NFL Final weekend

Hammer Archer

Thought I'd set up a thread on tomorrow's final games in the National Football League. Lots of promotion/relegation spots still to be sewn up, as well as the final division 1 semi final place.

Division 1
Division 1 Table
Down v Kildare, Newry, 3pm
Cork v Mayo, Páirc Uí Rinn, 3pm
Tyrone v Kerry, Omagh, 3pm
Donegal v Dublin, Ballybofey, 3pm

Dublin, Tyrone and Kildare have both sewn up semi final spots.
The last spot is between Cork, Mayo, Donegal and Kerry. Cork only need a draw to secure fourth spot. A Mayo win coupled with losses for Donegal and Kerry would mean they would definitely get fourth. Kerry are extremely unlikely to get fourth due to their terrible points difference but Donegal can still snatch it if they beat Dublin by 3 points or more than Mayo beat Cork.
Relegation wise, Down look doomed but Kerry, Donegal or Mayo can still join them depending on results. A Kerry loss tomorrow would almost certainly relegate them.

Division 2
Division 2 Table
Derry v Westmeath, Celtic Park, 3pm
Louth v Longford, Drogheda, 3pm
Wexford v Laois, Wexford Park, 3pm
Armagh v Galway, Athletic Grounds, 3pm

Westmeath have surprised everyone by being promoted to Division 1 already and being the only unbeaten team in the entire league.
Derry will almost certainly join them. If only Derry and Galway end up on 9 points, Galway will go up as they've beaten Derry already. Laois need a massive win over Wexford to have any hope of promotion.
Longford are long since relegated without a point to their name so far. Armagh will join them if they lose at home to Galway. Wexford or Louth also are in with a chance of relegation.

Division 3
Division 3 Table
Monaghan v Antrim, Clones, 3pm
Sligo v Wicklow, Markievicz Park, 3pm
Meath v Fermanagh, Páirc Tailteann, 3pm
Cavan v Roscommon, Breffni Park, 3pm

Any of the top five could still be promoted. The winner of the game in Navan will be promoted while all Monaghan need to do is beat Antrim to secure division 2 football.
Any other results will mean the winner of the game in Breffni could sneak in and take promotion.
Wicklow are all but relegated. Sligo need to beat them and hope Antrim don't beat Monaghan to stay up.

Division 4
Division 4 Table
Leitrim v London, Carrick on Shannon, 3pm
Clare v Limerick, Cusack Park, 3pm
Carlow v Waterford, Dr. Cullen Park, 3pm
Offaly v Tipperary, Tullamore, 3pm

Limerick only need a draw against Clare to go up to Division 3 but will most likely stay in division 4 if they lose.
A Clare win will probably see them promoted with the winner of the Offaly - Tipperary game joining them.

So a great day of football in store tomorrow. No doubt people all around the country will be glued to radios and smartphones to find out scores from around the country. Here's hoping this years final day is a happier one for me than last year's.

blackbelt

In division 1 I can see Kerry going down and Cork snatching 4th place meaning Donegal and Mayo will be mid table which is usually the outcome for last years finalists.Hard to know what to expect from the Donegal-Dublin game.Donegal will want to ensure they can't mathematically get relegated though highly unlikely given Kerrys poor scoring difference.

I would expect the semi final lineup will be Dublin v Cork and Tyrone v Kildare.

Division 2, I can see Derry taking 2nd place.Galway will have a tough time of it against relegation threatened Armagh while home advantage may push Derry over the line with Westmeath having nothing to play for.

Division 3 is very tight.Meath should get the win especially in Pairc Tailteann but Canavan really has brought Fermanagh on as I had suspected.

Division 4, I would expect Offaly and Clare to go up.

terbad

hi does anyone know a radio station covering the donegal dublin game

Hammer Archer

Draw game in Navan. 1-5 to 8 points. Meath played against a strong breeze in the first half.

buckwheat

Half Times

Allianz NFL Division 1
Down 1-6 Kildare 0-6
Cork 0-8 Mayo 0-5
Tyrone 0-5 Kerry 1-13
Donegal 1-6 Dublin 0-6

Allianz NFL Division 2
Derry 1-6 Westmeath 0-3
Louth 1-4 Longford 1-6
Wexford 0-2 Laois 0-10
Armagh 0-10 Galway 1-3

Allianz NFL Division 3
Monaghan 2-9 Antrim 0-7
Sligo 1-4 Wicklow 0-7
Meath 1-5 Fermanagh 0-8
Cavan 1-3 Roscommon 1-7

Allianz NFL Division 4
Leitrim 1-11 London 1-9 FT
Clare 0-4 Limerick 0-6
Carlow 0-5 Waterford 0-4
Offaly 1-3 Tipperary 0-5

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Worked out well for ye Hammer Archer. Paddy O'Rourke made a good peno save and one of Fermanagh's half backs got sent off a couple of mins later apparently.

Kerry were absolutely blessed to stay in D1 imo. They collapsed in the 2nd half after dominating Tyrone in the 1st. 12 points up at one stage they were and only for Dublin getting a last gasp point against Donegal it would have been the drop for the Kingdom. I'm raging, was dying to stick it to them all in work :pac:

Derry shafted Westmeath but I'd imagine Westmeath had a fairly experimental team out considering they were already into the final. A bit surprised that Longford lost every game in D2 but it shows the step up between it and D3.

D3 worked out more or less how I had expected, Meath and Monaghan up, Wicklow and Antrim down. Gutted with Roscommon, if we hadn't thrown away victory at home to Wicklow we would have gone up, we grabbed a couple of decent wins in the last few games though.

I reckon Dublin and Tyrone will contest the D1 final, would be hard to call the winner of that but if you pointed a gun at me I'd go for the Dubs, Derry to beat Westmeath, Monaghan to beat Meath and Offaly to beat Limerick.

lala88

Most GAA media observers have now been shown up as bluffers and guessers (well most Kerry folk knew that already)...They made a non stop song and dance about the mighty Kingdom getting relegated from Division 1 to Division 2. Low and behold the All Ireland Champions and their multi tasking manager have been sent spinning down to Division 2...

Hammer Archer

Unbelievable that we were promoted after the horrible Monaghan and Cavan games. Lads played well against the breeze in the first half and dug deep in the second. Paddy O'Rourke made a magnificent one on one save in the first half. His penalty save was decent but for him to get to the rebound first was outstanding.

As for division 1, was what I heard on the radio correct? Donegal supposedly were one on one with Cluxton and the Donegal forward was fouled while pulling the trigger. The referee supposedly gave a 45 yet booked the Dublin player for the foul.

blackbelt

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Unbelievable that we were promoted after the horrible Monaghan and Cavan games. Lads played well against the breeze in the first half and dug deep in the second. Paddy O'Rourke made a magnificent one on one save in the first half. His penalty save was decent but for him to get to the rebound first was outstanding.

As for division 1, was what I heard on the radio correct? Donegal supposedly were one on one with Cluxton and the Donegal forward was fouled while pulling the trigger. The referee supposedly gave a 45 yet booked the Dublin player for the foul.

Was this Padraig Hughes or Marty Duffy? Either case, both are poor referees.Marty Duffy maybe more so.Its astonishing he didn't ride Dublin todaybut you only have to look at where he is from to know he doesn't love his neighbours.

Hammer Archer

blackbelt wrote: »

Was this Padraig Hughes or Marty Duffy? Either case, both are poor referees.Marty Duffy maybe more so.Its astonishing he didn't ride Dublin todaybut you only have to look at where he is from to know he doesn't love his neighbours.

Think it was Michael Duffy actually.

lala88

Expect the Donegal PR machine to go into overdrive this week. By the middle of the week I'm sure we'll be hearing stories about how they were running up and down Everest as a warm down after their incredible sessions. Their bigger and stronger than ever we'll be told if the media are true to form. Dropping a lead in last few minutes to one of their biggest rivals at home is ideal preparation and all part of Jim's master-plan...

Hammer Archer

lala88 wrote: »

Expect the Donegal PR machine to go into overdrive this week. By the middle of the week I'm sure we'll be hearing stories about how they were running up and down Everest as a warm down after their incredible sessions. Their bigger and stronger than ever we'll be told if the media are true to form. Dropping a lead in last few minutes to one of their biggest rivals at home is ideal preparation and all part of Jim's master-plan...

At the end of the day, it's still the league. Donegal and Kerry will be there or thereabouts come the summer no matter what's gone on in the league.

Massive blow to Tipperary football today but i will be gracious and extend my sincere congratulations to both Offaly and Limerick and wish both the counties the best of luck in Division 3 in 2014.

I think Tipp's loss to Carlow in Thurles back in February was probably the most detrimental to our promotion campaign. It was a game we were winning comfortably but totally lost our way. You just have to win your home games and with all due respect to Carlow the fortunes of both teams in the following weeks, suggested it was a game that Tipp should have had more than enough for them to secure the points. Granted there was somewhat of an element of a local derby involved with football stronghold South Tipp and Carlow both from the South East region
A little bit of overconfidence in that Carlow game on the back of beating Cork was the main foible. I half wonder was there a slight element of overconfidence going up to Tullamore today also?

Its an issue that has been plaguing this county for many years now in hurling and perhaps its creeping into football in recent times.

68Murph68

Hammer Archer wrote: »

At the end of the day, it's still the league. Donegal and Kerry will be there or thereabouts come the summer no matter what's gone on in the league.

Its probably going to be next summer that Donegal will feel the effects of playing in Division 2.

If you ask Tyrone and Kildare supporters whether this year's league campaign or last year's where they got promoted from Division 2 was more worthwhile in terms of preparation for the Championship I think you'd be waiting for a long time to find one who will say that playing in Division 2 is adequate preparation for the Championship.

Having said that with the teams in Division 2 next season I'd be shocked if Donegal didnt bounce back up again.

Donegal's league record of P7 W2 hardly sets them up for a tough first round game against Tyrone.

Since the current football league structure was adopted, no team that were relegated from Division 1 have ever even gotten to a semi-final. The Championship is a knock-out competition and it's possible to do well with a very small number of good performances but it will be interesting to see can Donegal buck the trend.

keane2097

I did a round-up of the Division One games if anyone wants to take a look:

http://www.livegaelic.com/news/allianz-football-league-division-1-round-up/

sliabh beagh

as a tyrone fan at the game today I must say it was quite depressing to see the footballing lesson we received in healy park in the first half. kerrys quality, movement, slick passing and intelligent gameplan opposed to tyrones slow running game with no real method of getting early ball to the forwards meant a huge gulf in the teams which I believe should not exist. time for mickey harte to wise up or go.

tacofries

Mayo for league... Mayo for sam!!!

Sunnyisland

tacofries wrote: »

Mayo for league... Mayo for sam!!!

You want some more fries with that taco :P

km79

tacofries wrote: »

Mayo for league... Mayo for sam!!!

Mayo were 20/1 for the league before today's game. I forgot about it until I seem that post

cat in the sack

Deleted User wrote: »

Massive blow to Tipperary football today but i will be gracious and extend my sincere congratulations to both Offaly and Limerick and wish both the counties the best of luck in Division 3 in 2014.

I think Tipp's loss to Carlow in Thurles back in February was probably the most detrimental to our promotion campaign. It was a game we were winning comfortably but totally lost our way. You just have to win your home games and with all due respect to Carlow the fortunes of both teams in the following weeks, suggested it was a game that Tipp should have had more than enough for them to secure the points. Granted there was somewhat of an element of a local derby involved with football stronghold South Tipp and Carlow both from the South East region
A little bit of overconfidence in that Carlow game on the back of beating Cork was the main foible. I half wonder was there a slight element of overconfidence going up to Tullamore today also?

Its an issue that has been plaguing this county for many years now in hurling and perhaps its creeping into football in recent times.[/QUOTE

i think the reason that tipp lost today, is i think offaly football is gettings its act back together, and will go up again next year
as they are building for the future good young team with a good young manger.

Stoner

Hammer Archer wrote: »

At the end of the day, it's still the league. Donegal and Kerry will be there or thereabouts come the summer no matter what's gone on in the league.

that's if at the end of the day you ignore the recent stats (WRT Donegal) for how well recently relegated teams do in the championship, or look over the amount of teams in recent years who won the championship on the back of a division 2 league run in.

Hammer Archer

Stoner wrote: »

that's if at the end of the day you ignore the recent stats (WRT Donegal) for how well recently relegated teams do in the championship, or look over the amount of teams in recent years who won the championship on the back of a division 2 league run in.

Donegal won't go into the championship on the back of a division 2 run in though. I still think Donegal will do quite well in the championship despite this relegation. I personally think they're a class above previous teams that have gotten relegated from division 1.

Stoner

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Donegal won't go into the championship on the back of a division 2 run in though. I still think Donegal will do quite well in the championship despite this relegation. I personally think they're a class above previous teams that have gotten relegated from division 1.

true, my first stat takes care of this year, and my second stat was for next year
chronological
I'm just pointing out that what happened today for Donegal was not insignificant or meaningless as the Donegal "always positive" attitude may highlight.
The Donegal fans were not happy today, they don't want division two next year, why would they and they also have the new champions hangover to deal with this year.

So lets add the third stat about teams putting them back to back

Fr Tod Umptious

Great days football all round, really exciting stuff in Div 1 for us who were at games and trying to keep up with scores in others

I think Donegal's relegation is just the first sign of how difficult they will find it in 2013.
It's only natural that they will not be able to match the intensity, work rate and fitness levels shown in 2011 and 2012 so I am not surprised that they finished so low in the league and I really do not expected them to get to even an All Ireland Semi final in 2013

I also think that Kerry’s escape by virtue of a late Dublin point is just a sticking plaster on what is a team in serious decline with little or no quality coming through.
Again it's the inclusion of the established players in Gooch, Galvin, O'Sullivan's and Donaghy that has saved them from relegation.
This time last year people were singing the praises of a Kerry team that topped the league with players like Paddy Curtain, BJK and O' Donoughe.
But where are they now, all dropped for the sake of the guys that have been at it for the best part of a decade or more
Is it that the young guys are not good enough or is it that Fitzmaurice is afraid to continue with the young guys now whatever the consequences may be.
One bight light for the past few games has been Mark Griffin (I don't know how he played today) but he has only been in the team because O' Mahoney has been injured.

Dublin have been as I expected , a strong team with a lot of depth, obvious All Ireland favourites
Kildare have been so so, again they flatter to deceive.
Still not sure what to make of Cork
Tyrone are still a work in progress, should win Ulster but not All Ireland contenders
Mayo have a lot of work to do to play 70 mins and not drift in and out of games, forwards are still so so too.
And Down went down as expected

Hammer Archer

Stoner wrote: »

true, my first stat takes care of this year, and my second stat was for next year
chronological
I'm just pointing out that what happened today for Donegal was not insignificant or meaningless as the Donegal "always positive" attitude may highlight.
The Donegal fans were not happy today, they don't want division two next year, why would they and they also have the new champions hangover to deal with this year.

So lets add the third stat about teams putting them back to back

Fair enough. I also don't think it was meaningless. No team wants to get relegated.
I've no idea who'll win the championship this year. But my point was that I don't think Donegal being relegated today will affect whether they'll win it again this year or not. I do think Donegal are the best team in recent years to be relegated (compare them to the likes of Laois, Monaghan, Westmeath etc.). I don't think statistics into how these teams do in the championship really apply to Donegal this year.

ProudDUB

68Murph68 wrote: »

Having said that with the teams in Division 2 next season I'd be shocked if Donegal didnt bounce back up again.

And they'll bounce right back down again, if they keep up the " screw the League, it's all about the Championship " attitude. They are perfectly entitled to have whatever attitude they want. But other counties are paying more and more attention to the League these days. That's just a fact. If Donegal choose not to, sooner or later they'll find themselves getting relegated consistantly. Finding your way to the steps of the Hogan Stand on the third Sunday in September, is a bloody hard thing to do at the best of times. It is a heckuva lot harder if your starting point is Division Two.

eddie73

I dont think for one minute that mcguinness would have wanted to be relegated today, nor at the beginning of the league campaign either. I think that there was a calculated gamble going on on his behalf, that almost paid off. We were in worse shape this time last year, having sustained 2 hammerings (one at home to laois) and only stayed up on the last day by beating armagh, who hit the post in the second half that would prob have won them the game, and survival. So its all tiny things that makes the difference.

The difference this time was not really a list of excuses, more a list of results that went against us, both in our own games over the league, and more remarkably, 2 teams winning away from home on the last day. Mayo were 6 points down at the same time as we were 5 ahead at one stage today.

I think that we could point to injuries, as being a huge factor this league campaign. We were without a few good men, and the player of the year for the entire campaign too. Lacey would have been a huge plus in our team, and when he gets back in, will give us the lift we need in the championship. We do not have a strong panel of players, and one of the main reasons we won the all ireland last year was because the entire team managed to stay injury free for the season!

We were well beaten by Mayo, and Tyrone this year. Cork by 2 points, and kildare desrevedly beat us as well in the first game, but todays game was a match we left behind in the first half. We could have been out of sight by 20 minutes, at least 8 points clear. this dominance was a fair reflection that mcguinness wanted us to be in division one next year, despite what people may inter-prate from what he says in interview.

The idea that mcguinness went out with an indifferent attitude to the league is only partially correct, he went out to try and survive, by gambling, and it almost worked.

Good luck to kerry who turned it around and also to mayo who now have a chance of winning something for a change.

shiibata

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Great days football all round, really exciting stuff in Div 1 for us who were at games and trying to keep up with scores in others

I think Donegal's relegation is just the first sign of how difficult they will find it in 2013.
It's only natural that they will not be able to match the intensity, work rate and fitness levels shown in 2011 and 2012 so I am not surprised that they finished so low in the league and I really do not expected them to get to even an All Ireland Semi final in 2013

We played far worse in the league last year and same as this year, we had to win our last game to stay up, we beat Armagh and stayed up...so not too worried about this summer anyhow....only thing bugs me, is when McGuiness in every interview after a match keeps harping on about "26th May is what its all about"...he is like a parrot with that line..

Stoner

shiibata wrote: »

"26th May is what its all about"...he is like a parrot with that line..

We all remember it though, imagine how many times the players have heard it!!

Fr Tod Umptious

shiibata wrote: »

We played far worse in the league last year and same as this year, we had to win our last game to stay up, we beat Armagh and stayed up...so not too worried about this summer anyhow....only thing bugs me, is when McGuiness in every interview after a match keeps harping on about "26th May is what its all about"...he is like a parrot with that line..

You sound exactly like the Dublin fans this time last year

shiibata

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

You sound exactly like the Dublin fans this time last year

No, because I don't think we will it again this year, even get to the final, don't think we will beat Tyrone either but hopeful of a good run in the qualifiers and see what happens.

Always_Running

shiibata wrote: »

No, because I don't think we will it again this year, even get to the final, don't think we will beat Tyrone either but hopeful of a good run in the qualifiers and see what happens.

Didn't Donegal finish on 5pts in the league last year? this time they happened to get relegated. Mayo are one point down on last years total next year they will probably reach the semi finals on 5pts