 So time for our Gillie games preview here in Highland and this weekend our sole focus is of course the national football league And to look ahead we have a regular contributor Brendan kill coin on the program And also GA writer with the Irish news. Okay, and gentlemen. Good to see you. Good to talk to you Well, uh, yeah, we'll move to get your thoughts first of all care because it's been a while since you've been on air with us We're heading into the league. It's an exciting time. All the teams have gone through their their preseason competitions Is there any of the Northwest Counties that showed you anything that there's a there's a lot of promise there in the opening couple of games? It's a red the ready when he's calling there the other day and Never judge a footballer in January never judge a footballer in this time of the year and it's it's hard to tell I'm obviously done. You all have done fairly well in the in the mechanic up as it goes maybe some of the areas of concern for them they've got a wee bit of luck that as well, but They've they've done alright to run have you know to run have got a lot of a lot of new faces in there and obviously playing catch-up from the From the team holiday ring Christmas and that so it's it's nearly impossible to judge them Dairy of a couple of new faces in as well when fairly strong in the in the mechanic up and I don't think they were Don't think they were shedding any tears over losing the semi-finals. You don't need go I know there was a wee bit of a happiness in a lot of the counties about you know Piling the games on top of the Sigerson and different things. So I think there'd be nobody getting too downhearted about this time the year I think we've all we've all probably held their own To some degree and all took an it took enough right of the mechanic up that Feel them into the league Yeah, Brandon you watched a lot of the Donegal games What's the positives do you feel for deckland boner coming out of the mechanic up as we go to what does class does? Could be a real tough start against Mayo this weekend. Yeah, there's no doubt It's going to be a tough start listen I suppose the fact that they got four games are sheen and they got to try out a good few players and I suppose the Positives, you know, you look at the format pattern Morgan. He's playing great football. They got Michael Murphy back on the pitch So, you know, and we saw last weekend how important and we all knew that before last weekend We know that a long time now the the significance and importance of that Michael on the pitch and having a fit Michael on the pitch You know last year, you know, obviously there were niggles and there were injuries that Kurt Ailes is probably training regime getting into the big games So don't he got to be hoping that he can get an injury free run at it And you know, you're looking at donnie gall will they go as gung-ho as they have done last year or will they revert to a more defensive type? More defensive type system Bearing in mind that, you know, they have been opened up defensively and there obviously are concerns about how they will defend and They're going to be tested as soon as they get into Markovitch Park next Sunday against a Mio team That, you know, you have to have great admiration for the keep coming every year. They keep coming back and Players back this year. Jason Darry is back. Brendan Harrison is back I don't think I don't think Killian O'Connor is going to make it but Oshin Mullen obviously not heading to Australia Was a huge lift and you can feel the reverberations and the excitement of that around me. Oh, so listen Donnie Gall have a They it's going to be a big and important league campaign for them because then, you know It's with the championship starting in April this year. I think it around 24th of April. Donnie Gall are out against our ma Every game the seven games that they play through the National League are going to be of huge importance And we all know that, you know teams in order to win the All-Ireland at this stage You nearly have to be playing in division one. So the league has assumed greater significance down through the years so it has and Donnie Gall You know a way to all be it in Markovitch Park and Sligo is a massive game a massive opener for both teams and It'll be just interesting to see how they line up or with what new can they bring to the table as I said Heather Morgan has been in simple later form for both Donnie Gall and LyIT who had a massive win during the week against UCD Brendan mentioned the point about maybe question marks over Donnie Gall defensively Cajar but at the other end if you have your men's scoring is that such a big a concern the way modern-day football has been played at the moment? Well, I think the big thing for Britain's 100% right? The big thing for Donnie Gall over the last over the last few years has been their ability to control games by being so dominant in the middle of the field so so physically imposing and around the middle that they can control possession and win so much ball and Sort of almost no matter how much they're conceding. They'll always get enough ball and enough chances to win any game It's it's what happens when that breaks down. That's that's the that's the big issue I suppose when they look back at the throne game last year was an area that they've you know They've usually done well against Ronan. They didn't do too badly, but by their own standards It wasn't the domination that they used to and they ended up losing the game, but Not Donnie Gall For a wee while of struggle defensively, you know the fact that You know, they haven't found any real Any real sort of strengths in the fall back line? Neil McGee still still horsing away. I don't know what way he'll be for any of the nice of the This year Steve McMeneman's had his own injury problems and you know without those two they look very very weak In terms of men that can do the man market jobs You know to me I think what typifies the problem for them The own band Gallagher is potentially one of the best attack and wing half backs in Ireland if he got a run In the position and got got playing it But so often the last couple years he's had to play full back had to play cornerback had to try and do different jobs That they maybe don't necessarily suit his skillset 100% and just think you know until Donnie Gall find a couple of real Dogged horrible defenders if you like They're going you know, it's it's going to be an uphill battle. They won the big trophies for them Well Brendan two games to start things in a seven-day period Mayo in March of the park and slaggle and then the following again against Kildare If you got two ones and the opening two matches that would put you on a on a solid footing to stay up in division one Which would be the main target as you go to championship Brendan Absolutely asking like you know, but that that's easier said than done. It's a you know, as I mentioned, it's going to be a huge task There's there's you know, you're coming up against a Mio team or they're there about every year They're they're so strong and every department and you know, you've the likes of all McLaughlin We saw him play for Limerick and Sigerson there a couple of weeks ago and he looks in great shape And you've Ryan had done it who was really added real jizz to the Mio forward line So, you know, they're going to be in good shape. I feel coming into this game James Horn will have them well primed And it's a big ask for donnie go I think it's going to be a fantastic day down America which on Sunday to tight pitch, you know 12,000 capacity It's going to be so it's going to be full house So it's gonna be a big game with an element of championship feel about it to have the crowds back is a big thing too And you know, it's important I suppose to that donnie go all traveling numbers and get behind the team down there But you know, you're looking at the second game then against Kildare And I'm sure that's one that donnie go will identify as a must win You know, I think it'll be a bonus to get something there's never too much between Mio and donnie go But Mio have been getting the better of these ties in recent years And donnie go need to get to the stage where they're taking out these big guns on a regular basis And they haven't been doing that. I mean, they haven't had a, you know, okay to roam They've had joy over to roam but that's turned back the other way after last year And you know the carries the doublins the Mio's these are the teams that they need to lay a marker down against If they have aspirations to go on and be competing at the latter end of the championship come the summer and you know The questions that have been asked of donnie go in recent years that haven't really answered and yes they've landed Ulster championships But it's beyond that and it's taken them after mentioned teams down that are the big question mark for them So I think it would be a bonus if donnie go get out and out of the game on sunday But I feel that kildare game at home is a must win for donnie go actually Okay, a lot of mention obviously about the championship car from both the used guys and we haven't even started the League yet, but the championship is the big one Does doubling and carry then look into an even taroon now in that respect as well given that they're defending all our new champions Do they read much into the league? Do they take much away from it as they head to the to the big competition of the year? I think they'll read a fair button in terms of performances and and who's playing well and their own setup results wise You know, I think the the first priority for everybody is making sure they stay up and particularly for for taroon just in the in the Winter that has been obviously the the late lead ace championship in terms of the new split season and then The club been busy then they had the the holiday way in florida and they you know They looked very rusty when they came home in the mechanic up. They tried a lot of new players And so it's hard to see that they just hit the ground running in terms of the national league Taroon have had plenty of seasons where they just scraped their way To safety in division one and that has contented them. Um, and I think for them I think they would take the same at this stage of the year Kerry and Dublin probably different different set of priorities. Um, Kerry Well, Kerry's just the 18th year in our own in division one like they don't get relegated They're always looking towards the The top end of it and the attacking quality they have but then, you know, see him see him issue as with dunny goal, um In terms of finding the real quality one-to-one defenders that I wouldn't say taroon on earth, but taroon found found reason to trust last year Left their fall back line one-on-one and that's a huge impact on on why they won the other and then Kerry just aren't in position yet where they seem like they're able to do that either. They don't they don't have the one-to-one defenders Probably like most People have been I've been a wee tiny bit surprised that the stephan ockham burrows come home from From australia and was such a you know such a turn fall back on the On the under 21 team before he went went went away and has been sort of playing around that field since he came home and just You know that that they haven't tried him in the fallback leg to see how he gets on maybe maybe he's passed that Maybe he was never going to be a long term fall back for them, but Given their lack of options And that and that they feel I'm surprised that they they haven't looked at that As for monahan monon taroon Does monon have a bit more work done than taron as the head to the start of the league? Is that a a game that monahan can can one at hilly park given the fact that they played on it as well last week So, uh, they've a bit of freshness with the turf around oma venue as well keher Yep, mon look Mon mon mon on the look back and last year we reeled disappointment like I you know I sort of wrongly on the ending, but I started told anybody listen last year that that that I thought monon would win They also find out I thought they were better on and had they brought anything in the first half I think they'll look back with real regret on that the Monahan have have had a lot of sharpness about them in the last 18 months a fair wee bit of freshness and a few A few players who have really developed over the last couple of years garren mulligan Um, and in their attack as well. I see I see just the mechanic up interest in these sort of pushed corner mccarthy to wing half back um Which which will be interesting look at see how he gets on there and he could cause teams a lot of problems from there, but Look mon monon are always there there about some who talk about their age profile and talking about their age profile for a long time But you know the the fellas that are there darn use is still as fit and as fresh corner mcmanus will come out of his Come out of his shell in a couple weeks time. I'm sure and um monon staying up was obviously in for them as well, but You know, what's this their 70th season in a row in division one and uh, they're well established and I would fancy I would fancy that they're further down the line and through for this weekend surely Yeah And uh dublin are starting things off brendon this weekend saturday night against rma And i'm sure the dubs will be looking to make a statement in 2022 given the way that they they lost their the reign last year and uh They want all them trophies that they lost back again. So they will brendon and they're gonna you expect them to have a good Crack of the league day Oh, absolutely and the dubs all as well. You know what they're going to bring there's so much quality up there and You know, I suppose they have the one asset that's going to be crucial going into this year. I feel is squad squad depth You know, there's no doubt about it You know, you're looking at big pather coffee burners as you call them in the middle of the field He's a huge unit of a man and if they have him to compliment brian fenton's attributes there Obviously, that's a big big asset to have so it is and you know, it's about on earth and another couple of forwards for themselves I don't think paul manion paul manion appears to be staying with kilmicaud and has him come back into the fold and You know quality forwards like him no matter how much he can produce our hard come by and you know, would you just feel that you know Having that squad depth for the seven game national league games in nine weeks and then Turning into championship them straight after that is going to hugely important That you can have players that you can trust Come the heat of the championship come the summer like listen the league is very important and it's huge significance Obviously kind of thing to all teams but at the end ultimately it's It's about getting your squad ready and getting players that you can trust to throw into the free come championship time In april may june when the when the chips are really down and you know, dublin There's no doubt about it. They're going to have a dearth talent that respect So they aren't a huge amount of talent of that respect and you know They'll be coming up against an arm ass side who have med strides under cure and megane They are getting better They're going to be a big ass for dunny gall in the first round the chapter two on april 24th Because megane will have them firing on all cinders. I've seen huge improvements And you see the likes of ryan o'neill and these guys and they're just you know, he's a phenomenal footballer So, you know, it's a big ass for a mad to go to crow park against dublin in the first game And it's hard to see anything but a dublin win there But again, it comes back to squad depth and how they can manage that through the next couple of months In order to be best prepared come the big tests that are going to lie ahead for all these teams Just back to tarone kehar because they lost a couple of players over the last number of weeks Four or five players gone from from the panel. They got the all-arland medal and they decided to step away What about tarone steps then as they go to 2022? There's no doubt it takes a there's no doubt it takes a hit was was what they've lost The only thing being that you know, they probably had a greater degree of depth in most counties last year When you would When you would Richard only and Rory Brennan and Ronan O'Neill didn't even make the 26th for the all-arland final last year sort of shows you Where they're at as well So, you know, the back-to-back Ulster won in under 20 teams in 2019 2020 They'd we but early yet for for last year's team that reached the other minor final But I'm not and then obviously the strength of club football and tarone I'm not saying that particularly. I think mark Bradley and and tearing the can Will be difficult to replace in terms of you know, match real match the options that they were regularly used I think a joy out of but but I think I don't think it's it's just a disaster for them. Certainly. I think they'll They'll find a way to cope and they'll and they'll give experience to a few fellas and they'll I think they'll rebuild that strength fairly sharpish Yeah, okay, we'll move on to division two Cahar dairy ticking on down Under Rory Gallagher dairy have been progressing over the last couple of years Can the oak leaf men get out of that division and and make it to the top flight of the league car? They have progressed hugely under Rory. Um, I think Rory himself has looked at the league and and maybe you know Unusually since he has come today, you know The thing about Rory and all his and all his public dealings and everything that he said publicly, you know He has really talked the team up really, you know Why shouldn't we and we you know last year, you know, we expect to walk out of division three here We expect to go to Balbalfe a bit done. He called and and for the first time He's probably just tempered as a wee tiny bit by by talking about sort of, you know, needing to break onto the top 12 Um, which yes, you know top four of that division that and I certainly think that's where they'll be at But it's a it's a tough league To get out of like there's decent there's decent teams in there go away ross common cork dairy, you know, there's enough there that You just need everything to go your way there. You're definitely in the mix for for going up but Like I wouldn't like to be putting any money on any of them at this stage because there's very very little between Probably a handful of those teams Yeah, and a good start against down on saturday Six o'clock start in the Celtic Park for the dairy man. If you are to be in that mix Those are no brennan. You have to make sure you're in your home games. First of all Yeah, a hundred percent and listen, I know rory well and I know he left them well fired up I think he's done a great job in dairy so far and he seems to have pulled the whole thing together The team are now playing as a team, you know, there was All this talk behind the scenes of dairy not pulling together and club v county and all that But he seems to have crossed that bridge with them and he's got a unified bunch of players that I think And a lot of quality and he also is I suppose introduced a few of the miners Y'all are them winning minor team and it's about integrating them into the team and this and there's no doubt There's a lot of quick. There's a huge amount of quality footballers and dairy and Rory is pulling them in the right direction And I think they'll give division two a right good shot And I think they'll have too much for down and saturday night particularly at home and It would be great start to get them off and get them going in the league And and you know, they're going to be they're going to again be one eye on ulster championship And you know, I know rory gala her well He takes no challenge lying down and he's going to really push them on and you know I can see them causing a lot of teams problems this year ushing Yeah, we'll dip into division four briefly and we don't get too many opportunities to talk about about london You probably don't know a lot about the dunning all boys car that's involved with london But end of mccormick and nathan michael wean brennan are are both part of the panel They they left the roots of dunning all a couple of years ago And they're looking to make a mark now in the intercounty scene So they are end of course has been around a senior panel with dunning all before but nathan's now And a senior panel with london playing haven't been part of a back room team for dunning all at one stage So i'm sure it's very exciting for for those two dunning all boys brennan as they head into a league opener against carla with the weekend Yeah, two great lads that I know well nathan and end and you know nathan was involved When deckland boners backroom team last year and end of mccormick has been on the fringes of squads and played under 21 With dunning all over the last couple of years So it's great that them lads are over there and you know london provided great service for GA footballers and You know i've been over there and i've played senior kind of championship over there down through the years And it's a massive the the huge respect for it and it'd be great to see these lads do well with london It'll be interesting. I know there are a way to carla on it this weekend and You know it'd be a big ask for them But it's it's hard to know where they're at really there's no form guide there from I suppose from me care from mekena cops Or fbd leagues or anything like that So it's hard to know where they're at carla will have a bit of an advantage in that they've played a couple of games I would imagine but I tell you they're two good players So they are and you know clubmen of your own ashing So we'd be hoping we'd be all keeping an eye in london this year to hope to see that they can push on As long as not interfere on what slide goes progress Well, there's there's another team in division form going to mention brennan tupper airy That'll be looking to get out of there. And there's a letter kind of gales man Associated cairn canon has stepped up to the senior ranks with With the premier county this year So tough given the way they played in championship football over the last couple of years and remember they want a monster title too They really want to be out of division four As will will sligo brennan As will gavin who are also champions recently too, you know So you know you're talking about division four and you're looking at two recent provincial champions from You know not that long ago just over 12 months ago So it's called you know every division and that's why the league is so exciting You know, there's a lot of really really good games and the teams are relatively Well matched and you know when you see tipper airy and calvin down division four and It's going to read add real spice to it It's going to be hard for teams like calvin or like sligo Leads from london these teams to make progress particularly when you have teams of that But you know in tipper areas, I don't think quinlevin met himself available this year for some reason and he's obviously going to be a big loss He's it's you know, he's a huge huge player for them So he's but tip of a lot are really good footballers and you would expect tip and calvin to have too much for the rest of the Teams there, but it'll be interesting to see how it pans out Yeah, okay then guys time to pick your head on the block Brendan who's going to one division one and who's going to be relegated? Oh, and I think I'll have to go for doubling because I think there will be a bounce back from them after last year And who's going to be relegated then? You know, I have to say kildare and I don't know one of the others You know our man would be the obvious choice But that doesn't mean to say that it's going to happen. I think kildare Kildare are going to get a bounce to from you know New management up there. They're all excited to about having paul galvin in I think he's doing some coaching on the forwards, but Um, it's you know, you think there's a lot of experience through the rest of the team So I think they will struggle the most and I don't know who the second team is going to be Okay, then cahar. What about you? Who's going to one division one and who's the two teams that are going to drop down? Uh One of the carry carry would be my my favorites to one it At this stage of the year just because they're attacking Quality and tend to change three before the thing is really really tactical and bogged down Who's going down it could be There's a lot of teams and in that mix. I think kildare well there Our ma's a big second season for them second season's always always tricky There's only what six teams in the last decade outside of the big size only six teams in the last decade I've survived more than a year in division one of those four got really good in their second season. So That's uh, that's what our ma's challenge looks like. Um, they'll be there I think to ruin just for the nature of their winter again Um, I think we'll we'll be looking at staying up in morning to have a say up So that's your that's your four at the bottom for me Okay, I'm gonna go all stand out of it then cahar. What would you tell us? Maybe maybe three five at the bottom and three at the top He's been nice actually Uh, what about sam mcguire cahar? Who are you talking for it? Hi look I honestly honestly think that Because we're not talking about them. There's very little focus and and the fact that Couple of things have gone for in the last couple of months Mayo are are praying to I just I just think you know, they've been the last two all year in finals You look back last year's all year in final and had they taken their old chances in the first 20 minutes That's a totally different game. Austin moan staying at home was enormous. Um, what what level of fitness killing a corner gets up to but Sprint mentioned ryan adonahue tommy conroy Matthew ryan those boys are all a year older. You're stronger I just I just think that my whole team is is sitting on the on the cusp of it If you're looking you're looking for a way outside bet definitely definitely male. There's teams there carry double and all the rest but Just male could be the team for me. Had a big call by cahar brennan Yeah, it is but like it makes a lot of sense, you know They're not we know they're not going to be far away because they've competed so well over the last number of years and they have got a great impetus boost with the Availability of ashi mullen killian coming back and you know, he mentioned tommy conroy and ryan adonahue there too And an inside line they're going to take some stop and so they are and I just feel You know that they've got so close and so many occasions that they are going to push Everything out to make sure that they can't get across the line this year and you know Kerry have the issues defensively. We're doubling at after last year will be the big question. I think So who are you tipping then? I'm tipping doubling Brendan kill coin and cahar okay, and good to see you. Good to talk to you. Thanks for joining us on highland today to look forward to the league Thanks