AFTER THE CONCLUDING ROUND of the football league, we take a look at those counties who will feel very good about their work over winter and spring, and those that are left frustrated.
*****
Division 1
Celebrating: Mayo and Kerry.
In a league campaign that had such razor-thin margins, it was quite something that both eventual Division 1 finalists Mayo and Kerry were, at one stage or another, technically heading for relegation if scores had remained to the end in their final games.
A missed Daire ÓBaoill penalty for Donegal was the difference between being relegated, and making the league final for Mayo.
Pretty much all the top-tier sides this year have looked really poor and Mayo and Kerry are no exception, taking a while to get going but finishing with an encouraging run of results.
Of course, Mayo will have an eye on the 6 April Connacht championship opener against Sligo. So don’t expect them to pull any sudden moves in the league final.
Regrets: Galway, Tyrone and Derry.
Starting late, with their fourth management team in 18 months and losing three All-Star defenders through injury and retirement, Derry were never quite at the levels required for survival.
Tyrone finished their final day with broad smiles and hugely encouraged by a commanding win over Dublin. They appear to be putting a bit of form together at the right time. It must feel mind-bending that they actually suffered the fate of relegation.
Finally, Galway are one side that could have done with some silverware. They’ll make light of not getting to the league final but you suspect it stung all the same.
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Division 2
Celebrating: Monaghan and Roscommon.
There are no finer examples of counties who make the most of their playing resources than Monaghan and Roscommon. That’s hardly an original viewpoint and we are offering no huge insight, but it bears constant repeating.
When both teams went down last year it was felt that it was a long time coming, especially for Monaghan who had remained a top tier county for a decade.
With a new manager in Gabriel Bannigan and having lost Conor McManus to retirement, it has been some feat for Monaghan to get back up again at the first attempt. While Roscommon had more continuity, they also maxed out when required.
Regrets: Down, Westmeath and Meath.
With one point from seven games, Westmeath’s scoring difference of a mere -19 tells the story of how many times they were edged out in tight encounters. What’s even more amazing is that only table-toppers Monaghan outscored them.
While Division 2 wasn’t quite as tight as the top flight, Down’s three wins was only one less than Roscommon who are off to the league final. Ultimately, there will be huge frustration that in year three of Conor Laverty’s tenure, they are heading back to Division 3 and there may be some pain ahead in their upcoming Sam Maguire campaign.
Meath will be left with regrets after defeat in their last two games cost them a shot at promotion.
*****
Division 3
Celebrating: Kildare and Offaly
Two counties with outstanding underage pedigree in recent seasons needed a bit of a bounce. Kildare’s brutal 2024 when they lost all seven games in Division 2 had to be arrested and in new manager Brian Flanagan, they had someone appealing to the county board for a four-year term, which he received.
Offaly were third from bottom in Division 3 in 2024. You can cite all sorts of reasons for their improvement; their All Ireland U20 team from 2021 maturing and filtering through the panel, another year under manager Declan Kelly, all that good stuff. But people will see Mickey Harte’s addition to the management alongside Kelly and nod sagely.
Regrets: Clare, Antrim and Leitrim.
Clare fall foul of the three-way points difference split. They beat both league finalists Kildare and Offaly and finished level on ten points with both, yet they still missed out. Losing their first game away to relegated Antrim was the killer.
Antrim are and have been wildly inconsistent under Andy McEntee. They go back down to Division 4 along with Leitrim and both counties appear to be in total crisis; Antrim with the distraction of where their upcoming Ulster championship tie with Armagh will be played, while Leitrim’s problems are obvious when they couldn’t field against Fermanagh.
*****
Division 4
Celebrating: Wexford and Limerick
You couldn’t ask for more than what John Hegarty has achieved with Wexford this league campaign with seven wins from seven.
What’s more, Hegarty has the politician’s eye for a good new story and the ability to whip up some positive feedback by holding an open training session where the youth of Wexford could come along ahead of the last league game and join in training with the senior team.
Limerick’s only loss came to Wexford but they also rode the donkey close to the tail with two draws, but ultimately one of them against Wicklow meant they squeezed the Garden county out of the promotion chase. Credit to Jimmy Lee for taking a county that was in freefall from Division 2, and have now become buoyant again.
Regrets: Wicklow
With manager Oisín McConville now well established and with greater familiarity with the playing base of Wicklow, it was hoped that a big emphasis on the league might bring promotion.
Despite overcoming the loss of Jack Kirwan in the 12th minute and beating Tipperary, they fell short of their objective.
Have to hand it to the man, he has done a fantastic job with them, most managers of his caliber wouldn’t go near a team like Leicester, they usually only want clubs that can bring the very best players with alot of money in the bank and already have a team of stars. If they get champions league he is kind of manager that can attract star names for next season
I don’t think Ranieri’s stock was particularly high after being sacked from his last 3 jobs so to be honest, a mid to bottom of the table club in any league was always going to be the best he could get but credit where credit is due. I doubt Guardiola or Mourinho could have done a better job. The problems for Leicester will come next season. Will the players lose their hunger? Will they become big time charlies and demand wage increases? If they bring in better quality players, how will that effect team balance/moral, etc…
Top 4 is a near certainty hopefully at the very least top 3 so they go straight into the champions league, adding about 8 players has to be done at least with the extra games and the increased pressure on them , honestly I don’t fancy their chances of doing anything similar next season I hope they prove me wrong but they need to add to the squad
Beano, every manager with a bit of experience, comes to his interview, having been sacked from his last number of jobs, this man is just a breath of fresh air , and it’s showing in the performances, the players get it, they are enjoying themselves , and I think they will win that league, if they don’t it will not be because they freeze it will be because Spurs are coming into form.
I don’t think Leicester will win the league. Don’t get me wrong, they’ve been brilliant and deserve all the credit they get but if you read some of the media you would think they were 5 or 10 points in the lead! If City win this weekend, which I think they will, they’ll go top and I honestly believe they’ll stay there until the end of the season.
Wait for it ………Leicester next home game and all the fans holding up signs saying ……….YES WE CAN . But I really hope they win it . Ranieri is a class act .
‘Never did I blame them and say we conceded this goal because you did this and this’ Take note Gary Neville
A point at City would be a great result at this stage and I wouldn’t put it past them. De Bruyne out is a boost too. It’s that time of year now where teams like Leicester will pick up points against The Gunners so my money would be on them for a result then.
Ranieri for United