KEVIN CASSIDY: Bring on the early season action

IT’S that time of year again when our bodies are just crying out for some sort of routine and any sort of distraction to get away from the last two weeks of mayhem.

Sleeping patterns, diets and routines have been all over the shop so now we are craving for that structure and sense of normality in our lives once again.

Luckily, we all have the GAA as a source of release and over the next few weeks we will lean heavily on the Association to bring us all back down to earth.

Those of you still playing will flock to GAA pitches and gyms all over the country to try and shift that excess weight and get back into positive frame of mind along with your teammates.

Those of us who have already cast our boots aside will flock to GAA pitches all over the country to watch our beloved games and to get that fix that our body and minds require at this time of the year.

The pre-season competitions will be up and running in all four provinces by the weekend, giving us the outlet that we need to scare away the January blues.

For players, this is probably the worst month of the year as you try so hard to get back into the routine needed in order to obtain and maintain the fitness levels required to compete.

The players operating at the top level of intercounty nowadays very rarely let themselves get out of shape but for the rest of the club players all over the country the struggle is real in January as you battle the elements to get back on the horse.

There are four teams who haven’t been given the luxury of easing into January because they play one of the most important games that they are ever likely to play in this weekend.

The All-Ireland Senior Club semi-final fixtures take place this Sunday and what a way to start the new year.

Christmas would have been a quiet period for the footballers of Glen, Maigh Cuilinn, Kilmacud and the Kerins O’Rahilly’s as they put in the hard yards to make sure that they are ready to produce the goods for their clubs this Sunday.

We should be in for two cracking contests. For me, the game of the weekend with be between evenly matched Glen and Galway champions Maigh Cuilinn.

I have watched these two teams closely over the last number of months and although Glen are down as favourites by most people, I actually think that there will be very little to separate these two teams on the day.

I think that Glen are good enough and they are well capable of winning but they will really have to be on top of their game because this Maigh Cuilinn team are very well coached and well-organised so they will have their homework and they will be well prepared for the battle.

So, it’s prediction time. I’ll go for an easy Kilmacud win and Glen to come through by two.