Patrick McBrearty and Paddy Burn only focus is Ulster final not Sam Maguire draw

FOCUS ON FINAL: The fact that the draw was made for the All-Ireland series group stages on Tuesday, before the finals have even been played, doesn't sit right with those in the north. Pic: @INPHO/James Crombie @INPHO/Ben Brady

To teams in Ulster, the provincial finals are seen as the mountain top; the absolute pinnacle and holy grail before any thoughts of the Sam Maguire, and they have to see it that way.

While other provinces are deteriorating, and the so-called big teams can sleepwalk through them and rest their muscles for the All-Ireland series, Ulster is life and death.

The games are played on a knife edge, and if you take your eye off the ball and look too far down the road, even for a second, then you risk crashing out of the competition.

The fact that the draw was made for the All-Ireland series group stages on Tuesday, before the finals have even been played, doesn't sit right with those in the north.

We now know in advance that the winners of the Anglo Celt will avoid the group of death that will include Derry and the Connacht champions.

Donegal captain Patrick McBrearty was speaking at the Ulster final media launch, and admitted that the situation isn’t ideal.

“It probably is a distraction,” he said. “It’s not been mentioned in our dressing room but people in general are on about: Would you (Galway or Mayo) be better off to lose the Connacht final than win it?’ “But, I don’t know, knowing the Galway lads, I’m sure they’ll be going full-steam ahead to win a Connacht title.

“I don’t think losing those games can set you up well for the rest of the year – I’ve lost provincial finals before and it takes a long time to recover from them, if you do recover from them. It’s really, really hard to get back on the horse.

“In terms of if we win or lose, I’ve not put much heed on it – it’s all about Armagh now.” 

The Armagh camp share the same thoughts on the matter, but Orchard defender Paddy Burns says that although it isn’t ideal, they won’t let it distract them.

“I think regardless of the draw, you just want to go out and try to do your best, and try to win Ulster,” he contested.

“It’s a bit of an irrelevance in a way, because you’re not going to base how you perform in an Ulster final on what’s happening next.

“To me anyway, it’s probably a bit of an irrelevance. Is it a distraction? No.” 

Despite having no concerns that he or his teammates will have their attention diverted, Burns does think that the draw would be better placed after the finals.

“Would it make sense (to have the draw after the final)? Logically, yes.

“But logistically, they have to sort things out I’m sure, so that they have an idea of who’s doing what and who’s going where.

“I see the merit in it, but I do think it would make more sense to put it after the provincial finals.

“There has been very little talk about it (in the dressing room), although we haven’t trained too much since Saturday.

“We only had a bit of a get together on Tuesday, but legs are sore and fellas are tired, so tonight (Thursday) we will get going again.

“There hasn’t been much of a chat, but if you come back to me after tonight, maybe it will be the big focus point.

“I think when you’re in a final, those sorts of things aren’t really important; you just focus on the next game.

“Maybe that sounds naïve, or you don’t believe that’s the case, but I can tell you that it’s not a conversation that’s had amongst the players.”