McGuinness living dream 

Obama won't halt Fermanagh-Cavan clash 

ULSTER Council are going ahead with playing the Fermanagh/Cavan SFC game in Enniskillen next month, despite the fact that it will coincide with the huge security cordon that will surround President Barack Obama.

Football perfect fit for Cadogan – now he just wants Sam 

IN the end, Eoin Cadogan's decision came down to the simple matter of form. Earlier this year, the dual star opted for football over hurling, following a new trend in Cork.

Galway and Armagh fail to face new reality 

When Westmeath claimed the Division 2 league title in 2008 and then put it up to both Dublin and Tyrone in the championship, it was held up as evidence of how a mid-level team of limited resources could punch above their weight if they built from the back and kept it tight.

Cooper set for switch to half-forward line 

Colm Cooper could be set for a switch to the half-forward line as Kerry get their Munster championship campaign under way against Tipperary on Sunday, WRITES COLM KEYS.

McNulty looks to ambush former brother in arms 

Justin McNulty sees it as nothing more than a "freak of nature".

Wicklow import Coen 'no Johnston case' 

WICKLOW manager Harry Murphy is furious that the Garden County's recent recruitment of ex-Tipperary footballer Brian Coen has been likened to Kildare's signing of Seanie Johnston from Cavan last season.

Donegal-Tyrone clash hits fever pitch 

Interest in the first sell-out provincial quarter-final for many years has reached fever pitch as Donegal prepare to unveil their strongest 15 for the first time since last year's All-Ireland final triumph.

I base my game on Seanie – Dunne 

Cavan's scoring star in Sunday's Ulster championship victory over Armagh has acknowledged the influence of his former Cavan Gaels club-mate Seanie Johnston in his development.

McNamee still taking it one step at a time 

LIFE is changed, changed utterly for Offaly football captain Niall McNamee. Just over 18 months ago McNamee finally reached breaking point with the gambling addiction that was sucking the marrow out of his daily existence.

Grimley gamble fails to pay off 

Paul Grimley accepts that some will look at the approach Armagh took to this preliminary-round game and conclude they were tactically naive.

Flanagan relieved but says 'there's more in tank' 

FOR a man whose side had hurdled this potential banana skin with the ease of Derval O'Rourke, Westmeath manager Pat Flanagan didn't look too excited afterwards, which was understandable.

Moran goal caps Mayo mauling of red-faced Tribesmen 

IT'S the ultimate indictment of Galway's wretched performance in Pearse Stadium that Mayo learned very little about how well programmed they are for the bigger tests which lie ahead in Championship 2013.

O'Connell cameo lights Breffni way 

Brian O'Connell came off the bench to turn a thrilling preliminary-round contest Cavan's way at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Hapless Galway look like an easy touch in qualifiers 

I wrote on Saturday that I thought Galway-Mayo was no foregone conclusion. I was well off the mark. It was annihilation from start to finish, and credit should go to Mayo.

Focus on youth starting to pay off for resurgent Cavan 

There have not been many great days for Cavan senior football teams in recent times but yesterday was certainly one of them.

Ryan McMenamin: Orchard County undone by playing without sweeper 

AT some stage of their championship preparations, every manager will have to decide whether they will play a sweeper or not.

Horan praises maturity of his players inhandling great expectations 

Mayo manager James Horan said that it is a sign of a maturing team that they can deal with the tag of being hot favourites by delivering a performance living up to the billing.

Ever considered inter-county management? Try our new Fantasy Gaelic competition 

Inter-county management can look a lot easier than it actually is. While most of us will never get the chance to take the reins of a county team — as much as we might like to — there is now an opportunity to get a taste of the real thing.

Dermot Earley announces his retirement from inter-county football 

Dermot Earley has brought the curtain down on his illustrious inter-county career with Kildare due to continuing injury concerns.

Sectarian row D-Day 

The two players at the centre of the verbal abuse controversy in a Monaghan club game last weekend will learn their fate today.

Today's football championship previews 

Pursuing that winning trend 

On his blog Jamie Clarke recalls a recent visit to an Andy Warhol exhibition in Belfast which might have you thinking: what would Francie Bellew make of that? He'd probably pass no remarks.

Regeneration policy ensures hope replaces hype for Tribe 

GALWAY football people have a different way of looking at things and maybe it's just as well, for in the past 10 years they've had as many headaches as grins.

Where are they now? 

Willie Quinlan (Former Carlow footballer)

The fielder: the real adventures of an inter-county footballer 

When you go to your next GAA match, remember that there are not just 30 players on the pitch, there are 30 people on that pitch. Each one of these people has their own various problems in life, some more serious than others. This week I spent some time listening to some of these problems and have tried my best to give a constructive opinion on those I thought needed it the most.

'Our aim is to try and come back' – Higgins 

Keith Higgins has watched last year's All-Ireland once. He went through the ordeal about a month after the loss to Donegal, but Mayo players don't need a DVD to remind them of what happened. It is ingrained a lot deeper than that.

Earley eyes Kildare retirement after latest injury left him barely able to walk 

AFTER 16 seasons at the heart of the Kildare midfield, Dermot Earley looks set to call time on his inter-county career.

Horan's Mayo look ready to press on as Galway struggle to halt slide 

IF All-Ireland underage success offers any pointers to a county's prospects of solidifying into a real force at senior level, Galway's chances of beating Mayo in Pearse Stadium tomorrow are a whole lot better than their 2/1 odds suggest.

Sharry – I'd rather be facing Carlow than Del Piero 

HAD Paul Sharry chosen a different path he might have rubbed shoulders with Alessandro Del Piero, but tomorrow he'll cross swords with Anthony Rainbow's Carlow – and he wouldn't have it any other way.