SPOTLIGHT…Kevin Cassidy feels that the semi-final is a hinderance for Donegal

Donegal

This week’s game against the Dubs is a game Rory Gallagher and his troops could have done without.

As the final whistle sounded in Castleblaney last weekend and word filtered through that Donegal’s scoring average squeezed them through, I’m sure Rory would have been cursing his luck.

Donegal needed to go underground for the next four or five weeks to get the train back on track but instead they face another joust with the high-flying Dubs.
Rory would have been pleased with the first three outings and I’m told that this was his plans from the off, to gather enough points to ensure safety without putting his ageing squad under too much pressure early doors on the training pitch.

Results since haven’t been kind and no matter which way we look at it and a few alarm bells have been ringing. Going by player interviews they are putting it down to lack of fitness due their tailored programme this year.

That would be all very well if it was the case, but the danger is that is when you get up to full tilt and you still struggle, then you have kind of cornered yourself in.

For me, four or five weeks away from the glare of the media would have done the trick but never the less they must go to Croke Park and put up some kind of show because five defeats on the bounce won’t do a whole lot for squad morale.

Dublin

Dublin are exactly where they would have expected to be. I think that this League campaign has been a very beneficial one for Jim Galvin’s men.

Jim has blooded a number of new players and he has had the opportunity to try a few players in the key positions vacated by Rory O’Carroll and Jack McCaffrey. This weekend’s game against Donegal is exactly what Jim would have wanted as it gives them another opportunity to become comfortable in the claustrophobic environment which is the blanket defence and the more you play against it the better you become at breaking it down.

I expect them to try a few different variations of play on Sunday to suss out which one might be best should these two meet again down the line.

Roscommon

It has been a terrific campaign for the Rossies. They have held their own with the best but what they must understand is that this is only League football.

It is imperative that they do not get carried away with the hype that has surrounded them in recent weeks.

Other teams are only starting to find their groove so it is now that we will begin to see a true reflection of this Roscommon team.

For them the ultimate goal must be to win a Connacht title. Yes a League title would go along way in helping with the development of this young team but ultimately the Championship is where it is at.

I like their style of play. They are rugged in defence but they have a bit of flair about them when they attack.

After this weekend clash with the ever-improving men from the Kingdom, we should have a fair idea if they have what it takes to send a shudder through Connacht this summer.

Kerry

Write them off at your peril. Yours truly said here after the first two League games that I feared for this Kerry team this year but I should have remembered that people in Kerry do not take their football anyway serious until the clocks change and the evenings lengthen.

They have steadily gathered momentum and week after week they have been bringing key players back into the fray.

We are not used to Kerry teams placing a lot of emphasis on the League but in recent weeks that trend seems to have changed and from where I’m sitting this is a good move.

They now realise that Munster offers them little in terms of realistic preparation for the big battles that lie ahead come August and September so another tough game or two at this time of the year will do them good before they head under ground to prepare to spring again come the August bank holiday weekend.

We should have two highly entertaining games at the weekend, granted they will be different from a tactical point of view but nevertheless they should be entertaining. Dare I say a Kerry v Donegal final?

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