo View on a postcard please!

Every year in every county there is a sense of expectation right up to the first outing of the year-at least Mayo can now expect up to June 20th at least! Because there can only be one winner each year every other county’s supporters leave the ground after their team’s defeat stating ‘That’s it-never again am I following that shower!’ But time marches on and before you know it, like JR and Sue Ellen, you end up back together to give it one more go! Dish Ear, as Pat Spillane would say, most pundits have already crowned either Kerry or Tyrone as All-Ireland Champions. This cosy consensus (and lazy journalism) is based on the fact that Jack O Connor is back managing Kerry and has a point to prove and that Tyrone are the only team that can beat Kerry on a big day. I know that this is probably rich coming from a Mayo supporter but any team is beatable on any given day. Just ask the Munster rugby team or indeed Mick O Dwyer (1982 edition). If we were to believe the pundits we should just play the Championship to the semi- final stage and just let Kerry and Tyrone play in the Big House in September for the Sam Maguire. But that wouldn’t be any fun so lets have a look and see if there are going to be any other contenders come September.

To Connacht, first of all and I cannot see anything other than a Mayo-Galway Connacht Final. The other 3 teams in the province could cause a shock or two in the qualifiers depending on who they draw but the loss of Emlyn Mulligan could prove disastrous for Leitrim. I think that Mayo’s best chance of progressing in the All Ireland series is as Connacht Champions, which I think they will be in Galway on July 19th. The Munster Final should be, on all known form, between Kerry and Limerick but I think it will be a Cork-Tipperary match up. John Evans (the next Kerry manager) has done an amazing job with Tipperary and their entire season has been based around peaking in June and July. Cork has their tails up after winning Division 2 and will always give Kerry a game in the Munster Championship. They should win Munster as well but I just can’t see them progressing after that because they seem to be only able to beat Kerry once a year! The back door system does them no favours at all.

I am tipping Kildare to be the surprise package in Leinster. Kieran McGeeney has finally got Kildare playing to a system that both he and the players are happy with. They also have the country’s leading scorer last year in John Doyle and with a fully fit Dermot Earley I expect them to beat Meath in the Leinster Final. Wha’ abou’ the Dubs I hear you cry? Dublin are the media’s perennial favourites, which is natural enough as most of the media are based in Dublin as well as most of the newspaper buying population. However, I think that Meath will catch them cold in the first round of the Leinster Championship and the qualifiers will offer Pat Gilroy’s men the road to redemption. On to Ulster and the most difficult of the 4 provinces every year. It is possible to make a solid case for at least 6 of the teams in the province especially as one of either Armagh or Tyrone will be knocked out at the first hurdle. Derry, Down, Donegal and Monaghan will all fancy their chances and even the other 3 will feel that they have at least a chance of reaching an Ulster Final, however, I feel that Monaghan and Donegal are the two teams that are under pressure to obtain a trophy of some description this year and I think that Monaghan are further down the road than Donegal so I’ll put the hex on them for Ulster!

In the good old days BQ (Before Qualifiers) if Mayo, Cork, Kildare and Monaghan were in the last 4 it would be considered a ‘soft’ All-Ireland – I couldn’t care less what texture it was as long as Mayo won it! However, I think that these 4 will be joined in the Quarter Finals by Dublin, Tyrone, Down and Kerry. After that it’s anyone’s guess – my heart says Mayo but my head says that Dublin or Tyrone will be swept to success in 2009 and fulfil their promise or confirm their greatness.

Just a quick note in relation to the Ballaghaderreen Teams – The Junior Championship kicks off on May 24th and The Mayo Senior Football Champions commence the defence of their crown on May 31st. Support is vital at this stage as, due to the redevelopment of the ground, all our games this year are away from home-see local press for details. Again many thanks again to all the clubs in the area, who are helping out Ballaghaderreen GAA, while the development works are taking place.

I see that the Roscommon View is thinking of retirement. It is hard to believe that it is 10 years ago that myself and the Rossie View went to Mc Hale Park to see Mayo play New York on a Saturday evening and to hear the immortal words ‘For the first time in 32 years on Irish soil Ladies and Gentlemen Please stand for the Star Spangled Banner’. We made a point of arriving early that day as we were young(er) and thirsty (12.30 in the afternoon for a 7.30 kick off!) and from there it was off to Carrick-on –Shannon to see Roscommon play Leitrim on the Sunday.

We’ll see how he gets on over the Summer-I don’t think he can remain quiet for too long! Till the next time the best of luck to you all.

Con Moynihan.