​Down the favourites for promotion at the second time of asking

​DOWN

Manager: Conor Laverty

2023: Division 3 – Third

Last year was one that promised so much for Down, and although they ended with nothing, this year they are tipped to win the league and promotion to Division 2.

Conor Laverty’s side were terribly unlucky to lose out on promotion to Cavan and Fermanagh last season and then came so close to winning silverware in the Tailteann Cup only to lose out to Meath in the final. Laverty has strengthened his backroom team however, bringing in former interim Derry boss Ciaran Meenagh.

He will bring a wealth of knowledge to the panel, which includes players like Saval's Pat Havern, who who won the Spirit of Breen County Footballer of the Year award at the Down Club Awards on Saturday and last year was the third top scorer in Division 3.

Caolan Mooney and Barry O'Hagan are hoping to make a return from ACL injuries and the young guns from Laverty's U20 Ulster champions are really coming into their own, including Burren's Odhran Murdock who is not heading off to play Aussie Rules as was feared by both club and county.

Although Mayobridge goalkeeper Charlie Smyth is heading Stateside to try his hand at making the NFL.

Verdict: Favourites for promotion with a dream team management in place.

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ANTRIM

Manager: Andy McEntee

2023: Division 3 – Sixth

Antrim had no wins McKenna cup but they had a tough group playing both Fermanagh and Monaghan. The Ulster side are away to Limerick for their first league fixture.

Last year Antrim were beaten in the Ulster Championship 0-20 to 1-8 by Armagh preliminary round but they had a good run in Tailteann Cup, reaching the last four. Antrim topped their group with wins over Leitrim, Wexford and Fermanagh. They then beat Carlow in quarter-final before falling to Meath, by two points in the semi in Croke Park, who Andy McEntee managed for six years before taking the Antrim job.

McEntee’s side are a prolific goal-scoring team, They hit 10 in the Championship – nine in the Tailteann Cup and another against Armagh in Ulster. They also netted 10 during the league and had a clear point of attack in towering target man Ruairi McCann.

Verdict: Second year in charge for McEntee and with the team improving, mid-table finish.

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CLARE

Manager: Mark Fitzgerald

2023: Division 2 – Seventh

Clare lost a lot of players after dropping down to Division 3 last season and new manager Mark Fitzgerald has been blooding a lot of U20's in the lead-up to their opening game against Sligo at home in Cusack Park.

With only five survivors from the 20 that overcame Cork in last year’s Munster Championship semi-final, Fitzgerald will be up against it in the league, with the absence of experienced performers such as Cillian Brennan, Darragh Bohannon and most recently Emmet McMahon and Mark McInerney.

But there are positives for the manager too, with Aaron Griffin impressing in the McGrath Cup against Waterford after the banner county had a tough opener against Cork.

Last season Clare reached the provincial championship final where they suffered a heavy 5-14 to 0-15 defeat to All-Ireland finalists Kerry. That was enough for Clare to enter the All-Ireland Championship but they lost all three group games to Derry, Donegal and Monaghan.

Verdict: Having lost a lot of players, Clare will most likely remain in Division 3.

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LIMERICK

Manager: Jimmy Lee

2023: Division 2 – Eighth

Limerick finished bottom of Division 2 last season with just one point from their seven games played. Their heaviest defeat was against Cork with a 6-18 to 0-12 drubbing. There were some positives to take from the league however, with James Naughton the third top scorer in the division.

They faced Cork again in the Munster championship semi-final and it was a far more respectable 1-16 to 0-16 defeat. Limerick made their Tailteann Cup debut topping their group before losing out to Laois in the quarter-final.

Jimmy Lee is a new manager in but he has yet to win a competitive game after a heavy defeat to Kerry in the McGrath Cup for his first game at the helm, before a closer match against Tipperary with Naughton hitting five points from frees, with Sean O’Dea, Iain Corbett, Daniel Daly and Diarmuid Kelly also performing well.

Verdict: Limerick had a tough pre-season competition and will probably not have enough to return to Division 2 yet.

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​OFFALY

Manager: Declan Kelly

2023: Division 3 – Fifth

Declan Kelly made his debut as Offaly manager in the O'Byrne Cup with a win against Laois and a one-point defeat to All-Ireland champions Dublin in the quarter-final. Offaly have a host of young players coming through from the All-Ireland U20 winning team of 2021 and they showed well in their victory over Laois in their O'Byrne Cup opener.

They also have Eoin Carroll back in the inter-county fray. Dylan Hyland scored 1-5 against Laois so he will be a player to watch out for

Verdict: Another mid-table finish seems likely for Offaly.

​SLIGO

Manager: Tony McEntee

2023: Division 4 – Winners

​It's difficult to determine where Sligo are at right now with an understrength team out for their only game in the knock-out Connacht pre-season FBD league where they lost 1-21 to 0-15 to a stronger Roscommon outfit.

Manager Tony McEntee introduced a lot of young players making their debut, including Oisín McCann, Alan McLoughlin and some of the Sligo U20s coming through. Their first outing will be against Clare in Ennis since promotion from Division 4 this season and while McEntee has a few injury concerns for that game, it will be a tough test against a team who played Division 2 football last season.

Verdict: Sligo have a tough opener away to Clare and are one of the teams likely to be relegated.

WESTMEATH

Manager: Dessie Dolan

2023: Division 3 – Fourth

Westmeath begin their Allianz League campaign away to Offaly on Sunday. Manager Dessie Dolan is back for a second year at the helm of his native county and the former All-Star will be hoping this year to win promotion. They finished fourth in the table last season, a place below Down with four wins and three defeats but were the highest scorers and conceded the least points in the division.

As winners of the inaugural Tailteann Cup in 2022, Westmeath were guaranteed a place in the All-Ireland series, despite being knocked out of the Leinster Championship by Louth in the quarter-finals. They almost made it past Armagh in their group game but were pipped at the post with a late goal from Conor Turbitt and while Westmeath lost to Galway they held Tyrone to a draw with marksman John Heslin almost winning it for Westmeath.

Verdict: After a taste of the top teams in the All-Ireland series last year, Westmeath will be hoping for promotion.

WICKLOW

Manager: Oisin McConville

2023: Division 4 – Runners-up

Down travel to Aughrim to take on Wicklow in their league opener this Sunday and while Wicklow are newly promoted and one of the favourites for the drop, Down coach Mickey Donnelly is wary of familiar faces in their management set-up,

“They're a team that have just come out of Division 4, under the management of Oisin McConville, with Mark Doran, a proud Down man, was on the Down panel in the 2010 All-Ireland final,” said Donnelly. “If there's any county that will have an insight with regards to us, and moreover maybe our preparation they will.”

The Garden County last made it up to Division 3 after promotion in 2020. In 2022 they claimed only three points from seven games the and were relegated back to Division 4. However, McConville’s arrival last season proved inspirational for Wicklow they won promotion with only defeat along the way. Wicklow goalkeeper Mark Jackson is one of the four GAA players selected for NFL try-outs. Jackson is one of their strongest players and will be a big loss as a prolific free taker.

Verdict: Wicklow have good management but will still be amongst the favourites for relegation.

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