JIMMY'S STILL WINNING

But who will come out on top as race for Sam hots up?

- By KARL O'KANE

AFTER a thrilling provincial series - hard and all as that is to believe - the All-Ireland Championship throws in this weekend.

Four games take place, with the pick of them Dublin's visit to Salthill to face Galway on Saturday, while Kerry are at home to Roscommon.

The following day it's Mayo v Cavan and Clare v Down.

With three teams to come out of each of the four groups it's not exactly cut throat - bar the group with Dublin, Galway, Armagh and Derry.

Topping your group and going straight into the All-Ireland final is important though. The last two Sam Maguire winners grabbed one of the four golden tickets on offer to the last eight, gaining invaluable rest and prep time and avoiding the additional knockout preliminary round.

With Louth, Kerry, Galway and Donegal kings of their provinces, we take a look at where they stand now and rate the counties, one to 16 as the race for All-Ireland glory begins.

1. DONEGAL

THE first sign of Oisin Gallen lighting it up this year came in the Ulster final, while they also kicked long to Michael Murphy for a spell.

Jim McGuinness's side will need these two additional dimensions to go Il the way. Bringing subs back in for extra-time suggests their panel isn't as deep as many believed.

Shaun Patton's kickouts are a weapon, long over the top and in forcing opponents to concede shorts. The running power is there with Peadar Mogan, Daire O Baoill, Ryan McHugh and Finbarr Roarty and they have two-point shooters galore in Ciaran Thompson, Gallen, Murphy, Michael Langan and Patrick McBrearty.

They might two-point their way to Samif their gruelling pathway doesn't catch up with them.

2. GALWAY

A FULLY FIT Damien Comer would have them at no.1 as they've everything bar a big, physical target man inside.