Roscommon must make home advantage count

As Roscommon prepare for life at the top table once more, former intercounty footballer Seanie McDermott believes that Mark Dowd’s side can avoid the drop to Division Two.

Roscommon have fluctuated between Divisions One and Two in recent times, but McDermott feels four games in King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park for the is a major boost.

The Western Gaels defender admits that Roscommon face a stern challenge this Sunday but feels the games immediately after the Kerry one is where Mark Dowd’s men can sow the seeds for a strong spring campaign.

“Division One is very tough. There is no game, that is a certainty. If you go through it, Roscommon are away in Killarney first. That is going to be a very tough ask without the full panel in place at the minute. Your next two home games are Monaghan and Armagh. Those two games will be ones that Roscommon will be targeting because they are home games.

“Then you have a game in the middle against Galway in Salthill. That is another game Roscommon will be looking at. I think Roscommon will do their best to stay safe. That is number one.

“It is definitely an advantage having four home games. There are a few teams you are looking to take points off. Monaghan is one and then you have Dublin are always difficult, but they are in transition and are looking at a lot of players at the minute.

“If Roscommon could pick up two wins out of the four home games, that would be four points and if they could get two points on the road whether that be in Salthill or Castlebar, that is the main thing,” he noted.

St. Brigid’s heartbreaking All-Ireland final defeat won’t dilute the fact that their run is a boost for Roscommon club football according to the former defender. McDermott believes that the standard is high on the club scene, which he believes will aid Mark Dowd as he tries to develop depth in his panel.

“Brigid’s are the top team in Roscommon senior football. No doubt about it. They are the type of club everyone is aspiring to be. Just watching what they did on Sunday, it just shows the country that club football in Roscommon is at as high a standard as any club football in the country.

“To even try and win a county title in Roscommon is extremely difficult. You go and ask the Brigid’s lads, probably their toughest game all year apart from that final (against Dingle) was against Pearses in the county final.

“Brigid’s always put Roscommon on the map when they get out of the county while they showed there is plenty of quality in the club championship. Standards are very, very high. We have plenty of footballers in Roscommon to be competitive in Division One football,” McDermott asserted.

There is a feeling, however, that with the loss of key personnel means that Roscommon are in a transitional period. However, McDermott doesn’t feel that label fits for this Roscommon group.

“I wouldn’t call it a transitional period. Some lads are in their first or second season playing intercounty, and I know from experience that it takes a couple of years playing intercounty football to really feel at home with it and feel comfortable playing at that level.

“I know we have lost a lot of stalwarts in Niall Daly, Donie (Smith) and Ciaráin Murtagh. I am not sure if David Murray is going back. If he isn’t, he is a massive loss. But I wouldn’t say we are in a full transitional period. I think there is still enough there to be competitive in Division One,” he claimed.

So, does he believe Roscommon will be playing Division One football in 2027?

“I think we are capable of doing enough but whether we do, it is hard to know. Even five points might keep you safe, but I think we are good enough to get six points. What I would say as a supporter and to all the Roscommon supporters out there, if we don’t stay up, it is not the end of the world.

“As long as we are competitive in every game, we are blooding plenty of players, Mark (Dowd), Rogie (John Rogers) and Ian (Daly) are developing their panel. That is what it is all about, that they can go into the Connacht Championship saying we have a serious squad of 30 or 35 players with a lot of lads on an equal standard. That is really what it is about. But I think we might just do enough to stay up,” he concluded.