GROUP A

Dreadnots

Manager: Wayne McKeever Go-to-guy: Peter Kirwan (below) Group rivals: St Mary’s & Sean O’Mahony’s 2017: Quarter-finals Last 3: W - Geraldines 2-14 : 0-5 W - Mattock Rangers 4-15 : 3-11 L - Newtown Blues 3-12 : 2-6 Verdict: Hitting a bit of form of late and cemented their O’Donnell Cup spot with wins over Mattock and Geraldines. Top scorers in Divsion 1 which is a positive sign given the system Wayne McKeever adopted at the Joe’s. If they continue to score heavily and McKeever can make them hard to break down, they could emerge as the Blues biggest threat by midmid-September.

St Mary’s ’

Manager: Sean Barry Go-to-guy: Daire McConnon Group rivals: Dreadnots & Sean O’Mahony’s 2017: Won relegation semi-final Last 3: L - St Patrick’s 1-12 : 0-14 L - Clan Na Gael 2-16 : 2-8 L - Naomh Mairtin 3-16 : 0-15 Verdict: With more and more of their talented underage crop coming of age they will be a major force over the next five or six years, but whether they can repeat their 2016 heroics just yet remains to be seen. Form is certainly a concern for Sean Barry with three defeats in a row plunging them into the danger zone, albeit with relegation only a very remote possibility. Will have to find form fast in this group and repeat of the 2016 final against O’Mahony’s could be crucial.

Sean O’Mahony’s

Manager: Paul McLaughlin Go-to-guy: Stephen Kilcoyne Group rivals: Dreadnots & St Mary’s 2017: Quarter-finals Last 3: L - St Bride’s 2-8: 1-9 W - Dundalk Gaels 2-4 : 0-9 L - Geradlines 0-13 : 0-12 Verdict: Don’t seem to be firing on all cylinders and certainly haven’t been as hard to beat as in recent seasons. That said, they are a championship team and are capable of lifting their game when required. But after competing at the very top for three straight seasons this group could prove too demanding. If it does pan out that way they should still have enough to survive the play-offs.