Ciarán Whelan: Ulster sides showing miles on the clock

RTÉ GAA analyst Ciarán Whelan believes that Ulster teams' struggles once they hit the All-Ireland series has only been elevated by the introduction of the new round-robin.

Now in its second season, it means that teams from the northern province could potentially have to play 12 games if they were to make it to an All-Ireland final, with the decider only going to 'winner on the day’ in the event of a replay.

The debate over the strength – and commitment needed – to compete in Ulster compared to Dublin and Kerry in Dublin and Leinster respectively has long been a talking point, and Whelan feels the "imbalance" will only become more apparent with the new group formats.

"It's that imbalance that we talk about," he said on the RTÉ GAA podcast, reflecting on Donegal’s loss to Cork on Saturday.

"If Donegal were to be in a preliminary quarter-final, it’s another game for them – it's a preliminary game, quarter-final, semi-final on top of all the games they have played in the Ulster championship and the energy that has gone in up in the Ulster championship.

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"Look at Derry and the injuries they’ve picked up and you look at Armagh picking up the injuries, they’ve a lot of miles on the clock already this year while Dublin and Kerry have just been able to tip away."

"It is a massive downside for the Ulster teams....you’re coming out of that system into a round-robin before you get to a preliminary quarter-final and you have to go three weekends in a row," he added.

Éamonn Fitzmaurice, meanwhile,