Why did the All-Ireland draw take place before the provincial finals?

First things first, why now?

Mícheál Martin (Cork), Cillian McDaid (Galway), Ikem Ugwueru (Clare), David Clifford (Kerry), Jemar Hall (Armagh) and Niall Scully (Dublin) at SuperValu’s launch of the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

The tremors from Dublin’s defeat to Meath last weekend were always going to have repercussions for the summer. We’ve talked in the past about difficult groups. None rival this.

Third seeds Dublin will face the Connacht champions, Ulster runners-up and Derry in Group 4 of the Sam Maguire series. It is the first time in the history of this format that four teams who played each other in Division 1 are pitted in the same group.