The 2020 Gaelic football season is officially underway, and with a slew of new rules, absent prospects, and managerial changes, it’s shaping up to be a wild ride.
There’s enough to be excited about, and here are some newcomers who can make it happen.
After a fantastic club season with East Kerry, the Kerry man and David’s older brother have been included in the Kerry team. Clifford’s pedigree was on display in the Sigerson Cup with UCC, and his man-of-the-match performance in the club final against Dr. Crokes only enhanced his case for selection.
Peter Keane has a wealth of attacking skill at his disposal, but he spent most of the season with an unusual striker in his front six, such as Gavin White or Brian Beaglaoich.
Clifford’s performances at half-forward for his club indicate that a berth is open if he chooses to take it. However, he faces heavy competition from young talents like Paul O’Shea and David Shaw, who are vying for his attention.
The Dubliner, who stands 6’6″ and weighs almost 100kg, had a fantastic year as a U20 player before moving to the senior team. He made his Super 8s debut against Tyrone in the final round and has all the qualities to make a formidable engine room pairing with Brian Fenton.
During his return to the helm, James Horan successfully brought fresh faces to the Mayo squad, and he can do so again in 2020. Oisin Mullin made the squad during their semi-final against Dublin and came close to breaking through.
Mullin, a gifted corner-back, demonstrated his offensive prowess with Michael Solan’s U20s last season, scoring a great goal in the Connacht semi-final. The Kilmaine club man will be a welcome addition to Mayo’s defensive options this year.
The Mountbellow man just made his Galway debut last year, but he already appears to be a key defense member. John is the younger brother of offensive star Michael and the son of former Tribesmen boss Val Daly.
Pádraic Joyce’s cries for evolution are well-founded, and Daly’s talent on both sides of the ball means he can play a significant role in that evolution.
Monaghan’s second tenure under Séamus McEnaney got off to a winning start last weekend, defeating Derry 1-17 to 0-14. Aaron Mulligan, who finished with 1-4, was named man of the match in the match.
After some stunning school shootings, the child has been marked for quite some time. He was also chosen to the minor league squad of the year for 2018. Although time is on his side, McEnaney appears to be planning to give Mulligan opportunities this season.
The Crossmaglen Rangers attacker made his Armagh debut in 2017. Still, a hip injury curtailed his progress, and he has recently had to watch from the sidelines as his younger brother Rian flourished on Kieran McGeeeney’s side.
Last November, O’Neill expressed his desire to fight back into the team, and he kicked three goals in Armagh’s Dr. McKenna Cup victory over Cavan. In 2020, both brothers could have a significant influence.
Prospects for Gaelic Football
When you’re from Cork, going 3-5 versus Kerry is a significant achievement regardless of the competition. Several U20 All-Ireland winners were among Ronan McCarthy’s team that blew their opponents aside in the McGrath Cup encounter last weekend.
Gore had previously played for McCarthy and appeared ready to do so again after his success with the U20s. Cork must have a solid league season to eliminate the fear of relegation to league 2. If they don’t get promoted from Division 3, they’ll be eliminated from the All-Ireland final if they lose to Kerry in the Munster semi-final.