Your county-by-county guide to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
Dublin's Eoin Murchan shoots to score the decisive goal in last year's All-Ireland Senior Championship Final Replay against Kerry. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Manager: PĂĄdraic JoyceÂ
Road to Croker: Connacht semi-final against Sligo in Pearse Stadium on Nov 7.
Last season: Lost Connacht final to Roscommon by 1-13 to 0-12, then bowed out in Rd 4 of the qualifiers to Mayo by 2-13 to 1-13.
Pre-Christmas present: PĂĄdraic Joyce didnât blink at the start of the year when he said the aim was to win the All-Ireland title. Were flying until Covid struck â may take another season or more to make that All-Ireland bid but Joyce has them on the right track.
Will rely on: Shane Walsh. You need stardust to bid for glory and the Kilkerrin-Cloberne man has it all. He will be doubled marked, Galway are not a one-trick pony, but they will need their skipper to rediscover the scintillating pre-Covid form.
Will need to: A big performance against Sligo is needed to settle them. The league hammering by Mayo was a huge set-back. Injuries have come at the wrong time.
Fresh faces: Dessie Conneely inspired Moycullen to their maiden county title and is a corner-forward to test any defence. His club-mate Paul Kelly is an impressive addition along with Mountbellew- Moylough defender James Foley.
Sideline smarts: Joyceâs philosophy is a replica of his playing style ⊠go forward at every opportunity, take the chance. Maybe Jim McGuinness was brought in to remind them of the defensive qualities they honed under Kevin Walsh? Has a good team with him on the sideline.
Verdict: Would have been serious All-Ireland contenders if it wasnât for Covid. As Joyce showed in â98, you donât have to be building for years to win it. The loss of John Daly and Damien Comer, two central figures, is huge.
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Manager: Terry HylandÂ
Road to Croker: Connacht quarter-final at home to Mayo on Sunday.
Last season: Lost to Roscommon by 3-17 to 0-12 in Connacht quarter-final. Beaten by 3-17 to 0-17 in Round 2 All-Ireland qualifier by Clare.
Pre-Christmas present: Gave a walkover to Down over Covid-19 issues on the resumption of the league and relegation was confirmed when they went down to Tipperary in their final game. One win and one draw represented a poor return from seven league matches.
Will rely on: Ryan OâRourke. A quality forward capable of troubling any defence but like Emlyn Mulligan before him, the support act isnât strong enough to really tap into his potential.
Will need to: Contain Mayo early on to give themselves any chance but even then it will probably be a damage limitation exercise. Will look to regroup in Division 4 next season but championship 2020 is unlikely to be longer than 70 minutes.
Sideline smarts: Hyland is an experienced manager but a county with a population of just over 30,000 inevitably finds it difficult to have the resources.
Fresh faces: Conor Dolan, who kicked the winning point for Glencar/Manorhamilton in last yearâs county final, has been a welcome addition to the attack. Mark Diffley and Paul Keaney will be two to keep an eye on in the years ahead.
Verdict: Leitrim never enjoyed much success in the All-Ireland qualifiers but, barring a massive shock, they wonât even have the consolation of the backdoor this year.
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Manager: James HoranÂ
Road to Croker: Away to Leitrim in Carrick-on-Shannon Sunday, with Roscommon waiting in the Hyde a week later.
Last season: Lost Connacht semi-final to Roscommon by 2-12 to 0-17 but still reached All-Ireland semi-final before going down by 3-14 to 1-10 to Dublin.
Pre-Christmas present: Wonât be too bothered by relegation. Will probably need to beat both Roscommon and Galway to win Connacht for the first time since 2015 but that triumph would give them serious momentum going into an All-Ireland semi v the Munster champions.
Will rely on: Aidan OâShea. Cillian OâConnorâs contribution will be huge but Mayo need skipper OâShea to deliver big if they are to advance. Likely to be positioned on the edge of the square.
Will need to: Hit the ground running. Mixed the good with the bad in the resumed league games against Galway and Tyrone but will be hard to stop if they can light the fuse. Could benefit from the absence of fans, away from some of the pressure-cooker environment.
Fresh faces: Oisin Mullin at corner-back, Eoghan McLaughlin at wing-back, Mark Moran at centre- forward and Tommy Conroy at corner-forward. Good few more coming of age after being in the set- up for a year or two.
Sideline smarts: Good infusion of fresh talent, loads of experience already on board and a battle- hardened manager. The ingredients are there if Horan can pull it all together.
Verdict: Hard to believe they havenât been in Connacht final since 2015. Will fancy chances of winning Connacht and wouldnât it be just remarkable that this year, of all years, was when they finally ended the All-Ireland famine that goes back to 1951? Stranger things have happened.
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Manager: Anthony CunninghamÂ
Road to Croker: Connacht semi-final in Hyde Park against Mayo (unless they are stunned by Leitrim) on November 7Â
Last season: Cunningham added a Connacht title to the Leinster hurling title he won with Galway when he steered them to victory over his native county by 1-13 to 0-12. Third in Super 8s group having lost to Dublin and Tyrone before beating Cork.
Pre-Christmas present: Promoted when winning the Division 2 title for the third time in six years, with impressive away wins in Armagh and Cavan sealing the crown. Good time to be hitting form.
Will rely on: All Star nominee Conor Cox has been a huge addition since moving from Kerry to his fatherâs homeland. Enda Smith and Cathal Cregg are also quality forwards.
Will need to: Find the balance which saw them sail through Connacht last year. Mayo or Galway will be a big step up from Division 2 but Roscommon are a very hard team to play against.
Fresh faces: More a case of players back from injury and travel plans shelved due to Covid. The availability of CiarĂĄn and Diarmuid Murtagh is a big boost, same with Ultan Harney and Cathal Heneghan.
Sideline smarts: Cunningham has brought success everywhere heâs gone in hurling and football, club or county. Really knows how to get the maximum out of teams in a very controlled way. Has been a great fit for Roscommon. Never slow to make changes in a game and has the squad here to do that.
Verdict: No reason why they canât retain Connacht for the first time since 1991. Current champions, yet ranked third in the province by many, including the bookies. That will give them serious motivation. Will all come down to the semi-final clash with Mayo. That will be a tight one and might be beyond them.
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Manager: Paul TaylorÂ
Road to Croker: Travel to Salthill for a Connacht semi-final against Galway on November 7.
Last season: Lost by 3-11 to 0-7 at home to Galway; then lost to Offaly by 3-17 to 0-15 in Round 2 All- Ireland qualifier.
Pre-Christmas present: Put in a decent showing against Limerick in their final league game but didnât build on the opening wins over London and Antrim earlier this year. Still, three wins out of seven in Division 4 of the Allianz League represented progress having gone 13 matches without a win in a barren run that lasted over a year and a half before they won in Ruislip in the league back in January.
Will rely on: Red Og Murphy. Back in the Gaelic football fold following a year in Australia getting a taste for professional sport with North Melbourne, the Curry native has really found his feet in the club game as well as impressing during the national league. A quality player who would slot into most sides, itâs a big boost for Sligo to have him back.
Will need to: Find a replacement for Adrian Marren. The Curry clubman finally brought the curtain down on an inter-county career that spanned 16 years and while his role had reduced in recent seasons, his leadership was always a cornerstone.
Sideline smarts: Taylor knows Sligo football inside out. Needs to bring on new talent but looks like very little he can do to stun Galway at this stage.
Fresh faces: Barry Gorman of Coolaney/Mullinabreena is starting to make an impact. A minor in 2017 he can operate around midfield or at full forward. Former Connacht Rugby academy player Ryan Feehily is another showing promise. So too is full-back Eddie McGuinness.
Verdict: Hard to see them troubling Galway in Salthill but there has been some progress this year and they would like to build on that.
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Manager: Niall Carew.
Road to Croker: Leinster first round against Offaly in Bord Na Mona OâConnor Park this Sunday.
Last season: Knocked out by Longford in first round of the qualifiers.
Pre-Christmas present: Taking the scalp of Offaly would be something new manager Niall Carew and the players could hang their hats on going into the 2021 season.
Will rely on: Paul Broderick. The 33-year-old scored 10 points in the recent league win over Sligo and is looking at this season as a bonus given he thought injury would rule him out this past summer.
Will need to: Be patient. Carew knows the club scene in Carlow and what players are capable of but many of them will need time to transition from the tactics espoused by the previous management.
There are still a lot of strong runners in the team and that shouldnât be sacrificed too readily.
Fresh faces: The team Carew put together for the game against Sligo showed eight changes from the previous league game against Waterford back in March, Turlough OâBrienâs last game in charge.
Replacing players with the experience of Daniel St Ledger (retired) and Brendan and SeĂĄn Murphy (not available) wonât be an overnight job.
Sideline smarts: Carew has made no secret of his plans to change the style that was played under the management of OâBrien and coaching of Steven Poacher. With Ger Brennan as a coach, Carlow wonât look to counterattack as much.
Verdict: Offaly havenât set the world alight since competitive inter-county football returned the weekend before last so there is an opportunity for Carlow to surprise them in Tullamore but you would think John Maughan will get his men right for that encounter.
Manager: Dessie Farrell.
Road to Croker: Leinster quarter-final v Westmeath in Portlaoise on Saturday week.
Last season: All-Ireland champions.
Pre-Christmas present: The six in a row. Winning a knock-out All-Ireland would be an incentive for this group who have won everything else.
Will rely on: Stephen Cluxton. There were indications during the league that Evan Comerford is ready to take over from the great but the consistency and accuracy of the Parnells man remains such an asset.
Will need to: Shore up the defence. Dublin have been scouting hard for backs because of a worrying age profile. The intensity of this Championship means Farrell will likely have to change things up more than he would like. How his thirtysomethings recover could be key to Dublinâs fortunes.
Fresh faces: Paddy Small has been threatening to make the breakthrough. Robbie McDaid is in line to take Jack McCaffreyâs spot. Cian Murphy (Thomas Davis) and Tom Lahiff (St Judeâs) are challenging for places in the matchday panel.
Sideline smarts: Farrell is not looking to reinvent the wheel although he will want to put his own stamp on things. If he could avoid taking James McCarthy and Brian Howard out of their respective half-back and half-forward lines and find a regular partner for Brian Fenton he would be thrilled - but that seems a project for 2021.
Verdict: Dublin may not have impressed these past couple of weekends and yet they have won both games. Kerry still appear the closest team to them although a Donegal/Tyrone side could ask questions in a semi-final. A sixth All-Ireland final awaits if not a sixth All-Ireland.
Manager: Jack OâConnor.
Road to Croker: The winners of Carlow and Offaly face Kildare in MW Hire OâMoore Park in Sunday weekâs Leinster quarter-final.
Last season: Beaten by Tyrone in round two of the qualifiers.
Pre-Christmas present: Getting to a Leinster final, beating Meath in doing so and asking questions of Dublin that they havenât since the Kieran McGeeney era. Jack OâConnor will have his ideas about picking holes in the Dubs but there is plenty to get done before that.
Will rely on: Jimmy Hyland. A star performer when the Lilywhites claimed an U20 All-Ireland two years ago, he has the X factor and the composure to penetrate most defences.
Will need to: Score more goals. They found the net only three times in League Division 2 and while they conceded just two that weakness will be shown up especially when you consider Meath managed seven despite losing all their Division 1 matches.
Fresh faces: Naasâ Darragh Kirwan has been drafted into the squad and OâConnor has reintroduced his son Ăanna into the set-up. Ben McCormack, Mark Dempsey and Matty Byrne are available again when they werenât earlier in the year.
Sideline smarts: There are few shrewder men on the sideline than OâConnor and it wasnât his sonsâ connection or his work with Moorefield alone that convinced him to take this position. He clearly identifies the potential but being without a playmaker like Niall Kelly and Daniel Flynnâs hamstring issues makes life harder.
Verdict: Should they see off Carlow, Offaly wonât have the slightest fear of Kildare. But healthy local disrespect aside, the Lilywhites should have enough in their panel to make the last four and in a normal season could make a run to the Super 8s but Meath look a better oiled machine right now regardless of their string of Division 1 losses.
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Manager: MicheĂĄl Quirke.
Road to Croker: Laois will have to travel to Pearse Park Sunday week should Longford beat Louth.
Otherwise, itâs a short trip to Tullamore to face the Wee County.
Last season: Beaten by Cork in R3 of the qualifiers.
Pre-Christmas present: Retaining their Division 2 status when the odds looked against them, was an achievement in itself. A win over Longford/Louth followed with even a moral victory against Dublin would be something to build on.
Will rely on: Gary Walsh. Produced something special in Enniskillen when Laois needed it most. Can be mercurial but when heâs on song, heâs on song and with the Kingstons only coming back he will be expected to lead the attack.
Will need to: Deal with expectation. They deserved to stay in Division 2 having beaten the two teams who ended up earning promotion from Division 1. Perhaps they were targeting the big games but they will be fancied in their opening game and they must be comfortable with being favourites.
Fresh faces: Shane Bolger and Seamus Lacey made their debuts against Fermanagh while Quirke has been given game-time to other new men such as Mark Barry, Brian Byrne, Brian Daly, SeĂĄn OâFlynn and Diarmuid Whelan. The net has been cast wide.
Sideline smarts: Quirke will have to plan without suspended Kieran Lillis for their opener and John OâLoughlin was injured in Brewster Park but there should be enough resources to pull through a Leinster quarter-final. The players appreciate that Quirke wants to play the game the right way. That consistency in message should stand to them.
Verdict: There has to be a bounce from how Laois retained their Division 2 status although Louth/Longford will have the advantage of this weekendâs game. The semi-finals beckons Laois but there they will be busted up by Dublin.
Manager: PĂĄdraic Davis.
Road to Croker: Longford have had two weeks to get themselves ready for Sundayâs Leinster first round clash against Louth in Cusack Park.
Last season: Beaten by Tyrone in R2 of the qualifiers.
Pre-Christmas present: After handing Cork a walkover, Longford have put more pressure on themselves but they will expect to see off Louth who are without a win. Without Michael Quinn, getting to a Leinster semi-final would be an achievement and an improvement on last yearâs quarter- final replay defeat to Kildare.
Will rely on: Robbie Smyth. The Abbeylara man left the panel in the middle of last year and wasnât expected back for this Championship before it was postponed. One fine forward.
Will need to: Work around the fact that they donât have Quinn. Having Smyth back in harness is a huge plus but Barry McKeon and Darran Quinn are injured, while Michael Quinn has been an incredible leader and Davis will need to find ways to compensate for him deciding to sit out the remainder of this year.
Fresh faces: Former Roscommon footballer Derek Dugganâs son Jack is part of the set-up although he is still a teenager. Enda Macken is an option at the back while Larry Moran (Killoe) and Shane Kenny (Rathcline) have returned from long-standing injury difficulties.
Sideline smarts: Davis has a good management team who know how to get the best out of the group. Longford are at their best when theyâre working at speed but the pitches and conditions at this time of year wonât be conducive to that.
Verdict: Just three points separated Longford and Louth when they last faced each other back in January and while Longford donât have the same personnel at their disposal they should again be able to dismiss a team who finished five points below them in Division 3.
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Manager: Wayne Kierans.
Road to Croker: Longford this weekend stand in the way of a Leinster quarter-final against Laois a week later.
Last season: Beaten by Antrim in first rd of the qualifiers.
Pre-Christmas present: Back up their first win of 2020 with another this weekend would be surprising but the momentum from it would be huge and then Laois would have to be wary.
Will rely on: Sam Mulroy is making more of a name for himself. Scoring 1-18 across the recent Cork and Down games, his freetaking ability will be a major asset in Mullingar this weekend.
Will need to: Be more pragmatic. Louth are actually a fun team to watch and Kierans clearly wants them to play in an entertaining way but as those five goals they shipped in Cork prove, they are porous. Their discipline has also been an issue this year and that has to be addressed if they are to make an impact.
Fresh faces: CiarĂĄn Keenan and Conor Whelan were drafted into the back-line following the loss to Cork and fared well enough.
Sideline smarts: Speaking recently, Kierans isnât sure of whether he will be in charge of the team when the 2021 season starts like in late February or early March. He had a more positive attitude to the Championship taking place than some in the county, one that extends to how Louth go about their business on the field.
Verdict: Although they did beat a weakened Down team last weekend, Louth havenât sounded too comfortable playing this year and there already seems a keenness to move on to 2021 as quickly as possible. Longford should put them out of their misery.
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Manager: Andy McEnteeÂ
Road to Croker: Leinster quarter-final in Wexford Park/ Aughrim against Wexford/Wicklow on Nov 8.
Last season: Meath reached the Leinster final and the Super 8s, their stated aim at the start of 2019.
They failed to win any of those games though, losing heavily to Dublin in the provincial final and losing all of their Super 8s matches.
Pre-Christmas present: The target will be another Leinster final, probably against Dublin. To reach that they'd likely have to beat Jack O'Connor's Kildare in the last four, thereby solidifying their status as the second best team in Leinster.
Will rely on: Meath have some good players but Donal Keogan is arguably their one great player.
Cillian O'Sullivan, Conor McGill and Bryan Menton are pivotal too.
Will need to: Considered a team on the up but have still lost 10 of 12 League and Championship games. Most were battling losses to top teams but they still badly need a win, of any sort.
Fresh faces: Midfielder Ronan Jones is back after missing two championships. Eoin Harkin and Cathal Hickey are exciting prospects. Jordan Morris is what theyâve been truly missing - a scoring forward.
Sideline smarts: Only Mickey Harte, Colm Collins and Kieran McGeeney are in their posts longer than Andy McEntee. But there's one thing the Meath boss still hasn't managed - to beat a team from Division 1. Breaking that duck - ie beating the Dubs - would make it some year.
Verdict: What Meath will turn up? If it's the one that trailed Monaghan and Dublin by 1-4 to 0-1 in their recent League games, they haven't a hope. If it's the one that outscored them for the rest of those games, they could go far. A battling Leinster final defeat to Dublin would be progress.
Manager: John MaughanÂ
Road to Croker: Leinster preliminary round against Carlow at O'Connor Park on Sunday. Winners play Kildare Sunday week.
Last season: A two-point preliminary round loss to Meath was followed by back to back wins in the qualifiers, against London and Sligo. Offaly eventually bowed out to neighbours Laois in Round 3.
Pre-Christmas present: No reason why Offaly can't beat Carlow this weekend and then push Kildare hard in the quarter-finals. It's only two seasons since Carlow beat the Lilies and Offaly are competitive with most teams.
Will rely on: Given that Niall McNamee has been an impact sub since the restart, Peter Cunningham is arguably the most important player now. Tullamore's Johnny Moloney and Cian Farrell in attack are key figures too.
Will need to: Offaly need to develop a killer instinct. They were level with Laois at half-time last year and were four points up on Meath with 15 minutes of normal time remaining yet lost both games.
Fresh faces: Sigerson Cup finalist Cian Farrell is a quality forward who Offaly will rely on. Aaron Leavy, a goalscorer last weekend, and Rory Egan, called in after a strong club campaign, are prospects too.
Sideline smarts: Offaly stayed in Division 3 but finished the campaign with three losses, two since the restart. On the plus side, those recent losses were three and two-point defeats to decent Tipperary and Derry outfits. Manager John Maughan will still require all his experience to pick the team up and inspire them.
Verdict: Cian Johnson's likely absence from the attack with groin/ankle issues is a considerable blow.
Offaly still have enough scoring power to secure a Leinster quarter-final against Kildare Sunday week, pitting John Maughan against Jack O'Connor on the sideline but we'd fancy O'Connor's Kildare in that head to head.
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Manager: Jack CooneyÂ
Road to Croker: Leinster quarter-final against Dublin in Portlaoise on Nov 7.
Last season: Laois beat Westmeath by 0-12 to 0-10 in last year's Leinster quarter-finals, gaining revenge for their earlier Division 3 final defeat. Westmeath beat Waterford and Limerick in the qualifiers but lost to Clare by a point in Rd 3.
Pre-Christmas present: Westmeath drew the short straw in this year's Championship - Dublin up first and no back door.
Will rely on: John Heslin remains a huge figure for Westmeath. He was black carded early in last year's qualifier loss to Clare and has waited 16 months for another Championship game.
Fresh faces: Former AFL player Ray Connellan's last Championship action was the 2016 Leinster final when he broke his leg. Dubliner Jack Smith is in his second season in defence. Brandon Kelly, a Leinster colleges winner with Rochfortbridge this year, pointed on his debut against Laois.
Sideline smarts: Jack Cooney was part of Paidi O Se's backroom when Westmeath famously defeated Dublin in 2004. He was a selector with Donegal for the 2016 Ulster final.
Verdict: The bookmakers have Westmeath as 20/1 long shots to beat the Dubs but their full-forward line of Ger Egan, John Heslin and Kieran Martin will command the Dubs' attention. They conceded 16 points on average in this year's League so will struggle to contain Dublin.
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Manager: Shane RocheÂ
Road to Croker: Leinster preliminary round against Wicklow at home Sunday. Winners play Meath on Sunday week.
Last season: Wexford were beaten by Louth in the preliminary round of the Leinster championship, 0-22 to 1-14. They were then hammered 4-16 to 0-10 by Derry in Round 1 of the qualifiers. The only way is up after that.
Pre-Christmas present: Paul Galvin's departure as manager last month was as unexpected as his arrival. Stability and a little hope is what Wexford need now. Beating Carlow and then Meath over the next 10 days isn't beyond them.
Will rely on: Ben Brosnan played with new boss Shane Roche and was top scorer in Wexford's narrow 2011 Leinster final loss to Dublin. He's still their go-to man with 0-13 since the restart and is also captain.
Will need to: Winning a Leinster game would be a big step forward for Wexford. They haven't done that since 2014. Since then they've lost to Westmeath (2015), Kildare (2016), Carlow (2017), Laois (2018) and Louth (2019).
Fresh faces: Roche convinced several former players to return including Kevin O'Grady, John Tubritt and Jake Firman. Paraic Hughes and Alan Tobin (an injury concern this weekend) are among a troop of talented young performers.
Sideline smarts: Roche was part of Paul Galvin's backroom team. He enjoyed a terrific debut win over Limerick but their defeat to Wicklow last weekend cost them promotion. He'll have no trouble motivating them for Sunday's rematch.
Verdict: For Division 4 teams the League is often more important. So beating Wicklow on Sunday won't make up for missing out on promotion but it looks a decent bet nonetheless, teeing them up for a shot at Meath on Sunday week.
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Manager: Davy BurkeÂ
Road to Croker: Away to Wexford in a preliminary round game Sunday. Winner plays Meath on Sunday week.
Last season: Wicklow lost their 2019 opener to Kildare but only by two points and gave the Lilies a real scare. They exited the Championship after another two-point loss, this time against Leitrim.
Pre-Christmas present: Whatever happens from here on is a bonus for Wicklow after securing their golden ticket to Division 3. But the journey doesn't have to end here.
Will rely on: Davy Burke described team captain Dean Healy as their 'beast' after Wicklow's 7-11 to 0-7 destruction of Antrim. "He suits me down to the ground," said Burke, "he hits everything that moves."
Will need to: Wicklow have lost 10 of their last 11 Championship games so their players should be fired up to put a rare 'W' on the board. For the record, their one win was against Offaly after extra- time in 2018.
Fresh faces: Defender Paddy O'Keane, Sigerson Cup finalist Podge O'Toole, Pat Burke, Saoirse Kearon and Peter Hempentstall are among a group of rookies who have added genuine competition for places in the Wicklow setup.
Sideline smarts: Davy Burke is a young manager in a hurry to get to the top. He reportedly knocked back a number two role with Kildare after guiding their U20s to All-Ireland success in 2018, preferring to manage senior outfit Sarsfields and then Wicklow. Promotion didn't seem likely this year so he's been an instant hit.
Verdict: Beating the same county twice in successive games is always difficult, particularly when you're the underdog in the first place. Wicklow will be travelling back to Wexford Park Sunday too.
It's clearly not beyond them but Wexford have all the motivation.
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Manager: Colm Collins (seventh season).
Last season: Edged out by Meath, by a single point, in Round 4 of the qualifiers.
Road to Croker: Away to Tipp represents a tough opening day assignment. But should they return home still alive in the championship, theyâll be fancied to take care of Limerick or Waterford in the semi-final.
Pre-Christmas present: The provincial draw has been terribly unkind to Colm Collins in recent years, Clare finding themselves on Kerryâs side of the draw for the last four summers. 2020 has granted them a well-earned reprieve. The Banner have to take advantage of the fact the earliest they can meet Cork or Kerry is the Munster decider.
Will rely on: Eoin Cleary accounted for 44% of Clare scores across their last three games. Jamie Malone's return to the set-up should mean the load is better shared come championship.
Will need to: Increase their scoring output, even if winter football wonât lend itself to many a shootout. Only two teams - Fermanagh and Down - across Divisions 1, 2, and 3 had a smaller scoring average than Clare in the League.
Fresh faces: A few returning faces. Gary Brennan and 2019 All-Star nominee Jamie Malone had travel plans for 2020 but the ongoing global pandemic put paid to all of that.
Sideline smarts: Colm Collins has done a fine job in elevating Clare football stock. The most obvious example of such would be that next year will be their fifth-in-a-row in Division 2. Clare have not won back-to-back Munster championship games on his watch. Correct that stat and a Munster final appearance would be just reward for the countyâs rising graph of recent years.
Verdict: The Munster draw at least allows Colm Collins to eye a Munster final. Staying in Division 2 is key for Banner football. They've managed that so can approach this weekend's provincial quarter final against Tipp with less pressure.
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Manager: Ronan McCarthy (third season).
Last season: Failed to get a win in their Super 8s group.
Road to Croker: Straight in at the deep end on November 8 when Kerry travel to PĂĄirc UĂ Chaoimh for a much-anticipated Munster semi-final.
Pre-Christmas present: Stating the obvious here, but their championship hinges on the result of the Kerry game. Record a first championship win over the Kingdom in eight years and Cork have a very real chance of ending up in the All-Ireland final.
Will rely on: Luke Connolly was in irresistible form during the county championship. The Castlehaven pair of Mark Collins and Brian Hurley are two more capable of unlocking the Kerry defence. Ian Maguireâs trademark runs from the middle of the park will be as important in winter as they are at the height of summer.
Will need: A clean bill of health. Kevin Crowley, TomĂĄs Clancy and Liam OâDonovan have already been ruled out for the remainder of 2020 and so it is imperative Sean Powter overcomes his latest hamstring problem in time for Sunday week.
Fresh faces: 2019 All-Ireland U20 winner Paul Ring started Cork's last three league games, while another U20 winner, Maurice Shanley, started the two league fixtures either side of lockdown.
Sideline smarts: Was this a normal year, Cork would have been fancied to reach the last eight via the backdoor. There would also have been greater opportunity for Cian OâNeill to put his mark on the team's style of play.
Verdict: Unlucky with prep and that their first outing is a tie against a Kerry side in form. Hard to see Cork holding the Kerry front line over 70 minutes on a big field.
Manager: Peter Keane (second season).
Last season: They were the final fence cleared by Dublin en route to a historic five-in-a-row.
Road to Croker: Cork, Munster final, and the Connacht champions; the three fences Kerry must negotiate to return to the decider.
Pre-Christmas present: Would be naive to look past Cork after last yearâs Munster final scare. But given the extent to which the panelâs younger cohort have matured over the past 12 months, their success or otherwise in displacing Dublin from footballâs summit is really the only metric by which theyâll judge themselves.
Will rely on: No one individual. The growing depth of this Kerry panel is quickly becoming their trump card. Their four scoring forwards against Donegal were Sean OâShea, David Clifford, Tony Brosnan and Dara Moynihan. On the bench was Killian Spillane, Tommy Walsh and Stephen OâBrien, not forgetting, of course, either James OâDonoghue or Paul Geaney who were absent from the matchday panel. Theirs is an abundance of attacking riches.
Will need to: Iron out the last remaining defensive creases. Donegal centre-forward Ciaran Thompsonâs first-half prolificacy at Austin Stack Park suggests Kerryâs defensive jigsaw remains a piece or two short.
Fresh faces: Tony Brosnan is in splendid form of late, as evidenced by his six-point haul last weekend, and will bridge his four-year wait for a second championship appearance on Sunday week.
Sideline smarts: If Peter Keane, as expected, persists with three bodies at midfield, will it be Jack Barry or Ronan Buckley - the latter started both league games post lockdown - who gets the nod to toil alongside the midfield pair of Diarmuid O'Connor and David Moran against Cork. And which five forwards does he then opt for?
Verdict: All-Ireland favourites? in the eyes of many, yes. A reshape doesn't hide the fact some defenders and the keeper are less than convincing - but they will only discover the extent of that problem at Croke Park.
Manager: Billy Lee (fourth season).
Last season: Shocked Tipp in the Munster quarter-final, but their summer went downhill from that point, Cork and Westmeath subsequently inflicting championship defeats.
Road to Croker: The Treaty men begin with a very winnable quarter-final away to Waterford.
Pre-Christmas present: A Munster semi-final has to be the very least of their ambitions. Having achieved promotion to Division 3 last weekend, not forgetting McGrath Cup glory back in January, a most satisfactory Covid season would be capped with progression to a first Munster final in 10 years.
Limerick have not won back-to-back championship games since 2014.
Will rely on: Iain Corbett, Darragh Treacy (who returned from a 12-month stint overseas in August), and Hugh Bourke.
Will need to: Maintain the belief they showed throughout the league, and that's easier said than done for a group of players not accustomed to winning inter-county games on a regular basis. There were a few league ties that could have gone against them, but they backed themselves to eke out a result.
Fresh faces: Called into the panel prior to the league resuming was Sean McSweeney. He kicked two points in the win over Sligo which saw Limerick crowned Division 4 champions.
Sideline smarts: Limerickâs project restart was not aided by injury to key forward Danny Neville and the departure from the set-up of James Naughton and Patrick Begley. Limerickâs county football championship would be a good distance removed from inter-county standard and so Billy Lee has had his hands full trying to get his players to the required pitch in time for this weekend.
Verdict: Promotion from Division 4 will give Billy Lee and co a fillip and they should see off Waterford this weekend. Then they can go after the winners of Clare or Tipp with the prize of a provincial semi final on the line.
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Manager: David Power (first season).
Last season: One to forget. Tossed out the exit door without a win by June 9.
Road to Croker: Clare, at home, this Sunday, what will be a first Munster championship meeting between the pair since 2002. The winner faces Limerick or Waterford in the Munster semi.
Pre-Christmas present: No more than Clare, the drawâs lopsided nature presents a glorious opportunity to reach the Munster final. Anything less will be viewed as a disappointing championship campaign.
Will rely on: Michael Quinlivan is a welcome returnee to the panel. Besides the 2016 All-Star, the usual suspects of Conor Sweeney and Jack Kennedy will be looked to.
Will need to: Fingers are crossed Steven OâBrienâs recent hamstring injury will have cleared in time for Sunday. It was oh so noticeable how Tipperary lost ownership of the midfield sector following O'Brien's injury-enforced departure in the first-half against Offaly two weeks ago. They similarly struggled at midfield, against Leitrim, last weekend.
Fresh faces: Riain Quigley made his first league start back in February and the Moyle Rovers forward, who was vice-captain of the county U20 side this year, could well make his first championship start this weekend.
Sideline smarts: David Power didnât have much joy pre lockdown, but the recent wins over Offaly and Leitrim, survival in Division 3 and the return of Michael Quinlivan has significantly improved his mid-term report card.
Verdict: Extricated themselves from any relegation anxiety from Division 3, meaning their 2020 season comes down to the meeting with Clare. Only downside this year is that a provincial final berth doesn't bring the prize of the Super 8s.
Manager: Benji Whelan (second season).
Last season: A typically short one. Lost to Clare in Munster and Westmeath in the qualifiers.
Road to Croker: Home quarter-final, against Limerick, this Saturday.
Pre-Christmas present: With the county not having won a Munster championship game since 2010, victory this Saturday is the only item on Waterfordâs winter wish list.
Will rely on: Jason Curry top-scored for the DĂ©ise during the league with 0-23. Team captain Conor Murray was another to make regular and meaningful contributions on the scoresheet either side of GAA activity being paused.
Will need to: During their almost barren decade on the provincial front, there were occasions when Waterford could and should have sprung an upset, particularly when running Cork and Clare to one point in 2017 and 2019 respectively. If they can find the fourth quarter composure they were missing during those narrow defeats, a road past Limerick is more than possible.
Fresh faces: The countyâs top U20 footballer last year, Darragh Corcoran of St Saviours, has been a regular in the senior team this season and is in line to make his first championship start at Fraher Field this weekend.
Sideline smarts: Championship preparation certainly has not been helped by not being able to play London in what was their first scheduled League game post lockdown and then the furore surrounding the on-off-on-again Antrim fixture. Benji Whelan is already without a number of 2019 first-team regulars, having admitted back in January that he was down five players who âwould have been nailed-on startersâ. His task ainât an easy one.
Verdict: Tough gig. Have the capacity to pull a big one out of the locker but season success this year comes down to beating Limerick.
Manager: Lenny HarbinsonÂ
Road to Croker: play either Monaghan or Cavan in the first round on Nov 7. If itâs Monaghan, then they will have a âhomeâ game for the first time since Casement Park closed, in either Belfast or Portglenone.
Last season: Lost to Tyrone by 14 points in the Ulster championship. Beat Louth in the first round of All-Ireland SFC qualifiers before losing to Kildare in round two.
Pre-Christmas present: Failure to get promotion from Division Four, their stated aim for the year, was a disaster. But the returning quartet of Kevin OâBoyle, Mark Sweeney, Pat McCormack and Lamh Dhearg forward Ryan Murray, who went to Dubai after last yearâs club championship is a boost.
Will rely on: The cuteness and craft of Paddy Cunningham remains all-important. The 34-year-old came back after a six-year absence from county football at the start of this year. Michael and Tomas McCann, Declan Lynch and Odhran Eastwood are among their main go-to men.
Will need to: Tighten up defensively.
Fresh faces: James McAuley made his debut last year but he is getting better and better. A creative, hard-working centre-back with an eye for a score.
Sideline smarts: The crash and burn in Aughrim was disastrous for Antrim. They were flying earlier in the year but the lockdown came at the worst possible time.
Verdict: Finishing third in Division Four for the third year in a row took the wind out of Antrimâs sails and was a serious momentum-killer. There could be shocks in the knockout championship and an Antrim win would certainly fall into that category.
Manager: Kieran McGeeneyÂ
Road to Croker: A tricky tie against Derry in Celtic Park on Sunday. The winner will play either Donegal or Tyrone in the difficult half of the draw.
Last season: Lost to Cavan in an Ulster semi-final replay but got over the disappointment quickly by beating Monaghan in a round two All-Ireland qualifier. Came up just one point short against Mayo in Castlebar in R3.
Pre-Christmas present: Promotion to Division One, arguably just as big for them as a good championship run, having chased it for so long but would dearly love a first Ulster SFC title since 2008.
Will rely on: the awesome scoring power they possess should win a lot of games. Rian and Oisin OâNeill, Stefan Campbell and Rory Grugan are the backbone of all that while Aidan Forkerâs man- marking ability and selfless role further back is key.
Will need to: Stop switching off during games.
Sideline smarts: Armagh donât do so well against packed defences and youâd imagine thatâs what awaits them on Sunday against Derry. Kieran McGeeneyâs record managing Armagh in Ulster is poor â last yearâs win over Down was his first in his fifth year of trying â but the players are his biggest fans and will carry out his game-plan to the letter of the law.
Verdict: Difficult side of the draw and even if they get past Derry, theyâve Donegal or Tyrone to worry about.
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Manager: Mickey GrahamÂ
Road to Croker: play Monaghan in Saturdayâs preliminary round. If they win, they will host Antrim in the first round a week later.
Last season: Reached a first Ulster SFC final since 2001 after overcoming Armagh against all odds in a dramatic semi-final reply. Well beaten by Donegal in the decider and hammered by Tyrone in a R4 qualifier.
Pre-Christmas present: Killian Clarke opted out earlier in the year but has returned since lockdown which is a rare piece of good news. Not much Christmas cheer about Cavan after an unlucky final- day relegation from Division Two thanks to Laoisâ win over Fermanagh.
Will rely on: Stalwarts Raymond Galligan, Martin Reilly and Gearoid McKiernan need to impose their will on a team in transition. The team seems to have taken a step back since the highs of last summer but they have quality in Luke Fortune, Padraig Faulkner and Niall Murray.
Fresh faces: 18-year-old Cormac OâReilly is a real find and he didnât pick it up off the stones. The corner-forward is the son of former Cavan great Damian OâReilly, who was on the last Ulster-winning Cavan team in 1997.
Sideline smarts: Monaghan boss Seamus McEnaney recently described the teamâs defeat by Cavan in Ulster last year as âan embarrassmentâ and have been waiting many months for revenge. Mickey Graham brought a winning feel to Cavan last year but they must be short of confidence after relegation.
Verdict: Dara McVeety and Conor Moynagh, stars of their run to the Ulster final last year, are still absent and an unlucky last-gasp relegation from Division Two could not have come at a worse time.
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Manager: Rory GallagherÂ
Road to Croker: Host Armagh in a first round clash on Sunday at Celtic Park. The winner faces Donegal or Tyrone.
Last season: Lost to Tyrone by six in the preliminary round of Ulster. Followed it up with an opening qualifier win away to Wexford but stunned at home by Laois in round two.
Pre-Christmas present: The timing of the championship could really suit Derry. Instead of having Slaughtneil players returning exhausted midway through the league, they have a fresh, hungry squad ready to do themselves justice.
Will rely on: Shane McGuigan gets all the attention as their one true out-and-out scoring forward but Niall Loughlin is highly rated by Gallagher and they could it a prolific duo. Chrissy McKaigue and Brendan Rogers bring more quality.
Fresh faces: Glen teenager Ethan Doherty, who goaled against Offaly last weekend, is one Gallagher has wanted for some time. Conor Glass is only home from the AFL three weeks ago and while he may not yet have the same kerb appeal as Tyrone star Conor McKenna, his presence is a plus.
Sideline smarts: Rory Gallagher outfoxed Kieran McGeeney two years ago in the Ulster championship as Fermanagh manager. With Armagh riding high after their league promotion last weekend, Gallagher will hope he can again get the upperhand come championship.
Verdict: Derry are proud of the strength of their club championship and dual status but it has come at a price with the county football team suffering badly in the last decade. One win in the Ulster championship since 2011 is a shocking statistic. They are underdogs against Armagh but it would not be much of a surprise at all if they were to win it.
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Manager: Declan BonnerÂ
Road to Croker: Host Tyrone in an epic showdown on Sunday in Ballybofey meaning one of the top six All-Ireland contenders will be gone at the first hurdle.
Last season: Crowned Ulster champions but were below par in the Super 8s, drawing with Kerry and losing to Mayo.
Pre-Christmas present: retaining their Ulster title would be a nice way to start. Beating Tyrone in the league game two weeks ago told us little as both camps held a lot in reserve but they are the team standing in the way of everyone elseâs ambitions in Ulster.
Will rely on: the usual suspects, in particular Michael Murphy and Ryan McHugh, and the excellence of Shaun Pattonâs kickouts.
Will need to: get Hugh McFadden and Patrick McBrearty on the pitch. Eyebrows have been raised in Donegal over the absence of both post-lockdown.
Fresh faces: Andrew McClean has earned a call-up on the back of some strong displays for Kilcar in the club championship while Peadar Moganâs goal against Tyrone in the league game two weeks ago will have done his cause no harm.
Sideline smarts: Donegal will not expect Tyrone to play with the same adventure as they did in Castlebar, though it would probably suit them if they did. Declan Bonner has managed against these Tyrone players at all levels, minor, U21 and now senior and must know their skillsets more than an opposing manager.
Verdict: Donegal have huge players around the middle which put pressure on Niall Morganâs kickouts and having Jason McGee back, after he missed all last year through injury, gives Donegal yet another big man to aim for. Whoever wins in Ballybofey will be hot favourites for Ulster. One not to be missed.
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Manager: Paddy TallyÂ
Road to Croker: Travel to Brewster Park to play Fermanagh on Nov 8.
Last season: Lost to Armagh after extra-time in first round. Defeated Tipperary in the first round of qualifiers before a second-round loss to Mayo in Newry.
Pre-Christmas present: Down have always been a momentum team and they are on the side of the draw in Ulster which offers hope to all. Anyone who gets their act together will feel they have a shot at making the final.
Will rely on: The dynamism of Caolan Mooney and scoring power of Jerome Johnston and Donal OâHare and the return of big midfielder Niall Donnelly from a long injury lay-off is also timely.
Will need to: Improve their decision-making on the ball. The intensity of Division 3 is not great preparation for what is to come, and Leitrimâs decision not to travel to Newry two weeks ago left them with less time to prepare. That said opponents Fermanagh have also had a difficult few weeks so both are in the same boat.
Fresh faces: Kilcoo starlet Ryan McEvoy and club-mate Dylan Ward are new to the fold while Conor Clarke, John OâHare and Brendan Gallen got some valuable minutes against Louth in a dead rubber last weekend.
Sideline smarts: Paddy Tally coached Fermanagh boss Ryan McMenamin when Tyrone won their first All-Ireland in 2003. Now they find themselves in a very different situation. Tally has just gained promotion with Down from Division Three with Fermanagh replacing them in the third tier.
Verdict: Monaghan are favourites to emerge from the easier side of the draw, but you could never rule Down out of that equation.
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Manager: Ryan McMenaminÂ
Road to Croker: Host Down in Brewster Park on Sunday November 8.
Last season: Lost by six points to Donegal in Ulster, in what was Rory Gallagherâs last year in charge.
Unlucky to draw Monaghan in the first round qualifiers and lost by four.
Pre-Christmas present: Few teams have suffered the level of disruption due to the pandemic and given they have one of the smallest playing pools in the country, their heroic efforts have earned them a lot of neutral support.
Will rely on: Eoin Donnelly, Ryan Jones, Ciaran Corrigan, Tomas Corrigan and Declan McCusker have consistently delivered for Fermanagh and will be needed again.
Will need to: Unearth new scoring power. Are well organised, totally committed and defensively quite sound but lacking a cutting edge.
Fresh faces: Three players were given debuts for the infamous trip to Clare two weeks ago but Derrygonnelly brothers Stephen and Shane McGullion, who joined the panel at the start of the year, and Darragh McGurn are among the new talent who could feature next week.
Sideline smarts: Ryan McMenaminâs first year in inter-county management could hardly have been any tougher. He could not have imagined the challenges 2020 would bring and can hardly be criticised no matter how the Ulster championship turns out.
Verdict: A win over Down would represent success given the hectic year they have had, and considering the young age profile of the team.
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Manager: Seamus McEnaneyÂ
Road to Croker: Will have to it the hard way via the preliminary round in Ulster. Host Cavan at Clones on Saturday and a win would leave them travelling to Antrim in the first round.
Last season: Crashed out of Ulster as surprise losers to Cavan by four points. Beat Fermanagh in the qualifiers but then hammered by eight points by a resurgent Armagh in the second round.
Pre-Christmas present: Banty would love to mark his return to the job he held from 2004 to 2010 with the Ulster title which eluded him in two Ulster finals during that time.
Will rely on: Unfair to label them a one-man team but are heavily, heavily reliant on Conor McManus. When Darren Hughes is firing, they usually all fire and need another big few weeks from their inspirational midfield warhorse.
Will need to: Not a new problem but they need to take some of the scoring burden off McManus.
Conor McCarthy, Shane Carey, Micheal Bannigan and Dermot Malone can do it.
Fresh faces: Andrew Woods impressed for Inniskeen in the club championship and can play midfield or full-forward. Stephen OâHanlon and David Garland are also new up front.
Sideline smarts: McEnaney has been smart enough to surround himself with highly rated young coaches. Kilcoo and Downâs Conor Laverty will bring the smarts and the steel and poaching Tyroneâs S&C guru Peter Donnelly was another piece of good business.
Verdict: On the weaker side of the draw so another final appearance at the very least is within reach.
The heavier winter conditions could also play into their hands as they have taken all the big scalps, including that of Dublin and Kerry, in league competition.
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Manager: Mickey HarteÂ
Road to Croker: Could not be harder. Ballybofey has not been a happy hunting for Tyrone in the last decade but that is where they must win on Sunday to stay in the championship.
Last season: Well beaten by Donegal in the Ulster semi-final but reached the All-Ireland semi-final, 1- 18 to 0-18 against Kerry.
Pre-Christmas present: A win in MacCumhaill Park. Itâs been the scene of some of Tyroneâs most bitter disappointments since Donegal emerged as a real force under Jim McGuinness in 2011.
Will rely on: When you are crucial you are crucial, and number one on the list has to be Mattie Donnelly. After that, Peter Harte, Ronan McNamee and Niall Morgan have the experience and know- how to handle these big days.
Will need to: More of the direct, attacking game on display in Castlebar would be welcomed here and they have the kick-passers to do it. Sterile, ponderous play wonât get them as far as they want.
Fresh faces: The most exciting player to fall into this category this winter is Conor McKenna. His return after five years playing Aussie Rules has been nothing short of. Darragh Canavan another quality player with a big future.
Sideline smarts: Hard-running athletic players have been favoured over the natural footballing ability of others in recent years but maybe that started to change with Cathal McShaneâs ability to bring others into the play.
Verdict: For either Tyrone or Donegal, a win Sunday will likely propel them to an Ulster championship at least. That is how much both have to offer.
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