Preview: Weekend's Allianz Football League action

Sunday, March 22

Allianz Football League Division 1

Armagh v Kerry, BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, 3.30pm - GAA+

Kerry have built up an impressive head of steam in the last three rounds of the League culminating in last weekend’s 16-point destruction of Mayo.

Forwards like Sean O’Shea, David Clifford and Dylan Geaney look irresistible at the moment and the Kingdom are combining great attacking flair with no little defensive tenacity.

They need to win this game to be sure of qualifying for the League Final but Armagh’s need is great too. Only a win will guarantee they avoid relegation to Division 2.

The Orchard County come into the match with a bounce in their step after last weekend’s come from behind win over Dublin when they showed the sort of clinical finishing that has been marked absent for much of the campaign.

Kieran McGeeney’s team are always a tough nut to crack in the Box-It Athletic Grounds and this will be a serious game that will tell us a lot about both teams, but such is Kerry’s form it’s hard to look past another win for the reigning All-Ireland champions.

Galway v Dublin, Pearse Stadium, 3.30pm - TG4

Galway need at least a draw here to be sure of retaining their Division 1 status while Dublin, currently in the drop-zone, need a win.

Dublin's case isn’t helped by the fact that if they alone remain on the same amount of points as Armagh they lose out on the head-to-head rule because of last weekend’s defeat to the Orchard County.

But they can be sure of survival if they beat Galway in Salthill by at least four points even if Armagh beat Kerry. In that scenario all three teams will finish on six points each but Galway would lose out on scoring difference and be relegated.

Dublin are an encouraging work in progress but they are struggling at times to win primary possession in the middle third which is a facet of the game that Galway are very good in. That can give them a vital edge here.

Mayo v Roscommon, Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, 3.30pm - TG4 Youtube

Both of these teams can still qualify for the League Final if they win here and either Kerry or Donegal don’t win their final round match.

Roscommon will surely have a much greater spring in their step coming into the game after their impressive victory over Donegal last weekend.

Mayo, in contrast, will have had hard questions to answer internally this week after they were hammered by Kerry in a game that exposed some glaring defensive flaws.

Andy Moran will surely demand a response here, and it’s likely to be a close-fought game that will go down to the wire.

Monaghan v Donegal, St Tiernach's Park, 3.30pm

An already relegated Monaghan have nothing to play for other than pride and some badly needed momentum ahead of the Ulster Chamionship.

Their chances of getting a result here haven’t been helped by Donegal’s first defeat of the campaign last time out against Roscommon.

Jim McGuinness will expect his players to up the ante significantly on that performance, and you’d expect them to come out on top against a Monaghan side that has lost six games in a row by an average of 10 points each.

Allianz Football League Division 2

Derry v Cavan, Celtic Park, 1.15pm - TG4 Youtube

Defeat to Louth last weekend means that promotion is out of Derry’s hands, but there’s still a good chance they’ll finish in the top two.

If they win this game and Tyrone do them a favour against Cork, then a combination of their head-to-head advantage over Cork and well-padded scoring difference should be enough to get them into the Division 2 Final.

They have lots to improve on though from that defeat to Louth, especially the frequency with which they were turned over in possession.

Cavan need to win to be sure of avoiding relegation to Division Three so won’t lack for motivation, but based on form throughout the campaign to date you’d have to make Derry hot favourites.

Kildare v Louth, Cedral St Conleth's Park, 1.15pm - TG4

A win for Louth will give them a shot of promotion, but they also need other results to go their way.

They bring a lot of momentum into the game after three very impressive wins in a row over Tyrone, Cavan, and Derry, whereas Kildare are in a major rut after a string of four defeats.

That form graph points to another win for the Wee County here.

Offaly v Meath, Glenisk O'Connor Park, 1.15pm - TG4 Youtube

Meath can secure promotion and a place in the Division 2 League Final if they secure a sixth win in seven games here.

It would be a major shock if they didn’t manage that feat considering Offaly have lost all of their six games by an average margin of nine points.

They’ve scored the least of any team in the division (an average of 18 points per game), whereas Meath have scored the most (an average of 24 points per game), so the maths suggest a convincing win for the Royals.

Tyrone v Cork, O'Neills Healy Park, 1.15pm - TG4 Youtube

Both teams have lots to play for here.

A win for Cork will see them promoted and into the Division 2 Final, whereas Tyrone are still not mathematically safe from relegation.

Cork have won five from six matches in the division but their last trip up north ended in a cataclysmic 20-point defeat to Derry in Round 5 so you’d still have doubts about them.

Tyrone’s form has been patchy but, when they click, an attack with lots of individual talent is capable of doing damage.

You’d fancy them to finish their campaign with an exclamation mark in front of their home support in O’Neill’s Healy Park.

Allianz Football League Division 3

Down v Laois, Páirc Esler, 2pm

Down are already promoted and into the League Final so they’ll give their panel a run out here which spells opportunity for Laois.

The Midlanders still aren’t mathematically safe from relegation but such is the scoring advantage they have over Limerick it’s unlikely in the extreme they’ll drop into the bottom two even if they lose here, Limerick beat Fermanagh, and Sligo beat Clare.

Laois’ form has been very up and down and it’s hard to know what to expect from them from game to game.

Even with an experimental starting XV, you’d fancy Down to make it seven wins on the trot.

Limerick v Fermanagh, Mick Neville Park, 2pm

Fermanagh are already relegated and Limerick currently sit in the drop-zone too.

The only way the Shannon-siders will avoid relegation will be if they win here and Clare beat Sligo.

They have plenty to play for then and that extra motivation should give them an edge.

Sligo v Clare, Dr Markievicz Park, 2pm

Clare can’t be promoted or relegated so don’t have as much to play for as a Sligo team who need to win to be sure of retaining their Division 2 status.

A combination of that extra motivation and home advantage should give them an edge here.

Wexford v Westmeath, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 2pm - TG4 player

This match is effectively a play-off to decide which team will join Down in the Division Three Final.

Westmeath have the greater firepower but Wexford are a better organised team defensively and have home advantage.

If both teams play to their potential you’d fancy Westmeath’s superior attacking edge to be the more decisive factor.

Allianz Football League Division 4

Antrim v London, Erins Own, Cargin, 1pm

Having lost their first three matches of the campaign Antrim have suddenly found form by winning three games in a row by an average of 11 points each.

London too have plenty of momentum after back to back wins over Waterford and table-toppers Carlow.

The form of forwards like Dominic McEnhill, Pat Shivers, and Ryan McQuillan can give the Saffrons an edge.

Carlow v Leitrim, Netwatch Cullen Park, 1pm

Having won their first four matches in a row, Carlow’s form has suddenly deserted them with two defeats on the bounce against Longford and London.

After a couple of bad defeats against Antrim and Tipperary, Leitrim suddenly found their mojo again last time out when comfortably beating Longford.

A hard one to call based on form, but Carlow have scored more and conceded less than Leitrim in their six games to date, and that has to count for something.

Longford v Wicklow, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 1pm

The form of both of these teams has yo-yoed through the campaign but Wicklow’s current vein seems to be that bit more convincing.

The scored 3-19 last time out against a previously solid enough Tipperary defence, and you’d fancy players like Kevin Quinn, Eoin Darcy, Oisin McGraynor, and Pádraig O’Toole to shoot them to victory here too.

Tipperary v Waterford, FBD Semple Stadium, 1pm

Waterford have lost their six matches in the competition by an average of eight points each.

Tipperary are likely to make it seven losses for the Deise.