League matters

John Fogarty
SO just how important has the top flight of Gaelic football’s secondary competition been in recent times?

Significant would be the answer – at least up until this year when the GAA, in their wisdom, decided to alter the structure of the elite group.

More of that anon but for now let’s look at how much league success has been mirrored later on in the season.

Five of the last nine Division 1 winners have gone on to win more silverware in September, while Dublin reached last year’s league final and went one further against Kerry in the All-Ireland decider.

In 2008, Kerry lost out to Derry in the league before reaching an All-Ireland final against Tyrone.

It has been encouraging to see so much made out of a competition that has been thrown around like a rag-doll by GAA authorities.

But just when its importance had reached its zenith, the decision was made to re-introduce semi-finals.

In an eight-team division, that threatens to de-incentivise the competition.

As little as five or six points from six games could be enough to see a team through to the knock-out stages.

Obviously, the new measure was brought in to ensure there are no dead rubbers at the end of the league proper (there were none in Division 1 last year), while the extra revenue generated by two extra fixtures won’t be sneezed at.

On Monday, Conor Counihan, who has led Cork to the last two Division 1 titles, joked he might be able to afford pulling back his team like a horse before insisting he won’t be holding anything back.

But it remains to be seen whether other managers will go full throttle for their games.

In rugby’s RaboDirect Pro12 where the top four teams qualify for the semi-finals, clubs can time their runs accordingly. What’s to say the stronger Allianz Division 1 counties won’t do the same? We’ll remind you of what Dublin’s Pat Gilroy said about the return of the semi-finals last year.

“It kind of makes the league a bit of a strange thing, that, in the middle of the last game you could be making a semi-final if you win by two points or be relegated if you lose by two.

“You have four teams on top and two on the bottom so there’s only one team in the middle and I think it makes a bit of a farce of the league because the team that is fourth could have five points in the league and still win the league.”

Cork’s win-every-game policy should see them finish in the top four. Even though they are without the retired John Miskella and Daniel Goulding and Ciaran Sheehan remain sidelined, there is enough depth in the panel to sustain a decent league campaign.

The sight of Graham Canty back at such an early juncture in the season indicates the level of intent.

Last year’s finalists Dublin will be keen to ensure they maintain the feel-good factor in the capital after last September.

Similar to Counihan, Gilroy also likes to win as many games as possible and he’ll be looking to keep a lot of his 2011 champions on their toes.

While their attack is arguably the best in the country, Kerry’s defence needs running repairs although Shane Enright should come in after injury foiled him last year.
David Moran’s return from his cruciate setback will give Jack O’Connor more options in midfield.

Given they are the last team out in the championship, Mayo’s need to have a prolonged league campaign is great and the bevy of forwards James Horan now has at his beck and call is timely after building from the back last year.

The 2011 Division 2 champions Donegal’s fangs will be blunted in the early stages of the league with Michael Murphy and Colm McFadden missing.

Martin Clarke’s return to Australia will put more of an onus on Benny Coulter to come up trumps but their forward line should see they stay up.

No other team are as weakened by absences as Armagh who must do without their significant Crossmaglen contingent for the time being as well as captain StevenMcDonnell. Laois surprised many by gaining promotion from an ultra-competitive Division 2 and their defence is quite mean but their attack will need to catch fire to survive.
Top four (no particular order): Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Mayo Bottom two (no particular order): Armagh, Laois

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/vhd1IWQMkSM/post.aspx

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