All the football league games previewed by SEÁN MORAN
Today
All-Ireland club junior football final (Extra-time if necessary)
John Mitchels(Lancashire) v Skellig Rangers(Kerry), Croke Park, 6.00 – The recently revived Liverpool club caused a surprise when beating Meath's Moynalvey in the semi-final and will need another here against the impressive Portmagee side.
All-Ireland club intermediate football final
St Michael's(Galway) v St Michael's Foilmore(Kerry), Croke Park, 7.45 – Galway city club St Michael's stand in the way of a potential Kerry double. The semi-final win over a good Ballyroan Abbey side was impressive but their opponents were even more so in defeating Tyrone's Trillick.
National Football League
Division One
Donegal v Mayo,Letterkenny, – A vital match for both counties even so early in the campaign, as the losers will be already anxiously eyeing the trap door. Donegal were under strength in Tralee two weeks ago but, after a successful McKenna Cup campaign, would have expected to make more of an impact on a Kerry team emerging from hibernation.
John Joe Doherty makes five changes, including three of the back four. Mayo were curiously listless against an under-strength Derry team, who still demonstrated more cohesion and urgency than the home side. Expect better performances from both with Mayo maybe edging it.
Division Two
Armagh v Laois, Athletic Grounds, 7.30 – Armagh hit the ground screaming in Wexford. Ryan Henderson's four goals dominated the coverage and not surprisingly given the implications of the team discovering another marksman. Laois, coming off a convincing defeat by Kildare, will have to wait longer for their first points.
Meath v Fermanagh, Páirc Tailteann, 7.30 – Fermanagh really missed the physical presence of some of their absentees in the home defeat by Monaghan. Meath’s lacklustre display in Cork prompts six changes and they’ll need to be careful against the competitive, if under-strength, Ulster finalists.
Division Three
Limerick v Roscommon, Kilmallock, – A big improvement will be needed here from Limerick for whom the dual-player issue is back on the table, although they won't be started here ahead of the hurlers' big match tomorrow. Roscommon ripped apart Offaly two weeks ago and will be favourites to pick up more points.
Down v Louth,Newry, 7.30 – Driven by last year's embarrassing failure to secure promotion, Down picked up their first points but will be tested by a Louth team that has started the season well but who will be missing Paddy Keenan and Darren Clarke. Enough reservations there to favour the home side.
Division Four
Antrim v Clare,Casement Park, 7.30 – Clare ran Sligo very close last week but Antrim, their pistons pumping after beating Kilkenny by 34 points, will be favoured to make home advantage count.
Leinster Under–21 FC
Longford v Wicklow,Longford, – Wicklow have to be slightly favoured in this, having had the upper hand at minor level, but Longford have had a few outings in the Hastings Cup albeit with mixed results.
Wexford v Kildare,Bunclody, – A re-run of last year's final when Wexford, reduced to 14 men, lost by four points to the eventual All-Ireland finalists, who have enough of last year's panel available to travel successfully.
Tomorrow
National Football League
Division One
Derry v Westmeath,Ballinascreen – Damian Cassidy hasn't been deflected from his mission to experiment during the holders' campaign and makes seven changes to the team that played well for an encouraging win in Ballina.
They will be expected to take the points at home against a Westmeath side that lost their first outing in a late blitz by Galway. But Tomás Ó Flatharta’s team didn’t play badly and for most of the match their deep-cover game was functioning reasonably well until the concession of two goals in the last 15 minutes.
Tyrone v Kerry,Omagh – Although the championship meetings of these counties have been emblematic of the current decade their league meetings have also been very significant, if obviously lower-profile.
Both began this campaign with good wins. The All-Ireland champions were at times dazzling with Stephen O’Neill – doubtful for tomorrow with injury – in extraordinary form and ultimately commanding, responding in injury time with a barrage of points to beat Dublin.
Kerry aren’t as practised but sailed past Donegal. Jack O’Connor’s team don’t need to beat Tyrone but success in Omagh would still be a valued marker, particularly for the younger, emerging players.
If O’Neill can’t play the champions’ firepower will be significantly reduced and the one failing against Dublin was a failure to make lengthy spells of dominance count. But the sight of Kerry has a galvanic effect on Tyrone, enough to take the points.
Galway v Dublin,Pearse Stadium – Whereas Pat Gilroy's contentment with the feisty display against Tyrone was understandable Dublin now have to start gathering points.
Galway are hoping to improve on a dismal record against the visitors who haven’t lost competitively in Galway for 44 years. That strange statistic will come under pressure, as the Leinster champions try to develop further their new-look team.
For all the diligence of the inexperienced full-back line against the sparkling Tyrone inside attack, it was the established names of Ciarán Whelan and Jason Sherlock who most caught the eye in Croke Park.
Joe Bergin returns to centrefield to try and redress any advantage the visitors might have and the Galway forwards will be a considerable threat – sufficient for a epochal win.
Division Two
Kildare v Cork, Newbridge – Reprise of last August's All-Ireland quarter-final with Kildare looking a bit stronger than back then when none the less a late run nearly rescued match. Cork have also started the season well and manager Conor Counihan makes just one change, bringing in Ger Spillane in place of Michael Shields. Michael Cussen caused havoc in the championship meeting between the teams but this won't be as straightforward.
Monaghan v Wexford,Clones – Two teams familiar with each other in recent years. They got off to contrasting starts with Wexford taking a heavy defeat from Fermanagh whereas Monaghan achieved a rare win over Fermanagh. Home advantage can tilt this to Séamus McEnaney's Monaghan side.
Division Three
Cavan v Tipperary,Kingspan Breffni Park – A frustrating defeat by Longford got Tom Carr's campaign off to a bad start but he can redress that tomorrow against a Tipperary side that may struggle this season.
Offaly v Longford,Tullamore – Offaly are on the rebound from the first player rebellion of the year and Longford started well under Glenn Ryan. But the home side's bounce could be enough.
Division Four
Carlow v London,Dr Cullen Park, 1.30 – London did well for a time against Leitrim but Carlow should make it a fruitless journey.
Sligo v Leitrim,Markievicz Park – Sligo just scraped past Clare in the absence of Eamonn O'Hara. He may be back today but home advantage should still prevail.
Waterford v Kilkenny,Lemybrien – Normally one of few windows of opportunity for Kilkenny but a fine result for Waterford in unexpectedly drawing with Wicklow alters that.
Wicklow– bye.
