If the Tailteann Cup was introduced to give counties lower down the food chain a genuine chance of winning championship silverware, then it hasn’t washed through yet for those sides in Division 4.
Year one of the competition was won by Westmeath, a team who had spent the previous league campaign in Division 3. They’ve put down back-to-back seasons in Sam Maguire football since then and their performances, if not the results, suggest they were more suited to that company.
The 2023 edition was won by Meath, who, save for a season in 2013, have been Division 2 regulars and even had a brief foray into the top tier and the old ‘Super 8s’ part of the All-Ireland series.
The most recent edition was won by Down, who went unbeaten through seven regular-season Division 3 games.
So far Laois are the only side to go deep into the competition as a Division 4 team. In 2023, they made the last four but shipped eight goals in defeat to Down.
Last season, they went all the way to the final before losing to the Mourne men. Otherwise, Division 4 teams have gone largely unmapped in football’s new competition.
That’s why there’s so much on the line for the eight teams in the basement division, and recent history suggests the promotion race will go to the wire.
Last season neither of the two promotion spots were decided going into the final round and, when all was said and done, two points separated second from fifth. In 2023, five of the eight teams in the division went into the last day with a chance of securing promotion.
Wexford will be well aware of the fine margins that can move the dial in this division; John Hegarty’s men missed out last year after being pipped by Leitrim on the head-to-head rule. They lost in Carrick-on-Shannon thanks to a last-gasp penalty, the award of which caused a stir.
The Wexford People reporter branded it “one of the most controversial decisions I can recall from a 33-year career reporting on Wexford football”.
Afterwards, Hegarty made a prediction that ultimately rung true.
“Ultimately that decides the game and perhaps decides your league campaign for the year. We didn’t do everything right but ultimately when you’re leading two minutes into injury-time and looking comfortable, for a decision like that to decide the game, it’s very hard to take,” he said.
With no pre-season to go on this time around, predicting this snake pit of a division is a perilous pastime, but Wexford, perhaps by dint of last season, have been installed as joint favourites along with Limerick, who despite relegation in 2024 stopped the rot with a first win in almost a year last season under Billy Lee.
Wicklow, who are next on the list with the bookmakers, also came down from Division 3 but Oisín McConville’s men had an up-and-down season in 2024.
Slipping back into Division 4 was a blow but they can take confidence from their Leinster SFC win over Westmeath and their near toppling of Kildare.
Longford are one of three sides in the division, along with Tipperary and Carlow, who are under new management and they are all looking to rebuild after the departure of important players.
Mike Solan won an All-Ireland with Mayo at U-21 level but has lost two Longford totems in Mickey Quinn and Darren Gallagher.
Tipp are in a similar boat as more of the Munster SFC-winning team of 2020 depart the stage. Conor Sweeney has been one of the most influential figures in that dressing room for years and leaves a huge void.
Shane Curran is in his first season with Carlow after replacing Niall Carew but is without the county’s all-time record scorer in Darragh Foley.
London produced one of the shocks of the summer last year when beating Offaly in the Tailteann Cup but manager Michael Maher has often made the point that, given they don’t have a full size floodlit pitch to train on, it’s difficult for them to be at their best before the clocks go forward.
The Exiles are considered the biggest outsiders alongside Waterford. Paul Shankey managed the Déise to a morale-boosting win over Tipperary in the Tailteann Cup last year but they face a familiar obstacle – they are likely to be without a couple of familiar faces after they were called up to the hurlers.
There’s not much to be sure of heading into this new campaign, but what is certain is it’s straight down to business for those in the basement.
CARLOW
Manager: Shane Curran (first season) Captain: TBC Main man: The return of Seán Murphy can add mobility and power. One to watch: Palatine clubman Bryan McMahon can make an impact. Critical question: Can they get a morale-boosting championship win? In four games last year across the Leinster and the Tailteann Cup, Carlow managed just a draw. League fixtures: Jan 25 – Carlow v Tipperary, Cullen Park, 6.0; Feb 1 – Waterford v Carlow, Fraher Field, 2.0; Feb 15 Wexford v Carlow, Wexford Park, 7.0; Feb 22 Carlow v Limerick, Cullen Park, 6.0; Mar 2 Wicklow v Carlow, Echelon Park, 2.0; Mar 15 Carlow v Longford, Cullen Park 5.0; Mar 23 London v Carlow, McGovern Park, 1.0.
TIPPERARY
Manager: Philly Ryan (first season) Captain: TBC Main man: Seán O’Connor – much of the scoring load will fall on him after Conor Sweeney’s retirement. One to watch: Mark Russell is a noted long-range point-kicker and could make good use of the new scoring arc. Critical question: Life after Sweeney starts here. How can they fill that considerable void? League fixtures: Jan 25 – Carlow v Tipperary, Cullen Park, 6.0; Feb 1 – Tipperary v Longford, Semple Stadium, 5.0; Feb 15 Waterford v Tipperary, Fraher Field, 6.30; Feb 22 Tipperary v London, Semple Stadium, 5.0; Mar 1 Limerick v Tipperary, Mick Neville Park, 6.0; Mar 15 Wexford v Tipperary, Wexford Park, 6.30; Mar 23 – Tipperary v Wicklow, Semple Stadium, 1.0.
WEXFORD
Manager: John Hegarty (third season) Captain: Liam Coleman Main man: Páraic Hughes possesses a brilliant engine and the ‘new’ game might suit him. One to watch: Highly thought of at age grade level, Jack Higgins looked to be finding his best form when helping Castletown to senior football honours. Critical question: A controversial refereeing decision proved their undoing last year. Can they go one better? League fixtures: Jan 25 – Wexford v London, Wexford Park, 7.0; Feb 2 – Limerick v Wexford, Mick Neville Park, 2.0; Feb 23 – Wexford v Wicklow, Wexford Park 2.0 ;Mar 1 – Waterford v Wexford, Fraher Field, 6.30; Mar 15 – Wexford v Tipperary, Wexford Park, 6.30; Mar 16 – Limerick v Wexford, Gaelic Grounds, 7.30; Mar 23 – Longford v Wexford, Pearse Park, 1.0
LONDON
Manager: Michael Maher (sixth season) Captain: TBC Main man: Down native Daire Rooney is an important cog in the wheel. One to watch: Round Towers man Aidan McLoughlin has been tipped to continue his rapid ascent with London. Critical question: Can an emphasis on homegrown talent offer stability? League fixtures: Jan 25 – Wexford v London, Wexford Park, 7.0; Feb 2 – London v Wicklow, McGovern Park, 12.30; Feb 15 – London v Limerick, McGovern Park, 12.30; Feb 22- Tipperary v London, Semple Stadium, 5.0; Mar 2 – London v Longford, McGovern Park, 1.0; Mar 15 – Waterford v London, Fraher Field, 7.0; Mar 23 – London v Carlow, McGovern Park, 1.0.
WICKLOW
Manager: Oisín McConville (third season) Captain: Dean Healy Main man: Healy’s decision to continue for another season is a boost. One to watch: Tom Moran is starring for Maynooth in the Sigerson Cup. Critical question: Where is Wicklow’s true form? Are they the side that slipped back into division four or the one that almost toppled Kildare? League fixtures: Jan 26 – Wicklow v Waterford, Echelon Park, 2.0; Feb 22 – London v Wicklow, McGovern Park, 12.30; Feb 16 – Wicklow v Longford, Echelon Park, 2.0; Feb 23 – Wexford v Wicklow, Wexford Park 2.0; Mar 2 – Wicklow v Carlow, Echelon Park, 2.0; Mar 16 – Wicklow v Limerick, Echelon Park, 2.0; Mar 23 – Tipperary v Wicklow, Semple Stadium, 1.0
WATERFORD
Manager: Paul Shankey (second season) Captain: TBC Main man: Conor Murray is back from Australia and his reintroduction is a significant boost. One to watch: Caoimhin Walsh, called into the interprovincial panel last year. Critical question: Tom O’Connell, Willie Beresford and Sean Walsh are expected to go with the hurlers. Can they build on the green shoots of 2024? League fixtures: Jan 25 – Wicklow v Waterford, Echelon Park, 2.0; Feb 2 – Waterford v Carlow, Fraher Field, 2.0; Feb 15 – Waterford v Tipperary, Fraher Field, 6.30; Feb 23 Longford v Waterford, Pearse Park, 1.0; Mar 1 – Waterford v Wexford, Fraher Field, 6.30; Mar 15 – Waterford v London, Fraher Field, 7.0; Mar 23 – Limerick v Waterford, Mick Neville Park, 1.0.
LONGFORD
Manager: Mike Solan (first season) Captain: TBC Main man: Jayson Matthews carries a real threat in attack. One to watch: Matthew Carey was one of the star’s of Longford’s U-20 team on their run to the U-20 ‘B’ final last year. Critical question: Can they make an impact without key players Darren Gallagher and Mickey Quinn? League fixtures: Jan 26 – Longford v Limerick, Pearse Park, 2.0; Feb 1 – Tipperary v Longford, Semple Stadium, 5.0; Feb 16 – Wicklow v Longford, Echelon Park, 2.0; Feb 23 – Longford v Waterford, Pearse Park, 1.0; Mar 2 – London v Longford, McGovern Park, 1.0; Mar 15 – Carlow v Longford, Cullen Park 5.0; Mar 23 – Longford v Wexford, Pearse Park, 1.0.
LIMERICK
Manager: Jimmy Lee (second season) Captain: Cillian Fahy Main man: Though he has relinquished captaincy of the team, Iain Corbett has long been the beating heart. One to watch: Emmet Rigter can build on a promising debut season in 2024. Critical question: Lee blooded a raft of new players last year and ended a remarkable 464-day run without a win. Can they get the graph trending upwards? League fixtures: Jan 26 – Longford v Limerick, Pearse Park, 2.0; Feb 2 – Limerick v Wexford, Mick Neville Park, 2.0; Feb 15 – London v Limerick, McGovern Park, 12.30; Feb 22 – Carlow v Limerick, Cullen Park, 6.0; Mar 1 – Limerick v Tipperary, Mick Neville Park, 6.0; Mar 16 – Wicklow v Limerick, Echelon Park, 2.0; Mar 23 – Limerick v Waterford, Mick Neville Park, 1.0.
TOMORROW: Conor McKeon assesses the Division 3 contenders