Weekend GAA: Never-say-die Cork should edge Louth, expect hearty battle in Ballyshannon
Cork's Steven Sherlock celebrates his winner against Cavan. Pic:Â Tom Maher/Inpho
A week after Galway beat them by six points in last year’s opener, Armagh trimmed Tyrone by eight points at home. What can we expect after they bludgeoned Monaghan in Clones last week? Galway’s resilience and genuine football quality ensured Mayo didn’t win in a canter but they might find Armagh are just too full of running and exuberance for their liking. Seven points wasn’t enough to stay up last year but that was an outlier season. Win here and Armagh will be two-thirds of the way to staying up, which is all they want. Verdict: Armagh.
Offaly faded out disappointingly in Tullamore whereas Kildare, despite being down to 14 men, finished like a train in Omagh. You can see where we’re going with this prediction? Kildare have shipped a couple of new injuries and while the derby element can’t be discounted either this should be a win for them. Verdict: Kildare.
What a game this has now turned out to be after Derry dropped points and Tyrone lost one on the opening weekend. Ciarán Meenagh was sounding positive after losing to Meath – he couldn’t really do anything else – but this is a torrid run of results Derry have been on and arresting it will be difficult. Tyrone shouldn’t have been caught like they were by Kildare but you would feel they can turn the ship quicker than Derry. A share of the spoils is forecasted, all the same. Verdict: Draw.
Limerick’s aspirations are high so they might consider the point in Portlaoise one dropped. Down will be wary of them after Clare’s fine display in Newry and bringing this game to Rathkeale makes it more inhospitable for Down. Still, you can’t underestimate just how beneficial that Round 1 test was for the visitors. Verdict: Down.
Taking two points from Enniskillen will feel like four for Wexford but they must bring themselves back to earth now. Laois showed flashes of cohesive football against Limerick especially in the third quarter and would trust themselves to overcome Wexford. Still, the home side can take something. Verdict: Draw.
Wicklow were given a real spook by Leitrim in Aughrim although the closeness of that result said more about the advances in Leitrim than Wicklow. Carlow are on a high following the win in Antrim, the players are really responding to Joe Murphy and they can back it up. Verdict: Carlow.
The Salthill sod will hardly be as conducive to hurling as Páirc Uà Chaoimh’s was last week and Cork will have to adjust accordingly. For the hosts, it will be about the performance again and seeing where that brings them. Back up what they showed against Tipperary and they can give Cork a game. Going direct would seem the sensible option and for that reason Declan Dalton and Jason Rabbitte have key roles to play. Ben O’Connor will be glad of this examination after last week’s tame affair. Verdict: Cork.
Dublin came away from Ennis emptyhanded and will be kicking themselves because for good periods they looked the better team. They are building a panel that could really be in the shake-up for Leinster honours this year. It’s first day out for Kildare and there is bound to be a bounce in their step but Dublin will be the better for the Clare game. Verdict: Dublin.
An 11-point away win over Tyrone was the perfect start for Donegal. Fermanagh should be trickier but another win is on the cards for the home side. Verdict: Donegal.
Louth belied their late management appointment with a fine win over Armagh last weekend. Tyrone shouldn’t pose a problem for them. Verdict: Louth.
It will be difficult for Monaghan to lift themselves after the drubbing Sligo handed out to them. Verdict: Lancashire.
Leitrim’s issue against Longford was goals and if they are as leaky again Sligo are just the team to punish them. Verdict: Sligo.
You would imagine one of these counties will be joining Sligo in Division 3 next year so this is the virtual four-pointer. Verdict: Cavan.
The last time the previous year’s All-Ireland senior football champions beat the runners-up in the following season’s National League? 2022 when Tyrone beat Mayo in Omagh six months after their Croke Park encounter. Before that, it was 2018. The fact is it’s not a regular occurrence and Jack O’Connor has already mentioned that last July will be an accelerant for Donegal. Ballybofey is where they are so often seen at their best in league and championship and the wind has been known to impact games in Ballyshannon. Kerry will be appreciative of what Donegal have thrown at them as a reminder that they are the hunted. Nothing but a hearty battle should be expected and a more up-to-date Donegal to come out on the right side of it. Verdict: Donegal.
Every cloud has a silver lining as the lack of live TV screens means over 15,000 are expected in Castlebar. Had their floodlights been fixed, this would likely have been shown on TV and the crowd mightn’t have been as large. Will Mayo be as cavalier as they were against Galway? When Dublin made changes at half-time, they visibly lifted. They were finally winning kick-outs and the speed with which they broke for goal was impressive. Expect Mayo to mix their game up a little more here but they can do enough to see off Dublin. Verdict: Mayo.
One game in and as mighty as Roscommon were in Killarney, you can’t help feeling one of these teams is going to make a sharp exit from the top flight. The yo-yo effect between Division 1 and 2 is probably worthy of a thesis. Monaghan will be smarting after a dismal show in front of their own people last weekend. They should improve but if Roscommon show up like they did last weekend, the points are theirs. Verdict: Roscommon.
Two teams who left it late to show their character in sealing Round 1 victories. Moved from Ardee to what looks like a tighter Gaelic Grounds in Drogheda, this could be an attritional game. Like the hurlers, Cork have to brace themselves for a different game from their fine home surface. If scores are at a premium, two-pointers will be rare minerals and both teams have an array of strong long-range kickers. We are tempted to say stalemate but Cork are developing a real never-say-die attitude. Verdict: Cork.
Is it too early to say Dermot McCabe is an unlucky general? Look back at how close Westmeath were to results last year only to be denied. The nature of Cork’s comeback against his men last Sunday suggests he’s brought that bit of bad luck with him. Meath were powerful in upsetting the odds and beating Derry in Croke Park. There’s no reason why they can’t win this derby. Verdict: Meath.
Back up that excellent display against Down and Clare know they can get off the mark. Following their O’Byrne Cup final steal, Westmeath pulled off another defeat-defier in seeing off Sligo and the luck that deserted them last year may finally have returned. Verdict: Westmeath.
Both sides are already playing catch-up although Sligo will have taken more heart from running Westmeath close. To give points to Wexford in Brewster Park will have stung Fermanagh. Verdict: Sligo.
No game for Waterford in Round 1 and like Longford this will be their first of five games in as many weekends. Leitrim looked a much improved version in Wicklow and can claim the win. Verdict: Leitrim.
London could and should have beaten Tipperary in their opener. Bring that level of performance to Longford and they can return home with something. Verdict: Draw.
St Flannan’s, Moneygall, 2pm (I. Monaghan, Roscommon)
It was interesting to hear manager Niall Fitzgerald say statistics showed Tipperary are better playing in Thurles. Antrim won’t mind what the numbers tell them as long as the scoreboard is in their favour. Verdict: Antrim.
The game was only concluded in Kilkenny last week when Johnny Kelly was counting up the injuries. They are down men for the visit of the All-Ireland champions and it could be a day of damage limitation. A lack of ruthlessness – or was it belief – was apparent in the closing stages of the Kilkenny game. They know their opponents here will take the jugular as much as Liam Cahill is looking to expand his options. Verdict: Tipperary.
A fresh and hungry Limerick is probably the last thing Peter Queally wanted to see coming to Waterford city after Cork’s handy opening to the league. Waterford are depleted across the board although some of the Ballygunner brethren might return for next weekend’s Offaly game. That fixture might have more relevance than this one for Waterford but they won’t want another hosing. Limerick are unlikely to comply but the margin shouldn’t be as wide as last week. Verdict: Limerick.
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Antrim were low after Wexford’s controversial winner last weekend and getting them up for Division 1B favourites Clare, even at home in the heart of The Glens, will take some doing. Clare have felt the sting of an Antrim defeat in Antrim before and that memory will galvanise the older members of the party. A handsome Clare win is on the cards. Verdict: Clare.
Wexford will feel like they got out of jail against Antrim and this is an awkward trip that follows it up. Down may have been a distant second best to Carlow but on the Ards Peninsula they are that bit quicker, that bit stronger. It shouldn’t be an ambush because Wexford should be going in with their eyes wide open but they will have to earn their win. Verdict: Wexford.
Laois gained little outside of the two points and a huge score difference against Mayo last weekend. Derry should be more competitive but not by much. Verdict: Laois.
Both teams are searching for points but you would think London will take less time to get over their loss to Meath than Mayo will after being served a lesson by Laois. Verdict: London.
Wicklow could have reason to feel sorry for themselves narrowly going down to Roscommon in Round 1. They can redeem themselves with two points in Aughrim. Verdict: Wicklow.
Galway made quite the start against Meath and Cork know they need to up a gear or two from their Kildare display to compete with them. Verdict: Galway.
Waterford ran through Armagh with ease last day out. Kildare don’t have the same power but could pose problems. Verdict: Kildare.
It will take time for some of Mayo’s returning players to reintegrate but a win here is more than possible. Verdict: Mayo.
It will take something extraordinary for Monaghan to recover from their first day drubbing. Donegal are up and running and will continue to do so. Verdict: Donegal.
Against Mayo, Cavan showed some of their confidence they gained from topping Division 3 last year. Tipperary have to be wary. Verdict: Tipperary.
Tyrone outclassed Monaghan in Round 1 and they could inflict more damage on Westmeath. Verdict: Tyrone.
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