Season hots up in the provinces

Looking forward to tomorrow's games after another great football match in Ulster tonight.
I have really enjoyed this season so far and we are only getting to the crucial stages of the provincial championships and we still have the qualifiers to come.
I'm going to have a quick punt on tomorrow's games, should be the kiss of death for any side tipped but here goes.
I think that Mayo will see Sligo off fairly comfortably.
Sligo's win in Connacht last year was one of the fairy tales of the season but Sligo came back down to earth with a bump in the quarter finals and they haven't really recovered.
Under new management they have had a disastrous league campaign and I can't see them rising to the same heights again.
Despite the squander mania of last week I expect the Dublin hurlers to put Wexford away this week.
The Dubs threw the Model men a lifeline last week and may have encouraged a little self belief among the southern side that they can at least progress to the annual whipping by Kilkenny but I think the Dubs have what it takes.
Wexford and Laois should be another good game in the football.
Laois has had the upper hand over the Model footballers in recent years but look well short of the sort of form they showed under Micko earlier in the decade.
I think Wexford might just shed this one but there won't be much in it.
The game of the day has to be the Munster hurling semi final between last year's All-Ireland finalists Limerick and Clare.
Limerick have struggled to produce the goods this season and Clare will be boosted by their win against a poor Waterford side.
However, the confidence gained in that win might stand to the Banner tomorrow but one way or another we are guaranteed a new winner in Munster.
I think Clare might sneak through but their defence has to improve.

Football manager who needs it?

Who would be a football manager?
Last year Sligo won the Connacht championship for the first time since 1975, this season under a new manager Tommy Jordan they have been relegated to Division 4.
It must be a nightmare for Jordan, no new manager sets out to get relegated, ask Kieran McGeeney who has started his term in office with Kildare on the way down.
However, Jordan is climbing a mountain as a defeat in the first round of the Connacht championship against Mayo who have been motoring well, then Sligo will be immediately condemned to the Tommy Murphy a fate worse than death.
No one needs to tell Jordan how big a task he has ahead but to top off what has been a bad week for Sligo football, he has been given a vote of confidence by the county chairman.
Wonder what odds I would get at the bookies that Jordan will not be in charge next season unless Mayo are rolled over.