Cruelty of relegation looms large

SFC RELEGATION PREVIEWS

It's not exactly squeaky bum time just yet, as Alex Ferguson used to say, but for the eight teams in the SFC relegation play-offs they will want to ease those worries at the first time of asking.

There are a number of flaws with the Meath SFC and forcing a team that finishes third in their group into a relegation play-off is one of the more major ones.

The logic of ensuring more championship football for the players is sound, but players do not want those extra games in the championship to be relegation traps.

If the Co Board want to provide the players with more meaningful games then give the third placed teams something tangible to play for.

Put the four group winners directly into the quarter-finals and make the second placed teams take on a third placed side in a preliminary quarter-final.

That way teams that miss out on a place in the last eight by a single point or even worse, on scoring difference, will not have their senior status put in jeopardy by having to negotiate a relegation quagmire.

Take Donaghmore/Ashbourne for example. They were in the group of death and lost out to two of the main championship contenders Summerhill and Dunshaughlin by a combined total of three points - they had a scoring difference of +9, Summerhill's was +2.

As it transpired all third placed teams in this year's SFC finished with just two points, so there were no real hard luck stories when it comes to missing out on qualification.

The powers-that-be will argue that if Donaghmore/Ashbourne, Gaeil Colmcille, Na Fianna or Trim are good enough then they won't find it too hard to avoid relegation despite finishing third in their groups.

However, the reality is that those teams will come up against seasoned battlers who have been in this position before and have managed to ground it out.

Trim will open their bid for survival with a Thursday night test against Curraha in Batterstown.

On paper it looks like the kindest draw of all the relegation play-offs, but Curraha are survival experts - it's almost as if they time their run to maintain their senior status.

Curraha have had their injury concerns this year with James McEntee a huge loss the last time out and now they are also set to be without Niall McLarnon.

Trim have also had their injury issues with key players Tom Conor Quigley, James Toher and Tom Carmody all missing recent games.

This is going to be a battle and while Curraha have all the experience in these situations they might find Trim will be too strong just as they were in their A FL Div 2 meeting earlier in the year.

Even though the pain of just missing out on a place in the last eight of the SFC still hurts, Donaghmore/Ashbourne should have more than enough to bounce back and secure their status, while plunging Seneschalstown into a relegation semi-final.

Gaeil Colmcille are another of those sides who have gained experience in relegation play-offs and as Ballinabrackey's form falls through the floor the Kells men are expected to secure survival at the first time of asking.

The tightest relegation play-off to call is Sunday's clash of Na Fianna and Rathkenny in Bective.

Both sides should have more than enough to stay senior, but for Rathkenny their worries might go on a little longer especially if they haven't got a fully fit Donal Keogan back on board.