THE football championship has had a battering all summer, worse than Shane McGuigan took around Croke Park yesterday. But its imperfections are where it will thrive.
Dublin are not of their six-in-a-row vintage. Kerry, you’re not sure they’ll ever become the same ruthless killing machine. And so the door might swing open.
It was left ajar but there was just enough weight behind it in the form of David Clifford and Cormac Costello to keep Derry and Monaghan at bay.
With an hour played, Monaghan were level with Dublin and Derry led Kerry. Only the unwise would have predicted that on Saturday morning.
But both counties were making hay off for their bravery and their control.
Monaghan dictated the terms for an hour until Brian Fenton and James McCarthy caught hold of enough ball in midfield to swing it.
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Derry will have complaints about how it got away from them but they left more chances behind than the Farneymen did. When the burns soothe, there will be an element of regret that lasts longer.
Yet they laid a template that can help Ulster football. If they’re serious about winning All-Irelands, the northern arm-wrestles are only a hindrance.
Kerry and Dublin are more exposed to the ebb-and-flow of this type of game, one where they have to fly by the seat of their pants at times in order to get out.
That has to count for something coming down the stretch.
Ulster football probably isn’t helping itself at home.
With the provincial title meaning less and less to others, we remain wedded to it when maybe the way to go is to just throw the shackles off from day one and if you lose in Ulster because of it, so be it.
It’ll be next year before we know.
