We’ve entered what could be described as the twilight zone of the national leagues with football up first this weekend when four finals are down for decision in a little over 24 hours in Croke Park. So much for measured buildup.

This is a pity considering that Dublin and Kerry are in the showpiece final. There are probably plenty of valid reasons for playing the league finals so quickly after the group stages but none spring to mind. It’s almost as if the counties and the GAA want the competition out of the way.

The Easter holidays are almost upon us and that means almost every football panel worth its salt will be travelling over the break. The wealthiest among them will be doing what is commonly referred to as warm-weather training. Perhaps this is the reason the National Football League final will be Kerry and Dublin’s fourth weekend on the trot? Only throwing it out there.

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divisions 3 & 4

The Division 3 and 4 finals come just six days after some last-day high jinks, with Tipperary stealing the show in the lower reaches with some injury-time magic from the man with previous: Michael Quinlivan. A current All Star it must be remembered, he beat Armagh on his own last Sunday with three second half goals, the last of which surely broke Kieran McGeeney’s heart (temporarily) to win the game and promotion at Armagh’s expense. Tipp play Louth on Saturday and after their last-day heroics, this title can’t have much meaning. We see the wee county picking up the trophy after Saturday night’s main event.

The first game on Saturday might cause us to tune in, however, because this is where we will see what Wexford manager Seamus McEneaney was up to this past fortnight. His side won their first five games in Division 3 – thus assuring themselves of promotion – and then promptly applied the handbrake.

Their opponents in the final are Westmeath, whom they met in round six, taking a hiding at home, 3-23 to 0-9. That was followed up with an equally experimental team that lost by 2-14 to 1-07 to a Carlow 15 that had nothing to play for.

Wexford will not be winning Leinster nor an All-Ireland this year, but this is a strange lead-in to a final that will be played in Croke Park. Is everything being meticulously planned for this weekend? I’m reminded of the advertisement once placed in the window of a shop in Cork looking for a young fella to deliver goods around the city on a messenger bike. It read: “Smart boy wanted. Not too smart.”

Kildare v galway

Sunday’s curtain-raiser is the meeting of Kildare and Galway, as fate would have it these two met last weekend as well, with the Tribe ensuring advancement thanks to a one-point win. Both will be welcome additions to the top flight but this is another game that might lack bite.

For Kevin Walsh and Galway, the league was all about promotion and continuing obvious progression. All of that was assured at the weekend. This game is a nice bonus but nothing more, despite the lip service that might be paid to it pre-match. We can, however, hope to see the return of Michael Meehan to HQ. After three years away, he is back on the panel and his appearance on Sunday would certainly light up the afternoon.

By the way, see if this rings a bell. For last Sunday’s meeting of these two in Pearse Stadium, the already promoted Kildare made 14 changes to the side that had won a one-point thriller against Clare the previous week. Are we seeing a pattern here or are the burnout advocates on to something? The Lilywhites to win.

Dublin v Kerry

With the Wexford, Louth and Kildare treble safely in the pocket, I’m going to keep it there, although Kerry have a serious chance of beating the Dubs. Why so? The day of the Dancing with the Stars finals I met a Kilkenny man who doesn’t even own a television and he told me he was backing Aidan O’Mahony to win the RTÉ reality show. Why’s that? I asked, dumbfounded he even knew it was on. “Never back against Kerry in a final,” he said.

There is something to that. It looks to me that Dublin are almost asking to be beaten in recent weeks, this unbeaten record a bit of a monkey that must be off their backs by championship. Now that piece of history is achieved, perhaps Kerry will do them the favour? They just might.

They must be sick of the sight of the Dubs shaking their hands and saying hard luck after matches in recent times and proud county that they are, Kerrymen are conscious of that. They need to beat the champions but perhaps to them September might be a better time to do it. They did after all have their proper chance in Austin Stack Park a few weeks back and couldn’t close the deal.

That draw had a bit of bite to it mind you and a bit of that would liven up Sunday and maybe get the Kerry competitive juices flowing. What is against the Kingdom of course is the venue. Three of Dublin’s rocky performances (two draws and a win) were on the road – they have been imperious at home, the Tyrone game apart. The sight of a packed Hill 16 is worth a couple of points to them and this to a team that hardly needs them?

My Kerry spies tell me this team will have extra motivation on Sunday because once their U-21s are finished with their championship (playing a semi-final a week later), a couple of them will be rejoining the senior squad and two or three of Jack O’Connor’s exceptional outfit could be starters come championship. There is still ample talent in the Kingdom pipeline. That was probably in Colm Cooper’s mind when he officially announced what the management have known for a while now, namely that he was stepping aside to allow the next generation have its head.

Although a league final should be motivation enough, that prospect should be enough to light a warm fire under those picked for this final. In Kerry, it is always about the summer and any player that can make an impression against Dublin in a final in Croke Park this Sunday will not be booking any holidays until late September. Unless of course he is Spain- or Portugal-bound for an Easter training camp. CL