Dublin face Galway in concluding league clash

Tue, 20th October 2020

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1: KERRY’S 21^st TITLE OR WILL THEY BE CAUGHT BY DUBLIN, GALWAY OR DONEGAL?

The challenge is clear for Kerry – beat Donegal in Austin Stack Park on Saturday and the Allianz League Division 1 title is theirs for a 21^sttime. The other three games are on Sunday and will only impact on the destination of the title if Kerry lose or draw on Saturday. There is lots to play for at the other end of the table and in the other three divisions too, with promotion and relegation places to be decided.

FOUR IN WITH A CHANCE TO LAND TITLE

Saturday (2.0): Kerry v Donegal, Tralee; Sunday (2.0): Galway v Dublin, Pearse Stadium; Mayo v Tyrone, Castlebar; Monaghan v Meath, Clones.

Kerry (9pts) know that a win over Donegal (7pts) will secure the title but defeat would open the door for Dublin and Galway (both on 8pts), who meet in Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

If Kerry lose, the winners of Dublin v Galway would take the title. It would be a four-way tie at the top if Donegal beat Kerry and Dublin and Galway drew, in which case scoring difference would decide the title.

Kerry and Donegal did not meet in last year’s Allianz League but did clash in the ‘Super 8s’, with the game ending level. Dublin beat Galway by 11 points in last year’s league.

In early February 2019 the Dubs put in an impressive second half showing to see off the Tribesmen 1-15 to 0-7 in Round 2 at Croke Park.

The Dubs led by the minimum, 0-6 to 0-5, at the break before they took control to cruise to their 11-point victory in front of an attendance of 14,502.

Dublin ‘blooded’ some relatively new faces with Liam Flatman, Seán Bugler, Darren Gavin, and Ryan Basquel all making their NFL debuts and all did well.

Cormac Costello led the way up front for Dublin, kicking five points from play as well as converting one mark in a highly dynamic showing.

The Whitehall Colmcille man was particularly active during Dublin’s scoring surge at the start of the second half while Dean Rock finished as top-scorer with 1-5 (0-2f).

At the other end of the table, Meath, who have lost all six games, are already doomed to relegation and will be joined by Mayo (5pts), Monaghan (5pts) or Tyrone (6pts).

Mayo and Tyrone meet in Castlebar while Monaghan host Meath in Clones.

Mayo beat Tyrone by six points in last year’s Allianz League. Monaghan and Meath last met in the League (Div 2) in 2014 when the Ulster men won by 12 points.

ALLIANZ LEAGUE DIVISION 2: ONLY FOUR POINTS SEPARATE TOP SEVEN

Saturday (2.0): Kildare v Westmeath, Newbridge; Cavan v Roscommon, Kingspan Breffni Park; Clare v Armagh, Ennis; Fermanagh v Laois, Enniskillen.

It always looked like being a fiercely-contested campaign and it has lived up to expectations. Roscommon (9ts) lead the way, followed by Armagh and Westmeath (7pts), Kildare, Cavan, Clare (6pts), Laois (5pts) and Fermanagh (2pts).

Fermanagh are already headed for Division 3 while several others are also in danger of making the drop. Laois are in most serious trouble, although they will fancy themselves against Fermanagh, who have won only one of six games.

Roscommon are very well-placed to take one of the promotion slots. A draw against Cavan would be enough to ensure a return to Division 1, but even if they lose, they are in with a great chance of taking one of the promotion places. Armagh and Westmeath are also in strong contention ahead of ‘away’ tests against Clare and Kildare respectively.

ALLIANZ LEAGUE DIVISION 3: DOWN WELL-PLACED TO JOIN CORK IN PROMOTION PLACES

Sunday (2.0): Longford v Cork, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park; Louth v Down, Drogheda; Leitrim v Tipperary, Carrick-on-Shannon; Offaly v Derry, Tullamore.

Cork are guaranteed to return to Division 2 after winning all six games, with Down (9pts) well-placed to take second place. Down play Louth, who are already doomed to relegation. Derry and Longford (7pts each) are still in promotion contention too, albeit with lower prospects than Down.

At the bottom end, Leitrim (3pts) need to beat Tipperary (5pts) to have a chance of survival. Offaly are also on five points.

ALLIANZ LEAGUE DIVISION 4: WICKLOW, WEXFORD, LIMERICK, ANTRIM CHASE TWO PRIZE PLACES

Saturday (2.0): Antrim v Waterford, Portglenone; Sligo v Limerick, Markievicz Park; Wexford v Wicklow, Chadwicks Wexford Park.

Wicklow, Wexford and Limerick are all on eight points heading into the final round. It makes the Wexford v Wicklow and Sligo v Limerick games crucial in what has been a very tight campaign.

The winners of Wexford v Wicklow will be promoted as will Limerick if they beat Sligo. Antrim (7pts) are also in contention. They will be promoted if Wexford v Wicklow doesn’t finish level and Sligo beat Limerick.

2020 ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE: RESULTS & FIXTURES

DIVISION 1
Round 1: Dublin 1-19 Kerry 1-19; Donegal 0-19 Mayo 2-13; Galway 1-14 Monaghan 0-16; Tyrone 1-14 Meath 1-9.
Round 2: Dublin 1-11 Mayo 0-8; Kerry 1-15 Galway 2-11 Monaghan 1-12 Tyrone 0-11; Donegal 3-8 Meath 0-7.
Round 3: Dublin 1-15 Monaghan 1-15; Mayo 1-9 Meath 2-5; Galway 2-8 Donegal 2-7; Tyrone 0-14 Kerry 0-13.
Round 4: Dublin 1-15 Donegal 1-14; Kerry 1-19 Meath 2-13; Galway 2-25 Tyrone 0-12; Monaghan 2-16 Mayo 0-13.
Round 5: Kerry 1-14 Mayo 1-13; Tyrone 1-10 Dublin 1-7; Galway 1-14 Meath 1-12; Donegal 2-12 Monaghan 0-8.
Round 6: Dublin 1-20 Meath 0-19; Kerry 0-17 Monaghan 0-14 Donegal 2-17 Tyrone 2-13; Mayo 3-23 Galway 0-17.
Round 7: October 24: Kerry v Donegal; October 25: Galway v Dublin; Mayo v Tyrone; Monaghan v Meath.

DIVISION 2
Round 1: Armagh 2-18 Cavan 1-8; Westmeath 2-9 Clare 1-11; Roscommon 2-14 Laois 2-14; Kildare 2-12 Fermanagh 0-14.
Round 2: Cavan 1-17 Westmeath 1-13; Laois 0-16 Armagh 0-10; Clare 0-11 Kildare 0-10; Fermanagh 0-13 Roscommon 0-12.
Round 3: Armagh 0-16 Kildare 0-10; Roscommon 1-8 Clare 0-4; Westmeath 0-10 Fermanagh 0-8; Cavan 3-10 Laois 1-6.
Round 4: Cavan 2-11 Fermanagh 1-11; Laois 1-12 Clare 1-11; Westmeath 3-12 Armagh 2-15; Roscommon 2-11 Kildare 0-13.
Round 5: Kildare 0-15 Laois 0-10; Roscommon 1-16 Westmeath 0-12; Clare 1-14 Cavan 0-15; Armagh 3-14 Fermanagh 0-10.

Round 6: Roscommon 3-10 Armagh 0-15; Westmeath 1-18 Laois 0-13; Clare 1-11 Fermanagh1-9 ; Kildare 1-21 Cavan 0-20.
Round 7: October 24: Cavan v Roscommon; Clare v Armagh; Kildare v Westmeath; Fermanagh v Laois.

DIVISION 3
Round 1: Cork 0-20 Offaly 0-13; Derry 2-11 Leitrim 1-14; Tipperary 0-10 Down 0-10; Longford 0-16 Louth 1-10.
Round 2: Down 0-14 Derry 0-12: Tipperary 0-11 Louth 1-7; Cork 1-15 Leitrim 0-9; Offaly 0-10 Longford 0-10.
Round 3: Derry 0-10 Tipperary 0-6; Longford 2-14 Leitrim 1-9; Offaly 2-13 Louth 1-10; Cork 0-16 Down 1-8.
Round 4: Down 2-13 Longford 1-14; Cork 3-13 Tipperary 0-21: Derry 2-10 Louth 1-9; Offaly 2-16 Leitrim 0-14.
Round 5: Leitrim 3-14 Louth 1-12; Cork 3-13 Derry 3-11; Longford 3-12 Tipperary 3-7; Down 0-17 Offaly 0-9.
Round 6: Down w/o Leitrim; Cork 5-19 Louth 0-16; Derry 2-14 Longford 0-12; Tipperary 1-16 Offaly 0-16.
Round 7: October 25: Longford v Cork; Louth v Down; Offaly v Derry; Leitrim v Tipperary.

DIVISION 4
Round 1: Carlow 0-11 Wicklow 0-9; Limerick 1-10 Waterford 0-10; Antrim 3-10 Wexford 0-13; Sligo 5-9 London 0-11.
Round 2: Wexford 2-10 Carlow 1-6; Limerick 0-8 London 0-7; Wicklow 2-11 Waterford 1-6; Sligo 0-15 Antrim 0-14.
Round 3: Wexford 2-3 Waterford 0-8; Limerick 1-7 Carlow 0-9; Wicklow 1-15 Sligo 1-10; Antrim 0-14 London 0-10.
Round 4: Waterford 2-12 Sligo 0-16: Wexford 4-14 London1-9; Limerick 5-10 Wicklow 1-14; Antrim 0-11 Carlow 1-8.
Round 5: Wicklow 5-9 London 2-10; Sligo 2-7 Wexford 1-9; Waterford 2-14 Carlow 2-14; Antrim 2-21 Limerick 1-12.
Round 6: Carlow 2-17 Sligo 2-15; Wicklow 7-11 Antrim 0-7; Wexford 1-13 Limerick 1-10.
Round 7: October 24: Antrim v Waterford; Wexford v Wicklow; Sligo v Limerick.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE ROLL OF HONOUR

20 – Kerry (1928-29-31-32-59-61-63-69-71-72-73-74-77-82-84-97-2004-2006-2009-2017)

13 – Dublin (1953-55-58-76-78-87-91-93-2013-2014-2015-2016-2018)

12 – Mayo (1934-35-36-37-38-39-41-49-54-70-2001-2019)

7 – Meath (1933-46-51-75-88-90-94)

8 – Cork (1952-56-80-89-99-2010-2011-2012)

6 – Derry (1947-92-95-96-2000-2008)

4 – Down (1960-62-68-83)

4 – Galway (1940-57-65-81)

3 – New York (1950-64-67)

2 – Laois (1927-86)

2 – Tyrone (2002-2003)