Kerry the team to beat but lots to play for in 2026

A new season in football's National League begins this weekend as the chasing pack seek to make ground on all-conquering Kerry. The Kingdom are the team to beat going into 2026, but there is plenty to play for this season across the divisions with promotion and relegation potentially season-defining. Former Donegal star Brendan Devenney runs his eye over what may lie ahead in year two of Gaelic football's new rules.

I covered last year's league final between Kerry and Mayo which was a poor enough affair.

You could see nobody was that worried, but what Jack O'Connor does is win the league which is a precursor to the championship.

They had a couple of rocky games after that with Cork putting it up to them [in Munster] and Meath got to them [in the championship] so we didn't see them as the finished article until they got to the All-Ireland final when they were on another level and reaching those heights again will make them very hard to stop.

In terms of the game itself, I think a big focus this year will be on scoring and preventing the two-pointers, while winning around the middle on kick-outs will be crucial.

If teams put a full squeeze on from the kick-out, the majority will be long and if you have big, physical men around the middle, that will be a huge asset.

Defensively, you just can't lie in and shut the game down now because you can be picked off with two-pointers or if you move out, you can be hit with a ball over the top.

After a period to fully figure out their approach, this weekend will be interesting to see how teams have adapted.

The way Donegal have been playing in the Dr McKenna Cup, they go into Saturday's game against Dublin at Croke Park [17:00 GMT] with great form and have trialled a load of young players who have fitted in seamlessly.

Gavin Mulreany stepped in for Shaun Patton in goals and has been top draw, but the young lads like Turlough Carr, Seanan Carr, Conor McCahill and Kevin Muldoon from Four Masters and Naomh Conaill's Max Campbell have been rewarded for their club performances with time on the pitch for Donegal in the McKenna Cup.

You are seeing this new wave coming through so there is a good bit of talent from the U20 side that was pipped by Tyrone who went on to win their All-Ireland.

On Sunday in Clones [14:00, live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport NI website], there is a Division One derby between Monaghan and Armagh - a game nobody wants to lose.

Gabriel Bannigan had a great season with Monaghan last year, reaching an All-Ireland quarter-final and in the first half they were destroying Donegal although they faded in the second half. They have lost Andy Moran as a coach, but Andy McEntee has replaced him after his time in Antrim and will add to it.

For Armagh, you've Kieran McGeeney going into his 12th year and there are no signs of him stopping.

This is a big game, but there is maybe more of an onus on Monaghan coming up because you want to win your home games in the league. Six points is usually the magic number for staying up so there may be a little more pressure on Monaghan to get a result after coming up from Division Two.

Tyrone were very unlucky last year to go down and begin their Division Two campaign at home to Kildare on Saturday [18:00, live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport NI website].

It looked like Tyrone had Armagh beaten in Ulster and did better than Donegal against Kerry in the championship, so I think they will be looking to bounce back up.

With Loughmacrory winning the club championship and the spread of players from clubs, this is a big season for Tyrone and manager Malachy O'Rourke in his second season. Reaching Division One is a definite as I think they will come straight back up but then then the eyes will move to an All-Ireland title push.

Derry were also relegated last year and they have a massive game to start in Division Two against Meath at Croke Park on Saturday [15:00].

Both of these teams will have designs on getting up to the top division but for Derry, there were some good signs in the Dr McKenna Cup and Ciaran Meenagh is back in there with the full Loughmacrory management team plus former Derry stars Chrissy McKaigue and Benny Heron.

After last season when they didn't win a match in the league, Derry need to hit the ground running and although they can beat Meath, it will be a difficult task.

Cavan is another team with new management, with former playing great Dermot McCabe going back in after a spell with Westmeath.

They have a tough opener away to Cork [Sunday, 13:30] who have so much potential, but their target is to get up to that next level like their neighbours Monaghan and hold their own.

They always produce great footballers, but never seem to have enough steel and consistency, so that will be their objective.

It's a massive campaign ahead for Down, starting on Saturday at home to Clare [18:00], who were unlucky to drop to Division Three.

Conor Laverty is a great coach and Down had a phenomenal championship last year where you saw the best of them, so it is massive for them to go up as they want to be playing for Sam Maguire.

Fermanagh will also look to make their move this year with Declan Bonner in as manager. Declan has plenty of experience with Donegal senior and underage teams, while he took Erne Gaels to back-to-back championships in Fermanagh.

There is loads of talent to work with and, starting at home to Wexford on Sunday [13:00], their sights will be set on getting up to Division Two which would be a huge plus for them before going on to Ulster where they have the winner of Tyrone and Armagh.

In Division Four, Antrim begin at home to Carlow [14:00] and they need to target promotion after being relegated last year.

Mark Doran, former Down footballer, is in there now as manager and he will have his sights set on building something in Antrim. They always look to have potential, but need to find consistency to bring it to the next level.

The Ulster Championship is competitive, but if you're in Division Four you are going to struggle to fight it out with teams in the top divisions, so Antrim must look at gaining promotion and getting a run in the Tailteann.

Brendan Devenney was speaking to BBC Sport NI's David Mohan