REMARKABLE decades aren't exactly a new experience in Kerry football but already the first of the new millennium is an equal for most and could yet end up as the most successful of all. Kerry won five All-Ireland titles in the 1930s and 1980s so, having already won four since 2000, it would break a new frontier if they were to win the remaining two this decade. Becoming the first team to win the three-in-a-row since their illustrious predecessors in 1984-85-86 is the 2008 target and the tight odds prove just how many people believe they will achieve it.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 6/4

2: Dublin (5)

Still struggling to get the fences right on the home run but are getting closer all the time. Having worked so hard to recover in the All-Ireland semi-final, they must still look back in misery at the manner in which they handed the initiative back to Kerry. Defence has been their problem on the really big days. They conceded 1-15, 2-18, 1-16 and 1-15 respectively to Kerry, Tyrone, Mayo and Kerry in season-defining games in each of the last four seasons. That sort of giveaway rate doesn't win a team an All-Ireland title.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 4/1

3: Tyrone (2)

"Maybe one of these years, the injury plague will leave us alone," remarked Mickey Harte rather plaintively last month. It's an understandable wish because for a squad that doesn't train excessively or play any challenges, they have been desperately unlucky on the injury front. Much will again depend on how many of the top stars Harte can get to the starting game in full health -- if it's a high quota Tyrone will thrive; if not, they will again fall short.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 11/2

4: Cork (6)

How good are Cork? As one half of the ruling dynasty they share with Kerry in Munster, they are guaranteed to be in the last 12 at least virtually every year which is quite a very comfortable position. In fact, given the history of Cork-Kerry clashes, they can expect to be in the last eight reasonably often too. They 'bombed' against Kerry in the final this year but (provided they don't wreck their season with a ridiculous strike) will again be in serious contention next year, especially if the U-21 supply lines continue to produce such exciting talent.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 8/1

5: Meath (14)

A dramatic improvement on last year but there are still those who claim they are some way from being the real deal. Still, we've got to rely on the evidence of results which show that they were very close to Dublin in Leinster before beating Down, Fermanagh, Galway and Tyrone to reach the All-Ireland semi-final. They flopped inexplicably against Cork in what really was one of those awful days. Next year is vital for them as they seek to consolidate their position near the top of the pecking order. It will be tough but then, so are they.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 16/1

6: Monaghan (18)

Another side who soared up the charts in 2007. They came closer than anybody else to beating Kerry, which was quite an achievement, having earlier established their credentials with wins over Down, Derry and Donegal while they were close against Tyrone in the Ulster final. All in all, that's quite a package and entitles Monaghan to a place in the top six, ahead of League champions Donegal and Derry. Despite that, they have 11 ahead of them for next year's All-Ireland betting.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 33/1

7: Donegal (9)

A first NFL (Div 1) success raised hopes that Sam Maguire would return to Tir Chonail for the first time since 1992 and ambitions zoomed ever higher when they beat Armagh in the Ulster quarter-final. Sadly for Donegal, that was the end of the adventure and subsequent defeats by Tyrone (11pts) and Monaghan (8pts) confirmed the suspicions that this year's League was a rogue after several seasons of reliability. Donegal deserve a place in the top eight but will find it hard to move beyond that.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 20/1

8: Derry (10)

They have earned a deserved reputation as 'back door' specialists -- winning more qualifier games than any other county -- but have a disappointing record in Ulster where the title has eluded them since 1988. They finished three points adrift of Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final, which is an encouraging sign as to where they stand in their latest attempt to get in among the title action.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 20/1

9: Armagh (3)

Quite a drop for the Ulster champions of the previous three years but then,they failed to win a championship game for the first time since 1997. They were close, mind you, losing by a single point to Donegal and Derry which suggests that luck had finally run out on Joe Kernan's reign. But then their League form was poor too -- it really was one of those seasons that signalled the end of an era and now the test is to remain seriously competitive throughout the rebuilding work.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 16/1

10: Laois (8)

They were supposed to be meaner, leaner and keener under new management which wasn't the case, so those who muttered darkly against Mick O'Dwyer's techniques were shown to be the idiots the informed football world always took them to be. Granted, Laois were hampered by injury problems but then that was the case in previous years too. It's difficult to evaluate exactly where Laois stand but they are definitely lower than a year earlier.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 33/1

11: Galway (7)

No Connacht side in the top 10? Absolutely not. This was the worst Connacht championship for many years, rescued only by the title heading for Sligo where it provided a great lift to a success-starved county. Galway's performance in the final was a betrayal of their tradition and suggested that things were far from right in the camp. Galway are better than that but with confidence low, new manager, Liam Sammon faces a very big test in his first season at the helm.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 20/1

12: Mayo (4)

The summer's biggest flops, they dropped way down the ratings, leaving John O'Mahony with no option but to make major changes for 2008. He showed loyalty to the team that reached the 2006 All-Ireland final but it wasn't reciprocated and won't apply again. A seven point defeat by Galway, followed by a 10-point hammering by Derry left miserable Mayo checking out of a championship they had high hopes of winning. It's back to the drawing board.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 14/1

13: Sligo (24)

It may have been a poor Connacht championship but Sligo, expertly steered by Tommy Breheny whose resignation is a major setback, still deserve credit for capitalising on the situation as, even in bad seasons, either Galway or Mayo usually seize the title. Defensively, Sligo were solid but lacked the forward thrust to give themselves a chance once they move out of the west and up against meaner defences. Still, it was a good year for Sligo, but they still head into 2008 behind Galway and Mayo as Connacht's big-time contenders.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 150/1

14: Louth (19)

Unlucky to finish in the bottom two in Div 1B (which drops them into Div 3 next year), they were fortunate to survive twice against Wicklow in the Leinster championship before finally settling the case in a second replay. Lost to Wexford in the quarter-final before embarking on a fine run in the qualifiers where they beat Limerick and Kildare and ran Cork to two points. Their graph is still heading in the right direction.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 150/1

15: Kildare (16)

Good League form wasn't carried into the championship where their season ended in Newbridge with a qualifier defeat by Louth. New manager, Kieran McGeeney could hardly have taken on a more daunting debut task as expectations are always high in Kildare even if momentum levels have been dropping alarmingly. Still, they will improve if their injury problems ease.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 80/1

16: Fermanagh (13)

Ran Tyrone to a point and Meath to two, having beaten Wexford in between, so they deserve to be in the top half. Like Sligo, their main problems are in attack which isn't sufficiently productive against better defences. But then that has been the case for a few seasons which is frustrating at a time when they have a tight defence.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 300/1

17: Westmeath (15)

Survived in Division One which was a good achievement but had their Leinster campaign wrecked by Longford's gritty revival. It defined Westmeath's season. While they gained revenge over Longford in the qualifiers, they were picked off by Donegal in the next round when they never looked like the driven force that reached the quarter-finals the previous year.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 300/1

18: Wexford (12)

Unlucky to miss out on promotion; lucky against Louth in the Leinster quarter-final; unlucky against Laois; flat against Fermanagh in the qualifiers. It was that type of season for Wexford. However positive the spin, they dropped back on 2006.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 300/1

19: Roscommon (21)

The Connacht semi-final defeat by Sligo was eased somewhat when Galway suffered a similar fate. On the plus side, Roscommon won promotion to Div 2 in the new NFL format. Progress is slow as they wait for the 2006 minors to develop and give them an enthusiastic impetus.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 150/1

20: Down (17)

No wins from seven games in the League; beat Cavan in a replay in Ulster's first round but lost to Monaghan next time out before continuing their dreadful sequence of first round defeats in the qualifiers. Down have been trapped in a bleak place for some time now and are showing few signs of plotting an escape route.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 125/1

21: Cavan (22)

Won promotion to Div 2 but the championship again passed them by. Cavan have a decent scoring rate but lack defensive stability which inevitably brings them down. Unless they sort that out, they'll remain well down the pecking order.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 250/1

22: Limerick (20)

Memories of frightening Kerry in the Munster final are now only a memory for Limerick, who have dropped alarmingly over the last two years. They will be in Div 3 next spring which should give them a chance to stabilise.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 500/1

23: Longford (23)

Having beaten Westmeath in the first round of the Leinster championship, Longford would have beaten Laois in the quarter-final had they taken their first half chances. They didn't and, as luck would have it, Westmeath awaited them again in the qualifiers and exacted full revenge. A year of one step forward, one step back for Longford.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 300/1

24: Leitrim (25)

Took Donegal to extra-time in the qualifiers, having earlier ran Galway to four points, Leitrim and their crafty manager, Dessie Dolan will feel they should be higher up the rankings. Unfortunately for them, they lose too many of those close calls.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 250/1

25: Wicklow (30)

Made substantial progress under Micko's magic, including a Tommy Murphy Cup win, but a great chance to beat Louth in the first round of the Leinster championship was lost through inexperience. The graph is definitely on an upward curve.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 400/1

26: Offaly (11)

A 15-place drop in a year? Yes, according to their performaces in 2007. They won three of seven League games in Div 2A when finishing fifth of eight; beat Carlow after conceding three goals in the Leinster quarter-final and then lost to Dublin. Collapsed against Wicklow in the Tommy Murphy Cup, bringing an end to a miserable season. They are probably better than this rating suggests but they need to prove it.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 150/1

27: Antrim (28)

Being ninth of nine in a very competitive province is an uncomfortable position for Antrim who would win more games in Leinster, Munster or Connacht. And they won't even be allowed compete in the qualifiers unless they escape from Div 4. It's a tough life but they do have potential.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 750/1

28: Clare (26)

Lost to Waterford in the championship but things were hopelessly askew in Banner land at the time.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 1000/1

29: Tipperary (27)

New manager, John Evans faces a real challenge with a Tipperary team that will be severely weakened without Declan Browne who has retired.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 2000/1

30: Waterford (31)

At their best, they are on a par with all those in the bottom belt as they proved against Clare in the championship. Ballinacourty's good showing in the Munster club championship should be a boost for the new season.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 2000/1

31: London (32)

Beat Carlow in their only League win and turned in a good performance against Leitrim in the championship, losing by four points.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 5000/1

32: Carlow (29)

The only way is up for Carlow who can hardly argue with having the lowest rating of all. They beat Longford in the League but lost the other six games and were also well beaten by Offaly in the championship.

2008 All-Ireland odds: 2000/1

- Martin Breheny