Championship 2003: The year of shocks?

The underdogs are the new overlords - Limerick footballers destroyed Cork, Monaghan terminated Armagh's interest in the Ulster championship, Clare demolished the Tipperary hurlers. But you ain't seen nothing yet. Here we predict the big shocks

• The Kerry senior hurling team play more championship matches than the county's footballers

Don't laugh, it's not that unbelievable.

The hurlers have already started - and ended - their Munster campaign, conceding 17 points more than reigning champions Waterford at Walsh Park.

The complicated qualifying system has been made even more complicated (if that's possible) by a pre-qualifying system.

Kerry play Westmeath next weekend in the first pre-qualifying match, and, if successful, will then play Carlow - two games the men from the Kingdom are well capable of winning.

Should they emerge from both, Kerry would have to play the losing Ulster finalists (Antrim play Derry in the final). Kerry would fancy their chances against either side - though it is more likely to be Derry.

And should Kerry get the better of, say, Derry, they would then enter Round One of the qualifiers proper.

It would probably be the end of the line for the Kerry men, as, no matter which team they drew, they would be overwhelming underdogs. However, it would be their fifth senior hurling championship game of 2003.

The footballers of Kerry have won All-Irelands playing less games. This season, the footballers will surely have two games in the Munster championship (they play Tipperary in the semi-final). From then on, it's knock-out, one slip-up and they're gone.

Okay, so the Kerry hurlers having more outings than the footballers is an outside possibility, granted.

But it's not entirely unrealistic is it?

You're still laughing, aren't you?

• Kilkenny don't win the Leinster senior hurling championship

Five teams can win Munster, but only one can conquer Leinster - or so we're told every year. According to the bookmakers (and most hurling supporters), the Leinster hurling championship is only slightly less predictable than Connacht (where there's only one team).

Kilkenny have had a firm grip on the province over the past five years and, according to many, it's never looked less likely that that dominance will be broken.

The All-Ireland champions are 1/6 to win the Leinster title, about the same odds as soccer giants Rangers are to beat minnows Dundee in the Scottish Cup final.

It should be taken as an insult in the dressing-rooms of Offaly and Wexford.

Last year's final was only slightly less predictable than the previous four. There are, realistically, only two teams that can stop Kilkenny claiming another provincial title - Offaly and Wexford.

Kilkenny are worthy favourites, but it's when expectations of a challenge are low that the biggest upsets occur.

Remember, (forget quickly if Kilkenny win), you read it here first.

Other potential shocks

• Mick O'Dwyer decides to retire from inter-county management.

• Páidí Ó Sé talks up Kerry's chances before a championship game, giving the opposition "no chance".

• A Kilkenny child is heard to remark he/she prefers the "big ball" game.

• Dublin footballers lose their first two games, go straight out of the championship, but the GAA doesn't immediately collapse.

Web Watch

Site: www.clarehurlers.com

Focus: It has the news, views, polls etc . . . but by far the site's best feature is its huge chatroom. And it's not just about Clare hurling, as the title may suggest. Current topics include 'the best hurling match ever witnessed', 'Ulster football', 'Munster camogie' - and a debate on whether the right word is 'hurl' or 'hurley'.

Quote of the weekend: "By Jaysus our fellas came out in the second half and played with great fire, great spirit and determination." - Laois football manager Mick O'Dwyer, after his side's drawn game with Offaly yesterday at Portlaoise

Worthy Weekend Wager

Westmeath win (SF v Meath)

Waterford win (SH v Limerick)