Relegation for Kerry possible though highly unlikely but League final is very achievable

DIVISION 1 FINAL ROUND PERMUTATIONS Monaghan v Dublin, Clones Mayo v Donegal, Elverys MacHale Park Kerry v Tyrone, Fitzgerald Stadium Roscommon v Cavan, Dr. Hyde Park

THERE are no Division 1 semi-finals this year, so the top two teams after Sunday’s final round of matches will qualify directly for the Allianz Football League Final.

It’s worth remembering that if two teams finish level on the same points then their head to head record separates them. Whereas if three teams or more finish level on points then they’re separated by scoring difference.

Dublin and Donegal currently occupy the top two positions, but Monaghan, Tyrone, Kerry, and Mayo all still have a mathematical chance of making the Final.

The Dublin-Monaghan game is probably the most decisive game of the weekend. A win for either team will guarantee a League Final berth, while a draw will also be enough for Dublin.

Donegal can also be certain of a place in the final if they defeat Mayo.

Mayo’s situation sums up just how finely poised the Division is going into the last round. They’re in danger of being relegated, but were they to beat Donegal, Kerry to beat Tyrone, and Dublin to beat Monaghan, they could still qualify for the Final.

Such a sequence of results would leave Donegal, Monaghan, Kerry, and Mayo level on eight points each, after which they would be separated by scoring difference.

In terms of relegation, Roscommon are already condemned to Division Two. Cavan currently sit second from bottom, but were they to beat Roscommon in their final game they’d give themselves a fighting chance of avoiding the drop. That would leave them on six points, so were Mayo to lose to Donegal then Cavan would leapfrog them in the table because of the head to head rule, and Mayo would be relegated.

Were Cavan to beat Roscommon, Mayo to lose to Donegal, and Kerry to lose to Tyrone, then Cavan, Mayo, and Kerry would all finish on six points and scoring difference would determine which side of the three would be relegated.

Unless they shoot the lights out against Roscommon, that would probably be Cavan, as their scoring difference is currently -20, whereas Mayo’s is -5 and Kerry’s is +6.