ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 2
Saturday: Down v Offaly, Newry, 5.0.
Sunday: Galway v Clare, Tuam Stadium, 2.0; Meath v Cork, Pairc Tailteann. 2.0; Roscommon v Derry, Dr. Hyde Park, 2.0
Although there are still three rounds to go, it’s very much a three-way contest for the two promotion places, with Derry, Galway and Roscommon well clear of the rest. Derry and Galway are on full points (8), with Roscommon on seven, followed by Clare on four, Meath on two, Cork, Down, Offaly on one each.
Derry, who lead Galway on scoring difference, travel to Dr. Hyde Park to take on Roscommon in what will be the first Allianz League clash between the counties since 2000 when the Ulstermen won a Division 1 semi-final by seven points.
Galway host Clare in what will be the first meeting between them since 2017 when Galway won a Division 2 tie by 3-12 to 1-11. Relegation fears are very much on the agenda for Meath (2pts), Offaly, Cork and Down (one point each). Meath host Cork in what will be the first clash between them since 2019 when the Royals won by six points. Down and Offaly last met in 2020 (Div 3), with the Mourne men winning by eight points.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 2
Round 1: Galway 1-14 Meath 0-6; Roscommon 1-13 Cork 0-10; Clare 1-13 Offaly 0-7; Derry 1-10 Down 0-6.
Round 2: Galway 1-12 Down 0-9; Cork 1-13 Clare 1-13; Roscommon 1-15 Meath 1-11; Derry 2-13 Offaly 0-7.
Round 3: Derry 1-13 Cork 0-7; Galway 2-17 Offaly 3-10; Meath 2-6 Down 2-6; Roscommon 0-9 Clare 0-9.
Round 4: Offaly 1-10 Meath 1-10; Galway 3-22 Cork 2-17; Roscommon 1-18 Down 0-10; Derry 2-13 Clare 0-10.
Round 5: Mar 12: Down v Offaly; Mar 13: Galway v Clare; Meath v Cork; Roscommon v Derry.
Round 6: Mar 20: Cork v Down; Derry v Galway; Clare v Meath; Offaly v Roscommon.
Round 7: Mar 27: Down v Clare; Meath v Derry; Offaly v Cork; Roscommon v Galway.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE SHORTS
*Derry, Galway, (Div 2), Cavan (Div 4) are the only counties on full points after four rounds. Derry are seeking their 11th successive League win (v Roscommon) on Sunday. They won all four games this year, all four in last year’s Division 3 campaign and the last two in the 2020 League. Their last defeat was against Cork in March 2020.
*Down have the worst scoring record across all four Divisions. Their total from Division 2 games against Derry, Galway, Meath and Roscommon is 2-31 (average 9.25 points per game)
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE TOP SCORERS
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 2
Shane Walsh (Galway)... .......2-20 (0-13 frees, 1-0 pen,0-1 mark)
Shane McGuigan (Derry)......1-19 (0-10 frees 0-2 ‘45s’)
Keelan Sexton (Clare)............1-15 (0-10 frees, 1-0 pen, 0-2 ‘45’)
Donie Smith (Roscommon)...0-15 (0-9 frees)
Conor Cox (Roscommon)......0-15 (0-10 frees, 0-2 mark)
==
KERRY AND MAYO SOAR WHILE DUBLIN STRUGGLE
It was unthinkable at the start of the season, but now it’s a real possibility that Dublin will drop down to Division 2 for the first time since 2008. Without a point after four games, it’s their worst start to a season for decades. They take on Tyrone in Omagh next Sunday while at the other end of the table, joint-leaders, Kerry and Mayo meet in Tralee.
They are two stand-out attractions from the 16-game Round 5 programme on Saturday and Sunday.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1: TYRONE v DUBLIN – A CRUCIAL CLASH FOR BOTH
Saturday: Armagh v Kildare, Athletic Grounds, 6.0; Kerry v Mayo, Tralee, 7.30;
Sunday: Donegal v Monaghan, Ballybofey, 1.45; Tyrone v Dublin, Omagh, 3.45.
Incredible! Having lost only 15 of 75 games in the previous ten Allianz Leagues (2012-2021), Dublin have lost their first four this year, leaving them in real danger of relegation. Their attempt to launch a fightback against the relegation threat couldn’t be tougher as they face All-Ireland champions, Tyrone in Healy Park. Tyrone (3 pts) also have relegation concerns, having taken only three of a possible eight points in the opening four rounds. It leaves them in sixth place, ahead of Monaghan (2 points) and Dublin (0 points).
Defeat for Dublin and a win for Kildare (3 points) over Armagh (5 points) would mean that Dessie Farrell’s couldn’t avoid the drop, even if they won their last two games against Donegal and Monaghan. Dublin and Tyrone didn’t meet in last year’s League but the Ulster men won in both 2020 (Tyrone 1-10 Dublin 1-7) and 2019 (1-14 to 1-11).
Monaghan avoided relegation by winning a play-off against Galway last year but now find themselves in another survival battle after drawing two and losing two of their opening four games. They take on Donegal, whose ambitions are at the other end of the table after taking five of eight points. They drew with Monaghan in a high-scoring game (1-20 to 4-11) in last year’s League. Donegal won in 2020.
Kerry and Mayo meet in a top-of-the-table clash, with both on seven (of 8) points. Kerry (+29) have a much better scoring difference than Mayo (+9). They didn’t meet last year. Kerry won the last clash by a point in 2020. Armagh and Kildare also met in 2020, with the Ulster men winning by six points in Division 2.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 3: ONLY THREE POINTS SEPARATE TOP SEVEN
Saturday: Antrim v Longford, Corrigan Park. 2.30; Fermanagh v Louth, Brewster Park, 7.0; Limerick v Westmeath, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 7.0
Sunday: Wicklow v Laois, Aughrim, 2.0
The scramble for promotion is proving every bit as intense as was predicted pre-season, with only three points separating the top seven after four rounds. Wicklow, who are now under new management, with Alan Costello and Gary Duffy taking over from Colin Kelly, are bottom of the table on one point.
Limerick (6pts) lead the way ahead of their clash with Westmeath (4pts). They last met in the League in 2017 when Westmeath won by nine points in Division 4. Fermanagh and Louth are both on five points as they prepare for their first League clash since 2015 when Fermanagh won by nine points.
Longford (3pts) bounced back with a good win over Westmeath last weekend and now head to Belfast to take on Antrim (5pts). They last met in the League in 2017 when the game finished level. Wicklow and Laois last met in the League in 2018 when Laois won by nine points in Division 4.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 4: CAVAN PRIMED FOR QUICK EXIT FROM DIVISON FOUR
Sunday: Sligo v London, Markievicz Park, 12.0; Carlow v Leitrim, Netwatch Cullen Park , 2.0; Cavan v Tipperary, Kingspan Breffni, 2.0; Wexford v Waterford, Chadwicks Wexford Park 2.0
There was surprise when Cavan dropped into Division 4 at the end of last season and their form so far this year suggests they are very determined to make it a one-season stop in the bottom group. They have won all four games so far, taking them two points clear of London and three ahead of Tipperary, who they meet on Sunday. Cavan and Tipp last met in the League in 2018 when Cavan won by a point in Division 2.
Sligo and Leitrim are both on four points and still in the promotion mix. Sligo host London while Leitrim travel to Carlow. Sligo beat London by 5-9 to 0-11 in their last League meeting two years ago. Carlow beat Leitrim by 12 points in their last League clash in 2018. Waterford beat Wexford by a point in last year’s League.
==
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2022: RESULTS AND FIXTURES
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1
Round 1: Armagh 2-15 Dublin 1-13; Mayo 0-11 Donegal 0-11; Kildare 0-13 Kerry 1-10; Tyrone 0-9 Monaghan 0-9.
Round 2: Kerry 1-15 Dublin 0-11; Armagh 2-14 Tyrone 0-14; Donegal 2-11 Kildare 1-9; Mayo 2-10 Monaghan 1-11.
Round 3: Armagh 1-7 Monaghan 0-10; Mayo 2-11 Dublin 0-12: Kerry 1-13 Donegal 0-7; Tyrone 2-7 Kildare 0-12.
Round 4: Donegal 2-10 Tyrone 0-12; Kildare 1-12 Dublin 0-12; Mayo 0-15 Armagh 1-10; Kerry 3-14 Monaghan 1-12.
Round 5: Mar 12: Armagh v Kildare; Kerry v Mayo; Mar 13: Donegal v Monaghan; Tyrone v Dublin.
Round 6: Mar 19: Tyrone v Mayo; Mar 20: Armagh v Kerry; Kildare v Monaghan; Dublin v Donegal.
Round 7: Mar 27: Donegal v Armagh; Kerry v Tyrone; Mayo v Kildare; Monaghan v Dublin.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 3
Round 1: Laois 3-9 Louth 1-10; Westmeath 1-16 Wicklow 2-8; Limerick 4-9 Longford 1-11; Antrim 1-14 Fermanagh 0-8.
Round 2: Limerick 2-9 Antrim 0-11; Westmeath 2-11 Laois 0-11; Longford 0-9 Louth 1-6; Wicklow 1-10 Fermanagh 2-7.
Round 3: Antrim 2-10 Wicklow 1-7; Louth 1-14 Limerick 1-12; Fermanagh 3-15 Laois 3-9; Longford 0-14 Westmeath 0-10.
Round 4: Limerick 1-13 Wicklow 1-9; Laois 1-8 Antrim 1-8; Fermanagh 3-11 Longford 1-10; Louth 1-15 Westmeath 1-13.
Round 5: Mar 12: Antrim v Longford; Fermanagh v Louth; Limerick v Westmeath; Mar 13: Wicklow v Laois.
Round 6: Mar 19: Laois v Limerick; Mar 20: Longford v Wicklow; Louth v Antrim; Westmeath v Fermanagh.
Round 7: Mar 27: Antrim v Westmeath; Laois v Longford; Limerick v Fermanagh; Wicklow v Louth.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 4
Round 1: London 2-11 Carlow 1-13; Cavan 0-12 Leitrim 0-8; Sligo 0-12 Wexford 0-10; Waterford 0-10 Tipperary 0-10.
Round 2: London 1-12 Waterford 2-8; Sligo 0-28 Carlow 0-5; Cavan 0-17 Wexford 1-8; Leitrim 2-16 Tipperary 2-8.
Round 3: Carlow 2-12 Waterford 2-8; London 2-5 Leitrim 0-9; Cavan 1-13 Sligo 0-10; Tipperary 4-4 Wexford 0-15.
Round 4: Tipperary 1-13 Sligo 1-9; Wexford 0-11 London 1-6; Cavan 0-19 Carlow 1-12; Leitrim 2-17 Waterford 1-13.
Round 5: Sligo v London; Carlow v Leitrim; Cavan v Tipperary; Wexford v Waterford.
Round 6: Mar 20: London v Cavan; Waterford v Sligo; Leitrim v Wexford; Tipperary v Carlow.
Round 7: Mar 26: Tipperary v London; Mar 27: Carlow v Wexford; Cavan v Waterford; Sligo v Leitrim.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE SHORTS
* Can Dublin emulate Kerry’s achievement in 2013 when they avoided relegation despite losing their first four games to Mayo, Dublin, Kildare and Donegal? The Kingdom beat Down, Cork and Tyrone in the last three games to finish on six points, one ahead of Donegal and two ahead of Down, both of whom were relegated.
*Dublin is the only county across all four Divisions without a point so far.
Meath, Offaly, Cork, Down, Wicklow and Waterford are also awaiting their first wins but have picked up points through draws.
*Dublin have recorded the lowest number of goals (one) in Division 1 so far. The rest are as follows: Armagh 6; Kerry 6; Donegal 4; Mayo 4; Kildare 2; Monaghan 2, Tyrone 2.
*Derry have the best scoring difference total (+37 Div 2) across all four Divisions. Down (Div 2) and Carlow (Div 4) have the worst scoring difference. Both are on -24.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE TOP SCORERS
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1
Jimmy Hyland (Kildare)......2-17 (0-6 frees, 0-3 mark)
Sean O Shea (Kerry)............1-17 (0-9 frees, 0-1 s/l)
Ryan O’Donoghue (Mayo)..1-17 (0-13 frees, 0-1 mark)
Rian O’Neill (Armagh).......1-13 (0-7 frees)
Dean Rock (Dublin)............0-16 (0-15 frees)
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 3
Sam Mulroy (Louth)............1-29 (0-23 frees, 0-2 ‘45s)
Sean Quigley (Fermanagh)...4-15 (0-10 frees, 0-1 mark)
John Heslin (Westmeath).....1-22 (0-14 frees)
Josh Ryan (Limerick).............1-13 (0-9 frees, 0-2 ‘45s’)
Gary Walsh (Laois)...............2-10 (0-8 frees, 0-1 mark)
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 4
Keith Beirne (Leitrim).................0-31 (0-20 frees)
Conor Sweeney (Tipperary)........3-18 (0-15 frees, 0-1 mark).
Niall Murphy (Sligo).....................0-17 (0-7 frees)
Colm Hulton (Carlow)...................1-13 (0-5 frees)
Darragh Corcoran (Waterford).....1-13 (0-10 frees, 0-1 mark)
