Inside Track with John McIntyre
IT’S fair to say every county has been going at it hammer and tongs in the National Football League so far, but what happens from now? Similar to 12 months ago Donegal are blazing a trail after the opening three rounds and are the only team with maximum points.
But their manager Jim McGuinness has a jaundiced view of too much progression in the league, and it was clear in 2025 that Donegal applied the handbrake when relegation was taken out of the equation. Other counties also see reaching a league final as a double-edged sword given the proximity of the championship.
Kerry and Dublin, however, don’t share such misgivings and both counties are multiple winners of the league and championship in the same year. Kerry again did the double in 2025, and Jack O’Connor won’t mind one iota if the Kingdom again have a successful spring campaign.
Some counties would love to get their hands on a league title – Galway haven’t won one in 45 years – but now that the inter-county season is being packed into seven months, team managements are generally using the league as a sorting out process to get their best 15 on the field for the championship.
Of course, Kerry can afford to chase league glory hard as the Munster championship has become increasingly uncompetitive. Straying on top in the province doesn’t take too much effort, ensuring they have no shortage of reserves of energy for the All-Ireland series.
Winning a league title would do Galway no harm, for instance. Padraic Joyce had made no secret of his desire to finally end the county’s famine in the competition and after their comeback exploits against Armagh and Kerry, they at least remain in contention to make the league final.
There is nothing to boost a team’s confidence more than winning titles and though Galway stumbled in the opening round against Mayo at Pearse Stadium, the Tribesmen have displayed no shortage of resolution in getting their league campaign back on track. Given they are short so many regulars, beating Armagh and drawing with Kerry away were notable achievements.
Pictured: FAI President Paul Cooke presents the Oscar Traynor trophy to Galway captain Calym Crowe after their victory over the Limerick League in Sunday’s final at Eamonn Deacy Park. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.