Welcome to your guide to the 2009 National League Campaign brought to you by The Irish News.

This year's site includes player features, County profiles, hard-hitting opinions, handy statistics and a round up of all this year's fixtures and results. Match reports on all games plus up to date league tables will be published on the Monday after the weekend results.


Promotion the only goal for us: Vernon
By Tony McGee


Time for reflection: Armagh’s Charlie Vernon (left) at yesterday’s Belfast launch of the National Football League with Derry’s Paddy Bradley (centre) and Tyrone’s Brian Dooher Picture: Hugh Russell

The Allianz National Football League Division Two is no children’s playground, according to Armagh star Charlie Vernon. It is a tough group that the Orchard county will have to battle through if promotion is to be realised.
“The division is highly competitive with a lot of tough games ahead of us,” he said. “Looking at the League, you have got to believe that any team is capable of beating another so we will not have anything easy.
“Armagh haven’t done well in the League for the past few years but the county’s lack of success in the competition in a way reflects Crossmaglen’s success at club level. Being without the Cross players is tough and, at present, we have also some injury problems.
“However, this weekend we start all over again and it’s a new challenge. Naturally, we will go out with the aim of winning all our games.”
Armagh have been tossed quite an opener on Sunday as they must travel to play Wexford with shades of last season’s All-Ireland quarter-final very much hanging over the game.
The Slaneysiders, it will be recalled, were the glamour team of ’08 and ended Armagh’s interest in the Sam Maguire race.
“The defeat we suffered by Wexford last year gives us more motivation to do well this Sunday. We want to repay them for the Championship defeat last August but we know they will be just as keen to prove they were worthy winners last time.
“Of course, the personnel in both teams has changed somewhat since then and it won’t be the same match-up,” said the Harps’ man.
He added: “Wexford is only one of the strong teams in the division. In fact, they are all strong. Monaghan will not be easy to overcome and there is Fermanagh, who must still be disappointed at not beating us in the Ulster final to win their first provincial senior title.
“Meath, Cork, Laois – they will all provide major obstacles for us but, for the present, we are only thinking about Wexford. That’s enough to be gong on with for the time being.”
Vernon agrees that the League is really a means to an end, that the Championship is the target for all teams.
“At the end of the day, a team is judged on its Championship performance but there is nowhere better to prepare for the Championship than in the League. A good run there builds confidence
“It is very much an integral part of the season when match fitness and systems of play are built up.”
Talking of fitness, the Queen’s University final year student has no worries on that score.
“The McKenna Cup and the fact that we trained over the winter means that fitness has already built up. I was very pleased with our progress in the McKenna Cup but, obviously, disappointed with the end result.
“Still, Aidan (O’Rourke, Queen’s manager) always stressed that the McKenna Cup was just preparation for the Sigerson Cup. Still, our training has built up fitness in all of us and that will be a help for the League ahead.”
The big man is very aware that picking up early points is most important in the League. A few early defeats can mean the difference between promotion or staying in Division Two, or maybe even relegation.
“That makes Sunday’s match all the more important. We need to get off to a winning start and if we do that without the
Crossmaglen players, it will be a great boost,” said Vernon.
“We have been knocking around this division for the past few years and it is time we climbed out of it.”