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April 03, 2012Sunday (2.30): Cork v Dublin, Pairc Ui Chaoimh; Kerry v Mayo, Tralee; Donegal v Armagh, Ballybofey, Laois v Down, Portlaoise.
Kerry (10 pts) are through to the semi-finals as group winners, having opened up a three point advantage over Cork and a four point advantage over Mayo, Dublin and Down. Kerry could still have a major say on who else reaches the semi-finals as they will be at home to Mayo on Sunday which adds to the pressure on James Horan's squad. Cork, who are at home to Dublin, will definitely qualify for the semi-finals if they win or draw.
A draw might be enough for Dublin to make the semi-finals but that would be dependent on other results. Down are also in strong contention for a semi-final place while Armagh (5pts) are in the unusual position of being in contention for a semi-final place while also being in danger of relegation.
Laois and Donegal are both on four points so they need to beat Down and Armagh respectively to have a chance of avoiding relegation. It promises to be quite an afternoon before the four semi-final and relegation places are settled around 4pm.
DIVISION 2: GALWAY AND KILKDARE IN PROMOTION SHOOT OUT
Sunday (2.30): Galway v Kildare, Pearse Stadium; Westmeath v Derry, Mullingar; Tyrone v Monaghan, Omagh; Meath v Derry, Navan.
Tyrone are already assured of a place of promotion and a place in the Division 2 final after winning all six games so far and will be joined by the winners of the intriguing Galway-Kildare shoot-out in Pearse Stadium. It promises to be quite a contest between a Galway side that's bidding to return to Division 1 at the first attempt and high-flying Kildare, who have won their last four games.
Kildare were relegated to Division 2 in 2008 and failed to win promotion over the last three campaigns but are now within a win or a draw (Kildare 8pts, Galway 7pts) of returning to the top flight. Galway and Kildare last met in the League in 2008 when Galway won by a point (1-12 to 2-8) in Newbridge.
While Galway and Kildare battle it out for promotion, Derry (5pts), Meath, Monaghan, Louth and Westmeath (all on 4pts) will be fighting it out against relegation. Louth and Westmeath were promoted from Division 3 last year but are now in real danger of dropping back down again.
Westmeath have home advantage against Derry while Louth must travel to Navan to take on great rivals, Meath. Monaghan, who were relegated from Division 1 last year, take on table-toppers, Tyrone and are now facing the possibility to dropping from Divisions 1 to 3 in successive seasons.
DIVISION 3: TOP TWO IN WARM-UP FOR THE FINAL
Sunday (2.30): Cavan v Antrim, Kingspan Breffni Park; Longford v Wexford, Pearse Park; Sligo v Roscommon, Markievicz Park.
Top two, Longford (11pts) and Wexford (10pts) clash in a game which has no bearing on promotion as the pair are already guaranteed Division 2 football next season. So irrespective of how they fare next Sunday, Longford and Wexford will meet again in the Division 2 final on April 29. Tipperary (1pt) are already doomed to relegation but their game with Offaly (2pts) in Thurles could prove significant in deciding who joins them in Division 3 next year.
Offaly need to beat Tipperary and hope that Antrim (6pts) beat Cavan (4pts) to enable them to survive in this group. If Offaly win and Cavan lose, both will be on four points, in which case Offaly will survive and Cavan will make the drop. This arises from the head-to-head rule as Offaly beat Cavan by two points in Round 5.
DIVISION 4: THREE REMAIN IN PROMOTION RACE
Sunday (2.30 unless stated): Carlow v Fermanagh, Dr. Cullen Park; London v Wicklow, Ruislip, 1.30; Leitrim v Waterford, Carrick-on-Shannon; Clare v Kilkenny, Ennis.
Fermanagh (11pts), Clare (10pts) and Wicklow (8pts) remain in contention for the two promotion places. All three have two games remaining. Clare look well set to move onto 12 points next Sunday as they will be at home to Kilkenny who have lost their seven games by an average of 30 points. Fermanagh, who drew with Limerick last Sunday, will be away to Carlow, who had a good win over Waterford last Saturday. Wicklow are still in strong contention with games against London and Clare to come.
Round 9: Apr 15: Fermanagh v Leitrim; Waterford v London; Limerick v Carlow; Wicklow v Clare; Kilkenny (bye).
RESULTS AND FIXTURES
DIVISION 1
Round 1: Feb 4: Kerry 1-14 Dublin 0-11; Mayo 1-11 Laois 0-8; Down 1-10 Donegal 1-9; Feb 5: Armagh 0-10 Cork 1-7.
Round 2: Feb 11: Mayo v Dublin - abandoned at half-time due to fog (Dublin were leading, 0-8 to 0-5); Armagh 2-8 Kerry 0-10; Feb 12: Laois 2-9 Donegal 2-6; Cork 4-11 Down 0-10.
Mar 31: Mayo 0-20 Dublin 0-8
Round 3: Mar 3: Mayo 1-14 Armagh 0-11; Dublin 1-14 Laois 1-9; Mar 4: Donegal 1-7 Cork 0-6; Kerry 0-14 Down 0-8.
Round 4: Mar 10: Cork 2-14 Laois 0-10; Mar 11: Dublin 4-17 Armagh 1-10; Kerry 2-16 Donegal 1-8; Down 1-13 Mayo 0-11.
Round 5: Mar 18: Kerry 0-13 Cork 0-11; Down 0-15 Dublin 1-10; Laois 1-15 Armagh 1-10; Donegal 0-17 Mayo 1-7.
Round 6: Mar 24: Dublin 2-16 Donegal 0-13; Armagh 1-14 Down 0-16; Mar 25: Kerry 0-20 Laois 1-13; Cork 0-14 Mayo 0-13.
Round 7: Apr 8: Laois v Down; Kerry v Mayo; Cork v Dublin; Donegal v Armagh.
Semi-finals: Apr 15.
Final: April 29
DIVISION 2
Round 1: Feb 4: Tyrone 2-11 Kildare 0-12; Meath 1-15 Monaghan 1-9; Feb 5: Galway 1-15 Derry 1-11; Louth 0-12 Westmeath 1-6.
Round 2: Feb 12: Meath 0-17 Westmeath 0-5; Monaghan 0-17 Kildare 0-12; Tyrone 2-15 Derry 0-9; Galway 1-8 Louth 0-11.
Round 3: Mar 3: Derry 0-14 Monaghan 0-8; Kildare 0-18 Meath 2-11; Mar 4: Westmeath 0-14 Galway 0-13; Tyrone 2-13 Louth 0-13.
Round 4: Mar 10: Tyrone 2-11 Westmeath 0-8; Mar 11: Monaghan 2-24 Louth 1-15; Galway 1-12 Meath 1-11; Kildare 2-13 Derry 2-8.
Round 5: Mar 18: Westmeath 1-19 Monaghan 2-11; Derry 0-13 Meath 0-10; Kildare 2-15 Louth 0-17; Tyrone 1-14 Galway 0-13.
Round 6: Mar 24: Tyrone 1-12 Meath 0-5; Mar 25: Derry 0-19 Louth 1-16; Galway 1-14 Monaghan 0-12; Kildare 3-23 Westmeath 1-12.
Round 7: Apr 8: Westmeath v Derry; Meath v Louth; Tyrone v Monaghan; Galway v Kildare.
Final: April 29
DIVISION 3
Round 1: Feb 4: Antrim 0-13 Sligo 0-12; Feb 5: Longford 2-15 Offaly 0-8, Wexford 4-9 Cavan 1-13; Roscommon 1-12 Tipperary 0-12.
Round 2: Feb 11: Longford 0-10 Cavan 0-7; Feb 12: Roscommon 0-12 Offaly 1-6; Antrim 1-13 Tipperary 0-13; Sligo 4-14 Wexford 1-17.
Round 3: Mar 3: Antrim 2-14 Offaly 1-8; Cavan 0-14 Sligo 1-8; Mar 4: Longford 0-16 Roscommon 2-8, Wexford 2-20 Tipperary 1-8.
Round 4: Mar 11: Cavan 4-10 Tipperary 0-14; Wexford 1-21 Offaly 2-5; Longford 1-16 Sligo 1-8; Roscommon 1-10 Antrim 1-6.
Round 5: Mar 18: Offaly 1-10 Cavan 0-11; Longford 0-15 Antrim 1-8; Wexford 1-12 Roscommon 1-10; Sligo 1-16 Tipperary 0-7.
Round 6: Mar 24: Tipperary 0-12 Longford 0-12; Mar 25: Wexford 0-18 Antrim 2-9 Sligo 1-14 Offaly 1-12; Roscommon 1-17 Cavan 1-12.
Round 7: April 8: Cavan v Antrim; Longford v Wexford; Tipperary v Offaly; Sligo v Roscommon.
Final: Saturday, April 28
DIVISION 4
Round 1: Sunday: Clare 1-17 Waterford 0-12; Wicklow 3-25 Kilkenny 1-1; Limerick 1-9 Leitrim 0-9; Fermanagh 2-15 London 0-9; Carlow (bye)
Round 2: Feb 11: Waterford 0-21 Kilkenny 0-2; Feb 12: Limerick 1-13 London 1-7; Leitrim 2-9 Carlow 0-13; Fermanagh 0-11 Clare 0-8; Wicklow (bye)
Round 3: Mar 4: Clare 0-10 Limerick 0-9; Waterford 4-7 Wicklow 1-12; Fermanagh 9-23 Kilkenny 0-4; Carlow 2-6 London 0-4; Leitrim (bye).
Round 4: Mar 10: Limerick 1-30 Kilkenny 0-1; Mar 11: Fermanagh 0-11 Wicklow 0-9; Clare 1-12 Carlow 0-14; Leitrim 1-10 London 0-8; Waterford (bye)
Round 5: Mar 18: Wicklow 2-13 Limerick 0-14; Carlow 3-11 Kilkenny 1-6; Fermanagh 0-15 Waterford 0-12; Clare 1-12 Leitrim 0-9; London (bye)
Round 6: Mar 24: Waterford 1-18 Limerick 1-14; Mar 25: Leitrim 4-26 Kilkenny 0-3; Clare 0-17 London 0-12; Wicklow 1-9 Carlow 0-10; Fermanagh (bye)
Round 7: Mar 31: Carlow 1-15 Waterford 0-12; Apr 1: Wicklow 2-13 Leitrim 1-10; London 4-30 Kilkenny 0-4; Fermanagh 0-13 Limerick 1-10; Clare (bye)
Round 8: Apr 8: Carlow v Fermanagh; London v Wicklow; Leitrim v Waterford; Clare v Kilkenny; Limerick (bye)
Round 9: Apr 15: Fermanagh v Leitrim; Waterford v London; Limerick v Carlow; Wicklow v Clare; Kilkenny (bye).
Final: Saturday, April 28 Tweet
