There was no shortage of excitement during the opening round of the National Football League, with some thrilling GAA games played out over the weekend. The likes of Derry, Monaghan, and Mayo all secured big wins in the top tier, with plenty of other exciting games taking place in the other three divisions.
One thing that was notable across the fixtures was the success experienced by Ulster teams. Eight of the nine counties in the province won their opening league game, with Fermanagh being the only exception after their draw with Meath. In all, they took 17 points from the 18 that were on offer.
That run includes away victories for Derry and Monaghan at Kerry and Dublin respectively, pointing towards the strength of Ulster football at the moment.
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GAA: Eamon Fitzmaurice explains Ulster advantage in league play
Is there an explanation for the strong start Ulster counties have had to this GAA league campaign?
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, former Kerry manager Eamon Fitzmaurice said that he felt that the strong pre-season competition in the province gives them a leg up on the competition when it comes to the league.
The thing with the Ulster teams is they always, for the most part, take the McKenna Cup very seriously
That translates into early season league form as well. They had a massive weekend.
Monaghan, in particular, had a great win. On Saturday, I would have been wondering were they one of the candidates for relegation, as we say every year. They always defy the odds. They've a great record against Dublin.
But bear in mind, they've had retirements. Rory Beggan going to America at the moment, Karl Gallagher gone to Australia.
Their performance on Saturday evening was fantastic. Maybe the fact that some of their leaders, the likes of Darren Hughes and Conor McManus, aren't back yet, allowed space for the others.
Stephen O'Hanlon had an outstanding performance, Micheál Bannigan was very good, I thought Killian Lavelle was outstanding at full-back, considering he was converted as a midfielder and was picking up Con O'Callaghan.
It's a hard thing to do at the best of times, but when you consider the amount of flux that has been there from last season, they deserve massive credit from that win.
Unlike in the other provinces, the McKenna Cup is always a big occasion in Ulster GAA each year. That was especially true in 2024, with big crowds turning out to see Jim McGuinness' Donegal return and Mickey Harte's first games in charge of Derry.
It will be interesting to see if the nine counties can maintain the momentum they gained last weekend over the coming weeks.
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