National Football Leagues 2026

I was looking at the relegation permutations for Div 1 -

The scoring difference from Roscommon to Armagh on the table looks much tighter than I thought it was.

The Tiebreaker Rules

• If two teams finish level on points: The tie is decided by the result of the match between those two teams (Head-to-Head).
• If three or more teams finish level on points: The ranking is decided by Overall Scoring Difference (total points for minus total points against).
• If scoring difference is also equal: The team with the Highest Total Score For is ranked higher.
• Subsequent deciders: If still equal, Highest Total Goals For is used, followed by a play-off.

Important Note: A "mini-league" or "head-to-head-to-head" result is only used if the teams were involved in a game that was not played due to a disqualification or walkover. In a standard season like 2026, a three-way tie reverts immediately to overall scoring difference.

—

-/

******************************************

The unlikely scenario that Monaghan win v Galway -

******************************************

-/

If Monaghan manage to get a shock with Galway the league gets very tight - unlikely but possible

If Monaghan defeat Galway in Round 6, the relegation battle becomes significantly more volatile. This result would move Monaghan to 2 points and keep Galway on 4 points heading into the final round.

Because Monaghan has a severely inferior scoring difference (-55), their only realistic path to survival is through a two-way head-to-head tiebreaker.

Standings if Monaghan wins (Assuming other Round 6 results)

• Roscommon: 6 points (Plays Donegal in Round 6)
• Dublin: 4 or 5 or 6 points (Plays Armagh in Round 6)
• Galway: 4 points (After losing to Monaghan)
• Armagh: 2 or 3 or 4 points (Plays Dublin in Round 6)
• Monaghan: 2 points (After beating Galway)

The "Monaghan Escape" Permutation

For Monaghan to stay in Division 1 after beating Galway, they must also beat Donegal in Round 7. This would bring them to 4 points. They would then need the following to happen:

• Galway loses to Dublin: This leaves Galway on 4 points.
• Armagh fails to reach 4 points: Armagh would need to lose to Dublin and lose or draw against Kerry.
• Result: Monaghan and Galway finish tied on 4 points. Because Monaghan won the head-to-head match in Round 6, Monaghan would stay up and Galway would be relegated.

The Galway Relegation Danger

If Galway loses to Monaghan, their final match against Dublin in Salthill becomes a "must-not-lose" fixture.

• If Galway loses to both Monaghan and Dublin: They stay on 4 points. They are relegated if Monaghan beats Donegal (on head-to-head) or if Armagh reaches 4 points (as Armagh has a better scoring difference).
• If Galway draws with Dublin: They move to 5 points. This would guarantee safety regardless of Monaghan's results, as Monaghan can only reach a maximum of 4 points.

The Three-Way Tie Scenario (Scoring Difference)

If Monaghan beats Galway and Donegal, and Armagh beats Kerry, there is a high chance of multiple teams finishing on 4 points.

• If Monaghan, Galway, and Armagh all finish on 4 points, the head-to-head results are ignored. The tiebreaker becomes overall scoring difference.
• Current Scoring Differences: Armagh (+3), Galway (-3), Monaghan (-55).
• In this three-way tie, Monaghan’s -55 deficit is almost impossible to overturn. Even with two wins, they would likely remain bottom and be relegated along with the team with the next worst scoring difference.

Summary of Requirements for Safety

• Galway: Needs at least a draw against Dublin in Round 7 to be certain of safety if they lose to Monaghan.
• Monaghan: Must beat both Galway and Donegal and hope Galway loses to Dublin to trigger a two-way head-to-head tiebreaker.
• Armagh: Needs to avoid a heavy defeat to Dublin and ideally pick up a win against Kerry to ensure they stay ahead of Galway and Monaghan on scoring difference.

—/

******************************************

The more likely scenario Monaghan lose v Galway -

******************************************

Based the premise that Galway defeats Monaghan in Round 6, here is the revised outlook for the relegation battle.

Current Points Total (Assuming Galway beat Monaghan)

• Roscommon: 6 points (with two matches remaining)
• Galway: 6 points (after beating Monaghan)
• Dublin: 4 points (with matches against Armagh and Galway remaining)
• Armagh: 2 points (with matches against Dublin and Kerry remaining)
• Monaghan: 0 points (Confirmed for relegation if they lose to Galway)

If Dublin beats Armagh in Round 6

If Dublin wins this match, the relegation results are decided before the final day.

• Dublin moves to 6 points.
• Armagh remains on 2 points. With only one match left, the maximum points Armagh can achieve is 4.
• Relegation Result: Armagh and Monaghan are relegated. The final match between Galway and Dublin becomes a dead rubber for league standings only.

If Armagh beats Dublin in Round 6

This scenario creates a high-stakes final round where three or four teams could finish on 6 points.

• Armagh moves to 4 points.
• Dublin stays on 4 points.
• Galway is on 6 points.
• Round 7 Requirements: Armagh must beat Kerry to reach 6 points. Dublin must beat Galway to reach 6 points.

The Survival Tiebreaker (The 6-Point Scramble)

If Roscommon fails to pick up any more points and Armagh, Dublin, and Galway all finish on 6 points, the tiebreakers will decide who stays up.

• Scoring Difference: If three or more teams are tied on points, the head-to-head results are discarded, and the team with the worst overall scoring difference is relegated.
• Current Rankings :
  1. Armagh: +3
  2. Dublin: 0
  3. Roscommon: -2
  4. Galway: -3

Galway’s scoring difference is currently the lowest among these four teams. However, a win over Monaghan provides a significant opportunity to improve this, as Monaghan has the leakiest defence in the division with a -55 scoring difference.

Summary of Survival Paths

• Galway: Beating Monaghan effectively secures safety if Dublin also beats Armagh. If Armagh wins that game, Galway still needs a result against Dublin in Salthill to avoid a scoring difference lottery.
• Dublin: Their match against Armagh is a "must-not-lose" fixture. A defeat puts them in a position where they must beat Galway away to have any chance of staying up.
• Armagh: They must win both remaining matches (Dublin and Kerry) and hope their superior scoring difference carries them through a 6-point tiebreaker.

—

hope it comes down to the last day….dublin. V Galway in salthill

**** or get off the pot then for Galway..

Supposed to be heading to Fermanagh tomorrow night for the Laois match.

Anyone know what parking is like up there, and assume just use a card to pay for whatever?

Mayo started well going 9 to 4 up with a good breeze behind them and a couple of 2 pointers. Kerry won the second quarter 9-1, scoring nearly every attack and it looks ominous for Mayo against the breeze now in the second half.

Lovely 2 pointer from O Shea there. Dont think we have seen one of them before. Kicked a rolling ball from the ground

The sooner Kobe gets to fvck out to Aus the better for himself. They will destroy him in Mayo. Media completely hyping him and Andy's Lads, who have been playing something called 'Moranball' apparently.

Kobe needs to get to fvck out of dodge for his own sake, running him into the ground today for 80 odd minutes is complete mismanagement.

Another mismanaged Mayo team will give me great joy BTW, if only as a fvck u to 'personal reasons' Graham, but I don't want to see this mismanagement ruin a young lad either.

I hope the smartarse who left the Armagh flag on the Hill- doesn’t forget it when they are leaving early in the second half…

Armagh fighting? There’s a shock

' personal reasons ' Graham. What's that all about?!