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This weekend's Allianz Football League previews

Oisin Mullin makes his first appearance of the year for Mayo in their Allianz Football League Division 1 clash with Dublin. 

Oisin Mullin makes his first appearance of the year for Mayo in their Allianz Football League Division 1 clash with Dublin. 

Allianz Football League Division 1

Saturday, February 19

Armagh v Monaghan, Athletic Grounds, 5.30pm - BBC iPlayer / BBC Sport NI website

Dublin v Mayo, Croke Park, 7.30pm - RTE2

Sunday February 20

Kerry v Donegal, Fitzgerald Stadium, 1.45pm - TG4

Tyrone v Kildare, O'Neills Healy Park, 3.45pm - TG4

Armagh are the only team with a perfect record in Division 1 of the Allianz Football League after two very impressive victories over Dublin and Tyrone.

The Orchard County have averaged 21 points in both of those matches with players like Rian O’Neill, Jason Duffy, Rory Grugan, and Greg McCabe all sparkling in attack.

Perhaps even more impressively, an Armagh team previously criticised for being leaky in defence have now tightened up in that area and are starting to look like a very complete team.

Saturday’s match against Monaghan will be another good barometer of their progress because the Farney County have been one of the most consistent performers in this division for many years.

They’ve just one point after two matches, but would have been generally pleased with the level of their play in those games against Tyrone and Mayo.

Speaking of Mayo, they’ll be very keen to replicate last year’s All-Ireland semi-final result and draw some more blood from a Dublin team wounded by back to back defeats.

James Horan’s team played with great guts in both the draw with Donegal and win over Monaghan but attitude has never been a problem for the Connacht side.

The priority in this campaign will have been to further develop their attacking options, so the return to fitness of Jason Doherty is a huge plus because he has really hit the ground running.

Another big boost this weekend is the return to the fray of two-time young footballer of the year, Oisin Mullin, who makes his first League start of the year.

As for Dublin, they’ll be smarting after those losses to Kerry and Armagh. Manager Dessie Farrell is trying to add depth to his panel and young players like Lorcan O’Dell, Cameron McCormack, and Darragh Conlon have shown some promise, but the longer they go without a win the more the pressure will build.

All-Ireland champions, Tyrone, are the other team in the division with two defeats from two so Sunday’s clash with Kildare already looks like a must-win game.

They’ll be without Michael McKernan, Padraig Hampsey, Peter Harte and Kieran McGeary after the four players lost their appeals against the red-cards they received against Armagh last time out.

There has been a general flatness to Tyrone’s performances to date this year, but managers Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher will be most concerned by a toothless attack in which Niall Donnelly is the only player to have scored more than a single point from play in the League to date.

Sunday’s other Division 1 match sees Donegal travel to Kerry. It’s a long journey that has rarely been a fruitful one for the Ulster side who have injury doubts over key players Michael Murphy and Jason McGee after both were forced off against Kildare.

Kerry started slowly with a draw in their first match against Kildare but the return of the available again Jack Barry and Diarmuid O’Connor gave them some much needed size and energy in the middle of the field.

So far manager Jack O’Connor has stuck with the tried and trusted as he tries to generate some early-season momentum, so it’ll be interesting to see if he gives some more fringe players a chance to shine this weekend.

Tomo Culhane of Galway, 15, scores his side's first goal during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Galway and Meath at Pearse Stadium in Galway. 

Tomo Culhane of Galway, 15, scores his side's first goal during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Galway and Meath at Pearse Stadium in Galway. 

Allianz Football League Division 2

Sunday, February 20

Derry v Cork, Owenbeg, 1pm - TG4 app (deferred coverage on TG4 from 5.35pm)

Galway v Offaly, Pearse Stadium, 2pm

Meath v Down, Pairc Tailteann, 2pm

Roscommon v Clare, Dr Hyde Park, 2pm

Galway, Derry, and Roscommon are the early pace-setters in Division 2 with two wins from two in their matches to date.

What’s been most notable about Galway’s play this year has been the over all work-ethic, with forwards pressing high up the pitch and busting a gut to get a tackle in and slow the opposition down.

Paul Conroy has been in sensational form in midfield, while former underage star Tomo Culhane looks like he’s ready to make a big impact in the senior grade.

The Tribesmen will fancy their chances of making it three wins from three against an Offaly team that has been well-beaten in their two matches to date.

Division Three champions last year, Derry really look like a team on an upward trajectory so the trip to Owenbeg could be a tricky one for a young Cork team building under new manager Keith Ricken.

The Rebels improved on their first round defeat to Roscommon by drawing with Clare last time out, but Rory Gallagher’s Derry are probably a little bit further down the road in terms of their team-build.

The way Roscommon went about their business when beating Cork and Meath in their first two matches was seriously impressive.

They’re an experienced, very physical team with a lot of class in attack in the shape of players like Conor Cox, the Smith brothers, and Sigerson Cup Final star Cathal Heneghan.

Clare are a very durable team themselves, but may struggle to match Roscommon’s scoring power.

Both Meath and Down are pointless after their first two matches so their clash already looks like a pivotal one in terms of the relegation picture.

The Royals showed some positive signs of life in their second-half comeback which fell short against Roscommon, and will be keen to build on that.

Tomo Culhane of Galway, 15, scores his side's first goal during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Galway and Meath at Pearse Stadium in Galway. 

Tomo Culhane of Galway, 15, scores his side's first goal during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Galway and Meath at Pearse Stadium in Galway. 

Allianz Football League Division 3

Saturday, February 19

Antrim v Wicklow, Corrigan Park, 2pm

Fermanagh v Laois, Brewster Park, 6pm

Sunday, February 20

Limerick v Louth, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 2pm

Westmeath v Longford, TEG Cusack Park, 2pm

Limerick and Westmeath are the early pace-setters in Division Three with two wins from two apiece.

Momentum can swing quickly in this division though, and both have tricky tests on Sunday with Limerick hosting Louth and Westmeath hosting Longford.

Antrim will be on a revenge mission against Wicklow who hammered them by 7-11 to 0-7 when they met in the League two years ago. With the Saffrons building nicely under Enda McGinley we can expect a much closer match this time around.

After losing to Westmeath last time out Laois will hope to reignite their promotion drive this weekend, but a trip to Brewster Park to play Fermanagh is never an easy proposition.

Sligo manager, Tony McEntee. 

Sligo manager, Tony McEntee. 

Allianz Football League Division 4

Saturday, February 19

Carlow v Waterford, Netwatch Cullen Park, 7pm

Sunday, February 20

Leitrim v London, Avant Money Pairc Sean MacDiarmada, 12pm

Sligo v Cavan, Markievicz Park, 2pm

Wexford v Tipperary, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 2pm

The pick of the Round 3 Division 4 matches is the clash between Sligo and Cavan who both looked impressive when winning their first two games.

Tony McEntee is building an exciting young team in Sligo who have shot the lights out to date, with an average of 20 points per match, but Cavan are the favourites to win promotion in this division for a reason so this will be a fascinating tie.

2020 Munster champions, Tipperary, were also fancied by many coming into this campaign but were poor last time out against Leitrim and badly need to pick up points against a win-less Wexford.

That win for Leitrim was their first in a competitive match in almost two years and they’re already looking like a different proposition under new manager Andy Moran.

They’re up against surprise packages London who have won two from two, so this should be a tight one.

The other match in the division is on Saturday evening when Carlow will hope to rebound from their hammering to Sligo when they host Waterford.