Did Donegal really want to reach a league final?

And other questions raised by the Allianz NFL semi-finals.

1. So, did Donegal fancy it?

After yesterday’s result, the dogs in the Donegal streets will be talking about how Rory Gallagher didn’t fancy the high-profile exposure brought about by a league final. Donegal play Tyrone three weeks after the April 26 league decider, and there could be an element of truth to not wanting to reveal his hand. The 2014 All-Ireland finalists just about scraped into the semi-finals as it was and may not have been overly fussed about anything more than staying in Division 1. What’s guaranteed is that the lethargy Donegal exuded at times in the second-half yesterday won’t be on show when the fat is in the fire at MacCumhaill Park in a little over a month’s time.

That will be an Ulster championship encounter to savour.

2. Are Dublin there for the taking or toying with everyone?

Listening to Jim Gavin talk about his team needing to improve is becoming a theme of this year’s Allianz football league campaign. The thing is, Dublin are still through to the final and will probably be favourites to win their third title in a row. Those in the chasing pack will look optimistically at the situation and say that Dublin could easily have been beaten by Monaghan, Tyrone and Derry already this season. They were, of course, beaten by Cork and Kerry. So there is hope ahead of the championship. Then again, Dublin have hardly played a game with a full team and have handed close to 40 players game-time. That number could rise if Alan Brogan features in the final. They are either a side struggling for direction or a team capable of winning while dipping into their vast reserves. All will become clear in a couple of months.

3. Is Croke Park the best place for the league semi-finals?

At times yesterday, Croke Park had the feeling of a ghost town. Paul Flynn’s best French could be clearly heard high in the Hogan Stand when Neil McAdam boomed over a terrific point for Monaghan. That was because the place was three-quarters empty, with just 20,013 turning up. The majority of that crowd were there for the Dublin game which meant vast sections of the sprawling stadium were empty for the Cork/Donegal match. It’s the old question about which is better; getting the opportunity to play at Croke Park or playing in a smaller stadium with a better atmosphere. There’s every chance half the stadium will be empty for the final too. That’s a broader issue facing the GAA — what to do with a venue only full twice a year.

4. Was the answer to Cork’s midfield problems under their nose all along?

Fintan Goold had a brilliant game at midfield for Cork. He helped himself to four points from play and was the obvious choice for man of the match. It’s a position every team is striving to nail down and the versatile Goold wasn’t perhaps the man Cork fans considered for the role. In fact, if you’d suggested not so long ago he would start the championship alongside Eoin Cadogan at midfield, you’d have drawn some raised eyebrows. But necessity is the mother of invention and this experiment is working well.

5. Will Kerry survive in Allianz Division 1B hurling?

Kerry have fought for several years to gain promotion to Division 1B. They’re there now but it remains to be seen if they can cope with the likes of Clare, Wexford and Limerick next year. It is a huge jump in standards from Division 2A but they have some class acts in players like Shane Nolan and Patrick Kelly. Those are hurlers capable of mixing it with the elite.