JOE’s NFL Preview: Division 1

The three lads in the JOE house with GAA leanings knocked their heads together ahead of the start of the NFL campaign this weekend. Here’s their thoughts on the stuff that matters – and potential posers – in Division 1.

Tips for the top:

Conor Heneghan: Cork. Winning the NFL three times in a row will be some ask, but the McGrath Cup success has set them up nicely for a tilt at the title and judging by his displays in that competition, Colm O’Neill will add some pep up front.

Shane Breslin: I’m siding with Dublin here. Pat Gilroy has about 30 fine inter-county players, and few of the All-Ireland winners are sure of their places, so they’ll be well equipped to withstand the unavailability of a few of the panel for the early part of the year.

Sean Nolan: The Dubs. Momentum will see them rattle off the league title to go with Sam.

One-man show candidate:

CH: Michael Murphy is set to miss a big chunk of the NFL campaign so the onus in Donegal will fall on Colm McFadden in the hopefully more than one man attack when he eventually returns from a minor back problem.

SB: Colm Cooper. The Gooch had as good a year as he’s ever had last year.

SN: Armagh still rely on the magic of Stevie McDonnell. Luckily, he still has it.

Poser Pick:

Eoghan O'Gara ... stands out from the crowd

CH: Mayo’s forward line is a lesser place without Conor Mortimer, both for his talent and his entertainment value. No other footballer in the land would have revealed a tribute to the late ‘Micheál Jackson’ as Conor did in Pearse Stadium a couple of summers ago. Welcome back, Mort.

SB: Eoghan O’Gara. Alan Brogan says he’s the hard man of the Dublin panel. Whether it’s because of that, the usual raw head look or the occasional collar-up fashion statement, O’Gara definitely stands out from the crowd.

SN: Nobody from Donegal anyway.

Banty-Geezer Sideline Shindig possibilities:

CH: Jim McGuinness got a bloody nose from a cameraman and had a pop at the Kildare management last season. He’s gotten rid of Kevin Cassidy and threatened Donegal’s removal from the McKenna Cup already this year so we’ll wager we haven’t heard the last of him yet.

SB: Justin McNulty-Jim McGuinness at Laois-Donegal in Week 2. The paths of these two crossed a couple of times last year, and they’ll be familiar enough with each other from their playing days too. A dodgy square ball decision could get them going.

SN: Jack O’Connor and Conor Counihan may not see eye-to-eye when the sides meet the day after St Patrick’s Day.

The Tweet Beat:

The ace tweeter of the GAA

CH: There are a few candidates, but my vote goes to Kerry’s Darran O’Sullivan (above) as the best value on the Twitter machine in Division One.

SB: Paul Galvin, who tweets from @pgal10, is the one to follow. Just be warned: if you’re looking for GAA insight, go some place else. Galvin reserves all his GAA thinking for the field. A cute hoor of a Kerryman, and a fashion icon too. Who’da guessed?

SN: Woolberto is the best of the lot but as he's not playing for Laois anymore, I’ll go for Darran O’Sullivan too.

Wooden Spoon Contenders (formerly known as the Westmeath Footballers Perpetual Trophy):

CH: Down. With Marty Clarke and Caolan Mooney sunning themselves Down Under, they could suffer in their absence.

SB: I’m half-Donegal – which half, I’m not saying – but I’d fear for them. No Kevin Cassidy, Michael Murphy injured and a horrible game-plan. The players might well get fed up of it this year, and if they do they could struggle.

SN: Has to be Laois to suffer the most.

Setanta Sports are showing three live matches on Saturday evening: Dublin v Kerry and Down v Donegal in Division 1, and Tyrone v Kildare in Division 2. See here for more info.