Footballers hope to embellish record against Kerry

They have all played two games, followed by a three-week break, and now it’s full steam ahead in the Allianz Football League, with five rounds to be played in the four Divisions between next Saturday and April 5.

It’s a demanding schedule as the race for the various prizes gathers momentum. It also promises to be a very exciting time, featuring a total of 80 games before the final placings are decided.

Cork (Division 1), Galway (Division 2), Armagh, Fermanagh (Division 3) and Offaly (Division 4) are the only counties on full points after two games. Derry (Division 1), Kildare, Laois (Division 2), Sligo, Wexford (Division 3) and London (Division 4) are still chasing their first points.

DIVISION 1: CAN CORK MAINTAIN THEIR 100 PER CENT RECORD?

Saturday (7.0): Tyrone v Derry, Omagh; Sunday (2.0.) Kerry v Dublin, Fitzgerald Stadium; Mayo v Monaghan, Elverys MacHale Park; Donegal v Cork, Ballyshannon

Cork, the only team in Division 1 with full points after two games, travel to Ballyshannon to take on Donegal, who beat Derry and lost to Dublin. It’s the first Allianz League meeting between Donegal and Cork since 2013 (Donegal were in Division 2 last year) when Cork won by two points. Donegal beat Cork by two points in the 2012 All-Ireland semi-final.

Dublin have an excellent Allianz League record against Kerry in recent times, winning four (2014-2013-2011-2010), drawing one (2009) and losing one (2012) of their last six meetings (2009-2014). They didn’t meet in 2008 as Dublin were in Division 2. Dublin also beat Kerry in the 2011 All-Ireland final and the 2013 semi-final, having lost the 2009 quarter-final.

Mayo, who lost to Tyrone in Castlebar in the second round of the Allianz League, have home advantage again when they play Monaghan. It’s the first Allianz League clash between the counties since 2011 when Monaghan won by two points.

Derry, the only team in the group without a point so far travel to Omagh on Saturday evening to take on great rivals, Tyrone who have won one of two. The sides drew in last year’s Allianz League.

Cork lead the way at present with four points, followed by Monaghan, Dublin, Tyrone, Mayo, Kerry and Donegal, who are all on two points with Derry pointless.

DIVISION 2: KILDARE FACING EARLY PRESSURE

Saturday (7.0): Cavan v Down, Kingspan Breffni Park; Sunday (2.0): Kildare v Westmeath, Newbridge; Roscommon v Meath, Dr. Hyde Park (1.0); Galway v Laois, Tuam Stadium

Having dropped from Division1 this season, Kildare were well-fancied to be strong contenders to make an immediate return to the top flight, but have put themselves under heavy pressure by losing to Down and Meath in the opening two games. It makes their clash with Westmeath, who were also relegated at the end of last season, very important as a third defeat would all but end Kildare’s prospects of promotion. Westmeath have won one and lost one so far.

Leaders, Galway, who returned the same total (2-13) in their wins over Meath and Westmeath, host Laois, who have lost their opening two games. They have a good Allianz League record against Galway in recent times, winning last year by 1-20 to 0-8 and in 2013 by 1-15 to 0-10. Laois have so far lost to Westmeath and Cavan by five points.

Roscommon, promoted from Division 3 for this season, have made a good start, drawing with Cavan and beating Down in their opening games. They host Meath, who lost to Galway and beat Kildare. Meath and Roscommon last met in the League in 2013 when the Royals won a Division 3 clash by five points.

Cavan, who came up to Division 2 with Roscommon this season, have also started well, drawing with Roscommon and beating Laois. They host Down, who beat Kildare and lost to Roscommon.

DIVISION 3: ULSTER PAIR MAKE THE EARLY PACE

Round 3: March 1 (2.0): Limerick v Armagh, Gaelic Grounds; Louth v Wexford, Drogheda; Fermanagh v Tipperary, Brewster Park; Clare v Sligo, Ennis.

Armagh and Fermanagh, the only Ulster teams in Division 3, lead the way after winning their opening two games. Armagh will be away to Limerick, who have won one and lost one. Tipperary, who have also taken two of four points, will be away to Fermanagh.

Armagh, who dropped down from Division 2, are favourites to top the table but had an early fright against Tipperary (winning by a point) before enjoying a more comfortable success over Wexford (2-13 to 1-8).

Sligo (v Clare) and Wexford (v Louth) will be ‘away’ as they chase their first points. Their hosts have each won one of two games. Louth, who were relegated from Division 2 with Armagh, made a bad start when they lost heavily to Fermanagh but bounced back with an impressive win over Clare. The Bannermen easily beat Wexford in the first round. Sligo have lost to Limerick and Fermanagh by two points.

DIVISION 4: OFFALY FLASH OUT EARLY WARNING

Saturday (2.0): London v Longford, Ruislip; Waterford v Carlow, Fraher Field (7.0); Sunday: Wicklow v Offaly, Aughrim; Leitrim v Antrim, Carrick-on-Shannon.

Offaly were desperately disappointed to be relegated from Division 3 last year and have gone about making a quick return most impressively, winning their opening two games against London and Waterford. It leaves them a point clear at the top, followed by Carlow and Longford who have each won one and drawn one.

Offaly face a tough task on Sunday, playing Wicklow in Aughrim in what will be a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland first round qualifier. Wicklow, who have two points from their first two games, won that clash by 3-12 to 0-17 in Aughrim.

Carlow have made an excellent start to the campaign but face a testing encounter with Waterford in Dungarvan on Saturday. Waterford beat Carlow by three points in last year’s League but Carlow gained revenge in the All-Ireland qualifiers, winning a first round game by a point. Longford, who have taken three of four points, travel to Ruislip to take on London, who lost to Offaly by four points and to Carlow by two points.

Antrim and Leitrim, each of whom has taken one point so far, clash in Carrick-on-Shannon. Both are disappointed by their return, having lost by a single point in their last outings.

2015 ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE: RESULTS AND FIXTURES

DIVISON 1

Round 1: Mayo 2-11 Kerry 0-10; Cork 1-15 Dublin 0-16; Monaghan 1-13 Tyrone 0-9; Donegal 1-15 Derry 0-12.

Round 2: Dublin 2-10 Donegal 0-11; Tyrone 1-11 Mayo 1-7; Kerry 1-17 Derry 0-13; Cork 2-14 Monaghan 1-16.

Round 3: February 28: Tyrone v Derry; March 1: Kerry v Dublin; Donegal v Cork; Mayo v Monaghan.

Round 4: March 7: Dublin v Tyrone; Cork v Kerry; Derry v Mayo; Donegal v Monaghan.

Round 5: March 14: Mayo v Dublin; March 15: Kerry v Donegal; Monaghan v Derry; Tyrone v Cork.

Round 6: March 28: Dublin v Derry; Kerry v Monaghan; Donegal v Tyrone; Cork v Mayo.

Round 7: April 5: Tyrone v Kerry; Monaghan v Dublin; Derry v Cork; Mayo v Donegal.

Semi-finals: April 12

Final: April 26

DIVISION 2

Round 1: Galway 2-13 Meath 1-12; Down 3-13 Kildare 1-15; Westmeath 1-12 Laois 0-10; Roscommon 1-11 Cavan 0-14

Round 2: Meath 0-13 Kildare 0-11; Cavan 0-17 Laois 2-6; Roscommon 1-15 Down 1-11; Galway 2-13 Westmeath 2-12.

Round 3: February 28: Cavan v Down; March 1: Kildare v Westmeath; Roscommon v Meath; Galway v Laois.

Round 4: March 7: Meath v Westmeath; Cavan v Kildare; March 8: Laois v Kildare; Down v Galway.

Round 5: March 14: Meath v Laois; March 15: Galway v Cavan; Westmeath v Down; Kildare v Roscommon.

Round 6: March 28: Down v Meath; Cavan v Westmeath; Laois v Kildare; March 29: Roscommon v Galway.

Round 7: April 5: Westmeath v Roscommon; Down v Laois; Galway v Kildare; Meath v Cavan.

Final: April 26

DIVISION 3

Round 1: Fermanagh 0-16 Louth 0-7; Clare 1-16 Wexford 0-5; Armagh 2-8 Tipperary 0-13; Limerick 0-14 Sligo 1-9

Round 2: Tipperary 1-14 Limerick 1-2; Armagh 2-13 Wexford 1-8;Fermanagh 0-14 Sligo 0-12; Louth 1-16 Clare 0-13.

Round 3: March 1: Limerick v Armagh; Louth v Wexford; Fermanagh v Tipperary; Clare v Sligo.

Round 4: March 7: Tipperary v Clare; Armagh v Fermanagh; March 8: Sligo v Louth; Wexford v Limerick.

Round 5: March 15: Louth v Tipperary; Fermanagh v Limerick; Clare v Armagh; Sligo v Wexford.

Round 6: March 28: Armagh v Louth; March 29: Wexford v Fermanagh; Limerick v Clare; Tipperary v Sligo.

Round 7: April 5: Sligo v Armagh; Louth v Limerick; Clare v Fermanagh; Tipperary v Wexford

Final: April 25

DIVISION 4

Round 1: Waterford 0-14 Wicklow 0-10; Offaly 0-9 London 1-2; Leitrim 0-15 Longford 1-12; Antrim 1-12 Carlow 0-15

Round 2: Carlow 2-9 London 0-13; Wicklow 0-11 Leitrim 0-10; Longford 0-14 Antrim 0-13; Offaly 0-13 Waterford 1-4

Round 3: February 28: London v Longford; Waterford v Carlow; March 1: Wicklow v Offaly; Leitrim v Antrim.

Round 4: March 8: Offaly v Leitrim; Antrim v London; Longford v Waterford; Carlow v Wicklow

Round 5: March 15: Wicklow v Longford; Offaly v Carlow; Waterford v Antrim; March 22: Leitrim v London.

Round 6: March 29: London v Waterford; Longford v Offaly; Carlow v Leitrim; Antrim v Wicklow.

Round 7: April 5: Wicklow v London; Leitrim v Waterford; Carlow v Longford; Offaly v Antrim.

Final: April 25