Kingdom boost as Clifford is ready to return
League set for crucial match-ups and drama
KERRY ace David Clifford could make his first appearance of the season in Saturday night’s televised Allianz League Division 1 clash with Mayo. The young footballer of the year has been sidelined for a period of rehab as he recovered from shoulder surgery this spring, but last night Kerry boss Peter Keane refused to rule him out of playing some part in the weekend’s sell-out encounter in Tralee. While Keane wouldn’t confirm that the Fossa star would be in his matchday squad, he did say that Clifford was ‘not far away’ from a return to action, while stressing that a final decision would be made later this week. And in a further boost for the Division 1 table-toppers, former player of the year James O’Donoghue could also line out for Keane’s men on Saturday evening. ‘James trained last Friday night with us,’ said Keane. ‘He is close enough and will be training again this Wednesday night, so we will be in a better position than to evaluate both players,’ added the Kerry manager. However, Keane also indicated that two-time All-Star Paul Geaney and midfielder David Moran will miss the remainder of the League campaign. Geaney has undergone minor surgery for a back complaint while Moran is currently sidelined with tendonitis.
IT MAY be labelled as moving weekend but the reality is that for some, the end destination in already in sight when the Allianz Football League returns this Saturday for the penultimate round in all four divisions.
Indeed, the final two rounds in Division 4 have been made irrelevant by both Derry and Leitrim securing promotion, while Sligo have already been condemned to spending next spring in the League’s bottom tier.
Elsewhere, though, other issues could be resolved this weekend as the Allianz League end game looms into sight.
Sportsmail looks at the games this Saturday that could be potentially decisive in terms of sealing play-off places, promotion or condemning the out-ofform to relegation.
DIVISION 1 Monaghan v Cavan Clones
An Ulster derby that is deliciously straight forward.
Whoever loses will be relegated to Division 2 — barring an unlikely sequence of results that would leave Cavan, Monaghan and Roscommon all finish on four points.
That would be traumatic for the home side, who are seeking to extend their presence in the League’s top flight to a sixth successive season, while their neighbours face the indignity of going the through the relegation trapdoor for the second time inside three years.
It is likely to be tense and tight affair.
Kerry v Mayo Austin Stack Park, Tralee
Once Kerry avoid defeat, they are assured of their place in a third Allianz League final inside four years.
And anything less than a win would also end Mayo’s tenuous chances of reaching a first League final since 2012. DIVISION 2 Clare v Meath Ennis
A win here for Meath could secure their return to the top tier for the first time since 2006.
And the form book is very encouraging for the Royals, who hammered Clare by a thumping aggregate of 26 points in their previous two League meetings.
Mind you, Meath will also require Cork to get any kind of result against Donegal — a draw would suffice — to ensure they get over the promotion line with a round of games to spare. Armagh v Fermanagh Crossmaglen
Just as with Meath, Fermanagh’s destiny is not entirely in their own hands but if anything they are in a slightly stronger position than the Royals.
If they win and Cork get a result against Donegal, they will return to the League’s top tier for the first time since 2007.
But the Donegal result will be irrelevant, if they and promotion rivals Meath also win, meaning even if they lose their final round match to the Royals, they will have the jump on Donegal on their superior head-to-head result.
But having held Armagh to 0-7 in two of their last three meetings Kieran McGeeney will be looking for revenge which may explain why he has moved this fixture out of the Athletic Grounds to Crossmaglen where Fermanagh have not played before.
DIVISION 3 Longford v Sligo Pearse Park
A draw will be enough to ensure Longford’s survival provided Offaly lose to Laois. Louth v Westmeath Drogheda
Westmeath will secure promotion with a win provided Laois fail to match that result against Offaly. Offaly v Laois Tullamore John Maughan’s Offaly team will be relegated if they lose and both Longford and Carlow avoid defeats in their respective games against Sligo and Down.
Carlow v Down Dr Cullen Park
Down will secure promotion if they win and Laois fail to beat Offaly. Meanwhile, in what would be a staggering achievement given where they have come from, Carlow will secure their place in the division with a round to spare if they get any kind of result — a draw will suffice — and Offaly lose to Laois. SATURDAY’S ALLIANZ FOOTBALL
LEAGUE FIXTURES DIVISION 1: Galway v Roscommon, Pearse Stadium (3.30); Monaghan v Cavan, Clones (2.0); Dublin v Tyrone, Croke Park (7.0); Kerry v Mayo, Austin Stack Park (7.0). DIVISION 2: Clare v Meath, Cusack Park (2,0); Cork v Donegal, Páirc Ui Rinn (2.0); Kildare v Tipperary, Newbridge (2.30), Armagh v Fermanagh, Crossmaglen (3.0). DIVISION 3: Longford v Sligo, Pearse Park (2.0); Louth v Westmeath, Drogheda (2.0); Offaly v Laois, O’Connor Park (2.0); Carlow v Down, Netwatch Dr Cullen Park (3.0). DIVISION 4: London v Waterford, (12.30); Antrim v Wickow, Corrigan Park (2.0); Wexford v Limerick, Innovate Wexford Park (2.0); Derry v Leitrim, Celtic Park (4.0).