KEVIN CASSIDY: Calm before the storm

WE have three rounds played here in the Donegal Senior Football Championship so it’s a down week for all clubs this weekend. The week-on-week action is taxing on players so the break will be welcomed by all the players involved.

We have one round of fixtures to play before things start to really take shape. At this point there are a number of teams showing promise and some who have yet to catch fire.

As explained last week, the format allows teams time to find their form before the real championship action gets underway. The usual suspects – Glenties and St Eunan’s – should make their charge now over the coming weeks but at the moment the likes of Dungloe and MacCumhaill’s are the teams everyone is talking about.

Dungloe reached the county final last year and with three wins from three outings they seem to be on a mission this time around.

Sean MacCumhaill’s are always moving well and any team with Oisín Gallen in their ranks will be hard to stop. Our lads here in Gaoth Dobhair will have to do just that as we drew them in round four and I think it’s a welcome step up. It’s one that our lads will need to really focus on.

The carrot on offer in round four is a straight path into the quarter-final and another week off to rest the bodies in between games so I expect all teams to be at full tilt for those set of fixtures.

There are a lot of Gaeltacht students in Gaoth Dobhair at the minute so I am hearing about all of the different formats in each county. It seems to be that a ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t work with a wide range of formats happening all over the country in different counties.

Away from the club scene, a lot of county set-ups are getting their houses in order as they prepare for the new season.

Kerry have reappointed Jack O’Connor, which seems to be a real statement of intent from the Kingdom.

Mayo have called on one of their former soldiers to help steady the ship and in doing so Andy Moran has taken Paddy Tally on board. That should make things really interesting down west this winter.

Elsewhere, news broke in the Gaelic Life on Tuesday about Conor Laverty making a bold move to strengthen his backroom team with Tony McEntee, so all around the country teams are putting the final touches to their plans.

It’s incredible to think that even at this early stage teams will have their debriefs completed and plans will already be in motion for next season.

There is a lot of talk at the minute in terms of fixed contracts for inter-county managers. I can understand the logic here because when you look at it, this is now a 12-month job.

Managers do not switch off; as soon as the season ends it’s up and at it with new plans for the incoming season.

I can only imagine the amount of hoops county boards need to jump through in order to try and hide the expenses paid to managers and coaches etc, so maybe a more transparent approach might be the most sensible option for everyone.

Thankfully those kind of discussions are way above my pay grade so I’ll leave that one to Jarlath and the lads.

Before I go, I’d just like to say that at this time of year where would we be without the GAA?

The summer holidays are over, kids are back at school, the short evenings are incoming so isn’t it great to have our local pitches lit and full of action every evening as we all still chase the dream with our club?