Five things to watch in the GAA this weekend

The clocks go forward this weekend so we’re getting closer to the Championship. With some rematches from last year's summer jamboree on the books this week, it should be a cracker.

Blue Man re-group

Anthony Daly must be looking at the Division 1 table and wondering why his team is lurking near the bottom and staring relegation in the face. After failing to fire in their opener with Galway, they suffered a cruel one-point defeat to Cork before last weekend’s spectacular loss to Kilkenny.

Thanks to RTE’s decision to swerve Nowlan Park we haven’t seen any of the 11 goals in that thriller but the Clare man must be wondering how his side rattled six bullets into the Cats but failed to kill them.

With just two games left, it is still possible for Dublin to escape the relegation play-off but to have any chance they need to beat Tipperary this weekend. The Premier got the better of them in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final and with Declan Ryan’s team showing some of their old form last weekend, Daly could be scratching his head yet again on Monday as he prepares for the relegation crap shoot.

The GAA’s version of Father of the Bride Part II

Ask anyone about last year’s All-Ireland football semi-final between Dublin and Donegal and they will usually run off screaming as the memories come flooding back of the horror show. Just fourteen points were served up in a game that could be viewed as the nadir of modern Gaelic football tactics.

This season Jim McGuinness is unrepentant in his tactics and after a slow start they’re finding their feet, with convincing win over an admittedly lacklustre Mayo last weekend. Dublin have been scintillating (against Armagh) and very ordinary (against Down) but at home they should be able to stifle Michael Murphy and therefore stifle Donegal.

Don’t expect this sequel to be much fun to watch either is what I’m saying.

Can Mayo float past Cork again?

The only consistency we have seen in the top flight of football this year is inconsistency. Everyone has at least one win and everyone has one defeat on their record. That the bottom team, Armagh, nabbed their only win while inflicting on the top team, Kerry, their only defeat tells you all you need to know.

Anyway, Mayo looked like world beaters early on but they were woeful against Donegal last week. Landing in hopefully non foggy Castlebar this weekend are Cork, the team that Mayo deposed as All-Ireland champions in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final.

What losing your All-Ireland title looks like

Cork may be one-dimensional (big lads, work hard) but it is a very solid foundation for modern Gaelic football. If Mayo can click again they can beat Conor Counihan’s side again and they may need to as defeat puts them deep in the relegation fight. A very big game for James Horan.

The big two

Sorry to readers from Tipp but Cork and Kilkenny are the big two of hurling history, with 63 All-Irelands between them. The big two clash at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday and the home side face a big task to end the only 100 per cent record in the top flight.

The absence of Jackie Tyrell through injury will hamper Kilkenny but Brian Cody’s men showed last week that the Cats are still the top dogs and brutally hard to beat. Just as Kilkenny snatched a late win last week, Cork contrived to lose it late to Galway and they will be looking to bounce back. It’s not going to happen.

Northern Exposure

Monaghan will take on Galway in the unusual venue of Pearse Park in Longford this weekend in Division 2 as the long-running dispute over the row from their game against Kildare is finally brought to a conclusion.

After initially being hit with a fine, then losing a home game before finally landing on this neutral venue idea, the county have decided to give up fighting and just play the game.

Taking away home advantage is a serious punishment, and it doesn’t benefit Kildare, only Galway. One thing is for sure, Monaghan will be a fired up bunch this week. Hopefully not too fired up of course or we will be back before the powers that be again.

Don’t lose the run of yourself this weekend. Drink alcohol responsibly. For more visit drinkaware.ie.