Dubs hope to get off the mark against Donegal

Croke Park’s first Allianz Football League fixture of 2015, featuring a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final when Donegal beat Dublin, tops a lengthy list of attractions in Round 2 next weekend. It throws in at 7.0 while the remaining three Division 1 games will be on Sunday.

On TV....

Saturday: Dublin v Donegal, Setanta Ireland; Meath v Kildare Setanta 1

Sunday: Mayo v Tyrone (live); Monaghan v Cork (deferred) TG4

DIVISION 1: EARLY PRESSURE ON ALL-IRELAND AND ALLIANZ LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Next Saturday: Dublin v Donegal, Croke Park, Croke Park (7.0); Sunday (2.0): Derry v Kerry, Celtic Park; Mayo v Tyrone, Castlebar; Monaghan v Cork, Castleblayney.

Last weekend’s opening round brought defeats for 2014 All-Ireland champions, Kerry, Allianz League (Division 1) winners, Dublin and runners-ups, Derry, leaving all three seeking a quick return to winning ways in Round 2. The highlight of the programme sees Dublin take on Donegal in Croke Park, a clash that will draw a very large crowd (with the Walsh Cup final, Dublin v Galway, 5pm, providing the curtain-raiser). Dublin, who lost to Cork last Sunday, are still smarting from their 3-14 to 0-17 defeat by Donegal last August and will be determined to kickstart the new season with a win. It will be the first League clash between the counties since April 2013 when they drew in Ballybofey.

Derry, six-point losers to Donegal last Saturday, host Kerry who lost to Mayo by seven points on Sunday. Derry beat Kerry (0-16 to 0-14) in Killarney last year. Tyrone beat Mayo by five points in last year’s League and badly need a repeat performance in Castlebar on Sunday after losing to Monaghan in Omagh last Saturday. Tyrone led by five points after 20 minutes but lost the remainder of the game by 1-11 to 0-2. Mayo were much sharper against Kerry recovering from an early two-point deficit to win comfortably.

Monaghan and Cork both won their opening round games, leaving them in confident mood heading for the Round 2 clash in Castleblayney on Sunday. It will be the first League clash between the counties since 2011 when Cork won by three points in Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

DIVISION 2: DOWN, GALWAY, WESTMEATH SET EARLY PACE

Saturday (7.0): Meath v Kildare, Pairc Tailteann; Laois v Cavan, Portlaoise; Down v Roscommon, Newry; Sunday (2.0): Westmeath v Galway, Mullingar.

It’s early days in a group that promises to be very competitive, but already Westmeath, Galway and Down have pulled ahead of the rest, having won their opening round games on Sunday. The Roscommon-Cavan game finished level.

Westmeath host Galway on Sunday in what will be their first League clash for two years, a game that finished level.in Tuam. Westmeath beat Laois last Sunday while Galway out-gunned Meath.

Down had a dramatic win over Kildare, snatching two late goals in Newbridge to win by four points. Down host Roscommon, who drew with Cavan in Kiltoom in a battle of the two sides promoted from Division 3. Cavan will be away again next Saturday, travelling to Portlaoise to take on Laois, who lost to Westmeath by five points last Sunday.

Having lost their opening game, Meath and Kildare will be very determined to bounce back quickly when they clash in Navan. Meath beat Kildare by 2-16 to 0-17 in last year’s Leinster semi-final.

DIVISION 3: FIRST ROUND WINNERS TAKE ON FIRST ROUND LOSERS

Sunday (2.0): Tipperary v Limerick, Thurles; Wexford v Armagh, Wexford Park; Louth v Clare, Drogheda; Sligo v Fermanagh, Markievicz Park

The four winners from last weekend’s first round take on the four losers, offering the possibility of all eight teams being level after two rounds. Alternatively, four teams could have moved four points clear of the rest.

Clare’s 14-point success over Wexford was the biggest winning margin in any division, leaving the Banner-men full of confidence as they prepare for the visit to Drogheda to take on Louth, who lost to Fermanagh by nine points. Armagh, who were fortunate to beat Tipperary by a point in the Athletic Grounds travel to Wexford. Fermanagh, who beat Sligo by six points in last year’s League, take on Niall Carew’s men in Markievicz Park while the all-Munster clash between Tipperary and Limerick in Thurles will be a fascinating encounter. Tipperary beat Limerick by six points in last year’s Munster quarter-final.

DIVISION 4: TOP TWO MEET IN TULLAMORE

Sunday (2.0): Offaly v Waterford, Tullamore; Longford v Antrim, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park; Wicklow v Leitrim, Aughrim; Carlow v London, Network Cullen Park, 1.0

With two games (Leitrim v Longford and Antrim v Carlow finishing level), Offaly and Waterford are the early leaders, which will add to the interest in their clash in Tullamore. Offaly beat London last Sunday in a game that delivered the low total of 1-11 (Offaly 0-9 London 1-2) while Waterford built on their McGrath Cup success with a four-point win over Wicklow. Longford and Antrim (both drew last Sunday) meet in Longford while Aughrim stages its first League game of the season when Wicklow host Leitrim. The Connacht men beat Wicklow by nine points in last year’s League. Carlow

2015 ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE: RESULTS AND FIXTURES

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: Next Saturday: Dublin v Donegal; Next Sunday: Mayo v Tyrone; Derry v Kerry; Monaghan v Cork.

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: Next Saturday: Meath v Kildare; Laois v Cavan; Down v Roscommon; Sunday: Westmeath v Galway

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: Next Sunday: Tipperary v Limerick; Wexford v Armagh; Sligo v Fermanagh; Louth v Clare.

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: Next Sunday: Carlow v London; Wicklow v Leitrim; Longford v Antrim; Offaly v Waterford.

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