The four divisional finals will be decided this weekend with the stand-out fixture the clash of Dublin and Tyrone at Croker.
By Declan Whooley
After 114 games, stretching back to the first weekend in February, there are just eight teams left standing in the Allianz Football League and Jones’ Road will be a flurry of activity this weekend as teams look to fine tune their preparations ahead of the looming Championship.
Saturday night sees Limerick and Offaly clash in the Division Four decider with both teams out of the bottom league, followed by the intriguing clash of Meath and Monaghan.
On Sunday Derry take on the surprise package of Westmeath, which is followed by the most impressive county in the country thus far in the Dubs when they take on old foes Tyrone at HQ.
Dublin v Tyrone
It is ten years since Mickey Harte won his only league crown as Tyrone manager, and while the Red Hands generally don’t place too much importance in the league, there is a genuine feeling that we are witnessing the building of another formidable team.
Sean Cavanagh looks to be injury-free, the McMahon brothers are as consistent as ever while Stephen O’Neill is again showing why he is one of the finest forwards in the current game and has already bagged 3-19 in this year’s competition. Add to this that the emerging crop of Tyrone underage talent shows no sign of slowing down and you understand why Tyrone are considered by many to be dark horses for bigger honours in September.
Their counter-attacking strategy and strong defensive unit means the Dubs could well struggle to overpower their northern rivals, which was exactly what happened when the Red Hand emerged victorious from the capital earlier in the campaign. They also have the luxury of three steady free-takers in their ranks.
The pleasantries will be dispensed with on Sunday at 4pm
The Dubs for their part have looked far superior to many of their opponents and in full-flight few sides look able to contain Jim Gavin’s attacking weaponry. Their preparations have been somewhat overshadowed in the past couple of days by an alleged biting incident involving defender Kevin O’Brien during the clash with Donegal in Ballybofey, though he was cleared today on the basis of a lack of evidence.
Gavin’s biggest problems could be who he leaves out such has been the competition for places. The emergence during the league of the likes of Paul Mannion gives Gavin a pleasant summer headache.
If Dublin perform to anywhere near the levels of most of their performances so far, they might just have too much for a Tyrone side with their minds turning to a crucial Ulster opener against Donegal.
Westmeath v Derry
Pat Flanagan will have been delighted with Westmeath’s league campaign. Undefeated going into the final game against Derry, they made 10 changes with promotion already assured and were duly spanked 2-17 to 1-05.
Not much will have been be read into that result and the team named for Sunday bears little resemblance to that which shipped that heavy defeat. There is no place for either Kieran Gavin or Dessie Dolan in the team, with the veteran attacker used primarily as an impact sub during the league, while Gavin injured himself with an accident at work.
Derry ace Eoin Bradley
Derry captain Mark Lynch returns to the team after missing the final two league games through injury, while Benny Heron takes a spot in attack at the sake of Lee Kennedy.
Westmeath will be favoured given their form throughout, but Derry have been building on their early performances and this could be decided by a single score.
Division 3 and 4
Meath manager Mick O’Dowd has made two changes to his side for the clash with Monaghan with Eoghan Harrington and Paddy Gilsenan, scorer of 1-1 last time out, drafted into the team. Monaghan remain unchanged and after beating the Royals by 12 points back in February, will be confident of repeating the trick.
Limerick welcome back the inspirational John Galvin for their final with Offaly on Saturday night. The Croom man, who made substitute appearances in the two final group games against London and Clare, makes his first competitive start in over a year having suffered cruciate damage for the second time in his career in a league game against Fermanagh last April.
Limerick will be Galvinised on Saturday night
Limerick shaded this fixture by a point early on in the season and may just have enough to see them over the line with both teams just happy to be out of the bottom league.
