Some understandable confusion exists in the minds of football followers about the opening matches of the revamped National Football League which feature on the fixture lists for today and tomorrow.

The match between Cavan and Kerry in New York is treated fully elsewhere, while a unique situation exists at home, where three matches are listed for decision today, a circumstance which illustrates how the GAA, and Irish society as a whole, is changing.

Today's visits of London to Navan or Louth to Nowlan Park are certainly unlikely to tax the capacity of the grounds. But Waterford's game against Kildare in Dungarvan looks interesting, with the visitors determined to get off to a good start. Picking potentially engaging clashes on the Sunday schedule is also not easy.

The performances of teams such as beaten All-Ireland finalists Mayo, their neighbours Galway, who are under new management, Leinster champions Offaly and potential challengers, Dublin, all have a certain attraction.

After the traumatic experiences of recent years, Mayo seem to have weathered their self-induced storm and the team selected to meet Fermanagh in Irvinestown bears a very close resemblance to that which faced Kerry in the All-Ireland final. In fact it might have been identical were it not for an injury to Maurice Sheridan, and the absence on holiday of Pat Fallon and Dermot Flanagan. The naming of Liam McHale as a substitute and the return of David Brady to the starting line-up suggests strongly that Mayo intend to make a determined revival after their disappointing performance in the All-Ireland final.

There is a certain amount of interest in Galway, too, following the appointment of John O'Mahony to manage the team - the first time the county have brought in a "foreigner", albeit from neighbouring Mayo. O'Mahony's credentials include a recent success in leading the normally modest St Brigid's club in Roscommon to a county championship. He was in charge of Mayo when they won back-to-back Connacht titles, and Leitrim when they broke the Connacht mould with their win in 1994. The completion of the hat-trick with Galway seems well within his compass.

Galway face Leitrim in Tuam and followers of both counties will be looking for indications of a revival, with Galway the more ambitious of the two and Leitrim seeking to compensate for the loss, to Dublin, of their inspiring former captain, Declan Darcy. The presence of Darcy in the Dublin team should add some interest to the Dublin-Sligo match in Markievicz Park.

Sligo's performance in running Mayo to a single point in the Connacht final has raised hopes of better things to come for them. There is some apprehension in the county, however, about being drawn in the section which includes the champions of the three other provinces - Kerry, Cavan and Offaly - as well as strong teams such as Tyrone, Wexford and Monaghan.

A creditable performance by Sligo would appear to be as much as can be expected with Dublin anxious to re-establish their credentials in the absence of retired stalwarts John O'Leary, Paul Clarke and Charlie Redmond.

If the home team can reproduce the spirit which they displayed against Mayo, however, they could make things difficult for Dublin, who will find that players like Eamon O'Hara and Paul Taylor are men of the highest calibre.

Four Ulster teams, other than Cavan, are engaged in fixtures which will not excite great interest. Donegal travel to Longford, while Derry will field a strong team at home in Ballinascreen against Westmeath.

Derry seem to be in serious mood, with players such as Kieran McKeever, Gary Coleman, Henry Downey, Karl Diamond and Anthony Tohill included, as their manager Brian Mullins sets about rebuilding the side.

Tyrone travel to Gorey to take on Wexford, never an easy assignment, and again many well-known names are included, including Finbar McConnell, Chris Lawn, Fay Devlin, Jody Gormley, Brian Dooher and Adrian Cush.

Down travel to Aughrim, a venue which will not be familiar to them. They will be without Ross Carr, Gerard Deegan, Mickey Linden and James McCartan, and may not find Wicklow all that willing to capitulate.

Cork travel to Clonmel to take on Tipperary. The visitors will be without a number of players from Beara and Castlehaven, who will be involved in the replay of the county football final. In this respect, it is a surprise to note that Niall Cahalane is selected to play.

There is an all-Leinster tie in Carlow, where Laois are the visitors, Clare are at home to Roscommon, and the Leinster champions, Offaly, entertain Monaghan in Tullamore. Armagh, who entertain Antrim, leave the selection of their team to Sunday morning, a policy which in complete contravention of the Croke Park guidelines insofar as pre-match promotion is concerned.

There has been some criticism of the new format which, in some instances at least, seems lob-sided. It will, no doubt, take time to settle into a pattern, and followers of all teams will be adopting a "wait and see" policy before making definitive judgements.