So it comes down to 70 minutes, no ifs or buts thereafter.
Roscommon have been surprisingly good in 2022! Any afterthoughts of relegation have disappeared and Anthony Cunningham’s side look more fluid then before.
Cunningham himself points to the lack of games in 2021 as the problem in that campaign. No pre-season left no chance to blood a new team.
The FBD league was that chance, further enhanced for new blood as Padraig Pearses and St Faithleachs were still stuck in All-Ireland club action.
Never the less Cunningham and his new backroom team made serious progress in early 2022. The defeat to Galway in the FBD league final has been their only fault this year.
The Rossies needed a win to seal promotion and blew away a much changed Galway team who were home and hosed.
Sunday is a different bout. The reset button has been pressed as Pádraic Joyce makes seven changes to his team for the division two final.
Injury means Shane Walsh does not make the matchday 26, with Damien Comer named to start at full-forward. Liam Silke, Cillian McDaid, Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Paul Conroy, and Robert Finnerty are all back into the team.
Cunningham didn’t have the luxury to rest players last weekend, even though the game petered out in the end.
This one won’t peter out! This one will be the taster for the Connacht final rather than revenge for the FBD final.
The big expansive pitch will test Roscommon. The fast attacking football is made for Croke Park, but is Croke Park made for Roscommon?
The division two title is up for grabs, but this time it will be Galway’s to take home.
Roscommon v Galway
Allianz League Division Two Final
Croke Park
Sunday April 3, 1:45pm
