Subplots abound as summer football gets serious

A bit like looking down towards the bottom of a menu, the football championship is about to get very tasty.

For all the excitement we’ve had so far – and it certainly has been good value – we are now at the business end.

Seasons are about to come to an end in certain situations and, with lives on the line, expect the intensity levels to ratchet up even further.

Firstly, a tip of the cap to the GAA administrators. I think they’ve found a format that we can all get on board with, one which provides jeopardy in just the right amount and at the right times, too. Two losses in the All-Ireland series and you’re out seems like a fair deal.

The draw for the coming weekend may not have delivered a huge blockbuster game, but there’s still plenty to get stuck into with several different subplots. With eight matches across the two days – and some Tailteann Cup quarter-finals thrown in for good measure – it’s set to be a cracking couple of days.

Everywhere you look, there are questions: might Meath be knocked out up in Derry, can Mayo go through the front door, and can Cavan turn over the Dubs?

Even in the fixture that looks to be the one with the least chance of an upset, Jack O’Connor’s return to Kildare adds a bit of spice to the Kingdom’s trip to Newbridge.

There’s little room to box clever this weekend; in the case of the eight counties in Round 2B, their seasons are on the line. In that sense, Clones looks like the place to be on Saturday afternoon.

Monaghan’s clash with Roscommon looks like a classic before it even takes place. It has all the makings of it, given how the season has panned out so far for both sides. As Derry, Armagh and Mayo will tell you, Monaghan just never go away. One wonders if the exertions of two games involving extra-time in recent weeks will have an impact down the closing straight this weekend. Similarly, the loss of Bobby McCaul, who added such an interesting aerial threat on the edge of the square, may be a step too far for the Farney men. But, given the performances they have produced so far, they may also have a feeling of being short changed.

Of course, questions still surround Roscommon and their ability to pack a punch on the All-Ireland stage. They played well against Tyrone, but until they land a big blow on a Division One team in the All-Ireland series, it’s hard to predict much beyond their Nestor Cup this year. They must win on Sunday and the motivation to build on the provincial success, coupled with their frustration at losing so narrowly to Tyrone, will surely lead to a big performance. They must strike while the iron is hot and, if they do, no one will want to land them as opponents in the next round.

The other one that really grabs the attention in Round 2B is Derry’s clash with Meath in Celtic Park.

I was very much aboard the Meath hype train earlier in the year, and their league performance did little to quell the optimism heading into the championship. They were superb at times, albeit in the lower altitude of Division Two.

They’ve come up narrowly short in two big games in the championship – against Westmeath and Cork – and now find themselves on the brink of elimination. Their year is not a lost one, given they won promotion to Division One in the spring, but exiting the championship at this early stage would be a disappointment given they went all the way to the last four last year.

Derry, though, are a team with the bit between the teeth. It was surprising that they were so far away against Armagh, but that is more down to Armagh being a seriously impressive machine capable of landing another All-Ireland crown.

Derry, with Shane McGuigan and Conor Glass playing at their best, remain very capable. And, having lost to Monaghan in such gut wrenching fashion, they’d be left disappointed if their championship campaign didn’t produce at least one big win. On home turf this weekend, the time could be now.

Round 2A offers sides the chance to go straight through to an All-Ireland quarter-final. Aside from avoiding the potentially sticky third round, it also gives you a priceless two week break heading into those quarter-finals, which is a huge carrot from a preparation point of view.

Mayo deserve credit for winning in Clones, but it’s hard to dismiss their defensive frailties. Tyrone will run hard in Omagh, given the power they have coming from the middle third, so that is something Andy Moran and Co. will need to address.

Beyond that, there was a lot to like about Mayo’s display against Monaghan. They kicked the ball beautifully at times and in Kobe McDonald and Ryan O’Donoghue, they have a pair of match winners. If the weather plays ball and they can produce a similar style, they might just win again.

As stated in this column earlier in the year, though, the best chance of Sam coming west is Galway.

They are coming to the boil at just the right time and their team is taking on a very positive look right now, with Damien Comer and Shane Walsh fully fit and Rob Finnerty shooting the lights out. Their two point threat is a big plus and Connor Gleeson looked very assured in goal last time out against Kildare. For all the momentum they’ve built up in such impressive fashion this season, the Salthill trip may be a step too far for Westmeath but they could cause problems in round three.

Above everyone, though, stands Donegal. Their dismissal of the Kerry challenge in Killarney screamed efficiency and a real hunger is also very evident in their play. Smarting off the back of their loss to Down, and with memories of last year’s All-Ireland defeat still fresh in the memory, a fully fit Donegal will take some beating. Cork are likely to find that out this weekend.