BOX CLEVER
Don’t start fight with Kerry..and five other things we learned this week
Picking a fight yields dividends for Kerry
CONVENTIONAL advice may be to avoid conflict, but such sound logic often doesn’t translate on a football field.
When Kerry’s David Clifford (right) shoved Tyrone midfielder
Conn Kilpatrick to the ground on Sunday in Killarney, it sparked a three-minute fracas in which most of the 30 players became involved.
It was more unseemly than violent, with no obvious blows thrown and a few torn jerseys the biggest casualties, but there is no denying the improvement in Kerry’s display afterwards.
Prior to it, they were averaging a point every seven minutes. Once play resumed, they averaged roughly a point every two minutes up to half-time and went on to win comfortably.
Monaghan feeling
Beggan’s absence
WHO knows what the future holds for Rory Beggan, but the present is decidedly grim for Monaghan without him.
While it’s difficult to quantify just how much of a loss the 2018 All Star is given his expertise in shot-stopping, commanding his area, kickouts and place-ball kicking as well as his influence when joining in the play with his team is in possession, there is one glaring statistic that stands out.
In last year’s League, as Monaghan secured their spot in Division One for a 10th successive year, they conceded seven goals with Beggan between the posts.
With five rounds completed this year and David Mcdonnell deputising, they’ve already shipped 11 and are on the brink of relegation to Division Two.
Moreover, the three goals that Galway scored on Sunday were all products of high balls where Beggan would normally excel.
But, he was in Indianapolis at the NFL international combine, where he kicked 11 out of 16 field goals as he bids to win a contract in American football.
Monaghan clearly need Beggan (right) back ASAP.
Division Four really hotting up
WHILE Laois are all but promoted from Division Four, the battle for second spot is remarkably tight with two rounds remaining.
Four teams, Leitrim, Wexford, Longford and Carlow, are all on six points each while even Tipperary, two points back on four, can’t be fully ruled out.
Indeed, given how tight it is, scoring difference could well be pivotal with little or nothing between Leitrim, Wexford (both +14) and Longford (+13) in that regard, with Carlow (-7) counting the cost of a 10-point defeat to Wexford on Saturday. Their trip to Longford on Sunday week is of vital importance in round six.
Cavan may be staying put at long last
AFTER only drawing at home to Meath on Saturday, Cavan may have given themselves too much to do in order to win promotion from Division Two.
They trail leaders Donegal and Armagh by two points, with their trip to face the latter on Saturday week set to define their League campaign. Lose that and their promotion hopes will be over.
If Cavan are to remain in Division Two in 2025, it would be the first time since 2015 that they have been neither relegated or promoted.
They were promoted to Division One in 2016 and were immediately relegated only to bounce back.
Then followed three successive relegations, ending in Division Four, which they swiftly escaped from before going on to win Division Three last year.
Clare’s unlikely promotion push
HAVING lost 12 of the players that featured in last year’s Munster final and a top manager in Colm Collins, it was anticipated that Clare would drop like a stone this year.
Instead, they’re right in the promotion hunt in Division Three, just two points behind leaders Westmeath and Down and, at the very least, they should take it to the last day.