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Inter-county management is a tough station. The facts speak for themselves this season.

Inter-county management is a tough station. The facts speak for themselves this season.

1. WIN BREAKING BALL

A - Has to be for All-star awards as Westmeath had an unprecedented three nominations, and collected two awards on the night. Gary Connaughton was a popular winner of the number one spot while John Keane picked up his second award at corner back. Michael Ennis was somewhat unlucky not to collect one at wing back following some outstanding performances throughout the year on the wing. It could be some time again before we collect two all-stars in the same year.

It was Sigerson Cup last weekend so senior inter-county football teams had an opportunity to regroup and conduct a ‘where are we now’ review of their opening two games of the National Football League. In Mayo’s case the review might have involved the use of a ‘head doctor’ in order to establish how the team can mix the brilliance of the extraordinary second half comeback against Donegal, with the ordinariness of their performance in the first half.

Kerry 0-13

Mayo senior management announced their championship panel of 30 this week. Apparently they deliberated on the topic for all of last week and arrived at Pearse Park, Longford, last Saturday for the All-Ireland u21 semi-final with one or two places still up for grabs. On the evidence they witnessed there they filled the final few places before releasing it to the press. In my opinion the panel selected seems to have plenty of strength in depth both for defence and midfield. However I am more than a little concerned about the true quality of Mayo’s attack heading into championship football. We had one of the lowest scoring averages throughout the National League campaign which gives some cause for concern.

The talk of the weekend was undoubtedly the replayed Cork v Kerry Munster championship match on Saturday evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the match as it had some brilliant passages of play. There was outstanding fielding, score taking, and some of the tackling from players on both sides was technically superb. Cork were fantastic. They are a fit, strong, and powerful side, with quality players in practically every position. They must be the number one choice of many to win this year’s All Ireland such was the quality of their performance. It had been suggested that the momentum may have swung in favour of Kerry after their strong finish the previous weekend, but Cork proved yet again that they could soak up anything Kerry threw at them. They seem really focused and ready this year. The key difference from my observation was their freshness and greater hunger. It is not often we hear that the general mood in the Kingdom is rather sombre as early as mid-June, but there is a feeling out there that there is a somewhat laboured look and feel about Kerry this year. And you can understand why. They have visited the well so many times in recent years, having played in every final since 2004 and let’s be honest, they have taken a fair old battering along the way, particularly from some of the strong northern teams.

You can’t beat experience or class. Despite the flamboyance and arrogance of youth, the old experienced warhorse who’s been there, done that, invariably realises that something clever is required if his team is going to prevail. And so it was last Sunday with Charlestown edging past Castlebar, just when some might have felt a shock was on the cards. In Crossmolina’s case in our semi-final defeat to Knockmore it looked as though we had too much experience and not enough youthful exuberance. Last Sunday Castlebar had plenty of youthful energy around the field, but when the game was there to be won, Charlestown had that little bit of guile and know-how to close out the deal. With all their experience they knew how to win this game and advance to yet another county final.

All-Ireland final day is one of the best days of the year.