Antrim
Manager:Liam Bradley (3rd season). Ulster titles:10. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Beaten by Kildare in 1st round qualifier after a replay. NFL:Relegated from Division Two.
Relegated to the third tier in the league, Antrim’s Ulster championship ended last Sunday when they exited against Donegal in an atrocious preliminary game.
They now face an absurdly long wait before their next match. Organised and athletic, the absence of CJ McGourty through injury is hurting them as they struggled for scores and creativity against Donegal.
Armagh
Manager:Paddy O'Rourke (2nd season). Ulster titles:14. All-Ireland titles:1. 2010 championship:Beaten in 3rd round qualifier by Dublin. NFL:Sixth in Division One.
Confirmation that Ronan Clarke will miss the match against Down is a hammer blow. With the Clarke-McDonnell axis in operation, Armagh have a chance against any team.
Jamie Clarke may emerge as one of the star turns of the Ulster summer should they get past Down. They are never a pushover in the Athletic Grounds but the days when they were habitually appearing in Ulster finals have disappeared.
Carlow
Manager:Luke Dempsey (3rd season). Leinster titles:1. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Lost 1st Round qualifier to Derry. NFL:5th Division Four.
Although the county didn’t uproot many trees in the Division Four league campaign, had Carlow beaten Longford in the final match they would have finished with five straight wins and been promoted.
Good potential around centrefield with Brendan Murphy (recovered from injury) and Darragh Foley. Another newcomer, Cormac Mullins, has demonstrated promising scoring potential.
Cavan
Manager:Terry Hyland and Val Andrews (1st season). Ulster titles:39. All-Ireland titles:5. 2010 championship:Beaten in 2nd Round qualifier by Cork. NFL:5th in Division Three.
After a so-so league campaign, 10 of Cavan’s feted U-21 team have been brought in to the summer squad. Their immediate task is to conjure up a win against Donegal in Breffni Park.
The absence of Nicholas Walsh and Gerard Pearson through injury does not make the task any easier, but Cavan have proven performers in Michael Lyng, Seánie Johnson and James Reilly.
Clare
Manager:Michael McDermott (2nd season). Munster titles:2. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Lost 1st Round qualifier to Offaly (aet). NFL:6th Division Four.
Consistency has always been a problem with Clare football, and the lack of it is again the story of their season so far.
Manager Michael McDermott does have a couple of new recruits under the parentage rule, including Niall Browne, and still boasts a highly capable forward in David Tubridy.
They didn’t win a championship match last year, and that sums up their prospects for 2011.
Cork
Manager:Conor Counihan (4th season). Munster titles:36. All-Ireland titles:7. 2010 championship:Champions. NFL:Division One champions.
Revealing the new talents of Denis O’Sullivan and Fiachra Lynch suggests an even stronger panel than the one that won both the league and last year’s championship.
Munster’s enduring imbalance means Cork are effectively designated a place in the provincial final, almost certainly against Kerry – but their only real target is the third Sunday in September, and there’s every reason to believe they’ll make it.
Derry
Manager:John Brennan (1st season). Ulster titles:7. All-Ireland titles:1. 2010 championship:Beaten in 3rd Round qualifier by Kildare. NFL:Third in Division Two.
A black cloud hangs over the season with the news that Paddy Bradley has been ruled out for the remainder of the year.
Turbulent though the Glenullin man’s career has been, Derry work better when he is at the heart of their attacking game. Persuading the Oak Leaf men to stop punching below their weight has proven an elusive task. Expected to beat Fermanagh but the loss of Bradley is inestimable.
Donegal
Manager:Jim McGuinness (1st season). Ulster titles:5. All-Ireland titles:1. 2010 championship:Beaten in 1st Round qualifier by Armagh. NFL:Won Division Two final.
Branded as the registered trademark holders of negative football after their laborious opening day win over Antrim, Donegal are regarded as dark horses for the province.
They possess several good defenders and one of the best forwards in the game in Michael Murphy. Young Patrick McBrearty may be about to burst onto the national scene. They are still inclined to hand pass themselves into trouble.
Down
Manager:James McCartan (2nd season). Ulster titles:12. All-Ireland titles:5. 2010 championship:Beaten in final by Cork. NFL:Fourth in Division One.
Down’s transformation in the past 12 months has been a lesson in reinvention. After a first final appearance since 1994, Down comfortably retained their Division One status.
The Ambrose Rogers rehabilitation project continues and they are going to need him this summer. They face a crucial match against Armagh: a win there could set them up for another fine championship.
Dublin
Manager:Pat Gilroy (3rd season). Leinster titles:49. All-Ireland titles:22. 2010 championship:Lost All-Ireland semi-final to Cork. NFL:1st Division One and lost final.
A positive league campaign was spoiled a little by the final and the evaporation of an eight-point lead. But the upside remains. Bernard Brogan has developed his game so that his assists have become as notable as his scores. A platoon of players to return from injury but the depth in attack isn’t as impressive. If the first-choice forwards steer clear of injury and suspension, Dublin will be contenders.
Fermanagh
Manager:John O'Neill (1st season). Ulster titles:0. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Beaten in 2nd Round qualifier by Armagh. NFL:4th in Division Four.
A horrendously tough spring for Fermanagh supporters resulted in a players revolt and the decision by 11 players to quit the panel. Marty McGrath remains unavailable through injury and John O’Neill has acknowledged that he will be fielding a team peppered with debutants against Derry. It is hard to see how the county can prosper with so many of their established players not involved.
Galway
Manager:Tomás Ó Flatharta (1st Season). Connacht titles:44. All-Ireland titles:9. 2010 championship:Beaten in 2nd Round qualifier by Wexford. NFL:Relegated to Division Two.
This is an important year for Galway football. The mood of despondency that followed Joe Kernan’s sole year in charge continued through the league.
But the return of Pádraic Joyce and a sparkling performance against Armagh lifted the cloud. Then the U-21 team won the All-Ireland and eight of those players have been drafted in to the summer squad.
Kerry
Manager:Jack O'Connor (3rd season, 2nd term). Munster titles:73. All-Ireland titles:36. 2010 championship:Lost All-Ireland quarter-final to Down. NFL:Third Division One.
No one can say for sure whether the likes of Darragh Ó Sé and Tommy Walsh will still prove so irreplaceable, and David Moran’s early season exit with a cruciate injury merely underlines that question.
They’ve a tricky route to the Munster final, but assuming they do get there, another showdown with Cork should reveal exactly where Kerry are this season.
Kildare
Manager:Kieran McGeeney (4th season). Leinster titles:12. All-Ireland titles:4. 2010 championship:Lost All-Ireland semi-final to Down. NFL:5th Division Two.
Under McGeeney, Kildare have kept odd hours – twice bowing out of the championship in the first match and reconstituting in the qualifiers.
The injuries to Dermot Earley and Peter Kelly are significant losses but juggernaut displays in recent challenges suggest that a crack at Leinster is on the agenda. Projected semi-final with Dublin the key fixture.
Laois
Manager:Justin McNulty (1st season). Leinster titles:6. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Lost 1st Round qualifier to Tipperary. NFL:2nd Division Two and beaten in final.
A good league campaign, culminating in promotion sets the team up well for Justin McNulty’s first championship.
Quality in the front eight from Brendan Quigley and Colm Begley at centrefield to John O’Loughlin at centre forward and MJ Tierney’s accuracy from free kicks. Donal Kingston has also returned from injury. May lack as yet the intensity to win Leinster.
Leitrim
Manager:Mickey Moran (3rd season). Connacht titles:2. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Beaten in 2nd Round qualifier by Kildare. NFL:7th Division Four.
One of the most unlucky teams of the qualifying era, but have not been helped by a terrible spate of injuries in recent years.
That makes the return of Emlyn Mulligan, one of the best dead ball strikers in the game, so timely. They have posted impressive results in recent challenge games and will fancy a decent crack at Sligo, but Markievicz Park is a tough hunting ground.
Limerick
Manager:Maurice Horan (1st season). Munster titles:1. All-Ireland titles:2. 2010 championship:Lost 4th Round qualifier to Cork (aet). NFL:7th Division Three, relegated.
Despite giving both Kerry and Cork a run for their money last summer, its hard to see Limerick making any great impact this summer. Relegation back to Division Four suggests they may already be in decline.
Even with the lion-hearted John Galvin back on board for another season, and home venue for the semi-final, Maurice Horan’s side wont present a particularly daunting prospect for Kerry.
London
Manager:Paul Coggins (1st season). Connacht titles:0. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Lost 1st Round qualifier to Wexford. NFL:8th in Division 4.
The rapid rise in emigration has not resulted in any immediate reversal of fortune for the Exiles.
In fact, they have lost the services of a few key players, such as Conor Beirne, who has returned to Roscommon. The decision by Leitrim to award a walkover in the last game of the league can’t have done much for their sense of belonging.
With a young squad, they face an impossible task when hosting Mayo in Ruislip.
Longford
Manager:Glenn Ryan (3rd season). Leinster titles:1. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Lost 2nd Round qualifier to Down. NFL:2nd Division Four and divisional winners.
After a very low-key season last year Longford have bounced back with promotion from Division Four and the divisional title. Momentum has been retained with a challenge win over Meath.
Paul Barden is flying and with Brian Kavanagh and Francis McGee back the attack is good, although the injury to under-21 star JJ Matthews is a setback. They had the best defensive record of any team in the league.
Louth
Manager:Peter Fitzpatrick (2nd season). Leinster titles:8. All-Ireland titles:3. 2010 championship:Lost All-Ireland quarter-final to Dublin. NFL:2nd Division Three and divisional winners.
No county suffered greater trauma last year than Louth when their first Leinster title in 53 years went up in smoke.
They have responded well by securing promotion and the Division Three title, all the more impressive given the loss of players to emigration, particularly in defence. Balancing that are Ronan Carroll’s return and Derek Maguire’s emergence.
Mayo
Manager:James Horan (1st season). Connacht titles:42. All-Ireland titles:3. 2010 championship:Lost 1st Round qualifier to Longford. NFL:5th Division One.
After a mixed league campaign, James Horan took out the red pen and crossed out a number of established names from his panel, including Tom Parsons, Aidan Kilcoyne and Barry Moran.
The emergence of Jason Doherty as a supreme goal poacher was the big find of the spring. This needs to be the season when Aidan O’Shea delivers on All-Ireland potential, while Trevor Mortimer is back from injury.
Meath
Manager:Séamus McEnaney (1st season). Leinster titles:21. All-Ireland titles:7. 2010 championship:Lost All-Ireland quarter-final to Kildare. NFL:6th Division Two.
The good of destroying Dublin last year was comprehensively masked by the Leinster final fiasco and the annihilation by Kildare. A lacklustre league campaign hasn’t exactly restored confidence.
Séamus McEnaney developed a good track record of prolonging Monaghan’s summers through the qualifiers, a route he may once again be travelling in the weeks ahead.
Monaghan
Manager:Eamon McEnaney (1st season). Ulster titles:13. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Lost 4th Round qualifier to Kildare. NFL:Relegated from Division One.
Pressed hardest to break the Tyrone-Armagh domination of Ulster but fell a bit short and the general belief is that their best chance has passed.
Losing Tommy Freeman to emigration is a gloomy portent and having to travel to Tyrone does not make the task any easier. But McEnaney has a tremendous reputation for making the best of his resources. A team all counties will dread meeting in the qualifiers.
Offaly
Manager:Tom Cribbin (3rd season). Leinster titles:10. All-Ireland titles:3. 2010 championship:Lost in 3rd Round qualifier to Down. NFL:4th Division Three.
Perched on the more accessible side of the draw, Offaly would still need to get through the three counties that finished ahead of them in Division Three.
Defence is unsettled and the team needs greater solidity around the middle. Niall McNamee can do a surprising amount with even limited possession but he could do even more if the forwards could maintain pressure for periods.
Roscommon
Manager:Fergal O'Donnell (3rd season). Connacht titles:20. All-Ireland titles:2. 2010 championship:Lost in quarter- final to Cork. NFL:1st Division Four.
They cruised through Division Four before opening the championship campaign with a no-nonsense win against New York at the beginning of the month.
Last year’s run came from left field and hinged around the scoring of Donie Shine, but Roscommon have a good combination of senior players and will surely have targeted the defence of their Connacht title.
Sligo
Manager:Kevin Walsh (3rd season). Connacht titles:3. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Lost 4th Round qualifier to Down. NFL:Relegated to Division Three.
Ambushed by Roscommon in the Connacht final last year, Sligo endured a luckless league and it remains to be seen how the experience affects the confidence and momentum built in recent seasons.
David Kelly is unlikely to be fit for their opener against Leitrim but they will still be expected to deal with that challenge, which will leave them facing Roscommon: back at square one.
Tipperary
Manager:John Evans (4th season). Munster titles:9. All-Ireland titles:4. 2010 championship:Lost 2nd Round qualifier to Dublin. NFL:6th Division Three.
Heading into the last round of the league Tipp weren’t sure if they were going up or down – as it turned out they were going nowhere.
The first round draw away to Kerry couldn’t have been any worse. John Evans does have the knack of getting the best out of his men, but their lack of consistent scoring forwards could see their summer end before it really begins.
Tyrone
Manager:Mickey Harte (9th season). Ulster titles:13. All-Ireland titles:3. 2010 championship:Lost to Dublin in quarter-final. NFL:Fourth in Division Two.
Mickey Harte has declared that Tyrone have slipped out of the elite tier of teams, but few will be surprised should they win Ulster again this year.
Their league season was utterly overshadowed by the tragedy suffered by the Harte family.
Tyrone remain a fabulously talented squad of players, but have a lot of hard seasons behind them.
Waterford
Manager:John Owens (second season). Munster title:1. All-Ireland titles: 0. 2010 championship:Lost 2nd Round qualifier to Offaly. NFL:8th Division Three, relegated.
There is a lot of honest effort going into Waterford football, but its hard to see them getting any reward this season.
They were relegated straight back to Division Four and now the face the prospect of Cork in the semi-final, in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
They have some skilled forwards, especially Patrick Hurney, but it’s not going to be pretty against Cork.
Westmeath
Manager:Pat Flanagan (2nd season). Leinster titles:1. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Lost 2nd Round qualifier to Derry. NFL:1st Division Three and divisional finalists.
Pat Flanagan’s patient restoration has helped pull the county out of its tailspin.
On the better side of the draw with a bye, the team’s blend of experience with the 2004 veterans and young blood such as John Heslin gives them a good shot at reaching another provincial final, although they have lost last three competitive matches to potential semi-final opponents Louth.
Wexford
Manager:Jason Ryan (4th season). Leinster titles:Leinster 10. All-Ireland titles:5. 2010 championship:Lost 3rd Round qualifier to Cork. NFL:3rd Division 3.
The county’s first under-21 Leinster winners have lifted morale and strengthened the panel. Jason Ryan’s attempts to regain momentum will benefit from the draw, which gives the county a shot at a second final in four years.
Strengths are an industrious middle sector and corner forwards Ciarán Lyng and Ben Brosnan.
Defence is less settled.
Wicklow
Manager:Mick O'Dywer (4th season). Leinster titles:0. All-Ireland titles:0. 2010 championship:Lost 1st Round qualifier to Cavan. NFL:3rd Division Four.
Inconsistency saw Wicklow missing out again on promotion from Division Four but Mick O’Dwyer won’t have fretted too much over that.
The county boasts a credible forward unit with Leighton Glynn, Tony Hannon, Paul Earls and Seánie Furlong all ready to go. But with a formidable-looking Kildare first up, they are likely to be taking the first exit for the qualifiers.