Only four of the 16 counties involved in the 2026 All-Ireland SFC series have started with the same goalkeeper for all of their league and championship games this season - and two of the four ever-presents could yet come under severe pressure in the coming weeks.
Once an area that traditionally had a clear number one, players going years and years without losing their place, the evolution of the position in modern times has left counties rotating their options on a much more frequent basis.
On Sunday at Clones, Mayo boss Andy Moran handed Jack Livingstone his championship debut with Rob Hennelly having started eight of their nine games before the Monaghan clash - Livingstone starting in the Round 7 league win over Roscommon.
The Breaffy man did well on his kick-outs, but it was an incredible shot-stopping display that has ensured he will be near impossible to drop for their Round 2A clash, no matter who they are drawn against on Tuesday.
Somewhat ironically, his opposite number from the weekend, Rory Beggan, comes from one of the counties that have used three goalkeepers this season [Galway and Westmeath have also used three] with Jack Kiernan and Kian Mulligan earning starts along the way given Beggan's Scotstown commitments - but he is about as secure as they come when it comes to keeping your place between the sticks.
The four goalkeepers who have started all games this season - excluding pre-season competitions - are Donegal's Gavin Mulreany, Kerry’s Shane Murphy, Cavan’s Liam Brady and Meath’s Seán Brennan.
Three of those didn’t start the season as number one in most of their supporters’ eyes, and two are still fighting for that accolade.
Brady ended last season as Cavan’s main man, having rotated with Gary O’Rourke previously, and there he remains - and will continue doing so in all likelihood. Breffni manager Dermot McCabe had flirted with the idea of converting outfielder Ryan Connolly into a goalkeeper, but injury scuppered any such experiment.
Up in the north-west, Donegal's Mulreany was undoubtedly back-up to Shaun Patton as 2026 began, likewise Murphy to Shane Ryan down in the Kingdom. Meath's Billy Hogan did goals in last year’s All-Ireland final loss to Donegal, but has had to be content with a back-up role to Brennan this term.
That’s something Patton has had to accept too after coming back from foot surgery for their championship campaign. Mulreany has excelled for the Tir Chonaill County, playing an advanced tactical role in the Division 1 destruction of Kerry, but there is no doubting that Patton, and in particular his booming, midfield-evading kick-out, is something Jim McGuinness covets.
As the season progresses and Croke Park’s long pitch looms, McGuinness’ mind will be at work with the two-time All-Star nominated Patton now a live option.
It's a similar situation in Kerry. Murphy, an excellent keeper, has been given his chance as Ryan has been absent all season with a quad injury. The Rathmore man is a two-time All-Star and for many, the best goalkeeper in the country given his ability to kick accurately off both feet for those short to mid-range restarts.
We’re now officially into June though, and Ryan’s return date is still up in the air so Jack O’Connor may very well be planning with Murphy in mind for the rest of the campaign, wherever it ends up.
Brennan, who carries a huge two-point free threat for Meath, looks secure in his spot for the Royals meanwhile.
There are questions for other counties to be answered though, most notably Dublin.
Evan Comerford was dropped after a complete kick-out malfunction in the second half of their Leinster final loss to Westmeath. Hugh O’Sullivan came in against Louth and failed to really grasp the opportunity.
In Dublin's 11 games this season, Comerford has started six, O'Sullivan five, and nobody is sure who will be selected in their forthcoming do-or-die Round 2B clash in a fortnight's time.
Blaine Hughes had a difficult spell for Armagh against Derry on Saturday, conceding 1-01 off poor kick-outs in the space of 60 seconds and seeing Oakleaf fingertips getting to another short restart moments later only to slip by.
The Carrickcruppen man’s response was excellent, making a great save, kicking a two-point free into the breeze and picking out some teammates with sublime restarts. After a similar poor start against Galway in the league, he responded by performing excellently for the rest of the game. His resilience is increasingly evident and his kick-outs, on the whole, have been of an incredibly high standard all season.
For those reasons, Kieran McGeeney’s decision to parachute Ethan Rafferty in for the Ulster quarter-final against Fermanagh was a surprise. Why Geezer? "I keep them very unhappy, if I was keeping them happy they wouldn't work."
Armagh’s vanquished opponents Derry are another side that yet could see movement.
Odhrán Lynch has played in Magherafelt’s last two club games since recovering from injury and may come back into Ciarán Meenagh’s plans. When Meenagh was interim boss in the 2023 All-Ireland semi-final, Lynch started at Croke Park, but he'll have to overtake Shea McGuckin who has started nine of their 10 games this season.
And who knows what other surprises counties may serve up when announcing their teams?
The way the game is trending, and the willingness of management teams to change it up, means that the idea of an out-and-out No 1 is becoming less prevalent in football.
The gauntlet has been thrown down to goalkeepers; no position has changed more in recent years, in terms of tactics, skills required and rule enhancement adjustments.
Genuine competition is now a very real thing in nearly every county in the Sam Maguire race and the goalkeeper position is all the better for it.
2006 goalkeeper starts by county
Armagh - Blaine Hughes (11 appearances), Ethan Rafferty (1 appearance)
Cavan - Liam Brady (9 appearances)
Cork - Patrick Doyle (8 appearances), Micheál Aodh Martin (4 appearances)
Derry - Shea McGuckin (9 appearances), Ryan Scullion (1 appearance)
Donegal - Gavin Mulreany (10 appearances)
Dublin - Evan Comerford (6 appearances), Hugh O’Sullivan (5 appearances)
Kerry - Shane Murphy (11 appearances)
Kildare - Cian Burke (9 appearances), Eoin Sheehan (1 appearance)
Galway - Connor Gleeson (4 appearances), Conor Flaherty (4 appearances), Eamon McGrath (2 appearances)
Louth - Niall McDonnell (9 appearances), Tiernan Markey (1 appearance)
Mayo - Rob Hennelly (8 appearances), Jack Livingstone (2 appearances)
Meath - Seán Brennan (10 appearances)
Monaghan - Rory Beggan (9 appearances), Jack Kiernan (1 appearance), Kian Mulligan (1 appearance)
Roscommon - Conor Carroll (7 appearances), Aaron Brady (4 appearances)
Tyrone - Niall Morgan (6 appearances), Oisin O’Kane (3 appearances)
Westmeath - Jason Daly (7 appearances), Jack Connaughton (4 appearances), Conor McCormack (1 appearance)
Watch a hurling final double-header, Carlow v Laois in the Joe McDonagh Cup (3.45pm) and Dublin v Galway in the Leinster Hurling Championship (6pm), on Saturday from 3.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app and listen to Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
Watch Cork v Limerick in the Munster Hurling Championship final on Sunday from 1.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
