Colin Sheridan: Sam and survival supersedes all in the league
AERIAL BATTLE: Matthew Tierney and John Maher of Galway with David McBrien and Jordan Flynn of Mayo. Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
The league is only the league and even the league knows it. There are three teams in Division One for whom winning the damn thing will matter none, but for different reasons. Should Kerry and Dublin reverse slip-up and find themselves in a league final against each other, they might muster the energy to want to win a one-off game against each other before the championship starts, but beyond that, winning a national league is only noteworthy you win Sam three months later. If you’re Mayo, the same logic applies, but only because they’ve set out to deliberately win leagues in the past in order to prove to themselves and others that there was no hex on winning national titles in Croke Park. Winning in 2001, 2019 and 2023 took care of that nonsense, but very little else. Winning another league but failing during summer only now amplifies the gap between hope and hubris. So, for Kerry, Dublin and Mayo, winning the league this year is the footballing equivalent of staying out after midnight. No good will come of it. Conversely, it’s time for Monaghan, Derry or Galway to step up.
Even Roscommon. Tyrone (with their relatively recent All-Ireland), not so much. What is the point of the spring competition for those teams if not to aim to win something, that in turn may lead to something else? A league title and a decent championship summer is better - for everyone other than Kerry, Dublin and Mayo - than no league title and a decent summer. Sam supersedes all, but notwithstanding ground gained last year, they still have a ways to go. With the exception of Galway, there were very few “experimental” sides fielded this weekend. Survival is everyone's first priority, but given how the first round of games evolved, you’d hope there’s already a hunger amongst the chasing pack to target the league and win some silverware. Early signs are that Derry and Monoghan might think the same. Let us hope. Another combination of Mayo, Dublin or Kerry in a league final will have us all switching over to Fulham vs Burnley.
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