DISCLAIMER: We tried to fit at least 20 jerseys into the top 10.
Don’t take it personally, there were too many to choose from.
When fools are talking about actual football at this time of the year, we’re talking about the only thing that really matters – the jerseys.
34 teams will partake in the inter-county hurling and football championships and every one of them – believe it or not – will be wearing kits. 32 of those will be branded by O’Neill’s, one by Azzurri, one by Kukri.
In one of the toughest tasks ever known to SportsJOE, we tried to place each county’s jersey in order from our least favourite to our favourite, with most of the pictures coming via the O’Neill’s store.
This was not easy.
34. London
Like a 2004 club jersey.
33. Carlow
This might sound drastic but Carlow need to stop making GAA jerseys. Or at least stop with the red, green and yellow combo.
32. Limerick
Decent collar, nice sleeves. Nearly too much happening though.
31. Wicklow
Fearless design. Got timid with the crest et all and let down with an all-too-plain sponsor.
30. Fermanagh
Boring enough colour with some chaotically-placed stripes at the top half of the jersey. Bold badge on the sleeve that is working in fairness.
29. New York
Shame about the crest at the back.
28. Laois
Decent jersey that has handled a difficult sponsor well. Beautiful blue but pretty dated.
27. Louth
Nice kit that lost enthusiasm and had a clunky sponsor planted in the middle of it to deal with. Must try harder.
26. Clare
Words can’t articulate how upsetting this jersey is. It should be the best. It is almost bloody gorgeous. But it deserves punished for the inexplicable spikes going through it. And that breaks our hearts.
25. Cork
Nice rig. Improvement.
24. Antrim
Antrim jerseys are getting better but the hoops going through this and the indecisive white strip do it no favours. Still grand.
23. Down
It gets really competitive now.
22. Kerry
They’ve nailed it but you know what to expect from them now.
21. Kilkenny
It’s nice. It fades well at the ends. It’s a good jersey.
20. Offaly
This must be a new high for Offaly. They’re ploughing through the jersey divisions now having spent too long in apathy.
19. Galway
Everything the Louth top could’ve been, without the colour and the more fortunate sponsor of course. Daring pinstripes lining through it. Lovely.
18. Wexford
Mouthwatering purple. Mouthwatering gold. Fine jersey.
17. Westmeath
Scrumptious. Had the checked design been limited to the sleeves, this would be near-perfect.
16. Derry
A richer red and a better neck and Derry would have an even lovelier piece of knitwear on their hands.
15. Longford
Big upgrade. Big kudos.
14. Armagh
Yes. They’ve been bold with their three stripes and it has worked. The right mixture of plain and daring with a beautiful combo of green on orange.
13. Kildare
It’s just hard to stray from a plain, simple, lovely Kildare top.
12. Cavan
The colour, the pattern, the collar. Somebody hold me. Topped off with an Opt For Life logo at the back.
11. Leitrim
The nicest green of all the greens. We had this very low initially and it just kept growing on us.
10. Donegal
Have been playing above themselves of late in the jersey stakes. New sponsor, complete new design too some getting use to but the more you look at it though, the more you like it.
9. Waterford
The first non-O’Neill’s entry (there only are two). The Waterford geansaí is tasty but let down ever so slightly by its neck.
8. Tipperary
We’ve come to expect more from Tipperary.
7. Roscommon
If you opened this pinstriped bad boy from a gift-wrapping, you’d think someone gave you the best top in Ireland. Until you turned it around to look at that ridiculous map on the back. Map of the county and clubs but not needed on such a fine jersey.
6. Monaghan
It’s like a world famous chef concocted this up with just the right amount of ingredients and blends. If chefs made jerseys, like.
5. Mayo
Arguably the best design of the lot.
4. Dublin
Pristine. But a downgrade. The navy lining replaced with white stripes takes away from its once menacing look.
3. Sligo
The Kukri make has done the Sligo people justice. Definitely the most unique kit of them all.
2. Tyrone
Balance. Mixes boldness with simplicity. Gorgeously tipped sleeves. Beautifully subtle stripes at either side of the kit. Extraordinarily simple.
1. Meath
Unbelievable. Saliva-inducing.
