Preview: Weekend's Allianz Football League Division Four action
Leitrim senior football team manager Andy Moran. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Allianz Football League Division Four
Saturday January 27
Laois v Longford, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 6pm
Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)
Tipperary v Carlow, FBD Semple Stadium, 6pm
Referee: Niall Quinn (Clare)
Sunday January 28
London v Wexford, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1pm
Referee: John Ryan (Cork)
Waterford v Leitrim, Fraher Field, 2pm
Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick)
Following relegations last year, Longford and Tipperary will want to bounce back quickly, but both counties face awkward games on Saturday.
Laois, with Justin McNulty back in charge, face Paddy Christie's team in Portlaoise.
Longford retained the Dioralyte O'Byrne Cup, but they will want to enjoy a better league campaign than in 2023.
Valuable lessons were learned by the midlanders, who know that Laois are eager to launch a promotion bid also.
In Thurles Tipperary, now managed by Paul Kelly, are at home to Carlow, who reached the Tailteann Cup quarter-finals.
A narrow defeat to Antrim at that stage highlighted Carlow's potential, but they only managed two league wins last year, so improvement is required in this competition by Niall Carew's side.
Wexford, still managed by the highly rated John Hegarty, had some good moments in the O'Byrne Cup before losing to Dublin.
The manner of that defeat was a setback, but Wexford will treat London's challenge with the utmost repect.
Having secured a morale boosting win over Mayo in the Connacht FBD, Michael Maher's panel also benefited from a second game in that tournament against Roscommon.
Shay Rafter was efficient for London, another player that has developed through their underage and homegrown talent work during the past few campaigns.
At Fraher Field, former Meath footballer Paul Shankey manages Waterford against Leitrim.
Waterford won one league and Tailteann Cup match in 2023 and will be looking to attain a level of consistency with their performances in the upcoming campaign.
Andy Moran has added Mickey Graham to his Leitrim backroom set-up. Undoubtedly, the Connacht FBD reversal to a developmental Galway panel hurt, but Leitrim will firmly believe that promotion can be achieved.
