League has turned into a highwire act

MANAGERS FORCED 10 PRIORITISE AS CHAMPIONSHIP DATES LOOM

- COLM BOYLE

AS PLAYERS we had a name for Round 6 of the National League - the who-wants-it-more round.

Everyone had a different agenda; some desperate for points to avoid relegation, others not fully at the races.

And then there is a team like Donegal, one that is clearly trying to avoid reaching a League final.

I realised that as soon as Jim McGuinness made the comments about having a decision to make about what was best for his team over the next two rounds.

As soon as he said that, it was clear Tyrone would be facing a much-changed Donegal team. And so it proved, Tyrone winning by six points against a team who had won four of their opening five matches.

The GAA have a big decision to make about League finals in Division 1. Personally I don't believe even leaving an extra week between a League final and the start of the Championship will do much to encourage some teams to get there.

It means the League has turned into a kind of high wire act for managers as they balance between avoiding relegation and avoiding reaching a league decider.

No-one wants to go down because preparing for Championship is best served when you face off against the top eight sides in the country.

Then again, some don't want to be in a League final because it is a distraction from what really counts - the Championship.