Monaghan up next for senior footballers

It’s straight into the next round of the Allianz Football League on Saturday and Sunday, completing three hectic weekends in which 48 games will have been played. There’s then a break before the campaign resumes on February 22/23.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1: FAVOURITES ALL MAKE IMPRESSIVE START TO 2020 CAMPAIGN

Saturday: Dublin v Monaghan, Croke Park, 7.0 (Curtain-raiser is Dublin v Cork, Ladies NFL, 5.0)

Sunday (2.0): Meath v Mayo, Páirc Tailteann; Donegal v Galway, Letterkenny; Tyrone v Kerry, Omagh.

Dublin, Kerry and Donegal started the season as top three favourites for major titles and all three have lived up to the billing in the early rounds of the Football League Division 1. They lead the way on three points each after two rounds in Division 1 and are the only unbeaten teams in the group.

Round 3 sees Dublin host Monaghan, who beat the All-Ireland champions by 2-13 to 1-13 in the opening round of last year’s League in Clones. Monaghan bounced back after a defeat by Galway last Sunday week to beat Tyrone on Sunday and are now primed for the big test against Dublin in Croke Park.

Dublin v Monaghan match tickets can be bought online here Dublin v Monaghan match tickets 

It’s Tyrone v Kerry in Omagh, with the Kingdom in high spirits after beating Galway and drawing with Dublin. They beat Tyrone twice last year, winning the Allianz League tie by 0-11 to 0-7 and the All-Ireland semi-final by 1-18 to 0-18. Kerry’s win over Galway last Saturday left Kerry’s Allianz League record at seven wins, one draw and two defeats since Peter Keane took over as manager at the start of last season.

Donegal host Galway on Sunday in what will be the first Allianz League meeting between the counties since 2018 when the Tribesmen won by 1-12 to 0-14 in Letterkenny.

The clash between Meath and Mayo will be the first between them in the Allianz League for 17 years. However, they did meet in last year’s championship when Mayo won a ‘Super 8’ contest by 2-17 to 0-14 in Croke Park. Mayo (one point) and Meath (0 point) currently fill the relegation places.

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 2: LAOIS ON IMPRESSIVE SURGE

Saturday: Armagh v Kildare, Athletic Grounds, 7.0

Sunday (2.0): Roscommon v Clare, Dr Hyde Park; Westmeath v Fermanagh, TEG Cusack Park; Laois v Cavan, MW Hire O’Moore Park.

Can Laois go from Division 4 to Division 1 in successive seasons? Promoted from Division 4 at the end of 2018, they emerged from Division 3 at the end of last season and now lead the way in Division 2 after a draw and a win.

Their next assignment is against Cavan, who bounced back to winning ways against Westmeath last weekend. Cavan and Laois last met in the Allianz League in 2016 when the Breffni men won by 1-17 to 0-15 in Division 2.

No fewer than six counties, Armagh, Kildare, Clare, Westmeath, Fermanagh and Cavan are on two points, with Roscommon bottom of the table on one point. The Connacht champions host Clare, whom they beat by 2-19 to 2-12 in Division 2 two years ago, on Sunday.

Former Kildare manager, Kieran McGeeney welcomes the Lilywhites to the Athletic Grounds on Saturday night to take on his Armagh team, who have won one and lost one in this campaign. It will be the first clash between the counties since the 2017 championship when Armagh won a qualifier tie by three points.

Westmeath and Fermanagh last met in the Allianz League in 2018 when the Leinster men won by two points in Division 3.

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 3: CORK LIVING UP TO FAVOURITES’ TAG

Sunday: Derry v Tipperary, Owenbeg, 1.0; Longford v Leitrim, Glennon Brothers, Pearse Park, 2.0; Louth v Offaly, Drogheda,2,0; Cork v Down, Páirc Uí Chaoimh,2.0

Having dropped out of Division 2 rather unexpectedly last year, Cork were well-fancied for a quick return and have made an impressive start, winning their first two games by a total of 16 points.

Next up is a clash with Down in what will be repeat of the 2010 All-Ireland final. Both are in much more modest surrounds nowadays, but with both targeting promotion, it promises to be an exciting contest. They last met in the Allianz League two years ago when Cork won a Division 2 tie by six points.

Longford (3 points) host Leitrim (1 point) in what will be the first League clash between the counties since 2015 when they drew in Division 4.

Tipperary take on Derry in what will be the first meeting between them since the 2016 championship when Tipp won a qualifier tie by a point. Louth beat Offaly by two points in last year’s Division 3 campaign.

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 4: SLIGO AIMING FOR QUICK RETURN TO DIVISON 3

Saturday: Waterford v Wexford, Dungarvan, 7.0

Sunday (2.0): Carlow v Limerick, Netwatch Cullen Park; Wicklow v Sligo, Aughrim; London v Antrim, McGovern Park Ruislip.

Sligo have put the misery of last year, when they failed to win any game, behind them and lead Division 4 on scoring difference from Limerick after two wins.

Paul Taylor’s men make the long trip to Aughrim on Sunday to take on Wicklow, who have won one and lost one. It will be the first Allianz League clash between the counties since 2013 when Sligo won by four points.

Limerick have started impressively, beating Waterford and London, but face a tough assignment away to Carlow on Sunday. Carlow beat Limerick by three points in the 2018 Allianz League. Antrim beat London by five points last year while Waterford beat Wexford by seven points.

2020 ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE: RESULTS & FIXTURES

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1

Round 1: Dublin 1-10 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 Galway 0-8; Kerry 1-15 Galway 2-11 Monaghan 1-12 Tyrone 0-11; Donegal 3-8 Meath 0-7.
Round 3: Feb 8: Dublin v Monaghan; Feb 9: Meath v Mayo; Donegal v Galway; Tyrone v Kerry.
Round 4: Feb 22: Dublin v Donegal; Feb 23: Kerry v Meath; Galway v Tyrone; Monaghan v Mayo.
Round 5: Feb 29: Mayo v Kerry; Tyrone v Dublin; Mar 1: Meath v Galway; Donegal v Monaghan.
Round 6: Mar 14: Donegal v Tyrone; Mar 15: Galway v Mayo; Dublin v Meath; Monaghan v Kerry.
Round 7: Mar 22: Kerry v Donegal; Galway v Dublin; Mayo v Tyrone; Monaghan v Meath.
Mar 29: Final 1 v 2

FOOTBALL LEAGUE 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: Feb 8: Armagh v Kildare; Feb 9; Roscommon v Clare; Westmeath v Fermanagh; Laois v Cavan.
Round 4: Feb 22: Fermanagh v Cavan; Feb 23: Clare v Laois; Westmeath v Armagh; Kildare v Roscommon.
Round 5: Feb 29: Laois v Kildare; Mar 1: Fermanagh v Armagh; Roscommon v Westmeath; Cavan v Clare.
Round 6: Mar 14: Armagh v Roscommon; Mar 15: Clare v Fermanagh; Westmeath v Laois; Kildare v Cavan.
Round 7: Mar 22: Cavan v Roscommon; Clare v Armagh; Kildare v Westmeath; Fermanagh v Laois.
Mar 29: Final: 1 v 2

FOOTBALL LEAGUE 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: Feb 9: Derry v Tipperary; Longford v Leitrim; Louth v Offaly; Cork v Down.
Round 4: Feb 22: Down v Longford; Tipperary v Cork; Feb 23: Derry v Louth; Leitrim v Offaly.
Round 5: Mar 1: Louth v Leitrim; Cork v Derry; Longford v Tipperary; Offaly v Down.
Round 6: Mar 15: Down v Leitrim; Cork v Louth; Derry v Longford; Tipperary v Offaly.
Round 7: Mar 22: Longford v Cork; Louth v Down; Leitrim v Tipperary; Offaly v Derry.
Mar 28: Final: 1 v 2

FOOTBALL LEAGUE 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 1-16; Limerick 0-8 Leitrim 0-7 London; Wicklow 2-11 Waterford 1-6; Sligo 0-15 Antrim 0-14.
Round 3: Feb 8: Waterford v Wexford; Feb 9: Carlow v Limerick; Wicklow v Sligo; London v Antrim.
Round 4: Feb 22: Sligo v Waterford; Feb 23: Wexford v London; Limerick v Wicklow; Antrim v Carlow.
Round 5: Feb 29: London v Wicklow; Wexford v Sligo; Waterford v Carlow; Mar 1: Antrim v Limerick.
Round 6: Mar 14: Waterford v London; Carlow v Sligo; Mar 15: Wicklow v Antrim; Limerick v Wexford.
Round 7: Mar 22: Antrim v Waterford; Wexford v Wicklow; London v Carlow; Sligo v Limerick.
Mar 28: Final: 1 v 2