FL final previews: four cups on offer

April 22, 2016

Cavan manager Terry Hyland, Tyrone manager Mickey Harte, Kerry's Bryan Sheehan and Denis Bastick of Dublin at the Allianz FL previews in Croke Park.
©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.

Here are our previews for the four Allianz Football League finals down for decision this weekend.

Saturday, April 23rd

Allianz FL Division 3 final

Kildare v Clare
, Croke Park, 6pm

East meets west on Saturday evening at HQ and Kildare have been branded red-hot favourites by the bookies at 1/6. Cian O'Neill's charges topped the Division Three table with four points to spare and are likely to have too much for the Banner men, who make a rare trip to the capital here. Colm Collins' side have sealed their berth into this decider on merit, with ace attackers David Tubridy and Eoin Cleary in rich form throughout the campaign. When these two sides met at the start of the month it was the Lilywhites that emerged with a 0-22 to 1-14 win, with Eoghan O'Flaherty and Alan Smith to the fore, and the Munster outfit will need to find a way to curtail their influence a bit better this time around.

Verdict: Kildare

Allianz FL Division 4 final

Antrim v Louth, Croke Park, 4pm

Antrim's form sizzled in Division Four this season to the point where they'd promotion secured with a round of fixtures remaining. Louth did likewise with a hard fought win over Wexford and when these two teams met earlier this month they weren't giving anything away in a dead-rubber final round clash in Belfast, where it finished all square (0-12 to 1-9). There's silverware on the line this time round however, and the form book would suggest a win for the Saffrons. The Ulster outfit are 4/7 favourites with bookmakers but will still need to deliver on a rare visit to Croker, where Colin Kelly's side will no doubt be fired-up with a trophy up for grabs.

Verdict: Antrim


Sunday, April 24th

Allianz FL Division 1 final

Dublin v Kerry, Croke Park, 3.30pm

The great epic rivalry comes to HQ once again on Sunday as holders Dublin look to maintain their recent dominance over Kerry. Jim Gavin's side have now gone more than a year unbeaten between league and championship, winning all seven of their outings in Division One this season, making them understandable 8/13 favourites against the Kingdom this weekend. The Munster champions haven't looked back since their sluggish start to the campaign, taking maximum points from their last five games as the likes of Colm Cooper, scorer of 1-5 in the semi-finals against Roscommon, Bryan Sheehan and Marc O Se have filtered back into the set-up. Dublin, on the other hand, have maintained their momentum since last September's meeting between these two rivals and it will be intriguing to see if Eamonn Fitzmaurice's side have figured out a way to stop this juggernaut from the capital. The Dubs are gunning for their fourth title in-a-row (and 12th overall) and their old rivals may have to wait until the summer before denying them on the big stage given the champions' devastating form at present. 

Verdict: Dublin

Allianz FL Division 2 final

Tyrone v Cavan, Croke Park, 1.30pm

An Ulster derby precedes the big showdown at Croker on Sunday, as Cavan and Tyrone go head-to-head for the Division Two title. Mickey Harte's side haven't lost a game yet in 2016 and are priced at 8/13 to continue that impressive form against the Breffni men, who they handed a 0-10 to 0-8 defeat to in their league opener back in January. The Red Hands have found a couple of young stars recently in the likes of Conor McAliskey and Richie Donnelly, while Colm Cavanagh's form in the first four months of the season has been a revelation for them. However, Terry Hyland's team possess a few developing gems of their own and were very much the side neutrals were talking about when they clinched promotion earlier this month with a fifth win on the bounce at home to Galway. Talismanic captain Gearoid McKiernan led the way against the Tribesmen that day and they'll need the big Swanlinbar man to step up to the plate again, along with the likes of Seanie Johnston and David Givney, if they are to pull off what would be a coveted victory over the O'Neill County at HQ.

Verdict: Cavan  


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