Club fare intrigues Soon the road shows will be over for this season and the white wash will be pushed back ever closer to the over-looking stands. Gaelic football and hurling will be back in town and if the month is March, it must be the turn of the clubs. Yet another new year throws up unlikely combinations and the deciders will showcase some of the finest exponents in each code. A football final with Oisin McConville and Colm 'The Gooch' Cooper underlines the quality on show come Saint Patrick's Day. It has been a long and difficult road and I have no doubt both Moorefield of Kildare and St. Brigid's of Roscommon will peer over the ditch and wonder why they are not in the dressing rooms as the clock ticks towards throw-in. Both had their chances, big chances, in the semi-finals but let the golden opportunities slip by. Indeed, Dr. Crokes represent a club that has already fallen in an earlier round and I must admit to feeling a bit uneasy about this rule. No blame can attach to the Kerry men - they are just following regulations, but when a club team can lose to a divisional side and still reappear in the next round, one has to question the fairness of such a system. The past few seasons witnessed a long running row about the participation of university teams in the club competitions but at least one can argue they are much more a club outfit than the amalgamations in different counties that are allowed. The solution appears straightforward to me: if a divisional side win the county, then that county forfeits the right to representation in the provincial campaign. After all, one cannot offer the possibility of a 'qualifier' system to some and not to others. Club final day is the end of one of the most torturous roads in football and hurling. From April of the previous years clubs from all over this country fight it out for the right to progress via the county and province and into the great storied stadium Croke Park has become. Rather like the journey of the salmon, much of the trip is up stream, the weather varies dramatically and there are twists and turns along the route. But the finest and the best and generally the most deserving, make it to the terminus and get to take part in one of the great local drama productions the association offers. It promises to be a very close run final - Crossmaglen are the modern masters of the competition and their longevity is amazing when one considers the journey outlined above. I saw them win all three of their titles and suspect they will go very close again simply because they know how to win them. They are not as strong as in previous years and have a habit of going long spells without scoring. This is where Dr. Crokes can hurt them and if their county stars, Gooch and Brosnan, open up they can score goals - both are executioners in and around the goal area. But there are many other factors at play on club final day, not least the part nerves play on the big occasion. The size and buzz of a massive stadium can be very daunting and often makes players under-perform. Crossmaglen appear the more together side at this stage and get a hesitant vote of confidence to continue their storied exploits at HQ. But I certainly do not rule out the Kerry men and the match up with Gooch and possibly Francie will be worth the admission fee. If the wily old sheriff from the border can hold the young six-shooter from down south, then the title has to head back to Armagh. Leagues Reflecting on the 2007 National Football League we note the competitive edge that is present in each and every round. But first let's explore why it has become so cut throat this year and why that trend will continue in the years ahead. How does this league actually work? You will need a pencil and a blank page in front of you but here goes. When the league positions are finalised after round 7 is played on 7/8 April, we will be in a position to announce the make-up of the 2008 NFL. More importantly, we will also know the teams who get a single shot at the championship in 2007. Presently we have four divisions (1A, 1B, 2A and 2B with eight teams in each) and this will morph into four divisions (1, 2, 3 and 4), again with eight teams. Who will make up the new divisions? The top four in 1A and 1B go into the new Division 1 - simple as that. The new Division 2 will be populated by teams 5 and 6 from 1A and 1B and will be joined there by teams 1 and 2 from 2A and 2B - easy enough there too. Here comes the twist: Teams 7 and 8 from 1A and 1B go to Division 3. Teams 3 and 4 from 2A and 2B head there too. Finally the bottom four teams (team 5, 6, 7 and 8) from 2A and 2B form the dreaded Division 4. If they lose a championship game this year (2007) they are goosed and head straight to the Tommy Murphy Cup (sometimes known as the Frank Murphy Cup but that's a story for another day!). NO qualifier matches for the teams in Division 4 unless they reach a provincial final and lose. And remember that 2008 will feature these streamlined divisions where only the top graded sides can meet. The days of the handy league are over and if your county wants to have a chance in the championship, the solid foundation of a good league campaign is now an absolute requirement. How tough then is this national league? For sure, there are few soft touches out there in the respective divisions. There was a time when every NFL fixture list threw up the opportunity for a nice weekend away, a bit of bonding and the certainty of the two points come Sunday. And if your manager or county secretary was considerate enough to book the hotel with the best nightclub in the county, then it made for the type of weekend we pay big money for these days. On a recent weekend when my own county of Mayo did not play, they still managed to fall a place in the league table! That gives you the keen sense of how tight this league is. Not only is every league point gained going to be critical, every point kicked over the bar or conceded at the other end, might well make all the difference. By April's end, all will be revealed and we will know much more about the season ahead. It looks promising. Tweet

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