KEVIN CASSIDY: It’s time to shine

CONGRATULATIONS to all teams who lifted silverware last weekend as the leagues came to a conclusion with four games across two days in Croke Park.

The leagues have been very enjoyable for us as spectators to watch and I’m sure most teams got what they would’ve liked out of those games.

Kerry would have been delighted with the extra game in Croke Park. Their championship might not be just as hectic as that of teams across the rest of the country.

Their extra run out will have fitted in nicely as they begin to wrap up the preparations for the championship. Monaghan had a very positive campaign, capping it off as Division Two champions. There is now another question for them. Can they make a serious impact on this year‘s championship?

They have played some very exciting and attractive football, but, as I stated here last week, I felt that there was a massive difference between Division One and Division Two this year in terms of quality and intensity.

So, the aim for them now is to match the likes of Donegal. Armagh and Tyrone should they cross paths.

One team who perhaps didn’t have a good league campaign was Derry and that leads me on to this weekend’s action.

All roads lead to Ballybofey on Sunday as Derry and Donegal lock horns once again in the championship.

Based on league form, you can only see one winner as Donegal were excellent in this year’s league campaign. Had it not been for the timing of the league final, I’m sure Jim McGuinness’ team would have been in that decider.

As has already been discussed at length in previous weeks, with the championship seven days away, the risk is too much to take.

Derry, on the other hand, were relegated with two games to play. That said, if you actually look at the campaign as a whole, there are some positives to take away from it.

When I talk about the positives, I’m thinking back to the Kerry game which they probably should have won. Even the Donegal game in Ballyshannon, they probably should have closed that one out. Had those two results gone in their favour, the Oakleafers’ season to date would look very different.

Listen, there is no getting away from the fact that Derry are seriously up against it at the weekend because Donegal look to be a level or two above them at the moment.

They can take one other thing from their game in Ballyshannon. Although Derry were missing one or two players that day, they seemed to be able to punch holes in the Donegal defence.

After the game a lot of people were of the opinion that the game didn’t really matter to Donegal, but I’m sure when the Donegal squad sat down to watch the game that ability to punch holes in Donegal defence would have worried them.

Another area where Derry caused Donegal problems was when they moved the ball quickly with the foot to the inside forward line. When they did that, they created two goal chances in the first half. I’m sure that’s something that the Donegal lads will want to address before this week’s game.

Donegal, on the other hand, are flying at the minute. Their squad is getting stronger week on week. With the likes of Odhrán McFadden Ferry returning, I can only really see one winner here.

Home advantage is massive and with Donegal being so hard to beat in Ballybofey I can see Donegal winning by five or six points this weekend.

In this week’s Gaelic Lives podcast, Eamonn Burns and Kevin Cassidy look ahead to Sunday’s game in Ballybofey.