Teams shadow boxing in provincial games - Enda McGinley

Three-time All-Ireland SFC title winner Enda McGinley believes that it's still too early to tell just where teams are in this year's championship with many setting different targets and looking to peak at different times, with some even willing to sacrifice their chances at provincial glory.

As we enter the second year of a new format, there’s a growing sense that some of the bigger teams are using the provincial championship as a warm-up for the All-Ireland series.

Derry looked out of sorts as they coughed up four goals in their 4-11 to 0-17 defeat to Donegal, while Kerry looked some way off their best as they edged to victory over Cork.

Speaking on The Sunday Game, McGinley argued that it won’t be until the round-round phase of the All-Ireland starts that teams start to show their hands.

"We’re in the second season of this," he said. "Two seasons in a row the Division 1 champions, Mayo last year and Derry this year, out in the first round of the championship.

"Other teams then are declaring in the middle of the year that they weren’t going full out.

"I think a lot of big teams will target this group stage and for the likes of Kerry and Jack O’Connor, this is about getting the rustiness out of the system. When David Clifford’s a wee bit off form, you know there a lot more in that Kerry tank.

"It’s the timing of the year and the knock-on effect in the meaningfulness of these other competitions, with Donegal and Tyrone being out in a week's time in that Ulster Championship match.

"The meaningfulness for these competitions is [unclear] with some teams really pushing hard and other teams resting and timing their runs.

"We’re still learning a lot about this new calendar."

Enda McGinley believes that it's still difficult to judge just