Senior footballers set for renewal of Mayo rivalry

Another chapter in the thrilling saga of Dublin v Mayo rivalry....Monaghan attempting to stay clear at the top of the Division 1 table... those are among the highlights in next weekend’s Round 4 Allianz football League programme.

The Dublin-Mayo clash (7.0) will be part of a big Cork Park double-header on Saturday, which also features Dublin v Waterford (5.0) in the Allianz Hurling League.

DIVISION 1: DUBLIN v MAYO IN BIG CROKE PARK SHOWDOWNSaturday (7.0): Dublin v Mayo, Croke Park; Tyrone v Monaghan, Omagh; Cavan v Donegal, Kingspan Breffni Park.

Sunday: Roscommon v Kerry, Dr Hyde Park 2.0

They are second and third respectively on the table with four points – separated only by a one-point scoring difference – which adds further to the big interest in the Dublin-Mayo clash on Saturday night. It is one of the great modern rivalries in League and Championship, which is certain to ensure a large crowd travels to Croke Park.

This will be the fourth clash between the counties in just over a year, with Dublin winning two while there was one draw. Dublin won by 0-9 to 0-7 in last year’s League game in Castlebar; it finished level (Dublin 2-9 Mayo 0-15) in the All-Ireland final before Jim Gavin’s men took the title in the replay with a one point win.

Dublin have won one and drawn two of their three League games so far this season while Mayo have won two and lost one.

Table-toppers, Monaghan, travel to Omagh to take on Tyrone, whose game with Cavan was postponed last Sunday due to ground conditions. It has been re-fixed for March 12. Monaghan have made a great start to the campaign, beating Mayo and Kerry ‘away’ and drawing with Cavan at home.

Roscommon, the only team in the group without a point, host Kerry, who have won one of three games. The sides clashed twice in last year’s League with Roscommon winning the group game (0-14 to 1-10) but the Kingdom gained revenge in the semi-final, running out easy winners, 3-15 to 0-14.

Cavan (one win, one defeat from two games) host Donegal, (one win, one draw, one defeat).

DIVISION 2: ONLY THREE POINTS SEPARATE ALL EIGHT TEAMS

Sunday: Kildare v Fermanagh, Newbridge, 1.0; Clare v Cork, Ennis, 2.0; Meath v Galway, Pairc Tailteann, 2.0; Derry v Down, Celtic Park, 2.30.

Three points separate the eight counties after three rounds, with Galway leading on five points and Meath, Fermanagh and Down as the bottom three on two points each

Galway travel to play Meath in Navan on Sunday, hoping to build on their promotion ambitions against rivals, who have won one of three games so far.

Galway and Meath drew (0-15 to 1-12) in last year’s League, while Galway won (2-13 to 1-13) in 2015.

Second-placed Kildare (4 pts), who were caught by a late goal against Derry on Sunday host Fermanagh, who have lost two of three games so far. Clare and Cork are both on three points so their clash in Ennis is very important in the bid to stay in the promotion zone.

Clare came up from Division 3 this season while Cork dropped down from Division 1 so League meetings between the counties are pretty rare. Their last championship meeting was in 2015 when Cork won 12 points.

It’s Derry v Down in Celtic Park, where the Mourne men will be hoping to win successive League games for the first time in two years, having ended their long run without a win with a home success against Meath last Saturday.

DIVISION 3: LOUTH IN SERIOUS BID FOR DOUBLE PROMOTION

Sunday: Tipperary v Longford, Semple Stadium, 1.0; Armagh v Offaly, Athletic Grounds; Louth v Antrim, Drogheda; Sligo v Laois, Markievicz Park, 2.30.

They started last season in Division 4 but now Louth are well-placed to achieve promotion in successive seasons as they top Division 3 with full points after three rounds. It has been an impressive start by Colin Kelly’s men, who have yet to concede a goal after three games.

They face Antrim, who were also promoted this season. Louth and Antrim drew in last year’s Division 4 group game before Louth won the final by 3-12 to 1-14.

Second-placed Tipperary (4pts) will be at home to Longford (one win, two defeats). Longford won the corresponding tie by six points last year. Laois, who were relegated last year, find themselves bottom of the group (2pts) on scoring difference. They also have the worst defensive record in the group having conceded a total of 3-48 in three games. They will be ‘away’ to Sligo (3pts) next Sunday.

Armagh (3pts) are a point ahead of Offaly on the table as they prepare to take on Pat Flanagan’s men, who have yet to score a goal after three games.

DIVISION 4: WEXFORD LIVING UP TO PRE-SEASON RATING

Saturday: Limerick v London, Gaelic Grounds, 7.0

Sunday (2.0) Waterford v Westmeath, Fraher Field; Leitrim v Carlow, Carrick-on-Shannon; Wicklow v Wexford, Aughrim.

Wexford, under Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney were regarded as serious promotion contenders before the start of the League, a rating they have so far lived up to, having won all three games to lead the table by a point from Westmeath (5pts).

Wexford travel to Aughrim to take on Wicklow (2pts), whom they beat by 4-23 to 3-14 last year. Westmeath, who were relegated last year, are going well in their bid for promotion and will be hoping to add to that momentum against a Waterford side that suffered their first defeat of the campaign against Wexford on Sunday. Leitrim host Carlow, who beat them by five points in last year’s League.

Limerick, who were relegated last year, have yet to pick up a point, a task they will hope to complete at home to London (2pts) on Saturday.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2017: RESULTS & FIXTURES

DIVISION 1
Round 1: Dublin 0-18 Cavan 0-11; Kerry 2-17 Donegal 1-17; Tyrone 0-18 Roscommon 1-9; Monaghan 1-11 Mayo 0-12.
Round 2: Mayo 0-15 Kerry 1-10; Dublin 0-10 Tyrone 1-7; Donegal 0-16 Roscommon 2-9; Monaghan 0-7 Cavan 0-7.
Round 3: Mayo 1-19 Roscommon 0-14; Donegal 2-5 Dublin 1-8; Monaghan 2-8 Kerry 1-10; Tyrone v Cavan – postponed (re-fixed for March 12)
Round 4: Mar 4: Dublin v Mayo; Cavan v Donegal; Tyrone v Monaghan; Mar 5: Roscommon v Kerry
Round 5: Mar 18: Donegal v Tyrone; Kerry v Dublin; Mar 19: Mayo v Cavan; Monaghan v Roscommon.
Round 6: Mar 25: Dublin v Roscommon; Mar 26: Cavan v Kerry; Tyrone v Mayo; Donegal v Monaghan.
Round 7: Apr 2: Monaghan v Dublin; Mayo v Donegal; Kerry v Tyrone; Roscommon v Cavan.
Final: Apr 9: 1 v 2

DIVISION 2
Round 1: Derry 0-11 Clare 1-8; Galway 0-14 Cork 1-11; Kildare 3-17 Meath 0-16; Fermanagh 1-16 Down 0-10.
Round 2: Clare 2-11 Down 0-11; Kildare 1-14 Cork 1-8; Galway 1-13 Fermanagh 0-10; Meath 3-15 Derry 0-9.
Round 3: Down 1-13 Meath 0-14; Cork 1-14 Fermanagh 0-9; Derry 1-18 Kildare 1-17; Galway 3-13 Clare 1-11.
Round 4: Mar 5: Kildare v Fermanagh; Meath v Galway; Clare v Cork; Derry v Down.
Round 5: Mar 18: Down v Kildare; Mar 19: Fermanagh v Clare; Cork v Meath; Galway v Derry.
Round 6: Mar 26: Derry v Cork; Meath v Fermanagh; Down v Galway; Kildare v Clare.
Round 7: Apr 2: Galway v Kildare; Cork v Down; Clare v Meath; Fermanagh v Derry.
Final: Apr 9: 1 v 2

DIVISION 3
Round 1: Longford 1-12 Offaly 0-10; Sligo 1-14 Armagh 2-11; Tipperary 2-12 Antrim 0-13; Louth 2-16 Laois 0-10
Round 2: Sligo 2-14 Tipperary 1-16; Louth 0-11 Longford 0-10; Offaly 0-23 Antrim 1-7; Laois 2-11 Armagh 0-16.
Round 3: Tipperary 1-16 Laois 1-10; Louth 2-13 Offaly 0-14; Armagh 3-11 Longford 3-9; Antrim 0-11 Sligo 1-7.
Round 4: Mar 5: Tipperary v Longford; Louth v Antrim; Armagh v Offaly; Sligo v Laois.
Round 5: Mar 19: Antrim v Laois; Louth v Armagh; Longford v Sligo; Offaly v Tipperary.
Round 6: Mar 25: Armagh v Antrim; Laois v Longford; Mar 26; Sligo v Offaly; Tipperary v Louth.
Apr 2: Antrim v Longford; Louth v Sligo; Armagh v Tipperary; Offaly v Laois.
Final: Apr 8: Final: 1 v 2

ROUND 4
Round 1: Waterford 2-16 London 1-8; Carlow 2-10 Westmeath 2-10; Leitrim 1-17 Wicklow 0-10; Wexford 0-14 Limerick 1-8.
Round 2: Waterford 1-17 Wicklow 1-9; London 2-15 Carlow 0-16; Westmeath 1-18 Limerick 0-12; Wexford 0-16 Leitrim 0-14.
Round 3: Carlow 1-10 Limerick 0-10; Wicklow 0-17 London 2-4; Westmeath 2-18 Leitrim1-9; Wexford 1-9 Waterford 0-10.
Round 4: Mar 4: Limerick v London; Mar 5: Leitrim v Carlow; Waterford v Westmeath; Wicklow v Wexford.
Round 5: Mar 18: Carlow v Waterford; Mar 19: Wexford v London; Limerick v Leitrim; Westmeath v Wicklow.
Round 6: Mar 25: Waterford v Limerick; Mar 26: Leitrim v London; Wexford v Westmeath; Wicklow v Carlow.
Round 7: Apr 2: Westmeath v London; Leitrim v Waterford; Carlow v Wexford; Limerick v Wicklow.
Final: Apr 9