Sunday March 26

Allianz Football League Division One

Cavan v Kerry, Kingspan Breffni Park, 2pm

Last year when Cavan secured promotion to the top flight this was exactly the type of game that was craved.

An important encounter against a blueblood county with both teams requiring points with only two rounds of the League remaining.

Cavan’s smashing, Gearoid McKiernan inspired win over Mayo ensures they can avoid an instant return to Division Two.

Kerry now sit in mid table hopeful that results elsewhere might allow them claim a spot in the decider, but also mindful about what is happening beneath.

A loss against a pumped up Cavan would drag Kerry into severe difficulty so this should be a competitive match.

Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s side came within a whisker of ending Dublin’s 34 match Allianz League and Championship unbeaten run. "We're disappointed, of course," Fitzmaurice started after that gripping contest. "We're disappointed, absolutely, that we didn't win the game.

"To be fair, I'm proud of the lads from the point of view that Dublin got ahead of us down the stretch as they have done a good few times in the last couple of years and we kept at it and it looked like we were going to see it out.

"It was unfortunate that a mistake at the end led to a score. We would have loved to have won the day, but a draw, we'll take it as well."

The following afternoon Cavan were cool when beating Mayo, a result that ensures Mattie McGleenan’s charges can realise their aim in the competition: to preserve Division One status.

McKiernan and Tomas Corr were prominent throughout for Cavan, who frustrated the locals in Castlebar.

“They were absolutely fantastic,” McGleenan commented following the Mayo victory. “We needed extra players to stand up and perform here and, in fairness, that’s what happened. That’s why we won.

“We had a team performance. We’ve had individuals playing well like last week against Tyrone, six or seven of them for 10 or 15 minutes.

“We needed everybody to turn up against Mayo. And that’s the pleasing thing —Cavan turned up here in their entirety and that gives us a great bounce going into the Kerry game next week.

“The boys are fantastic and they’re just enjoying themselves. We’ve a great attitude and next week we’re going to go to learn against Kerry.

“And if we can produce a performance similar to here, then it’s going to be a great day’s football.”

KERRY: Brendan Kealy; Fionn Fitzgerald, Mark Griffin, Ronan Shanahan; Peter Crowley, Tadhg Morley, Paul Murphy; David Moran, Jack Barry; Adrian Spillane, Kevin McCarthy, Donnchadh Walsh; Jack Savage, Paul Geaney, Stephen O'Brien.