County-by-county guide: Allianz Football League - Division One
TOP TABLE DINING: Paudie Clifford of Kerry in action against Enda Hession of Mayo during the Allianz Football League Division One fixture last year. Pic: Brendan Moran, Sportsfile
Mickey Harte (first season)
Conor Glass
Veteran Derry forward Benny Heron announced his retirement last November.
Jan 27 Kerry (a); Feb 4 Tyrone (h); Feb 17 Monaghan (h); Feb 25 Galway (a); Mar 2 Dublin (h); Mar 17 Mayo (a); Mar 24 Roscommon (h).
Their recent McKenna Cup triumph saw young Donncha Gilmore raise his hand for further inclusion. Diarmuid Baker and Declan Cassidy showed promise as well.
Glen’s Emmet Bradley, an impact sub during their 2022 success, is making an intercounty return.
Harte made the move for one simple reason. They are back-to-back Ulster champions and the requirement now is to go a step further. Expect Derry to go hard from the off.
A league final would be a sure sign Harte has them on the right path.
Dessie Farrell (fifth season)
James McCarthy
Eight-time All-Ireland winner Dean Rock has retired. Davy Byrne is away travelling.
Jan 27 Monaghan (h); Feb 3 Mayo (a); Feb 17 Roscommon (h); Feb 24 Kerry (h); Mar 2 Derry (a); Mar 16 Galway (a); Mar 24 Tyrone (h).
Killian McGinnis (Skerries Harps), Greg McEneaney (Skerries Harps), Liam Smith (Ballinteer St. Johns).
The band. What was all that talk about the last dance? There has been no mass exodus over the winter. Calls for an encore in the capital were heard.
The All-Ireland champions peaked expertly in 2023. Life outside of Division 2 somewhat denies them of that luxury. How Farrell manages his squad over the coming weeks will be intriguing.
Dublin should be close to the top pack, but their gaze is fixed further down the road than a league final berth.
Padraic Joyce (fifth season)
Sean Kelly
A squad without retirements, but Peter Cooke’s involvement is still in doubt, while All-Star Ian Burke is unavailable as he is studying abroad this year.
Jan 28 Mayo (h); Feb 4 Roscommon (a); Feb 18 Tyrone (a); Feb 25 Derry (h); March 3 Monaghan (a); March 16 Dublin (h); March 24 Kerry (a).
Cillian Ó Curraoin’s sharpshooting in the FBD League and Sigerson Cup recently combined with a dearth of forward depth should see the Mícheál Breathnach receive plenty of minutes.
Conor Flaherty. The goalkeeper last played for Galway in the 2022 Division 2 league final and subsequently left the squad but has returned to the setup this season.
What have Galway garnered for the disappointment that was 2023? Injury issues haunted them and the likes of Cillian McDaid, Liam Silke and Matthew Tierney all look set to miss the early rounds of the league.
Consecutive wins should see them in a safe spot early on, but a tough final stretch may deny them a final spot.
Jack O'Connor (third term, third season)
Paudie Clifford
Jack Barry has gone travelling, Ruairi Murphy will miss the league, Mike Breen and Stefan Okunbor will miss a chink of it.
Jan 27 Derry (h); Feb 4 Monaghan (a); Feb 17 Mayo (h); Feb 24 Dublin (h); Mar 3 Tyrone (h); Mar 17 Roscommon (a); Mar 24 Galway (h).
Powerful wing forward Cillian Burke (Milltown Castlemaine), midfielder Sean O'Brien (Beaufort) and the Geaneys, Conor and Dylan (Dingle) should augment efforts in each sector of the field.
Austin Stacks midfielder Joe O'Connor missed last season with an ACL, Briain O’Beaglaoich would be a big asset in transition too if he can stay injury-free.
Jack O’Connor has already confirmed the Clifford brothers will bot be back before Round 3, but the manager feels they’ve had a better prep this time around, and Jack likes to do well in the league.
What better way to shake off the hangover of an All-Ireland final defeat than silverware?
Kevin McStay (second season)
Paddy Durcan
Jason Doherty, Kevin McLoughlin and Brendan Harrison have all retired. Just the 400 county appearances between them.
Jan 28 Galway (a); Feb 3 Dublin (h); Feb 17 Kerry (a); Feb 24 Tyrone (a); March 2 Roscommon (h); March 17 Derry (h); March 24 Monaghan (a).
Castlebar Mitchels man Bob Tuohy looks primed to kick on. 2022 Mayo minor captain Diarmuid Duffy another who enjoyed a fine club championship with Ballinrobe.
Colm Reape took over as Mayo number one last year and by the end of the championship, his backup was Rory Byrne. However, Rob Hennelly has committed for another campaign after impressing with Raheny and has started in recent pre-season and challenge games. He is not going quietly.
Mayo begin with a gauntlet. Galway, Dublin, Kerry and Tyrone to start with three of the four away.
Retaining their title looks like a bridge too far but Mayo should have enough to stay in Division 1.
Vinny Corey (Second season)
Kieran Duffy
Stalwart Kieran Hughes has retired. Karl Gallagher has signed a two-year deal with Adelaide Crows. Goalkeeper Rory Beggan is pursuing a career in the NFL and will travel to Indianapolis in February.
Jan 27 Dublin (a); Feb 4 Kerry (h); Feb 17 Derry (a); Feb 25 Monaghan (a); Mar 3 Galway (h); Mar 16 Tyrone (a); Mar 24 Mayo (h).
19-year-old Stephen Mooney showed prominently in the McKenna Cup. Davy Garland has continued to score heavily for UCD in the Sigerson Cup.
Conor McManus has confirmed he is ready to rock for an 18th campaign with the Farney.
Monaghan have made a habit of living dangerously and their last league was no different. Hammered by Kerry and Armagh, it took results on the final defeat and a win over an already qualified Mayo to save their status.
The great survivors have enjoyed 10 consecutive seasons in Division 1. Some significant recent departures may prove the blow that breaks a remarkable spell.
Davy Burke (second season)
Brian Stack
After a superb showing last year, Roscommon were dealt a blow when Ciaráin Murtagh confirmed he was unable to commit for 2024. Enda Smith will serve a one-match suspension for their opener having been sent off in the preliminary All-Ireland quarter-final against Cork last June.
Jan 28 Tyrone (a); Feb 4 Galway (h); Feb 17 Dublin (a); Feb 25 Monaghan (h); Mar 2 Mayo (a); Mar 17 Kerry (h); March 24 Derry (a).
Several Roscommon prospects have caught the eye in the recent club and Sigerson campaign, UCD’s Daire Cregg chief among them. St Brigid’s star Ruaidhri Fallon is another who looks primed for a big year.
Midfielder Ultan Harney is back while last year’s vice-captain, Tadhg O’Rourke, has recovered from a long-term Achilles injury.
How will Burke manage his returning St Brigid’s cohort? Will the management ticket suffer from the losses of Donegal’s Mark McHugh and Sligo’s Gerry McGowan?
Travelling to Tyrone down bodies with two tough encounters immediately after may see their campaign slide. Relegation is a serious threat.
Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher (fourth season)
Padraig Hampsey
Trillick star Richie Donnelly, Niall Sludden and All-Star Ronan McNamee have all retired. Mattie Donnelly is still rehabbing after rupturing his posterior cruciate ligament tear and breaking his tibia.
Jan 28 Roscommon (h); Feb 4 Derry (a); Feb 18 Galway (h); Feb 24 Mayo (h); Mar 3 Kerry (a); Mar 16 Monaghan (h); March 24 Dublin (a).
Canavan and Cush once terrified defences and they are set to do so again. Adrian’s son Conor has an eye for goal and was exposed to the senior panel last year.
Niall Morgan is on board having been linked with the NFL American Football combine.
How much longer can the All-Ireland downswing last? With a second three-year term for the senior bosses confirmed, Logan and Dooher must accelerate the injection of their golden U20s crop.
Tyrone were undefeated at home in the league last season. They have every chance of doing similar in 2024. That would leave them in the mix for the top two.
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