1. Could their league final mauling light a fire under Kerry?
At the start of last year, the question was asked if Kerry were over the hill. Nobody is posing that scenario this term. Having completed a clean sweep of national and provincial club and county trophies, the Kingdom lack neither top-tier talent nor depth.
The question mark surrounds the manner by which Donegal destroyed them in the league final. Jack O’Connor teams have prioritised and captured league silverware en route to all five of his All-Ireland finals. Yet they didn’t betray any signs of having a bullseye on the first national title of the year when falling 3-19 to 1-4 behind.
David Clifford and Jack O'Connor at Croke Park for the National League final. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
Kerry stuck with their long kick-out all through that final and were starved of possession and attacking opportunities. The Kingdom memorably did the same to Armagh previously. When it comes to knockout football, they will have a more developed plan to break the press. All the same, doing so against Donegal will never be straightforward.
The Ulster champions looked fresh. Jack O’Connor referenced Kerry being “lethargic and tired” after their trip to Armagh a week earlier. They won’t be undercooked come the summer, perhaps using their Croke Park experience as fuel for a back-to-back drive. The Meath loss did a similar job for O’Connor last season.
2. Have Donegal unlocked their optimal new-rule formula?
Following the way in which Donegal stuck to their defensive zone in last year’s All-Ireland final, the Ulster champions have tweaked their set-up for 2026. Jim McGuinness’s men are pressing further out the field, while maintaining key man-marking assignments.
Their kick-out press offered Kerry no breathing room. There has been an uptick in their two-point shooting and scoring. They close down opportunities for opponents to do similar, bringing their goalkeeper out as a marker to free up another body to man the arc.
Conor O'Donnell celebrates his goal against Kerry. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
After a late illness for Finbarr Roarty, they road-tested 18-year-old Max Campbell as a marker on Seán O’Shea. The Naomh Conaill youngster managed to outscore the four-time All-Star by 0-3 to 0-1. Caolan McColgan restricted a possession-starved David Clifford to 1-1.
They have cultivated some potent firepower. Michael Langan’s eight orange flags from play tied the most in Division 1 alongside Clifford. Conor O’Donnell’s return of 4-16 from play was second only to the Kerry Footballer of the Year.
McGuinness has shown the capacity to evolve across his coaching career. His latest modifications should provide a greater cutting edge to a team which wasn’t all that far away in the first place.
Advertisement
3. Will the provincial championships deliver?
Outside of Ulster, there hasn’t been so much provincial balance in many years. Leinster is the standout case following years of Dublin supremacy. Going by their league rankings, there is precious little to separate Ger Brennan’s side (7th), Meath (9th as Division 2 champions), and Louth (11th). Connacht’s leading contenders finished third, fourth, and fifth in Mayo, Roscommon, and Galway. Munster have two Division 1 teams for the first time in a decade after Cork secured promotion to join Kerry.
Niall McDonnell celebrates Louth's Leinster title. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Mayo and Roscommon will be determined not to grant Galway five-in-a-row. Cork will be ravenous for a first Munster title in 14 years. Meath will covet a first Leinster title in 16 years. For Dublin, it feels like a drought after just one year’s absence.
Up north, Armagh will crave a first Ulster crown in 18 years, having been denied three times after extra-time (and two of those after penalties) since 2023. It won’t be easy, having been granted a route that features Tyrone, Fermanagh, Donegal/Down, and a potential final against Derry or Monaghan. With a tight-knit panel, that could be a springboard to the latter stages of the All-Ireland Series.
4. Could a significant contender re-emerge out west? Or two?
Galway and Mayo have twice featured in All-Ireland finals this decade. They were a distance short last year. Mayo exited at the group stage in the most dramatic of circumstances. They would’ve wished for the new hooter rules as Ciarán Moore dumped them out with the clock in the red. Galway could’ve easily departed at the group stage too. They limped on to a quarter-final loss to Meath.
The new year has brought green shoots. Mayo have a feelgood factor with their 2017 Footballer of the Year, Andy Moran, at the helm. There is a buzz about the potential of AFL-bound Leaving Cert student Kobe McDonald, who will spend the season here before his move to St Kilda, and fellow U20 prospect Darragh Beirne. Even though they topped Division 1 last spring, Mayo’s newfound free-flowing style saw them increase their total score by 45 points across seven games compared to 2025. Their average score of 2-19 per game was the highest across all four divisions.
Kobe McDonald. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
Galway are shifting from their reliance on Shane Walsh and Damien Comer. Cian Hernon and Shane McGrath have stepped forward. Ciarán Mulhern, Oisín Mac Donnacha, and Fionn McDonagh have made strong impressions. Amid the transition, they have never been out of the fight in any game this season, with two points their heaviest league defeat. Their strength and depth, especially when playing with a full deck, means they can’t be discounted from going close once more.
5. Dark horses?
We’ve hardly mentioned Dublin and their remaining cast of players from the greatest team of all time. A second relegation in five seasons has sent them packing to Division 2. They were in control of their own destiny, too, but lost what turned out to be back-to-back relegation play-offs against Armagh and Galway.
Con O’Callaghan’s form and fitness is key. There is plenty of talent in their ranks to mould around such stalwarts. However, they need to cut their teeth against the likes of Meath and Louth first.
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Derry and Tyrone will also feel they belong at the top table, but found themselves stranded in Division 2 this spring. The Oak Leaf County have a realistic path to an Ulster final. Tyrone were All-Ireland semi-finalists last year, but mustered only two wins in the second tier this spring. They need the sight of Orchard jerseys to give them a jolt this Sunday or risk a wasted 2026.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
5 key questions that will decide the 2026 GAA Football Championship
1. Could their league final mauling light a fire under Kerry?
At the start of last year, the question was asked if Kerry were over the hill. Nobody is posing that scenario this term. Having completed a clean sweep of national and provincial club and county trophies, the Kingdom lack neither top-tier talent nor depth.
The question mark surrounds the manner by which Donegal destroyed them in the league final. Jack O’Connor teams have prioritised and captured league silverware en route to all five of his All-Ireland finals. Yet they didn’t betray any signs of having a bullseye on the first national title of the year when falling 3-19 to 1-4 behind.
Kerry stuck with their long kick-out all through that final and were starved of possession and attacking opportunities. The Kingdom memorably did the same to Armagh previously. When it comes to knockout football, they will have a more developed plan to break the press. All the same, doing so against Donegal will never be straightforward.
The Ulster champions looked fresh. Jack O’Connor referenced Kerry being “lethargic and tired” after their trip to Armagh a week earlier. They won’t be undercooked come the summer, perhaps using their Croke Park experience as fuel for a back-to-back drive. The Meath loss did a similar job for O’Connor last season.
2. Have Donegal unlocked their optimal new-rule formula?
Following the way in which Donegal stuck to their defensive zone in last year’s All-Ireland final, the Ulster champions have tweaked their set-up for 2026. Jim McGuinness’s men are pressing further out the field, while maintaining key man-marking assignments.
Their kick-out press offered Kerry no breathing room. There has been an uptick in their two-point shooting and scoring. They close down opportunities for opponents to do similar, bringing their goalkeeper out as a marker to free up another body to man the arc.
After a late illness for Finbarr Roarty, they road-tested 18-year-old Max Campbell as a marker on Seán O’Shea. The Naomh Conaill youngster managed to outscore the four-time All-Star by 0-3 to 0-1. Caolan McColgan restricted a possession-starved David Clifford to 1-1.
They have cultivated some potent firepower. Michael Langan’s eight orange flags from play tied the most in Division 1 alongside Clifford. Conor O’Donnell’s return of 4-16 from play was second only to the Kerry Footballer of the Year.
McGuinness has shown the capacity to evolve across his coaching career. His latest modifications should provide a greater cutting edge to a team which wasn’t all that far away in the first place.
3. Will the provincial championships deliver?
Outside of Ulster, there hasn’t been so much provincial balance in many years. Leinster is the standout case following years of Dublin supremacy. Going by their league rankings, there is precious little to separate Ger Brennan’s side (7th), Meath (9th as Division 2 champions), and Louth (11th). Connacht’s leading contenders finished third, fourth, and fifth in Mayo, Roscommon, and Galway. Munster have two Division 1 teams for the first time in a decade after Cork secured promotion to join Kerry.
Mayo and Roscommon will be determined not to grant Galway five-in-a-row. Cork will be ravenous for a first Munster title in 14 years. Meath will covet a first Leinster title in 16 years. For Dublin, it feels like a drought after just one year’s absence.
Up north, Armagh will crave a first Ulster crown in 18 years, having been denied three times after extra-time (and two of those after penalties) since 2023. It won’t be easy, having been granted a route that features Tyrone, Fermanagh, Donegal/Down, and a potential final against Derry or Monaghan. With a tight-knit panel, that could be a springboard to the latter stages of the All-Ireland Series.
4. Could a significant contender re-emerge out west? Or two?
Galway and Mayo have twice featured in All-Ireland finals this decade. They were a distance short last year. Mayo exited at the group stage in the most dramatic of circumstances. They would’ve wished for the new hooter rules as Ciarán Moore dumped them out with the clock in the red. Galway could’ve easily departed at the group stage too. They limped on to a quarter-final loss to Meath.
The new year has brought green shoots. Mayo have a feelgood factor with their 2017 Footballer of the Year, Andy Moran, at the helm. There is a buzz about the potential of AFL-bound Leaving Cert student Kobe McDonald, who will spend the season here before his move to St Kilda, and fellow U20 prospect Darragh Beirne. Even though they topped Division 1 last spring, Mayo’s newfound free-flowing style saw them increase their total score by 45 points across seven games compared to 2025. Their average score of 2-19 per game was the highest across all four divisions.
Galway are shifting from their reliance on Shane Walsh and Damien Comer. Cian Hernon and Shane McGrath have stepped forward. Ciarán Mulhern, Oisín Mac Donnacha, and Fionn McDonagh have made strong impressions. Amid the transition, they have never been out of the fight in any game this season, with two points their heaviest league defeat. Their strength and depth, especially when playing with a full deck, means they can’t be discounted from going close once more.
5. Dark horses?
We’ve hardly mentioned Dublin and their remaining cast of players from the greatest team of all time. A second relegation in five seasons has sent them packing to Division 2. They were in control of their own destiny, too, but lost what turned out to be back-to-back relegation play-offs against Armagh and Galway.
Con O’Callaghan’s form and fitness is key. There is plenty of talent in their ranks to mould around such stalwarts. However, they need to cut their teeth against the likes of Meath and Louth first.
Derry and Tyrone will also feel they belong at the top table, but found themselves stranded in Division 2 this spring. The Oak Leaf County have a realistic path to an Ulster final. Tyrone were All-Ireland semi-finalists last year, but mustered only two wins in the second tier this spring. They need the sight of Orchard jerseys to give them a jolt this Sunday or risk a wasted 2026.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Armagh GAA Derry GAA Donegal GAA Dublin GAA GAA Gaelic Football Galway GAA Kerry GAA Mayo GAA Summer is coming Tyrone GAA