The year ahead: Our writers and pundits make their predictions for 2022

Sorcha Tiernan

(Liffey Celtic BC and Ireland basketball international)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

Brazil have a huge amount of quality throughout the pitch and would be my favourites to win if they can maintain their good form. The Golden Boot is trickier: if England have a good run in the competition Harry Kane has a great chance to win it.

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

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Leona Maguire has huge potential to win a Major next year. She was incredible at the Solheim Cup and hopefully she can use that momentum for a big win in 2022. I am hoping for two Irish major winners though, one from Leona and one from Rory McIlroy!

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Dublin will be back with a point to prove in both the men’s and women’s football championship and will prove very difficult to beat in both competitions. However, the current women’s champions Meath have a very young team and I can see the likes of Vikki Wall and Emma Duggan propelling them to an even higher standard next year.

For the hurling, I can see Limerick winning again in 2022. For the camogie, I can see Galway building on their success in 2021 to make it two in a row but Kilkenny and Cork should be there as well.

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

Men: I think if the Irish players can keep their good run of form from the Autumn International Series they have a great chance to win the Six Nations. France are also performing well at the moment so I think it will be a toss up between the two teams.

Women: I think at the moment England definitely have the edge in the Women’s Six Nations. They are still the only fully professional set up in the competition and this gives them a massive advantage.

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

Two events I’ve always wanted to attend have to be Wimbledon and the NBA Finals.

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

I’m actually not sure I could pick anything. I love the excitement, competitiveness and enjoyment that sports gives so many people. I would be too scared to mess with that!

My only one thing would be to maybe increase the number of indoor facilities available for sports like basketball.

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

I have two to watch in the sporting year ahead. Firstly, Chloe Pearse was incredible for Munster in last years interpros winning two player of the match awards in the three games. Hopefully we can see her make the jump into the Irish Six Nations squad and see what she can do for the team. However, I may be biased, as she is my cousin!

My other one to watch is in the women’s senior football championship. Sarah Dillion who is playing with Westmeath and won the player of the game in the intermediate final last year is going to be really exciting in the championship this summer. Also an ex-Irish international basketball player, she has come back from a string of extremely serious injuries and brings a massive spark to the pitch.

Mick Bohan

(Dublin LGFA manager)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

I’m going to go with Argentina on the basis that a team with Lionel Messi are overdue one. And I’ll go with Messi to be the tournament’s leading goalscorer too!

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

Rory McIlroy can beat anyone when he’s on his game. It would be nice to see him do it at Augusta National or perhaps the British Open at St Andrews.

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Kerry to win the Sam Maguire and Limerick to again win the hurling. In camogie, I’ll go for Cork; and in women’s football, if not us, then Cork.

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

France to win the men’s Six Nations and England to win the women’s Six Nations.

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

I’d love to have the chance to attend an Olympics in Athens with old school challenges!

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

My sporting change would be to introduce PE teachers into every primary school in the country to enhance the skillsets of our children and their developmental stage.

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

We have a number of exciting young talents coming through in women’s football but I hate naming anyone, because having a talent and realising that talent are very different proposals altogether.

Johnny Murtagh

(Racehorse trainer)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

France to win back-to-back and Neymar to win the Golden Boot. It’s about time he produced.

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

Leona Maguire is the one for me to claim a Major in 2022.

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Meath to win back-to-back in the women’s football. Kerry to do it in the football and Limerick in the hurling. I’ll go with Galway again in camogie.

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

England will win the women’s anyway and France in the men’s - we’re big Antoine Dupont fans in our house!

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

I’d love to go to the World Cup final in soccer.

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

I would like the standard of refereeing to improve, but also the standard of respects towards refs.

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

Dan Sheehan, the Leinster and Ireland hooker. He’s some beast.

Róisín Upton

(Irish hockey international)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

France can go all the way and lift the World Cup trophy; Romelu Lukaku to be top scorer.

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

Rory McIlroy!

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Meath to retain the women’s football title, Kerry to win the men’s. Galway to bounce back from their 2020 defeat in camogie, and Limerick to do it again in the hurling.

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

Men: France; Women: England.

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

I’d love to get to the Super Bowl in California.

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

In Irish sport at least, I’d restructure Sport Ireland and make all funding 100 per cent transparent and performance-based.

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

Two! Hockey’s Michelle and Niamh Carey.

Niall Kearney

(European Tour golfer)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

Portugal, if they get through the playoffs, can kick on and win it outright. Mo Salah to be the top goalscorer.

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

Rory McIlroy. The Major courses for 2022 offer Rory four great chances.

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Dublin will bounce back and win the men’s and I think Waterford can win the hurling; Wexford in camogie and Galway in women’s football.

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

I think Ireland - following on from the Autumn internationals - can bring that momentum into the Six Nations and win; England in the women’s.

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

I’d love to be at the Winter Olympics.

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

I would like to see golf become even more accessible!

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

Niall Kearney!

Jackie Tyrrell

(9-time All-Ireland hurling winner, Kilkenny)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

I think France will win but Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku to take the honours of the golden boot.

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

Shane Lowry - at one of Augusta, Southern Hills, Brookline or St Andrews!

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Limerick for the hurling and Dublin to get back the football. Dublin to win back the women’s football and Kilkenny the camogie!

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

Men: France; Women: England.

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

One ticket to Superbowl LVI.

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

Nip the diving element that has crept into hurling in the past few months.

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

Henry Shefflin v Brian Cody!

Malachy Logan

(Irish Times sports editor)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

Belgium to win and Romelu Lukaku to lead the rest in goals.

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

Leona Maguire.

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Tyrone to win back-to-back titles in football and Limerick to reign supreme again in hurling.

The Dubs to reclaim their women’s All Ireland and Galway to take the camogie title out west.

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

Men: Hard to look beyond France as they seem to be assembling a formidable and exciting team ahead of hosting World Cup in 2023.

Women: England are streets ahead of most teams given their professional status and seem like a shoo in.

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

I think I could suffer a month in Qatar at the World Cup in November/December. Although the country should never have win the right to stage the tournament, the World Cup is still a fantastic global event and will definitely brighten up the evenings next winter with the final being staged only a week before Christmas Day.

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

Make a lot sports bodies realise that their best selling points are the athletes and players. Very often, the public are denied access to hearing their stories in the media because of pressure from managers and coaches.

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

Young Canadian tennis player Leylah Fernandez. She was beaten by Emma Radacanu in the US Open final but has the all round game to become a huge name in the sport. She won’t be 20 until next September.

Gavin Cummiskey

(Soccer correspondent)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

Let’s take the romantic option and go for Argentina. Top scorer, tempted to say ‘Arry Kane but the safe bet is Kylian Mbappé.

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

Rory McIlroy to end his eight year drought for number five at Augusta.

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Croker hath no fury like the Dubs scorned (men and women), Limerick’s unstoppable march to the three-in-a-row and Galway to retain the O’Duffy Cup.

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

The French decade is upon us. They have a wily coach in Fabien Galthié and the best player on earth in Antoine Dupont, playing in the most influential position, with a stack of freakishly athletic forwards to do a grand slam. In the women’s game, England will only be troubled by France, if even.

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

Courtside with Jack Nicholson at the Staples Centre (recently renamed Crypto.com Arena) for Game Seven of the NBA Western conference finals - LA Lakers v Golden State Warriors. LeBron James v Steph Curry revisited.

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

The blatant misogyny, but that will only happen when Government funding is withheld. So, a Minister for Sport who forces the big sporting bodies to be transparent in their reviews of failure. That would be a start.

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

Brighton’s 17-year-old striker Evan Ferguson. He played League of Ireland for Bohemians at 14 and recently made the bench for a Premier League match against Wolves behind Aaron Connolly, who used to be one to watch.

Brian O’Connor

(Racing correspondent)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

Whisper it, but England if they have learned the lessons of Euro 2022 which they should have won. Mbappé to be top scorer.

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

Rory McIlroy’s A-plus game is still the best.

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Limerick to squeeze one more hurling title out of it. Kerry to have learned their lessons in the football. Galway for camogie and Meath to retain the football.

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

France in the men’s and England in the women’s.

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

The US Open tennis final in Flushing Meadow looks to have a real New York atmosphere worth sampling.

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

Coverage of all types capable of acknowledging that the reality of most things is grey rather than black and white.

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

Baaeed won all six of his starts in 2021, ending in a pair of Group 1s. He is so progressive that it might prove only a taste of what he’s capable of in 2022.

Ian O’Riordan

(Athletics correspondent)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

Heart always goes with Italy, assuming they’ll come through the qualifiers to get there, otherwise Brazil perhaps to restore some old-world order. Antoine Griezmann has potential for the Golden Boot, depending how far France go, otherwise possibly Lionel Messi, or Neymar, maybe?

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

Has to be Rory McIlroy, again, if only because the tell-tale signs we saw towards the end of this year that perhaps, possibly, his best golf is about to return.

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Heart goes again to Kerry for the men’s final, Limerick unstoppable in the hurling. There is possibly a kick in the Dublin’s women’s team while Galway look capable of setting the standard again in camogie.

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

Men: Ireland. Women: England.

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

Tour de France, even though no ticket is actually required. That three-week trip in the camper van is still calling out every year (especially with Alpe d’Huez back on the route in 2022).

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

An annual wish here, too, in getting all those who cheated and took drugs to put their hand on their heart and tell us as much and then go away.

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

It’s going to be a very interesting year for Sam Bennett as he looks to regain his 2020 Tour de France form with his new team Bora-Hansgrohe. There is fire in the Carrick-on-Suir man still.

Mary Hannigan

(Sportswriter)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

If Fifa had their way, Qatar would probably win it. But, France, maybe, and hopefully, with one last hurrah, Newcastle United’s Lionel Messi.

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

Leona Maguire. Based on her form in 2021, it’s surely only a matter of time?

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Both Dublin teams to bounce back in the football, Limerick to make it a three-in-a-row in the hurling, and Cork to win the camogie (inspired by some fella called Davy Fitzgerald who has joined their coaching staff).

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

Men: Ireland. Women: England.

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

At the rate things are going, literally anything where you’re allowed in.

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

I’d issue a presidential decree categorising every sport as a ‘crown jewel’, thereby making them all available on terrestrial TV. The likes of Katie Taylor have been lost to us behind that subscription wall, which is a terrible shame.

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

Footballer Ellen Molloy, the hugely gifted 17-year-old Wexford Youths player. She’s already won four senior caps, but, if given the chance, could well play a part in Ireland’s efforts to qualify for the World Cup.

Malachy Clerkin

(Sportswriter)

1 The FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar late in 2022: Who do you think will win? What player will walk away with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer?

Argentina haven’t lost a game since 2019 and Messi finally won a trophy with them last summer at the Copa America. The World Cup starts all of a sudden - no pre-tournament games, barely any training sessions. It’s all going to be chaos. Messi to thrive, Argentina to win, Italy’s Federico Chiesa to be top scorer.

2 Which Irish golfer is most likely to win a Major championship in 2022?

It’s Rory McIlroy, obviously. Leona Maguire should win a tournament and may well contend in a Major. Shane Lowry always has a chance. But Rory is by far the most likely. It’s always a mystery to me how under-rated he is in Ireland.

3 Who will win the GAA All-Ireland titles in football (men and women), hurling and camogie?

Easiest one first - Limerick will win the men’s hurling. After that, it gets trickier. Dublin won’t take last year’s defeats lying down - either the men or the women will make amends. I’ll plump for the women, with the men to come up short, probably at Kerry’s expense. Galway will retain the camogie.

4 What team do you predict will win the Six Nations?

Ireland tend to be good for the men’s version once every three or four years and November would seem to suggest that things are rounding into shape nicely. As for the women, it will presumably come down to the final day in Bayonne, when France play England. Hard to see past the visitors.

5 What would be your dream ticket to a sporting event in 2022?

Madison Square Garden in (hopefully) April for Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano. This is where it has all been leading, two legends of the sport facing off for a huge payday. Katie has been part of our lives for so long, it’s weird to think it’s going to end relatively soon. Nights like this ones are to be cherished.

6 If you had the power to change one thing in sport, what would it be?

I would get governments to light up parks during the winter so women and girls could feel they are safe to go out and exercise and not have to rush to do so in daylight hours.

7 One to watch in the sporting year ahead.

I’ll cheat and go with two, since their stories are intertwined. Aaron and Stevie McKenna are a pair of Monaghan brothers making their way through the pro boxing ranks. Aaron is 14-0, Stevie is 11-0 and 2022 will see them attempt to climb higher up the ladder.