WEEKEND PREVIEWS
TODAY ALLIANZ NFL DIVISION 1 MAYO V DUBLIN
MacHale Park, 7.30 Questions as to just how driven Mayo will be in defending their spring title were not emphatically answered last weekend, but that was primarily because of Galway’s passive approach. The All-Ireland champions may be just easing their way into the new season, but that defeat to Monaghan brings the prospect of a relegation dog-fight into sight. It may be a bit early for that kind of talk but it will feel a lot closer after this.
VERDICT: Mayo
DIVISION 2 ARMAGH V MEATH
Athletic Grounds, 6.0 Both teams underwhelmed last weekend but at least Armagh can take comfort from the conventional view that if you are winning while playing poorly, you are not in a bad place. Meanwhile, Meath will travel north after another week in which several of their players have been involved in the Sigerson Cup, making a hard task all but impossible.
VERDICT: Armagh
FERMANAGH V KILDARE Brewster Park, 6.0
Fermanagh were well worthy of a share of the spoils against Meath last weekend, but such is the heat already under Kildare that if they can’t find a way to win here, their season will be tinged with crisis even before it has begun. That might just stir them.
VERDICT: Kildare
DIVISION 3 DOWN V LIMERICK
Páirc Esler, 6.0 Limerick manager Jimmy Lee could take some comfort from how his new-look team performed against Antrim, but this is another step up which could turn ugly for the Treaty men.
VERDICT: Down
DIVISION 4 CARLOW V WATERFORD
Cullen Park, 6.0 Carlow bagged the points against Tipperary last weekend, and are likely to find much less resistance in doing the same again.
VERDICT: Carlow
WEXFORD V LAOIS Wexford Park, 6.0
Early days but this is a potentially defining game in the race for promotion. Laois may have had the more impressive result in beating Longford last weekend, but Wexford’s four-point win over London was hardearned and they will look to build on it.
VERDICT: Wexford
ALLIANZ NHL DIVISION 1 GROUP B DUBLIN V TIPPERARY Parnell Park, 2.30 (TG4)
That such a pillar of the Dublin defence, Eoghan O’Donnell, popped up in a recent teamsheet in attack is testament to his impact there during the club championship with Whitehall Colmcille. But it also hints at how Dublin need to add to their goal threat. Ronan Maher is the new Tipperary captain with Jake Morris as vice captain and both will be central to their county’s push to make a top three spot.
VERDICT: Tipperary
GALWAY V WESTMEATH Pearse Stadium, 2.0
In the Walsh Cup, Laois were competitive with Galway until Henry Shefflin’s side went goal crazy and rattled in six before the finish. That’s the kind of firepower they bring, though they suffered a comedown in the final against Wexford. VERDICT: Galway
DIVISION 3A
SLIGO V CAVAN Markievicz Park, 2.0 DIVISION 3B WARWICKSHIRE V LEITRIM Páirc na hÉireann 2.0 LANCASHIRE V LONGFORD Abbottstown 1.0
TOMORROW ALLIANZ NFL DIVISION 1 DERRY V TYRONE Celtic Park, 3.45
In the storied history of this rivalry, there has never been a day quite like this one for obvious reasons. It is likely that the one person who will be least distracted by all the fuss is Mickey Harte, below, who will see this as two more points to be bagged to ensure that Derry’s early season momentum stays on track. And the reality over the last two years is that when Derry’s mind is on the job, there is little that Tyrone can do about it.
VERDICT: Derry
ROSCOMMON V GALWAY Dr Hyde Park, 2.0
Given just how rank awful they were last weekend, it can be taken that Galway will find some kind of a response here. But in the absence of Seán Kelly and Damian Comer, Galway tend to be ordinary and rudderless. Roscommon will see this as an opportunity and will take it. VERDICT: Roscommon
MONAGHAN V KERRY Clones, 1.0
We really should be past the stage of being surprised by Monaghan, and that win over Dublin will ensure that their support base will be energised here. However, there was an urgency about Kerry in the final quarter of that defeat to Derry which suggests they will not make the journey north for the fun of it.
VERDICT: Kerry
DIVISION 2 CAVAN V DONEGAL Breffni Park, 4.0
Cavan impressed in comfortably seeing off Kildare, but such was Donegal’s obliteration of Cork that it felt more like a declaration of intent. It is too early for that kind of talk yet, but it won’t get any quieter after this.
VERDICT: Donegal
LOUTH V CORK Ardee, 1.0
There was so much to admire about Louth’s shape and resolve against Armagh, and so much concern at Cork’s lack of either against Donegal. But every game is different and Cork’s need feels much greater.
VERDICT: Cork
DIVISION 3 ANTRIM V OFFALY Corrigan Park, 2.0
Last weekend’s defeat to Westmeath was hugely damaging to Offaly’s promotion hopes and things will not get any better here as Antrim will seek to build on their winning start.
VERDICT: Antrim
WESTMEATH V CLARE
Cusack Park, 2.0 Clare’s win over a fancied Sligo team was one of the eye-catching results of the opening weekend, but Westmeath are on a different level and have their eyes already fixed on promotion.
VERDICT: Westmeath
SLIGO V WICKLOW
Markievicz Park, 1.0 Wicklow offered a lot more resistance than anticipated against Down, but should feel the brunt of Sligo’s frustrations here.
VERDICT: Sligo
DIVISION 4 LONGFORD V TIPPERARY Pearse Park, 2.0
Two teams trying to pick themselves up after opening round set-backs. The home side look better placed to do just that.
VERDICT: Longford
LEITRIM V LONDON Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, 1.0
Leitrim’s ruthless demolition of Waterford suggests that last year’s hurt is being put to good use. And while London will offer stiffer resistance, the result should be the same.
VERDICT: Leitrim
ALLIANZ NHL DIVISION 1 GROUP A OFFALY V WATERFORD O’Connor Park, 2.0
Given the record score that Tipperary chalked up against Offaly in that infamous preliminary quarter-final, expect Johnny Kelly’s men to provide much sturdier opposition against a different Munster rival. For Waterford, Ballygunner’s surprise club semi-final defeat means that it shouldn’t take as long to reintegrate star players like Dessie Hutchinson and Patrick Fitzgerald.
VERDICT: Waterford
CLARE V CORK Cusack Park, Ennis, 1.45 (TG4)
News of Tony Kelly needing ankle surgery was not what Brian Lohan needed to hear pre-Christmas but then, Clare haven’t exactly targeted the league play-offs on his watch. After all the talk of Cork’s offfield sponsorship dealings, it’s over to the hurling team to send the right message on the field.
VERDICT: Cork
KILKENNY V WEXFORD
Nowlan Park, 1.45 Darragh Egan was the first Wexford manager to turn over
Kilkenny at Nowlan Park in championship – and followed it up in Leinster last year – but still got the bullet. Keith Rossiter then knows the task ahead. Lee Chin cut a strapping figure in the Walsh Cup win but Kilkenny owe their neighbours one.
VERDICT: Kilkenny
DIVISION 1 GROUP B LIMERICK V ANTRIM
Semple Stadium, 2.0 A home from home for Limerick with the Gaelic Grounds undergoing a bit of work. The high turnover of the Antrim panel from last year makes this such a big ask.
VERDICT: Limerick
DIVISION 2A LAOIS V DOWN
O’Moore Park, 2.0 Laois will want to live up to their status as promotion favourites.
VERDICT: Laois
MEATH V KILDARE
Páirc Tailteann, 2.0 After coming so close to promotion last year, the visitors will want to hit the ground running again.
VERDICT: Kildare
KERRY V CARLOW
Austin Stack Park, 1.0 If Carlow are playing the long game again like last year, then Kerry can nab the points.
VERDICT: Kerry
DIVISION 2B
WICKLOW V DONEGAL Aughrim, 2.0 DERRY V TYRONE Celtic Park, 1.30 ROSCOMMON V LONDON Athleague, 12.30 DIVISION 3A LOUTH V MONAGHAN Dowdallshill, 2.0 MAYO V ARMAGH MacHale Park, 1.0
LIDL NFL DIVISION 1 ARMAGH V GALWAY
Athletic Grounds, 2.0 Armagh are flying high on their return to Division 1 with two wins from two, while the Orchard County are pointless on the back of two defeats and in early relegation trouble.
MAYO V DUBLIN
Ballina Stephenites, 2.0 Mayo lost out on the opening day to Meath but bounced back with a vital win against Galway last weekend. All-Ireland champions Dublin have lost their opening two matches.
WATERFORD V MEATH
Fraher Field, Dungarvan, 2.0 Meath will aim to maintain their 100 per cent start after wins over Mayo and Dublin. Waterford have come up short against Armagh and Kerry but there have been encouraging signs.
DIVISION 2
CAVAN V KILDARE Rory O’Moore Park, Belturbet 2.0 DONEGAL V WESTMEATH Letterkenny 2.0 LAOIS V TIPPERARY Crettyard 2.0 TYRONE V MONAGHAN Moortown 2.0
MONDAY LIDL NFL DIVISION 1 KERRY V CORK
Austin Stack Park, 3.0 (TG4) Kerry enjoyed a brilliant 2023 season but Cork beat them in League and Championship last year.
The Rebels can match up to Kerry on any given day and they’ll be keen to bounce back from defeat to Armagh last weekend.