Roscommon’s impressive start: A native manager, two-point punch, the St Brigid’s break

Mark Dowd is the first Roscommon native to take sole management of the county team since Des Newton in 2012.

Roscommon footballer Diarmuid Murtagh poses for a portrait before an Allianz National Football League Media Event at the Salthill Hotel in Galway. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

For Roscommon and captain Diarmuid Murtagh, there was no disputing the reality of the situation. Relegation was a fear because they have suffered that hard landing before.

With that worry in the back of their minds, they came agonisingly close to a result in Killarney before beating Monaghan and Armagh in their last two games.