Dangerous Down almost ready to mark their territory

Down have made unarguable progress under manager Conor Laverty while Galway, All-Ireland finalists in two of the last three seasons,  haven’t settled into this championship since their successful Connacht run

MARQUEE MAN: Pat Havern of Down in action against Monaghan during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 3 match at BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh. Photo by Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile

THE soon to be dormant, if not extinct, All-Ireland group stages have generally followed the rule of law. Table-toppers generally beat preliminary quarter-final winners - six out of eight times - and the two All-Ireland winners under the system, Dublin and Armagh, have topped their group.

In a format not above criticism, the layered reward for where you finish in your group generally holds true.