With six rounds of the NFL played, we have updated our county-by-county football ratings. There has been plenty of movement since our last ratings but, again, final championship standings from 2012 have also been taken into account and no county has been allowed move more than seven places in either direction.

1. DUBLIN (up 1)

Former midfielder Ciaran Whelan claimed this week that Dublin are the team to beat and it is difficult to argue against him at this point in time. Jim Gavin has plenty of talent to work with and they are the form team in the country. The defeat by Tyrone hasn't changed that fact but it will be interesting to see if they can live up to the high expectations in the weeks and months ahead.

2. TYRONE (up 4)

After the Dubs, Tyrone have been the most impressive team in Division 1 so far. They booked their semi-final ticket with a commanding 1-13 to 0-10 round 6 victory over Kildare in Newbridge. Elder statesmen like Sean Cavanagh and Stephen O'Neill have spearheaded the Red Hand County's renaissance but Mickey Harte has also injected new blood into his team and they are emerging as a force to be reckoned with once again this year.

3. DONEGAL (down 2)

Is Jim McGuinness playing mind-games with the rest of the country? The All-Ireland wining manager doesn't seem to be overly concerned with their perilous position in the top flight and they are one defeat away from suffering the ignominy of relegation if other results go against them. Off the field, there was good news this week following the Ulster Council's decision to give Ballybofey the green light to host the crunch Ulster SFC quarter-final against Tyrone in May.

4. KILDARE (up 1)

Despite convincing defeats at the hands of Dublin and Tyrone, Kieran McGeeney and his team are also through to the last four of the league. The displayed commendable character to bounce back from the second half collapse against Kerry with a 1-11 to 0-13 round 5 win away to Mayo in Castlebar. Newcomers such as Daryl Flynn, Niall Kelly and Paddy Brophy have made big impacts while Seanie Johnstown has begun to repay some of the faith shown in him by the manager.

5. CORK (down 1)

They won't be pushing the panic button just yet down Leeside way but there were worrying signs in their defeat to Kerry last weekend. Manager Conor Counihan admitted he wasn't best pleased with the display and suggested that Kerry showed the greater urgency. Colm O'Neill's third cruciate ligament injury is a massive set-back to the Rebel County's chances of regaining the Sam Maguire Cup later this year.

6. MAYO (down 3)

With two wins from six outings, Mayo are also dicing with relegation from Division 1. James Horan's men will travel to Pairc Ui Rinn to take on holders Cork in their final round game on Sunday week. They will make the trip buoyed by their 1-10 to 0-9 win over Donegal last time out. Barry Moran caught the eye for the Connacht men as they gained a small measure of revenge for last year's All-Ireland final defeat and, along with Aidan O'Shea, forms, arguably, the best midfield pairing in the country.

7. KERRY (no change)

There have been signs of green shoots of recovery in recent weeks and it is probably no coincidence that the return of the Gooch and Paul Galvin have resulted in better results on the pitch. Consecutive wins over Down and Cork sees them in with a chance of sidestepping the relegation trapdoor but they need to put one over Tyrone in round 7 in Omagh on Sunday week.

8. DOWN (no change)

Down's injury woes are well documented and look like costing them their place in Division 1. Few teams would be able to compete minus the services of the likes of Ambrose Rogers, Dan Gordon, Daniel Hughes and Liam Doyle. The scoring exploits of Donal O'Hare has been the main positive of their campaign so far. There is unlikely to be any great escape from James McCartan and his team on the final day and they probably have already turned their attention to their Ulster SFC date with Derry.

9. WESTMEATH (up 1)

With promotion already secured, Westmeath can afford the luxury of resting players for their round 7 game with second-placed Derry on Sunday week. Pat Flanagan's charges are unbeaten in the second division and dropped just one point in a draw against Galway. They now have a Division 2 final to look forward ahead of a Leinster SFC opener against Carlow and a possible last eight clash with Dublin.

10. DERRY (up 7)

Big movers, Brian McIver's side are currently favourites to fill the second promotion spot available in Division 2. A win or draw against Westmeath at home on Sunday week will be enough after they have won four and drawn one of their six games so far. Their cause will be helped by the fact that it will be a meaningless game for their Leinster opponents who might not want to show their full hand ahead of a potential Division 2 decider.

11. LAOIS (down 2)

The O'Moore County still has an outside chance of promotion depending on how results elsewhere go. Inconsistency has bedevilled Justin McNulty's charges in Division 2 and Cahir Healy's defection to hurling is a major blow.

12. WEXFORD (down 1)

Wins over Longford and Louth and a draw with Fermanagh is what the Model County have to show for their efforts in Division 2. They will look to finish the campaign off in style when they host Laois and will then commence preparations for their Leinster SFC quarter-final against the winners of Laois and Louth.

13. GALWAY (up 7)

Put their relegation concerns behind them with a win over Wexford last weekend but Alan Mulholland has a job on his hands to get his team ready for an assault on Mayo's Connacht SFC crown.

14. MONAGHAN (down 1)

Have faltered badly with the Division 2 finishing line in sight and Malachy O'Rourke's men now need to secure a win over Antrim in their final game to be sure of promotion.

15. LIMERICK (down 1)

Returned to winning ways in Division 4 last weekend but were none too impressive in their one-point win over London in Ruislip. The return of influential midfielder John Galvin is a welcome development for manager Maurice Horan.

16. MEATH (no change)

Two wins on the trot have halted Meath slide down the rankings. Wins over Roscommon and Sligo leave them in fifth position in the Division 3 table but victories over Antrim and table-toppers Fermanagh would see them earn an instant return to Division 2.

17. ARMAGH (up 4)

Faced with the prospect of relegation for the second successive season, Paul Grimley's men will have to put one over Galway at home in round 7 if they are to have any chance of staying up. They missed Jamie Clarke against Louth and Westmeath.

18. LOUTH (up 6)

Louth need to get the better of relegated Longford in round 7 if they are to be sure of consolidating their place in Division 2.

19. LONGFORD (down 7)

The league table doesn't lie and Glenn Ryan's men have failed to secure a win in Group 2 despite coming close on a couple of occasions. A trip to Aughrim for a Leinster SFC opener against Wicklow is now top of their priorities.

20. FERMANAGH (up 5)

Peter Canavan's charges currently sit proudly on top of Division 3 and a win over Meath in Pairc Tailteann on Sunday week would see them plying their trade in Division 2 in 12 months time.

21. ANTRIM (down 6)

Frank Dawson will demand two big performances from his team against Meath and Monaghan as they attempt to build up some momentum ahead of their Ulster SFC encounter with Monaghan on June 9.

22. TIPPERARY (down 4)

Despite two defeats, Peter Creedon's side are still in with a chance of promotion as they prepare for a final round clash away to Offaly.

23. CAVAN (no change)

Cavan bounced back from their disappointment of their local derby defeat at the hands of Fermanagh last week to get the better of Wicklow in Aughrim and keep their slim hopes of promotion alive.

26. ROSCOMMON (no change)

John Evans' charges have been handicapped by the unavailability of their St Brigid's contingent but they now have a full compliment to choose from ahead of the visit to Breffni Park on Sunday week.

25. SLIGO (down 6)

The Yeats County have a fight on their hands to preserve their Division 3 status and must register a win over Wicklow in their final outing to have any chance of avoiding the drop.

26. OFFALY (up 5)

Defeats by Clare and Limerick knocked Emmet McDonnell and the Faithful County back on their heels but they could still secure promotion if they score a victory over Tipperary.

27. WICKLOW (up 3)

The Garden County have struggled to gain a foothold in Division 3 and have just two draws to show for their efforts.

28. LEITRIM (down 6)

The FBD League success is a distant memory as Leitrim have struggled to build on that success in Division 4.

29. CLARE (down 2)

Last weekend's win over Carlow kept Mick O'Dwyer's charges in the promotion frame and they have two games against London and Leitrim to go.

30. CARLOW (down 2)

Anthony Rainbow has admitted he was furious with the display and ill-discipline in the defeat to Clare last weekend and the former Kildare star and his players have a lot of work to do ahead of the start of the Leinster SFC.

31. WATERFORD (down 2)

Waterford started well in Division 4 but they points have run dry in recent weeks and they remain on just two wins with a last round game against Carlow to come.

32. LONDON (no change)

The Exiles have given a reasonably good account of themselves in the bottom division and consider themselves unfortunate to have gotten, at least, a share of the spoils against table toppers Limerick last weekend. Tweet

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