▁former ▁All - I reland - win ning ▁manager ▁É am onn ▁C reg an ▁gave ▁his ▁predictions ▁for ▁the ▁up coming ▁championship ▁in ▁the ▁Irish ▁Times . ▁ ▁As ▁with ▁the ▁previous ▁three ▁champion ships ▁the ▁field ▁was ▁wide ▁open . ▁ ▁Although ▁they ▁were ▁the ▁reign ing ▁champions , ▁W ex ford ▁were ▁given ▁little ▁chance ▁of ▁making ▁it ▁two - in - a - row . ▁ ▁The ▁departure ▁of ▁manager ▁Li am ▁Griff in ▁and ▁the ▁she er ▁ex ert ion ▁of ▁winning ▁the ▁previous ▁years ' ▁title ▁meant ▁that ▁W ex ford ' s ▁h url ers , ▁it ▁seemed , ▁had ▁reached ▁their ▁peak . ▁ ▁W ex ford ' s ▁greatest ▁riv als , ▁Kil ken ny , ▁were ▁t ipped ▁for ▁success . ▁ ▁Having ▁failed ▁to ▁land ▁the ▁provincial ▁title ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁former ▁player ▁and ▁current ▁manager ▁Nic key ▁B ren nan ▁seemed ▁to ▁have ▁reign ited ▁the ▁hung er . ▁ ▁Off aly , ▁a ▁team ▁that ▁had ▁reached ▁two ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁three ▁championship ▁dec iders , ▁were ▁regarded ▁as ▁being ▁up ▁there ▁with ▁Kil ken ny . ▁ ▁One ▁problem ▁was ▁the ▁age ▁profile ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁team ' s ▁players , ▁while ▁a ▁lack ▁of ▁strength ▁in ▁depth ▁on ▁the ▁ben ch ▁also ▁milit ated ▁against ▁Off aly ' s ▁ch ances . ▁ ▁The ▁return ▁of ▁Cy ril ▁Far rell ▁as ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁Gal way ▁team ▁seemed ▁to ▁give ▁the ▁team