1. Were London a flash in the pan last summer?
After last year’s heroics, Galway’s 19 point thrashing of London in last month’s Connacht quarter final came as a surprise to many.
Galway hadn’t been going well, and last year’s Connacht finalists were supposed to have added an extra gear with the addition of Adrian Faherty, Cathal O’Neill and Marcus Miskelly.
There were 13 of the London players who featured in last year’s championship back again in Ruislip last month. Although starters Ciaran McCallion and Caolan Doyle have both left the panel for 2014, and captain Lorcan Mulvey’s injury difficulties this year forced him on to the bench for the meeting with Galway. But Mark Gottsche was back.
After their opening round performance, and with just one win in seven in this year’s Division 4 league; this weekend’s trip to Limerick will answer whether last year was a flash in the pan or not.
2. Can Laois replicate the Dublin performance?
Laois competed with Dublin for three quarters of their quarter final clash, earning praise nationwide for their attacking approach and the quality of their play.
John O’Loughlin at midfield, Colm Begley, Ross Munnelly and Donie Kingston are all in terrific form so far this summer, and they should be a force to be reckoned with during the qualifiers.
But, in recent years this Loais team have been very inconsistent; particularly during the reign of former manager Justin McNulty.
Even during this year’s league Laois finished mid table, winning three but losing four. They followed up on a 21 point win over Galway, with a nine point loss to Armagh in March. The question is can Laois finally find some consistency?
3. How much will that Donegal loss have affected Derry?
Derry are the team to have emerged from the league as favourites, reaching the final of Division 1 before losing only to Dublin. In fact they beat the All-Ireland champions earlier in the league campaign.
While Donegal also reached the Division 2 league final, their performance in the final defeat to Monaghan, coupled with their ageing and apparently disrupted squad meant they looked to be there for the taking in Ulster.
Brian McIver’s team though couldn’t find a way past Donegal, losing by three points in the Ulster opener. They’ve had a month to dwell on that disappointment, but how much will it have affected their preparations for the qualifiers?
4. Is Aughrim the last place Offaly want to be at this stage?
Since Offaly’s last Leinster triumph in 1997, their only other appearance in the provincial decider came in 2006. For a county steeped in footballing tradition the combined loss total from their last five opening round defeats in Leinster has been 45 points.
Despite a spirited, Niall McNamee inspired performance in last month’s clash with Longford, this team became the first to lose in the Leinster Championship to their midland rivals in 49 years.
Aughrim isn’t the easiest place to travel to at the best of times, but will this trip be exactly what Offaly need, or the last place they want to see at the start of the knockout stages?
