New year, new rules: what lies ahead for 2025

By their very nature, these annual preview pieces tend to follow a pattern.

Essentially, you’re trying to divine what might occur based on what we have seen over the previous year or two. By and large, you start with the champions of the previous season, assess how they’re faring and then work down from there.

In a ‘normal’ Gaelic football year, there would be an element of novelty as we are coming off a campaign that featured an Armagh-Galway final. Despite having Sam Maguire, the Orchard County are fifth-favourites for the title this time around, with the beaten Tribesmen third in the standings. As is so often the case, Kerry and Dublin are the most fancied with the bookmakers.

But, then, this is as far from a normal year as one could imagine for the sport. On its own, the introduction of two-point scores would have the potential to be transformative; the presence of so many other amendments means that things could be revolutionary.

The big question surrounds which teams will adapt the best and the quickest to the new paradigm – Donegal, with Jimmy McGuinness always good to spot opportunities and Michael Murphy back in service, could be ones to watch.

It may well be the case that it’s the same counties at the business end, but the bottom line around the success of the changes will be how entertained people are. Crowd sizes and television audiences will provide that answer.

Hurling year

The last time that a hurling year began with someone other than Limerick as the All-Ireland champions was in 2020. They responded to the disappointment of losing their title the previous year by coming back stronger than ever, winning the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the next four seasons.

John Kiely’s side have achieved huge success despite injuries depriving them of key players at various stages – captain Declan Hannon, Cian Lynch, Mike and Peter Casey have all been absent for All-Irelands and the losses were absorbed. However, throughout it all, goalkeeper Nickie Quaid has been a constant and his cruciate ligament injury presents a major challenge.

That former attacker Shane Dowling was drafted in as goalkeeping cover shows that Kiely and coach Paul Kinnerk are evaluating various options, but it’s doubtful that anybody can replace Quaid’s mix of high quality in shot-stopping, puckouts, temperament and calming presence.

If all goes well with his recovery, he should return at some point during the championship. It might not be beyond the bounds of possibility that Limerick finish third in Munster but, with Quaid back, then pick up momentum in the All-Ireland series.

Just as fascinating as watching Limerick be the hunters will be Clare dealing with being the hunted. In 2014, they could not muster a strong defence of the title – the round-robin format in Munster may provide more breathing space in that regard but, equally, there can be no complacency entertained. When you have the crown, you’re the scalp that people want to take.

Such status inspired rather than inhibited the Cork camogie team last year as they retained their title. It’s a quirk of the Rebels’ success since the millennium that eight O’Duffy Cup wins have come in four back-to-back pairs – right now, the smart money would look to be on that pattern being broken and Leeside supremacy remaining.

Cork actually did a senior/intermediate double last year but a change for this year means that counties’ second teams can no longer field at intermediate or junior level.

On balance, it’s probably a good thing that developing counties have a better chance of winning but, while the introduction of an U23 competition will cater for players outside the top counties’ squads, those above that age have had an inter-county opportunity removed.

In ladies’ football, Kerry – who lost two finals in a row before finally ending a 31-year wait last year – will face a new challenge in staying at the top. Then again, Meath followed their inaugural victory in 2021 by winning a second time in 2022, so it’s not impossible by any means.

New challenge

When Ireland retained the men’s Six Nations Championship last year, it almost felt anticlimactic as it was not a Grand Slam whereas the 2023 win had been.

For those us who remember the 1990s, being tops in Europe can never be anything but a huge achievement but there were signs in the November internationals that such a feat may not be straightforward this time. And the thing is – there’s nothing wrong with that.

The last World Cup is still closer in time than the next one and Andy Farrell will be occupied with the Lions tour, meaning that Simon Easterby will be in charge of the team for the spring. A transitional year is probably more likely than not.

For the women’s team, the mission will be to build on an encouraging 2024 campaign which featured two wins after the wooden spoon of the previous year.

The move to professionalism has not been without its teething problems, but ultimately such a change is necessary for the long-term improvement of the game across the country.

For their soccer counterparts, there will be a sense of envy as they watch on during Euro 2025. Equally, there is no point in dwelling on the failure to make the Euros but it’s vital that the FAI move quickly with the new managerial appointment, as they did with the men’s team.