Senior footballers face familiar opponents in Tyrone

They were watched by huge crowds in Croke Park last August so it’s easy to understand why the Mayo v Kerry and Tyrone v Dublin Division 1 clashes are the stand-out games in Round 2 of the Allianz Football League next weekend.

The repeats of the 2017 All-Ireland semi-finals will be played on Saturday night, with Mayo hosting Kerry in Castlebar and Tyrone welcoming Dublin to Omagh. Kerry, Mayo and Dublin all won their first round games while Tyrone lost to Galway.

All venues and times are subject to confirmation.

DIVISION 1: THREE REPEATS OF 2017 CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

Saturday (7.0): Mayo v Kerry, Elverys MacHale Park; Tyrone v Dublin, Omagh

Sunday: Kildare v Monaghan, Newbridge, 2.0; Donegal v Galway, Letterkenny, 2.30

It took a replay to separate Mayo and Kerry in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, with the eventual victors winning by 2-16 to 0-17 after a 2-14 each draw. Mayo also won the 2017 Allianz Football League clash, beating Kerry (0-15 to 1-10) in Tralee after trailing by four points at half-time. Kerry beat Mayo by five points in their last Allianz Football League visit to Castlebar in 2016. Kerry were the highest scorers in Division 1 last weekend, returning 2-18 against Donegal when winning by a point, while Mayo also won by a point against Monaghan (0-13 to 0-12).

Dublin were easy winners over Tyrone in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final (2-17 to 0-11) while last year’s Allianz Football League clash ended in a draw (Dublin 0-10 Tyrone 1-7) in Croke Park. They also drew in 2015.

Donegal v Galway is also a repeat from last year’s championship when the Tribesmen won a Round 4 qualifier by 4-17 to 0-14. The last Allianz Football League clash between the counties was in 2014 when Donegal won by 1-16 to 0-12 in Division 2.

Having lost to Dublin and Mayo respectively last weekend, Kildare and Monaghan face a big test in their clash on Sunday, with the losers slipping into the relegation zone. This will be the first Allianz Football League meeting between the counties since 2012 (Division 2) when Monaghan won by five points in Clones.

DIVISION 2: TIPPERARY AND DOWN ONLY FIRST ROUND WINNERS

Saturday (7.0): Cavan v Louth, Kingspan Breffni

Sunday: Down v Cork, Newry, 1.30; Meath v Clare, Pairc Tailteann, 2.0; Tipperary v Roscommon, Semple Stadium 2.0

Tipperary, who were promoted from Division 3 at the end of last season, and Down, have made the first move in the promotion race by winning their opening games last weekend. Meath and Roscommon drew, as did Clare and Cavan, while Louth and Cork lost.

It makes Round 2 especially important for the latter two, in particular, as another defeat would greatly reduce their prospects of remaining in contention for promotion.

Cork travel to Newry to take on Down, a pairing that produced a draw in Round 7 last year. Down scored three late points to secure a draw and the precious point which saved them from relegation to Division 3.

Tipperary hit Cork for 3-16, the highest score in the top two divisions, last weekend, which will boost their confidence for the visit of Roscommon to Thurles. They last met in the Allianz Football League in 2012 when Roscommon won by three points.

Meath and Clare met in Round 7 of last year’s Division 2 campaign when the Royals won by 3-19 to 1-12, a result that left them in third place on the table while Clare finished fifth.

It’s Cavan v Louth on Saturday night, with the hosts looking for what would be only their second Allianz Football League win in ten games. After clinching promotion from Division 2 in 2016, they lost the final to Tyrone. They won one of seven games in Division 1 last year and drew with Clare last Saturday.

DIVISION 3: ARMAGH AND WESTMEATH MEET FOR SECOND TIME IN SEVEN MONTHS

Sunday (2.0 unless stated): Fermanagh v Offaly, Brewster Park; Longford v Derry, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park; Sligo v Wexford, Markievicz Park; Westmeath v Armagh, TEG Cusack Park (2.30)

Longford, who hit the highest score (3-18) across all four divisions when beating Offaly on Sunday, will be aiming to build on that when they host Derry on Sunday. The Ulster men, who dropped out of Division 2 last April, lost to Westmeath in the first round. The last Derry-Longford Allianz Football League clash was in Division 2 in 2013 when Derry won by nine points.

After losing to Longford by 11 points, Offaly will be on a retrieval mission when they play Fermanagh, who beat Wexford last Sunday. The same applies to Sligo, who were well beaten by Armagh, when they host Wexford. Westmeath and Armagh – both of whom won last Sunday – meet in Mullingar for what will be their second competitive clash in seven months. Armagh won an All-Ireland qualifier clash by five points in Mullingar last July.

DIVISION 4: ANTRIM MAKE EARLY PROGRESS TOWARDS QUICK RETURN TO DIVISION 3

Sunday (2.0 unless stated): London v Wicklow, McGovern Park, Ruislip (1.0); Leitrim v Laois, Carrick-on-Shannon; Limerick v Carlow, Gaelic Grounds; Waterford v Antrim, WIT Campus.

Antrim, who beat Leitrim by ten points, Laois, nine-point winners over Limerick and Carlow, five-point winners away to London, all made impressive starts in their promotion bids last weekend while Wicklow and Waterford drew. Antrim, who dropped down from Division 3 this year, face the long trek to Waterford next Sunday, having last played the Munster men in the Allianz Football League in 2016 when they won by 13 points in Belfast.

Carlow beat Limerick by three points last year while Wicklow beat London by seven points. Leitrim and Laois meet in the Allianz Football League for the first time in many years.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2018: RESULTS AND FIXTURES

DIVISION 1

Round 1: Dublin 2-17 Kildare 2-10; Galway 1-9 Tyrone 0-8; Kerry 2-18 Donegal 3-14; Mayo 0-13 Monaghan 0-12.

Round 2: Feb 3: Mayo v Kerry; Tyrone v Dublin; Feb 4: Kildare v Monaghan; Donegal v Galway.

Round 3: Feb 10: Dublin v Donegal; Feb 11: Galway v Mayo; Kildare v Tyrone; Monaghan v Kerry.

Round 4: Feb 24: Mayo v Dublin; Monaghan v Tyrone; Feb 25: Donegal v Kildare; Kerry v Galway.

Round 5: Mar 3: Dublin v Kerry; Tyrone v Donegal; Mar 4: Galway v Monaghan; Kildare v Mayo.

Round 6: Mar 17: Kerry v Kildare; Mar 18: Galway v Dublin; Mayo v Tyrone; Monaghan v Donegal.

Round 7: Mar 25: Donegal v Mayo; Dublin v Monaghan; Kildare v Galway; Tyrone v Kerry.

Final: Apr 1

DIVISION 2

Round 1: Clare 1-12 Cavan 2-9; Tipperary 3-16 Cork 1-16; Down 1-14 Louth 0-11; Roscommon 2-12 Meath 2-12.

Round 2: Feb 3: Cavan v Louth; Feb 4: Down v Cork; Meath v Clare; Tipperary v Roscommon.

Round 3: Feb 10: Cavan v Meath; Feb 11: Clare v Tipperary; Cork v Louth; Roscommon v Down.

Round 4: Feb 24: Tipperary v Meath; Feb 25: Cork v Cavan; Down v Clare; Louth v Roscommon.

Round 5: Mar 3: Cavan v Down; Mar 4: Clare v Roscommon; Meath v Cork; Tipperary v Louth.

Round 6: Mar 17: Cork v Clare; Mar 18: Down v Tipperary; Louth v Meath; Roscommon v Cavan.

Round 7: Mar 25: Cavan v Tipperary; Clare v Louth; Meath v Down; Roscommon v Cork.

Final: Apr 1

DIVISION 3

Round 1: Armagh 2-17 Sligo 0-9; Westmeath 2-17 Derry 2-14; Fermanagh 3-7 Wexford 2-5; Longford 3-18 Offaly 1-13.

Round 2: Feb 4: Fermanagh v Offaly; Longford v Derry; Sligo v Wexford; Westmeath v Armagh.

Round 3: Feb 11: Armagh v Longford; Derry v Offaly; Sligo v Fermanagh; Wexford v Westmeath.

Round 4: Feb 24: Fermanagh v Derry; Feb 25: Longford v Wexford; Offaly v Armagh; Westmeath v Sligo.

Round 5: Mar 3: Armagh v Derry; Mar 4: Sligo v Longford; Westmeath v Fermanagh; Wexford v Offaly.

Round 6: Mar 11: Derry v Wexford; Mar 18: Fermanagh v Armagh: Longford v Westmeath; Offaly v Sligo.

Round 7: Mar 25: Longford v Fermanagh; Sligo v Derry; Westmeath v Offaly; Wexford v Armagh.

Final: Mar 31

DIVISION 4

Round 1: Carlow 2-14 London 2-9; Laois 2-12 Limerick 0-9; Antrim 0-15 Leitrim 0-5; Wicklow 0-12 Waterford 0-12.

Round 2: Feb 4: Leitrim v Laois; Limerick v Carlow; London v Wicklow; Waterford v Antrim.

Round 3: Feb 10: Laois v Waterford; Carlow v Leitrim; Feb 11: Antrim v Wicklow; London v Limerick.

Round 4: Feb 24: Waterford v Carlow; Feb 25: Leitrim v Limerick; Wicklow v Laois; London v Antrim.

Round 5: Mar 3: Carlow v Wicklow; London v Leitrim; Mar 4: Laois v Antrim; Limerick v Waterford.

Round 6: Mar 11: London v Laois; Mar 18: Antrim v Carlow; Waterford v Antrim; Wicklow v Limerick.

Round 7: Mar 25: Carlow v Laois; Leitrim v Wicklow; Limerick v Antrim; London v Waterford.

Final: Mar 31