National Football League Division 2: Cork and the seven counties they will face this spring

National League titles: 8

CORK

All-Ireland titles: 7

2023 National League: 4th in Division 2

2023 All-Ireland championship: Quarter-final loss to Derry

Manager: John Cleary

Captain: Brian Hurley

Main man: Ian Maguire

Rising star: Conor Corbett

PROSPECTS: Despite a shock Munster championship quarter-final defeat to Clare last year, Cork undoubtedly went on to enjoy a positive and encouraging campaign. Victories over Louth and Mayo (a hugely significant triumph) propelled the Rebels out of the group stages, and they also gave neighbours Kerry plenty of it in their narrow reversal at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Edging out Roscommon by a single point in the preliminary quarter-final landed John Cleary’s side a spot in the last eight in the competition, and considering the way that Derry frightened the life out of the Kingdom in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final, Cork are entitled to hold out optimism for 2024 despite a four-point loss to the Oak Leaf county.

In Cleary, the Rebels have a shrewd operator at the helm, and buoyed by beating Kerry on penalties to lift the McGrath Cup last Saturday, they really have to attack the league, although they couldn’t have been given a tougher opening than a journey to Ballybofey next Sunday and a meeting with the returning Jim McGuinness and Donegal.

Nonetheless, if genuine progress is to be sustained, Cork have to be targeting promotion to the top flight. It certainly won’t be easy with Armagh, Meath and Kildare among the others in the mix, in what promises to be a fascinating division, as always.

DONEGAL

National League titles: 1

All-Ireland titles: 2

2023 National League: 8th in Division 1

2023 All-Ireland championship: Prelim quarter-final loss to Tyrone

Manager: Jim McGuinness

Captain: Paddy McBrearty

Main man: Oisin Gallen

Rising star: Oisin Caulfield

PROSPECTS: The intriguing return to the helm for Jim McGuinness has brought the buzz back into Donegal football after a traumatic couple of seasons full of on-the-field under-achievement and off-the-field discontent and controversy. Yet it’s a sign of the esteem in which the 2012 All-Ireland-winning manager is held that the recent past has instantly been forgotten about and shoved to the periphery.

Finishing bottom of Division One last season didn’t augur well for what was to follow, and when Donegal were beaten by Down in their Ulster championship opener, there were real signs of a sinking shop in the county. Yet, despite the sense of doom and gloom that reverberated around Tír Chonaill way, the talent within the squad still showed flickering signs of life.

Indeed, a noteworthy group stage victory over Monaghan, following an opening win over Clare, ensured Donegal’s passage into the preliminary quarter-finals where, disappointingly, they failed to raise a gallop when losing by eight points to Tyrone. Nevertheless, McGuinness knows only well of the dormant potential within the group, and he will be confident of turning things around.

Reaching the McKenna Cup final last weekend, despite a poor enough display in the decider, is an indication that Donegal want to make a quick start to 2024. They have to be looking at an instant return to Division One, and a proper crack at winning Ulster. No pressure Jim!

MEATH

National League titles: 7

All-Ireland titles: 7

2023 National League: 6th in Division 2

2023 All-Ireland championship: Tailteann Cup winners

Manager: Colm O’Rourke

Captain: Ronan Jones

Main man: Mathew Costello

Rising star: Jack Flynn

PROSPECTS: If you had asked new Meath manager Colm O’Rourke this time last year if he envisioned being consigned to the Tailteann Cup later in the summer, it’s odds-on that the former RTE pundit would not have been enamoured with that particular outcome. Yet, when the story of 2023 was eventually written, the Royal county had unexpected silverware in the trophy cabinet.

By taking the competition seriously, and recording five successive victories before they got the better of Down by five points in the final of the lower-tier tournament at Croke Park, Meath had managed to blood several promising youngsters at the coal-face of senior inter-county football, had rejuvenated the older heads within the panel, and had gained in much-needed confidence by their run to ultimate cup glory.

With old stager Donal Keogan continuing to inspire the rest of his colleagues, and with new kids on the block like Sean Brennan, Adam O’Neill, Conor Gray, Jack Flynn, Jack O’Connor and key man Mathew Costello improving week by week, Meath now enter into 2024 having banished, to some degree, the painful memories of a Leinster quarter-final loss to Offaly.

This season Meath will aim to be closer to the top of Division 2 than their sixth place finish last season. However, thanks to that Tailteann Cup success, they already know that, regardless of what happens in the next few months, they’re back in the All-Ireland SFC race.

FERMANAGH

National League titles: 0

All-Ireland titles: 0

2023 National League: 2nd in Division 3

2023 All-Ireland championship: Tailteann Cup prelim quarter-finals

Manager: Kieran Donnelly

Captain: Declan McCusker

Main man: Ultan Kelm

Rising star: Ross Bogue

PROSPECTS: This time last year Fermanagh were starting out on a Division 3 journey that was eventually conclude in promotion to a higher level, a cherished appearance at Croke Park for the league decider against Cavan (albeit ending in a six-point defeat), and genuine optimism within the Erne county that they were ready to take some forward steps in their progression.

However, a tame enough Ulster championship loss to Derry was followed by an extremely disappointing Tailteann Cup odyssey. Just managing to sneak out of their group with three points from three games, Kieran Donnelly’s charges then exited the competition following a two-point reversal to Laois, which ended their season pretty rapidly.

Now, having lost key players in Sean Quigley and the Jones siblings, Ronan and Conall, Fermanagh are certainly facing a baptism of fire in the next couple of months as they strive to avoid an immediate drop back to Division 3. Donnelly has brought some talented newcomers into the fold over the winter, and the whole squad really needs to get immediately up and running.

With the calibre of opponent that is now facing them, it would be a serious achievement for Fermanagh to keep their spot in the second tier, and they will hope that the likes of Ultan Kelm, Che Cullen and Shane McGullion can drive on the young guns.

KILDARE

National League titles: 0

All-Ireland titles: 4

2023 National League: 5th in Division 2

2023 All-Ireland championship: Prelim quarter-final loss to Monaghan

Manager: Glenn Ryan

Captain: Mick O’Grady

Main man: Ben McCormack

Rising star: James McGrath

PROSPECTS: Under the astute stewardship of Glenn Ryan, there are signs of progress being made in Kildare football circles. Indeed, running Dublin to two points in the Leinster championship last year was a sign that, on their day, the Lilywhites can put it up to the best teams in the country.

Of course, the Dubs had things easier when the sides came face-to-face again in the group stages of the All-Ireland championship but, nevertheless, Kildare drew with Sligo and beat Roscommon by a point to advance to the preliminary quarter-finals.

On that day against Monaghan, they ended up on the receiving end of a one-point defeat, angered by some refereeing decisions towards the end of the game. Yet, with Mick O’Grady, Eoin Doyle, the Flynns, Kevin Feely and Darragh Kirwan leading the way, there is a solid nucleus in the side.

Further optimism within the county comes from the under-20s winning the All-Ireland title in 2023. There should be a nice conveyor belt of talent filtering through to the senior fold, led by impressive centre-back James McGrath.

This year, Kildare simply have to be right in the mix for promotion to Division One. The competition will be pretty intense, but to keep the current momentum trending upwards, it is the least of the Lilywhites’ ambitions right now.

CAVAN

National League titles: 1

All-Ireland titles: 5

2023 National League: Winners of Division 3

2023 All-Ireland championship: Tailteann Cup quarter-finals

Manager: Raymond Galligan

Captain: Padraic Faulkner

Main man: Paddy Lynch

Rising star: Oisin Brady

PROSPECTS: While most of the winter managerial focus was fixated on the return of Jim McGuinness to Donegal and Mickey Harte’s controversial arrival in Derry, an appointment that went somewhat under the radar was the choice of replacement for the departing Mickey Graham in Cavan.

At 36 years of age, last year’s captain and goalkeeper Raymond Galligan was, surprisingly, entrusted with the task of continuing the good work initiated by Graham, and it will be fascinating to witness the dynamic as the new boss gets his feet under the table.

Cavan enjoyed a fine league campaign in 2023, finishing top of Division 3 and defeating Fermanagh in the final at Croke Park, but things didn’t go according to plan after that. Losing to Armagh in the Ulster quarter-final was followed by a hugely disappointing Tailteann Cup journey.

Topping their group with three wins from three, Cavan, along with Meath, were fancied to go all the way, but they came a cropper against eventual runners-up Down in the last eight. Maybe that was the afternoon where Graham made up his mind to leave?

Long-serving stalwarts Gearoid McKiernan and Conor Moynagh are not part of this year’s squad, but the likes of James Smith and Brian O’Connell have returned. Staying in Division 2 will be the immediate top priority for Galligan.

ARMAGH

National League titles: 1

All-Ireland titles: 1

2023 National League: 7th in Division 1

2023 All-Ireland championship: Quarter-final loss to Monaghan

Manager: Kieran McGeeney

Captain: TBC

Main man: Rian O’Neill

Rising star: Sean Conlon

PROSPECTS: As Kieran McGeeney prepares to embark on his tenth season at the helm, the question needs to be asked: Are Armagh the unluckiest team in the country, or are they simply unable to fulfil the undoubted potential that exists within the squad?

In 2023, the Orchard county lost on penalties to Derry in the Ulster final, missing the chance to lift their first provincial title since 2008. That was then followed by another heart-breaking defeat on spot-kicks to Monaghan in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

When you add in the previous season’s exit to Galway, also in the last eight, and also on penalties, Armagh must be absolutely bemoaning their lack of good fortune. At the same time, McGeeney, surely facing into his last campaign, must find the answers to turn agony into ecstasy, or is failing to get the rub of the green something that just can’t be prevented?

Conleth Gilligan has joined a star-studded back-room this year, and if management can get consistency out of their key man Rian O’Neill, allied to the input of Ethan Rafferty, Jarly Og Burns, Rory Grugan, Aidan Forker and Stefan Campbell, Armagh can match any opposition. Making an immediate return to the top flight will be the first objective of 2024, and they will certainly be fancied to complete that mission.

LOUTH

National League titles: 0

All-Ireland titles: 3

2023 National League: 3rd in Division 2

2023 All-Ireland championship: Group stage exit

Manager: Ger Brennan

Captain: Sam Mulroy

Main man: Sam Mulroy

Rising star: Ciarán Keenan

PROSPECTS: The defection of Mickey Harte to Derry threatens to undo a lot of the positive work that the three-time All-Ireland-winning manager has carefully constructed over the last two seasons in Louth. Indeed, the wee county were basically living the dream, enjoying the extra media focus that such a celebrated manager brought to the fold.

In 2023, Louth did superbly to finish in third place in such a competitive Division 2 when they would probably have pencilled in as relegation candidates before the first ball was thrown in last January. Gaining confidence from their ability to function at this higher level, their championship odyssey was also extremely noteworthy.

Beating Westmeath and Offaly saw them reach the Leinster final, and while they were never going to beat Dublin, losing the decider certainly didn’t derail their season. Advancing to the group stages of the All-Ireland championship, they pushed Mayo to the pin of their collars (losing by a single point), and Cork were also fortunate to beat them by two points.

Ok, the year ended with a trimming from Kerry, but that, and Harte’s exit, cannot be allowed to destroy their immediate future. Dubliner Ger Brennan has assembled a strong management team, including James McCartan and Niall Moyna, and if Sam Mulroy continues to lead by example, consolidating their place in Division 2 can be achieved.

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