Éamonn Fitzmaurice: Scrutinising the case for football's big three

Dublin, Kerry, Derry: as the football championship kicks off, it's tough to see the All-Ireland champions coming from outside the big three. Where are they in their respective planning?

DUE ANOTHER MEETING? Dublin’s Colm Basquel scores his sides opening goal. Pic: James Crombie, Inpho

The championship is here, fanfare or not. Rather than focusing on the myriad of issues surrounding the provincial championships, perhaps better to look further down the line. Right now in early April, there is a big three in football and it’s hard to imagine the All-Ireland champions coming from outside that triumvirate.

There is a secondary group capable, on their day, of taking one of them out but probably not possessing the capacity to win the ultimate prize. While the big three all have strong claims to the throne what do they need to do in the short term to help them take that step?