Overall National Football League update
It's either a feast or a famine as far as GAA action goes and this weekend there are 15 games scheduled across the NFL divisions along with the NHL action that is taking place as well.
Blink and you might miss it due to the condensed nature of the new-look fixture schedule.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DIVISION 1 SOUTH:
Saturday: Kerry v Galway, Tralee, 3.0
Sunday: Roscommon v Dublin, Dr. Hyde Park, 1.45
Kerry begin the defence of the title against Galway, whose last title win (Div 1) was all of 40 years ago when they beat Roscommon in the 1981 final.
Kerry have home advantage against Galway for a second successive year, having beaten the Tribesmen by a point in Austin Stack Park last year.
They also beat Galway by a point in 2019, having lost by three a year earlier. Galway finished third on the table last year.
Roscommon and Dublin last met in the League two years ago when the Dubs won by five points.
Roscommon were relegated at the end of that campaign but bounced straight back last year, topping Div 2 after taking 11 of a possible 14 points.
Last Year
Kerry (winners); Played 7, Won 5, Drew 1, Lost 1
Galway (third): Played 7, Won 4, Lost 3
Dublin (second); Played 7, Won 4, Drew 2, Lost 1.
Roscommon (Div 2 winners); Played 7, Won 5, Drew 1, Lost 1.
DIVISION 1 NORTH:
Saturday: Tyrone v Donegal, Omagh, 5.0
Sunday; Monaghan v Armagh, Brewster Park, 3.0
Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher begin their term as new joint-managers of Tyrone.
The Tyrone men will be bidding to win the Div 1 title for the first time since 2003, which was also Mickey Harte’s first season in charge.
Dooher featured at right half-forward on the Tyrone team which also won the League title in 2002.
Donegal, who last won the Div 1 title in 2007, beat Tyrone in last year’s League and Ulster championship.
A breach of Covid regulations by Monaghan means they lose home advantage for the clash with Armagh, who are back in Div 1 for the first time in nine years.
Last Year:
Donegal (fifth): Played 7, Won 3, Drew 1, Lost 3
Tyrone (fourth): Played 7, Won 4, Lost 3.
Monaghan (sixth): Played 7, Won 2, Drew 2, Lost 3.
Armagh (second Div 2): Played 7, Won 4, Drew 1, Lost 2.
DIVISION 2 SOUTH:
Saturday: Cork v Kildare, Semple Stadium, 3.30
Sunday: Clare v Laois, Ennis, 4.0
Cork won all seven games in Division 3 last year while Kildare won four of seven when finishing third in Division 2.
The counties last met in the League two years ago when Kildare won by 1-10 to 0-10 in Division 2.
Laois and Clare finished fifth and sixth respectively in Division 2 last year, with Laois winning the head-to-head clash by a point in Ennis.
Last Year
Cork (Div 3 winners): Played 7, Won 7
Kildare (third): Played 7, Won 4, Lost 3.
Laois (fifth): Played 7, Won 3, Drew 1, Lost 3.
Clare (sixth): Played 7, Won 3, Lost 4.
DIVISION 2 NORTH:
Saturday: Mayo v Down, Elverys MacHale Park, 2.0
Sunday: Meath v Westmeath, Pairc Tailteann, 3.45
This is a very interesting group, featuring the two counties (Mayo, Meath) who were relegated from Div 1 last year, Down who were promoted from Div 3 and Westmeath, who finished fourth in Div 2.
This is the first year since 1997 that Mayo are in Division 2, having enjoyed the longest spell of any county in the top flight since then before dropping out after taking only five of 14 points last year.
Meath fared even worse, taking only one point from seven games.
Last year
Mayo (seventh Div 1): Played 7, Won 2, Drew 1 Lost 4.
Down (second Div 3): Played 7, Won 4, Drew 1, Lost 2.
Meath (bottom Div 1): Played 7, Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 6.
Westmeath (fourth Div 2): Played 7, Won 3, Dree 1 Lost 3.
DIVISION 3 SOUTH:
Saturday: Limerick v Tipperary, LIT Gaelic Grounds, 5.0
Sunday: Wicklow v Offaly, Aughrim, 2.0
Limerick mark their return to Div 3 for the first time since 2016 with an appetising clash against Tipperary who pulled off a sensational success in last year’s Munster championship.
Tipperary finished fifth in Div 3 last year.
Wicklow are back in Div 3 for the first time since 2013, where they will begin their campaign against Offaly.
Last Year
Limerick (first Div 4); Played 7, Won 5, Lost 2
Tipperary (fifth): Played 7, Won3, Drew 1, Lost 3
Wicklow: (second Div 4): Played 7, Won 5, Lost 2
Offaly (sixth): Played 7, Won 2, Drew 1, Lost 4.
DIVISION 3 NORTH:
Saturday: Longford v Derry, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 5.0;
Fermanagh v Cavan, Brewster Park, 7.0
Despite being relegated last year, Cavan go into the new season on a high after their big success in the Ulster championship last November.
It came after a disappointing Div 2 campaign where they finished second last and were relegated with Fermanagh.
Cavan beat Fermanagh by three points in last year’s League.
Derry came close to winning promotion last year but were squeezed out for second place by Down.
Derry beat Longford by eight points in their Round 6 clash.
Last Year:
Longford (fourth): Played 7, Won 3, Drew 1, Lost 3
Derry (third): Played 7, Won 4, Drew 1, Lost 2.
Fermanagh (bottom Div 2): Played 7, Won 1, Lost 6
Cavan (seventh Div 2) Played 7, Won 3, Lost 4
DIVISION 4 SOUTH
Saturday: Waterford v Carlow, Fraher Field, 7.0
With London not competing this year, it’s a three-team group (Waterford, Carlow, Wexford).
Wexford sit it out next weekend, leaving Waterford and Carlow to begin the campaign.
They drew (2-14 each) in Dungarvan in last year’s League.
Last Year
Carlow (fifth): Played 7, Won 3, Drew 2, Lost 2.
Waterford (seventh): Played 7, Won 2, Drew 1, Lost 4
Wexford (fourth): Played 7, Won 4, Lost 3.
DIVISION 4 NORTH
Saturday: Louth v Antrim, Geraldines GFC, Dundalk, 3.0
Sunday: Sligo v Leitrim, Markievicz Park, 3.0
New territory for Mickey Harte, who takes charge of Louth for the first time after 18 seasons as Tyrone manager.
Louth dropped out of Div 3 after losing six of seven games last year and begin their bid for promotion against Antrim, who finished third in Div 4 last year.
Leitrim, who were also relegated from Div 3 last year, start their campaign against neighbours, Sligo who have won only three of their last 14 League games.
Last year
Louth (eighth Div 3): Played 7, Won 1, Lost 6.
Antrim: (third): Played 7, Won 4, Drew 1, Lost 2
Sligo (sixth): Played 7 Won 3, Lost 4.
Leitrim (seventh Div 3): Played 7, Won 1, Drew 1, Lost 5.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2021 – FIXTURE SCHEDULE
DIVISION 1 SOUTH
Round 1: May 15: Kerry v Galway; May 16: Roscommon v Dublin.
Round 2: May 23: Dublin v Kerry; Galway v Roscommon.
Round 3: May 30: Galway v Dublin; Roscommon v Kerry.
DIVISION 1 NORTH
Round 1: May 15: Tyrone v Donegal; May 16: Monaghan v Armagh.
Round 2: May 22: Donegal v Monaghan; Armagh v Tyrone
Round 3: May 29: Armagh v Donegal; Tyrone v Monaghan.
DIVISION 2 SOUTH
Round 1: May 15: Cork v Kildare; May 16: Clare v Laois.
Round 2: May 22: Laois v Cork; May 23: Kildare v Clare
Round 3: May 30: Laois v Kildare; Clare v Cork.
DIVISION 2 NORTH
Round 1: May 15: Mayo v Down; May 16: Meath v Westmeath.
Round 2: May 22: Westmeath v Mayo; May 23: Down v Meath.
Round 3: May 30: Mayo v Meath; Westmeath v Down.
DIVISION 3 SOUTH
Round 1: May 15: Limerick v Tipperary; May 16: Wicklow v Offaly.
Round 2: May 22: Offaly v Limerick; Tipperary v Wicklow.
Round 3: May 29: Offaly v Tipperary; Wicklow v Limerick.
DIVISION 3 NORTH
Round 1: May 15: Longford v Derry; Fermanagh v Cavan.
Round 2: May 22: Derry v Fermanagh; Cavan v Longford.
Round 3: May 29: Cavan v Derry; Fermanagh v Longford.
DIVISION 4 NORTH
Round 1: May 15: Louth v Antrim; May 16: Sligo v Leitrim.
Round 2: May 23: Leitrim v Louth; Antrim v Sligo.
Round 3: May 30: Antrim v Leitrim; Louth v Sligo.
DIVISION 4 SOUTH
Round 1: May 15: Waterford v Carlow
Round 2: May 22: Wexford v Waterford
Round 3: May 29: Carlow v Wexford