Kerry and Galway will not slip up despite having one eye on group games

YOU wonder if the All-Ireland draw during the week was a distraction for those teams contesting the Munster and Connacht finals tomorrow.

Sam Maguire Cup holders Kerry take on Clare at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick at 4pm with Mayo’s Jerome Henry in charge while earlier in the day Galway meet Sligo in Castlebar at 1.45pm.

Both games are live on RTÉ 2 though this evening’s Cork-Tipperary belter in hurling isn’t! Pay-per-view has arrived folks and it’s here to stay, probably becoming more prevalent in the coming years, too.

Human nature’s curiosity about all the permutations attached to the new format and the four groups of four is sure to have drawn in players and management alike as they ponder what the immediate future holds.

For instance, Kerry boss Jack O’Connor knows their anticipated victory against relegated Clare will mean a home meeting with the league champions Mayo in Killarney in a fortnight in the opening match in Group 1.

In addition, it’s that pesky crowd from across the border who await in game two and they’ll have home advantage too at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

It’s difficult to avoid being dragged into seeing what’s coming down the tracks and maybe taking your eye off what’s involved tomorrow.

Clare also fit into the category because everyone in the Banner knows Kerry are going to retain their Munster title so it’s what happens next which will also play on their minds.

And it’s a massive game in the all-Ulster Group 4, where Clare are surrounded by the winners of the Ulster final between the defending champions Derry and Armagh, third seeds Monaghan and Donegal.

Clare are set to have Donegal as visitors to Cusack Park in Ennis and that’s the match manager Colm Collins will be targeting to be among the three teams emerging from the section to compete in the knock-out stages.

SCALP

As with Clare, Donegal also suffered relegation in a season that has limped from one crisis to the next and the Munster finalists will fancy their chances of capturing a big scalp.

Kerry are 1/66 with the money men to bank their 84th title and their 10th in the last 11 seasons with Clare 14/1 and 33/1 the draw.

The handicap is 12 points, the same margin as in 2016, when Kerry won by 2-23 to 0-17 in the semi-final in Killarney.

Kerry invariably, have plenty to spare at the final whistle against Clare. Two years ago, it was 3-22 to 1-11 in a home semi-final and 0-32 to 0-10 the year before at the same venue at the same stage.

They obviously enjoy home comforts because games have been tighter outside the Kingdom, like the 1-15 to 0-12 score line in 2019 and the 1-18 to 1-12 victory a couple of years before, both semi-finals in Ennis.

Clare could be on the receiving end if for no other reason than Kerry wanting to lay down a marker ahead of the Mayo game.

There was always going to be an imbalanced view of the Connacht final once the lop-sided draw threw up Galway, Mayo and Roscommon together with Sligo, Leitrim, New York and London in the other batch.

Again, Galway and Sligo could be excused for peeping at the anticipated pairings in the All-Ireland and once more they make for intrigue.

For example, Galway, who are 1/50 to retain their crown, are probably weighing up what Tyrone are likely to bring in the opening game in Group 2, which will also contain the beaten Ulster finalists and Tailteann Cup holders Westmeath.

Sligo, on the other hand, are poised to host Kildare at Markievicz Park in Group 3, which has the Leinster champions, probably Dublin, and Roscommon.

Mention of Sligo brings to mind this afternoon’s All-Ireland U20 semi-finals with Kerry the opposition in Salthill at 4.45 and Down and Kildare at Parnell Park at 7pm.

Despite winning five All-Ireland minors on the spin between 2014-18, Kerry couldn’t translate that into U20 silverware and it’s 2008 since they last triumphed, when the grade was U21.

Sligo have never won it while Kildare are the most recent champions of the quartet, claiming the 2018 title, with Down succeeding way back in 1979.