Donaghy: Kerry in ‘next pack down’ as regards All-Ireland

They remain many people’s championship favourites but Kieran Donaghy insists Kerry are in “the next pack down” to the real title contenders.

In most counties, an All-Ireland final defeat and two quarter-final setbacks since their last title in 2009 would stack up pretty favourably. But for a player with multiple All-Ireland medals, All Stars and who was once Footballer of the Year, their recent record is a depressing one and highlights how they’ve slipped back.

The bookmakers aren’t convinced as even under a rookie manager, Eamon Fitzmaurice, and having only narrowly avoided relegation in the Allianz Football League they are second favourites behind Dublin. But many pundits have been playing up Dublin and Donegal as the teams to beat and Donaghy accepts their logic.