Division 1 Final – Sunday, Mayo v Galway, Croke Park, 4pm
This really is a final based on merit because they are the two form teams in the country, they’ve been the two best in the league.
Mayo are building something special under Kevin McStay. That buzz and anticipation is back.
The momentum from winning games builds confidence and all their players are in top form.
McStay has really changed the team, he has the spine of the defence with David McBrien and Conor Loftus and they have great depth and options with the likes of Tommy Conroy back.
Galway meanwhile have been equally impressive. They have built on the progress they made last year and have probably the best defensive structure in the league with John Daly controlling the strings at the back.
I like how they manage the game, they are very well controlled in possession and take very good options up front.
Similar to the league game, this could be a draw. If I was to make a call either side I think Galway might have that little bit of know-how to give them an edge but there will be very little in this final and it should be a great game.
Division 2 Final – Sunday, Dublin v Derry, Croke Park, 1.45pm
I’m really looking forward to this one. In some ways this is Dublin’s toughest game until after the Leinster Championship and that’s not being disrespectful to anybody.
Dublin will be hurting after that loss to Derry in the league and from a Derry perspective we know what they’re going to bring to the table. They have a strong defensive system that went so far last year but came a cropper against Galway.
Derry have been working on the attacking side of their game and won’t want to sit as deep as they did in the league game because Dublin picked them off in the first half and it gave the Dubs a bit of a platform.
The Oakleafs will want to bring that level of intensity that the brought into the second-half and forced Dublin into poor decision making.
I think Dublin might find a way. It’s probably a bigger game for Derry in Croke Park but I’m going to go for a narrow victory for Dublin.
Division 3 Final – Saturday, Cavan v Fermanagh, Croke Park, 7.15pm
Fermanagh won last week when they met and I think sometimes it can be a disadvantage psychologically when the team has won previously.
This will be another interesting battle. Last week Fermanagh knew they had to win and Cavan knew they were promoted.
Fermanagh, to be fair, have been excellent and they come into this on the back of five wins in a row. They won a lot of tight games this year and have been one of the teams that have been really under the radar. They will go into the Ulster Championship full of confidence.
But for me Cavan at full tilt possess just better quality players and I think they’ve been played below their standard in the last couple of years.
I think they might reverse this result in Croke Park, they have the experience from last year. They won’t get anything easy from Fermanagh who certainly won’t lie down, but fore me Cavan will just edge this.
Division 4 Final – Sligo v Wicklow, Croke Park, Saturday, 5pm
Obviously two very good friends in Oisín McConville and Tony McEntee. They both needed Sligo to beat Leitrim last weekend so I’m sure they’ve had plenty of engagement in recent weeks.
This is new territory for Wicklow and McConville. They’re still in the early stages of development and they’ve been brilliant in Division 4, he’s getting a real good bounce out of them.
Sligo, under McEntee are further down the road in terms of his project and probably have that little bit more firepower up front.
That experience of playing in Croke Park last year in the Tailteann Cup might stand to them and for me, Sligo will win by three or four points.
Ciaran Whelan was speaking on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland
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