Armagh
Manager: Kieran McGeeney (10th season)
2023 League: Relegated in 7th spot
2023 Championship: Quarter-finalists
Star Man: Rian O’Neill
One to Watch: Sean Conlon
Outlook: Armagh have got a very seasoned team at this stage under Kieran McGeeney and it is in the championship that they will be judged, not the league. That said, they will be expected to push for promotion, and are a team that thrive when they have momentum behind them and their fans get on board. McGeeney didn’t show the McKenna Cup much respect as he fielded youthful sides in their outings, but it was interesting to see sharpshooter Oisin O’Neill back from injury. Roaming goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty is expected to miss a chunk of the league, but home games against Louth and Meath in the first two rounds give them a strong chance. They do finish with a tough clash away to Cork and will want to have their business taken care of before then.
Verdict: Division 2 champions
Cavan
Manager: Raymond Galligan (1st season)
2023 League: Division 3 champions
2023 Championship: Tailteann Cup quarter-finalists
Star Man: Paddy Lynch
Paddy Lynch
One to Watch: Tiernan Madden
Outlook: The wily Mickey Graham has now left Cavan and he won’t be an easy man to replace. It came as quite the surprise when Raymond Galligan, who was their goalkeeper last year, was appointed as manager. That will create an interesting dynamic where he might have to make tough calls about players he soldiered alongside. Gearoid McKiernan is no longer involved, and he will be a loss as he was their main man for many years. That said Gowna had some exciting players who impressed in the Ulster Club Championship, and Oisin Brady looks set to ease some of the scoring burden on Paddy Lynch. However, they have a very tough start and it will be a challenge for Galligan’s men to survive.
Verdict: Relegated in seventh
Cork
Manager: John Cleary (2nd full season)
2023 League: 4th in Division 2
2023 Championship: Quarter-finalists
Star Man: Sean Powter
Sean Powter
One to Watch: Conor Corbett
Outlook: Cork have been gradually making progress and have been in the SFC quarter-finals in each of the last two seasons. They are retaining all their best players and have youngsters who are keen to make an impression. The Rebels won the McGrath Cup last week and that augers well, while the Castlehaven contingent should be back in full swing shortly. Cork are not regarded as great travellers and they have four away matches which makes things tricky. However, they should be in contention for promotion heading into the round with Armagh.
Verdict: Third
Donegal
Manager: Jim McGuinness (1st season of second stint)
2023 League: Relegated in 8th spot
2023 Championship: Preliminary quarter-finalists
Star Man: Oisin Gallen
One to Watch: Ciaran Moore
Outlook: There will be plenty of eyes on Jim McGuinness and his team during the National Football League and they are being tipped as promotion contenders. The main focus will be building for the Ulster Championship, but the new bainisteoir will want to get his team back into Division 1 and go up against the elite teams next season. There are tough away games against Armagh and Kildare (in Carlow) but there are also four home games and Donegal really should be taking advantage. Promotion rather than league silverware will be the goal.
Verdict: Beaten league finalists
Fermanagh
Manager: Kieran Donnelly (3rd season)
2023 League: Division 3 runners-up
2023 Championship: Tailteann Cup Preliminary Quarter-finalists
Star Man: Ultan Kelm
Ultan Kelm.
One to Watch: Conor Love
Verdict: Fermanagh caused a surprise when they won promotion to Division 2 last season and they managed to dig out some good results, before it all fell flat in the Championship. Kieran Donnelly is back in charge for another season but it looks like it’s going to be a tough NFL campaign with only three home matches. Ryan Jones, Sean Quigley and Conall Jones are key men who have left the panel, and the Erne side lost to a weak Monaghan side in the McKenna Cup. Two of their most winnable league games, on paper at least, are against Louth and Cavan in the last two rounds, and it’s important that they give themselves a fighting chance heading into those outings.
Verdict: Relegated in Eighth
Kildare
Manager: Glenn Ryan (3rd season)
2023 League: 5th in Division 2
2023 Championship: Preliminary quarter-finalists
Star Man: Daniel Flynn
Daniel Flynn
One to Watch: Ryan Burke
Outlook: The GAA world is waiting on Kildare to take the next step. They showed well in Glenn Ryan’s first season in charge in 2022 but flattered to deceive last season. Kildare have lots of nice forwards but need to get the best out of Daniel Flynn and Darragh Kirwan, and the returning Niall Kelly. They have also played in the last two Under 20 All-Ireland Finals so there should be talent on the way through. St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge is currently being re-developed and that does present a headache, and they will play their home matches in Dr Cullen Park. Ryan’s side don’t have to travel to Armagh or Donegal, and they should enhance their chances, but they need to be more consistent.
Verdict: Fourth
Louth
Manager: Ger Brennan (1st season)
2023 League: Third in Division 2
2023 Championship: SFC Group Phase
Star Man: Sam Mulroy
Sam Mulroy
One to Watch: Ciaran Keenan
Outlook: Louth made great progress under Mickey Harte’s leadership and were expecting the Errigal Ciaran clubman to stay on before he jumped ship for Derry. Former Dublin star Ger Brennan is now at the helm, and crucially he has managed to hold onto the bulk of last season’s panel. Louth finished third in Division 2 last season and weren’t far off securing promotion so they shouldn’t be written off lightly. However, Brennan’s side are another team who have only got three home matches, and it’s hard to see them picking up much away against Armagh, Meath, Donegal, and Kildare. It’s likely to be a battle to stay up.
Verdict: Sixth
Meath
Manager: Colm O’Rourke (2nd season)
2023 League: 6th in Division 2
2023 Championship: Tailteann Cup champions
Star Man: Matthew Costello
Matthew Costello.
One to Watch: Diarmuid Moriarty
Outlook: Colm O’Rourke should now be settled into the job and will be aiming to push forward in 2024. The Royal County got off to a very poor start last season and they ended up missing out on the Senior Championship status after an underwhelming league and a Leinster defeat against Offaly. However, a young side did start to develop as they went on to win the Tailteann Cup. The 2021 All-Ireland Minor champions are starting to come through now and that augers well for the future. O’Rourke’s side have a tough ending to the league so they need to hit the ground running in late January and early February.
Verdict: Fifth
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