ALLIANZ NFL FINALS MATCHBOX

Div 1: Dublin v Derry

Tomorrow, Croke Pk, 4pm (TG4) AFTER sharing the title in 2021 at the height of the pandemic, Dublin are bidding for their first outright League title since 2018, while Derry seek to bridge the gap to 2008, which bookended a period in which they were the competition’s most successful team, winning five titles over 17 seasons.

It’s a fourth League meeting in little over a year, with either camp having put varying levels of emphasis on the three previous games, but this one should be the most full-blooded yet with Dublin in an ominous vein of form and Mickey Harte (inset) seeking a League title in his first season to match his achievement with Tyrone 21 years ago.

Dublin won’t have it as easy as they have of late but it’s still hard to look past them. And there’s every chance they’ll meet again in summer.

VERDICT: Dublin

3: Down v Westmeath

Croke Park, 7.15pm (TG4) THE most pivotal of the four divisional finals this weekend as the loser will be confirmed for the Tailteann Cup, unless they can win through to a provincial final.

That’s because one of Clare, Waterford or Tipperary will reach the Munster final, thereby knocking out the 16th ranked team in the final League standings.

Down have a rotten record in finals over the past three decades and haven’t lifted a League trophy of any description since winning the competition outright back in 1983. But they’ve looked the best side in Division Three all year and remain one of only three unbeaten teams across the country.

Westmeath have been much less convincing and flattered to deceive on their way to promotion.

VERDICT: Down

2: Donegal v Armagh

Tomorrow, Croke Pk, 1.45pm (TG4) WHILE there are varying levels of importance attached to the various finals for the teams involved this weekend, this is the one with least at stake with both sides having already achieved promotion and the

Ulster Championship on the horizon.

That’s particularly true of Donegal, who have a titanic clash with Derry in three weeks, with Armagh facing a softer introduction to provincial fare against Fermanagh, albeit just a fortnight away.

This game is decent preparation for those upcoming games and a notch or two above a challenge game.

Jim Mcguinness was involved in two Division Two finals in his first stint and certainly didn’t empty the tank in them, so Armagh may be the more likely to prevail on that basis.

VERDICT: Armagh

4: Laois v Leitrim Croke Park, 5pm (TG4)

LEITRIM scored a hugely dramatic win over Laois in Portlaoise two weeks ago which turned their Division Four campaign around and paved the way to promotion as they kicked six of the last seven points and saw a last gasp free from the home side come back off the post.

It was the only loss Laois suffered en route to a reasonably straightforward run back to Division Three, from which they were relegated two years ago.

Given that their outings at Croke Park are so infrequent and they’ve never won a game there, there is no doubt that this is a game that will mean more to Leitrim and manager Andy Moran (inset) but Laois will be complacency-free after their last meeting and shouldn’t be caught again.

VERDICT: Laois