THE first two teams out of the hat in the All-Ireland Championship draw were the favourites for the Sam Maguire.
Kerry, at home by virtue of getting to the Munster final, and Donegal, on the road because Down beat them in Letterkenny, will meet on the weekend of May 22/23.
It’s a match-up that contested last year’s final – a 10-point win for the Kingdom – and this year’s National League decider, which ended in a 13-point success for Donegal.
Conspiracy theories have done the rounds since Donegal’s shock loss to Down in the Ulster semi-final. Jim McGuinness’s side were well beaten on the day by the Mournemen and there was speculation afterwards that, having won the last two provincial titles, their real focus was on the Sam Maguire.
If the Tir Chonaill men have gone off the boil the prospect of a trip to Killarney should bring them back to it but Kerry still have the Munster final to play against Cork on Sunday.
Jack O’Connor’s men had 2-10 from the Clifford brothers (David 1-7, Paudie 1-3) in their provincial semi-final win over Clare and, as ever, will be a formidable proposition for Donegal.
All four games involving the Munster (Kerry and Cork) and Connacht (Galway and Roscommon) finalists will be played on the weekend of May 23/24. The Leinster (Dublin and Westmeath) and Ulster (Armagh and Monaghan) finalists will be in action on the weekend of May 30/31.
After breaking their championship scoring record two weekends in-a-row with 2-32 against Fermanagh and then 3-33 against Down, the Orchardmen are the form team in the country and they will host a Derry side still coming to grips with losing a double-digit lead to Monaghan last Saturday when Jack McCarron and Rory Beggan heroics saw them lose a thriller by a point.
For now, Monaghan’s attention will be on the Ulster decider and after that they’ll take on a Mayo side managed by former mentor Andy Moran that was well beaten by Roscommon in Connacht.
Meanwhile, Tyrone, who should have a solid block of training behind them after they pushed Armagh all the way in the Ulster preliminary round, travel to Roscommon and Cavan face a tricky trip to Leinster surprise packets Westmeath.
Dublin, dark horses in the race for Sam, face Louth in a repeat of last weekend’s Leinster semi-final which the Dubs won comfortably and Connacht finalists Galway, always in the mix, begin their All-Ireland campaign against Kildare side that lost to Westmeath on Sunday.
(Weekend May 23/24)
Kerry v Donegal
Cork v Meath
Galway v Kildare
Roscommon v Tyrone
(Weekend May 30/31)
Dublin v Louth
Monaghan v Mayo
Westmeath v Cavan
Armagh v Derry
Derry have to get over the disappointment of losing to Monaghan and focus on a round one clash with Armagh. Picture Oliver McVeigh
In Monday’s draw, the eight provincial finalists were drawn at home in round one against the eight next best placed teams according to league position.
The eight winners of the round one ties will be drawn against each other in Round 2A and the four winners from that stage progress to the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
The eight losers in round one will be drawn against each other in Round 2B. The four losers at this stage will exit the championship. As in Round 2A, the draw will be subject to the avoidance of repeat provincial final pairings and the first team drawn will be at home.
In round three, the four losers of the Round 2A ties will be drawn against the four winners of the Round 2B ties. A draw will determine the home venue for each pairing. The draw will be subject to the avoidance of repeat provincial final pairings and, where possible, repeat pairings from Round one.
The four winners at that stage will advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, where they will be drawn against the four winners from Round 2A.