DIVISIONS OF LABOUR
Plenty of work still to be done across the groups
IT’S the last round of games in the Allianz Football League this coming weekend, with promotion and/or relegation issues still outstanding in all four divisions.
Division One
IN theory, any of the top five can reach the final but it will most likely be Derry and Dublin.
Any sort of result at home to Roscommon will be enough for Derry though even a defeat is unlikely to deny them given that their scoring difference is 16 points better off than Kerry’s and they would enjoy the head-to-head advantage too if just the two of them finished level on 10 match points.
Dublin have Kerry on headto-head and scoring difference, so Kerry’s best chance of reaching the final is to beat Galway and hope that the Dubs fail to see off Tyrone, who would need a huge margin of victory and a favour from Galway to finish in the top two.
Mayo, who travel to play already relegated Monaghan, would also require Dublin and Kerry to lose while running up a big score.
At the bottom, either Roscommon or Galway will join Monaghan in Division Two. Any result would be enough for Galway though if they lose and Roscommon beat Derry, Davy Burkes’s
(above) side would stay up.
Division Two
UNBEATEN Armagh and Donegal are already assured of promotion.
Pointless Kildare are already down and will be joined by Fermanagh or Louth.
A win or draw for Louth over Kildare will keep them up though if they lose and Fermanagh beat Cavan then they will go down.
Division Three
TWO from Down, Westmeath and Clare will go up and the Banner’s trip to Newry is essentially a promotion shootout.
Westmeath go to Sligo knowing that a win will guarantee promotion but they’ll go up even with a defeat
if Clare don’t beat Down.
Limerick were relegated following last Saturday’s defeat to Wicklow, who remain in with a shout as they go to Antrim, who aren’t out of trouble yet themselves.
A win in Belfast would keep Wicklow safe as long as Offaly and Limerick don’t draw in Tullamore.
Given that their scoring difference is vastly superior to Wicklow and Antrim’s, a draw would be enough for Offaly to stay up.
Division Four
LAOIS need just a point away to bottom side Waterford to see them up to Division Three.
Then it’s two from Wexford, Longford and Leitrim, with the first two pairing off at Chadwicks Wexford Park. If Longford win they’ll be guaranteed promotion, unless Laois suffer a shock defeat, as their head-to-head with Leitrim would render anything Andy Moran’s (left) side do at home to Tipperary meaningless.
If Leitrim win and Longford don’t, they would go up, again, as long as Laois don’t fluff their lines.
Leitrim hold the head-tohead advantage over Wexford in the event of the two of them finishing level, so realistically John Hegarty’s charges need a favour from Tipperary along with taking care of business against Longford if they are to escape Division Four.