Path to glory or trap door just up ahead
THIS may be the penultimate weekend of the Allianz Football League but it’s likely to be a definitive one for several counties. Sportsmail looks at the main issues that could be resolved when the final whistle blows on round six on Sunday.
DIVISION 1
Dublin to confirm their final place: The All-Ireland champion’s visit to Salthill has all the appearance of a dress rehearsal for the final but they still have some work to do.
The irony is, Dublin sit at the top of the League. They have a superior scoring difference compared to the Tribesmen, who have already booked their final ticket, but it would take Dublin to lose their final two games and Monaghan to win their last two (they play each other in the final round) to change matters.
Any kind of result against Galway on Sunday will see Dublin through to the final for the sixth year in a row, while they will still go through even if they lose and Monaghan fail to beat Donegal in Clones. Kildare relegated: This could not be simpler; if the Lilywhites fail to beat Kerry in Tralee on Saturday night, they will be relegated back to Division 2.
And if that happens it will hardly qualify as a new experience for the Leinster county, who are facing demotion from the top tier for the third time since the League was structured into four divisions of eight teams in 2008.
Their relegation would also be another dent to the status of the Leinster championship as it would be the sixth time that a team from the province were relegated within a season of winning promotion. Donegal relegated: This is a longer shot and would require Declan Bonner’s team to lose to a Monaghan team who have little to play for, while it would also require Mayo and Kerry not losing to Tyrone and Kildare respectively.
DIVISION 2
Cavan promoted: This could hardly be more straightforward; if they win in Roscommon on Sunday they will return to Division 1.
It will be quite the achievement if they manage to pull it off as they will only become the third team — Donegal (2014) and Tyrone (2016 ) the others — to bounce straight back into the top tier having been relegated the previous season. Louth relegated: It will not take much to get this done; anything less than a win against Meath and they are gone. And even if they do win, they will need Cork to beat Clare to keep their slim survival hopes alive. Meath relegated: Less likely, but if they were to lose to Louth and both Clare and Down earn respective wins over Cork and Tipperary, they would suffer the indignity of playing third tier football next year.
DIVISION 3
Armagh promoted: Simples. Any result against Fermanagh at Brewster Park and Kieran McGeeney, for the second time in three seasons, will have led the Orchard men back to Division 2. Westmeath promoted: Also relatively straightforward but perhaps not quite so easy. If they can beat Longford on the road, coupled with an Armagh win over Fermanagh, they will have secured back-to-back promotions. Wexford relegated: If they lose to Derry at Celtic Park, the Model County will mark the 10th anniversary of their run to the 2008 All-Ireland semi-final by returning to the game’s lowest tier. Offaly relegated: If they lose at home to Sligo, and Derry, who have the edge in the head-to-head result, beat Wexford, they will fall through the trap door.
DIVISION 4
Carlow promoted: History beckons for the Leinster minnows who have been permanent members of the lowest division, but to seize the moment they have to take out promotion rivals Antrim on the road.