Ask The Journos: What will the headlines be after the final two rounsd of NFL?

Niall McCoy

Two games left in the league – which team is going to cause a surprise?

Even though this is the most unusual restart to the league season we’ve had, I don’t expect any major shocks. If anything, I think Armagh could be in danger of slipping up if they lose to Roscommon on Saturday. They have had their Covid issues and preparations have been hampered. Lose that and they will have to go away to face a Clare side that will likely be fighting for survival. Getting a win there would not be easy.

Which game are you most looking forward to?

Monaghan against Kerry in Inniskeen. We don’t know the form lines of teams but we do know that the Oriel county have a good record at Grattan Park and they need to win to starve off relegation fears. Then the Kerry factor explains itself. Any chance you get to see David Clifford is a good one.

Which team has the most interesting finish?

From an Ulster perspective it’s the two ‘As’, Antrim and Armagh. One win will probably be enough for Armagh to head back to Division One while the same should be the case for Lenny Harbinson’s Saffrons. It’s a case of having the ball in their hand and just being sure not to drop it. Down and Derry look like they could have exciting Division Three finishes, but the Mourne county are going to walk to promotion alongside Cork.

Are there any certainties, bar the obvious?

As mentioned above, Down will go up. Their fans will be wary after they messed up against Louth in round seven last year but they will be more than comfortable against Leitrim and Louth. Getting, and staying, into the top two divisions is vital for Paddy Tally’s side. They have an incredibly talented set of minors coming through, and they need to be blooded at a high level. It’s been a tough period for Down fans, but there are brighter days on the horizon.

Which team will benefit most from the league?

As strange as it may sound, Fermanagh could gain plenty from these few weeks. If they’re made to play and somehow secure survival, just think how good the mood will be in the camp. Likewise, if they go down or are forced to forfeit, Ryan McMenamin may be able to call on and ‘us against the world’ mentality for their Ulster clash with Down.

Do we think the league should go ahead?

Bumps are inevitable, but if we can keep the thing as safe as possible then I’m okay with them going forward. These games could be a real beacon of light for people who are set to spend a lot of time cocooned. I’m glad to hear the GAA are upping their testing game. That’s vital. Here’s hoping things run smoothly.

Niall Gartland

Which team is going to cause a surprise?

How the hell should I know? Nobody really knows how the next few weeks and months are going to pan out, but I might as well hazard a guess; Cork were in the doldrums for a number of years there, and I practically felt sorry for the Rebels when my own county, Tyrone, knocked the stuffing out of them in a recent Qualifier match. Yet their seniors had a decent 2019, however, and they won the All-Ireland U-20 Championship on top of that, so they should do pretty well this year. They’re on course to achieve promotion from Division Three, and that’s not a surprise, but it’ll be more interested to see how they do in the championship.

Which game are you most looking forward to?

Galway and Mayo this weekend could be a cracker. I was down in Tuam earlier in the year for Galway’s demolition job of Tyrone, and they really seemed to have turned a corner under their new manager Padraic Joyce (though personally I can’t say I’m that excited about the news Jim McGuinness is involved). Mayo still have some of the best players in the country in their ranks and are coming in nicely under the radar, so sparks may fly when the two great rivals meet this weekend.

Which team has the most interesting finish?

Maybe it’s perverse of me, but I’m interested in seeing how Fermanagh get on this weekend. Their panel has been decimated by Covid-19, and it seems unfair that their match against Clare hasn’t been postponed, so I think it’d be a real two fingers up if Ricey McMenamin’s depleted team can pull it out of the bag. They badly need the result too as they’re bottom of the table in Division Two with only two matches remaining.

Are there any certainties, bar the obvious?

The main certainty I can see is that games will be massively competitive even with the championship around the corner. Teams may be a little rusty on their first day out, but everyone will be desperate to avoid relegation, particularly teams in Division Two who will dread the prospect of playing in a Tier Two championship next year.

Which team will benefit most?

Teams without a settled line-up should benefit a lot. Tyrone, for instance, will be tweaking things now that Cathal McShane has been ruled out for the rest of the year, and Mickey Harte may also give Conor McKenna some game-time during the league. Dublin boss Dessie Farrell will also get a good chance to work on things with a few big names out of the picture like Jack McCaffrey and retirees Diarmuid Connolly, Bernard Brogan and Eoghan O’Gara (albeit they weren’t getting much game-time anyway). In a way I feel a bit sorry for the former Dublin star as he’ll probably not be deemed a roaring success unless he wins three of the next five All-Ireland’s, or something like that anyway.

Do you think the leagues should go ahead at all?

It’s hard to tell, but I think Fermanagh’s game against Clare should be postponed anyway. I do feel particularly disappointed for youth teams across Ireland who have been unable to finish competitions after the GAA, for now at least, pulled the plug on the club season. They’re due to review that but with cases rising rapidly, particularly in the North, it’s hard to see them reversing their decision.

Ronan Scott

Which team is going to cause a surprise?

Monaghan – they are sitting just above the relegation zone on three points, but I think they are going go on a two-game winning streak, and then safely stay above the drop zone. Monaghan have surprised us in recent years by staying up in Division One, but their luck looks like it is about to run out this year. What I would say that is that luck has nothing to do with it, and they are primed for a big finish.

Which game are you most looking forward to?

Donegal v Tyrone – I think for Ulster, this is the game that captures the imagination. Donegal have been the better team against the Red Hands in recent years, but the Tyrone lads must be relishing a chance to get a pop at them. But what makes this game so exciting is that it is a dress rehearsal for the championship clash in a few weeks.

Which team has the most interesting finish?

I think Antrim have an intriguing run in. They must beat Wicklow to keep their promotion hopes alive, and then their final game of the campaign will be a home clash against Waterford. In the week that Casement Park has been granted a new lease of life, with the Infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon giving the thumbs up for development to continue, what better way to build on it.

Are there any certainties, bar the obvious?

The certainty is that we are going to get some exciting games. With the GAA set to show a whole load of them online, we are set up for a feast of league action.

Which team will benefit most from the league?

Derry – the Oak Leafers really have not got much to play for. They can technically get promotion but that will disappear after this weekend. Meanwhile, their Ulster Championship opponents Armagh are still hunting promotion. That means Derry can be building their plan while Armagh are sweating.

Should the matches be going ahead at all?

Well, my non-GAA hat says that they shouldn’t. Science says that we should reduce contact with people. Yet at the same time, all these players want to play. I would say that the best option is that the games are played behind closed doors. As long as the players are put first, with regards their well-being, then it is fine to play the matches.