BY ALAN RODGERS

A.RODGERS@GAELICLIFE.COM

A WHOLE series of close encounters have helped to make the race for this year's National League title quite simply the best ever, according to one of the country's top managers.

This time last year, Brian McIver, was preparing to guide Donegal to their first league title. Now he believes the 2008 Division One campaign has been brimming with top class football.

And, despite the failure of the men from the north-west to make a big impact in the Ulster or All-Ireland championship a year ago, McIver still believes that winning the league is important.

"All the games in Division One especially were massively competitive. You only have to look at the number of draws and narrow wins to see that," he told Gaelic Life.

"Some people might downplay its importance in the greater scheme of things. But the fact is that any team that wins the league gets a massive boost.

"Obviously success at this time of year doesn't guarantee anything for the summer. The championship presents a totally different range of challenges for teams to cope with. But winning the league is still a major honour because it's still next in importance to the championship and an ideal launching pad," he added.

Next Sunday Brian McIver will watch his son Michael bid for glory with Derry when they take on the might of Kerry. It's the biggest game between the counties since the All-Ireland semi-final of 2004 and presents Paddy Crozier and his players with a golden opportunity to maintain their impressive momentum.

Hopes will be high that a first triumph for the Oak Leafers since 2000 will herald the start of a glorious year, culminating in them making a massive impact on the Ulster and All-Ireland scenes.

"It will give Derry massive lift in confidence if they can defeat Kerry. Match practice is vital at this time of year and the chance to take on the All-Ireland champions is something that Derry will relish," he continued.

"Kerry are the best team in the country at the moment and provide the measuring stick for everyone else, including Derry. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it goes. If we look at the way Division One developed, one or two results made a big difference. But both Derry and Kerry definitely merit their place in the showpiece," he added.

Unsurprisingly, McIver declined to be drawn on what lessons can be learned from the task of translating league form onto the summer stage. While his Donegal team blazed a trail in the spring, their subsequent form failed to fulfil expectations and they bowed out of the knock-out series disappointingly early.

Now Derry are aiming to go one better than their north-west neighbours by winning the league and launching a sustained challenge on the Anglo Celt and Sam Maguire Cups.

See next week's Gaelic Life for how the other top flight counties view this intriguing final clash.