With irrefutable proof of All-Ireland qualifications, Derry emerged from the weekend as AFL Division One’s most stable team. Their skilled performance against reigning champions Dublin highlighted some weaknesses throughout Dublin’s team, particularly within their defence, providing some important lessons for them.
The positivity endures. Based on data from the previous two decades (excluding the two final-less years due to Covid), winning the Irish National Insurance Cup equated to a half chance of securing the All-Ireland, a feat accomplished by ten counties since 2003.
Derry celebrated their first Division One championship in 16 years last Sunday. This achievement is significant; in 2008, they embarked on a new structure that introduced four divisions.
Since then, the honour of league champion has only been bestowed upon four counties: Cork, Kerry, Dublin, and Mayo. Each has been a recurrent contender for the All-Ireland. Analyzing the same 20-year period, these four counties have triumphed in 16 All-Irelands and remarkably, they’ve represented 32 out of the 40 finalists. It’s also worth noting that at least one of these counties has participated in every final.
With the establishment of a strong platform of gradual accomplishments, Derry has ascended into this same rank. Just five years ago, they found themselves in Division Four. Now, after three promotions, they sit at the pinnacle of Division One and are hopeful for their third consecutive Ulster title this summer.
Tyrone poses an interesting case, capturing three All-Irelands despite no league victories, with two under the current Derry manager, Mickey Harte.
Interestingly, there’s potential for Dublin too. Though losing league finalists rebounding to win an All-Ireland in the same year is rare — only happening eight times in the competition’s near-century history — Dublin has managed to reverse their two latest such defeats against Kerry in 2017 and Cork in 2011 to take home the Sam Maguire a few months afterwards. – Seán Moran
There’s great entertainment in closely watching the goalkeepers.
Sitting behind the goals can provide invaluable insight, as demonstrated during our time at the Davin End last Sunday. From this unique vantage point, not only did we witness the thrilling penalty shoot-out, but also the contrasting personas of goalkeepers Evan Comerford and Odhrán Lynch.
Comerford is meticulous about ensuring his O’Neill’s footballs are perfectly arranged next to his posts, accessible and in place. After each kick-out, his immediate task is to prepare the next ball, expertly positioning it at the endline by the post using one of his small goalkeeper tees. This fastidious approach ensures he is able to quickly kick-out when required.
Lynch, conversely, is more relaxed in his approach. It appears that although a prepared ball would be ideal, he doesn’t stress over it. He frequently continues his run to join play post kick-out, with little regard to picking up his tee. His confidence in delivering a quality kick-out to his players is commendable.
While both goalkeepers join the game, Comerford returns hastily to goal at the first hint of threat. Lynch, however, seems to relish the drama of a vacant goal, causing spectators’ apprehension with his leisurely return. It’s all part of the exhilarating spectacle.
Critics may argue that Lynch, who lacks the on-ball finesse of his colleagues on the pitch, will be targeted in future championship games. Yet despite these perceived shortcomings, he rarely stumbles, maintaining composure under scrutiny.
Moreover, his impressive track record in penalty shoot-outs, conceding only two goals from eight penalties between the most recent match and last year’s Ulster final, speaks for itself. – Malachy Clerkin
In the end, it once again seems the All-Ireland champions have fallen short of capitalising on their league opportunities.
Varying perspectives towards the league have shifted over the years, often driven by self-interest. Conventionally, All-Ireland victors have enjoyed the privilege of a gratis entry into the subsequent league, but more often recently, this offer has been declined.
In the past half-century, the incumbent All-Ireland football victors have featured in the subsequent season’s league final 14 times, an event that notably occurred in the disrupted 2020 league where Dublin and Kerry jointly claimed the title without a final face-off.
Interestingly, out of these 14 instances where the All-Ireland champions have featured in the league final, seven have been since 2010. Prior to this, it had been 22 years since an All-Ireland champion had partaken in a league final.
The Dubs lead the pack in terms of All-Ireland champions appearing in the ensuing spring’s league final since their inaugural All-Ireland win in 1974 under Heffo. They achieved this thrice in the 70s and six times since 2013. However, their most recent defeat to Derry in the league final was their fourth as All-Ireland titlists.
During his debut tenure as Derry manager, Mickey Harte underlined the significance of the league, a sentiment echoed in his previous role as Tyrone manager. Despite the three All-Ireland victories earned under Harte’s stewardship, the team fell short twice in the subsequent year’s league play-offs and suffered a semi-final defeat in another year.
Meanwhile, Donegal and its manager, Jim McGuinness, are paying close attention to Derry. Following a post-game press conference, an excited McGuinness indicated the upcoming Derry match with a glance at his watch, after Donegal had just clinched the Division Two title courtesy of an eleventh-hour goal by Aaron Doherty. With the main mission accomplished, the Derry and Dublin Division One final was set to be a relaxing watch for McGuinness.
Donegal is set to compete against Derry in the Ulster Championship at Celtic Park in less than three weeks. McGuinness, undoubtedly impressed by Derry’s recent performance, is looking forward to improved intensity and standards in the Division One final next year. Despite missing out on a win in both normal and extra time, Derry showcased commendable composure during the penalty shootout, outperforming Dublin. McGuinness is fully aware of the challenges expected on April 20th and anticipates the return of his top players, including Paddy McBrearty and Ryan McHugh, who were unable to play on Sunday.
During the game between Derry and Dublin, Kieran McGeeney stepped in, already planning for the upcoming Ulster championship match being played against Fermanagh in approximately two weeks. McGeeney disclosed that some of the Armagh players had been ill the previous week but dismissed this as a major issue. He recognized the importance and benefits of playing a final at Croke Park, but expressed disappointment at the team’s overall performance. After a challenging week, the focus now shifts towards the championship.
On another note, the Westmeath football team is preparing for another examination of the uneven intercounty structure. Dessie Dolan’s team emerged as the winners of the Division Three National Football League at Croke Park on Saturday, a victory over Down that demonstrates strong promise for the season’s unfolding events, particularly in the context of the Tailteann Cup.
The Lake County will not have the luxury to bask in the glory of their win, as their Leinster campaign is set to commence this Sunday against Wicklow in Portlaoise. Victory over the Garden County would set up a Leinster quarter-final with Kildare the following weekend for Westmeath. With the recent three back-to-back weekends in Division Three, Westmeath are staring at a series of five greatly challenging games within five weeks – three in the league and two in the championship, which can arguably be considered the most crucial games of their season, all crammed within a five-week timeframe. While this is happening, several other counties are warming up in training camps in preparation for the 2024 championship. The calendar appears too packed; it is at least warranted that all teams receive a guaranteed two-week rest gap between their league finale and the initiation of their championship calendar. – Gordon Manning.