Round Six to separate the contenders from the pretenders
By the time you sit down to your tea on Sunday evening we should have a fair idea of who’s looking good for promotion, or who might be facing the dreaded drop in this year’s Allianz football league. With just three unbeaten sides left across the four divisions the pressure is on for several sides if they want to make a late charge to extend their Springtime campaign.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1: Donegal v Tyrone, Ballybofey; Sunday 3pm
A relegation four pointer. Both sides have recorded two wins so far in this year’s league campaign but a loss on Sunday will almost certainly seal one side’s demotion to Division 2.
Rory Gallagher’s side have mixed the good with the ordinary post Jim McGuinness. Tyrone have recovered well since their opening day loss to Monaghan while they arguably also should have at least another win under their belts after successive draws in rounds three and four.
Tyrone reverted to defensive mode after being cut open by Monaghan and with Cathal McCarron back in the starting 15 it may not be a day for the purists on Sunday. Belief that Donegal would try to be more expansive under Rory Gallagher has been somewhat unfounded, as the Ulster champions have stuck to the formula that has made them one of the top sides in the country
Any Tyrone-Donegal clash cannot be take in isolation either. These sides have been taking chunks out of each other-sometimes literally-over the last four seasons and expect the referee to be kept busy on Sunday in the North-West. They meet in the Ulster championship later in the summer and both will be eager to lay down a marker ahead of that game in May.
Cork v Mayo, Pairc Ui Rinn;Sunday 3pm
Top of the table Cork take on their bogey side of recent years Mayo, looking to cement their status as the number side in the league. The Rebels new counter-attacking style under Brian Cuthbert has caught out a number of sides so far this year, and the team look to have a much sharper edge up front.
The free scoring Colm O’Neill along with a number of other players seem to have grown in confidence this season. Their form is in contrast to the quality produced by Mayo who have looked both impressive and shoddy at times.
They come in off the back of a whipping by Dublin,after scoring just 0-10 and conceding 2-18, as every bad Mayo performance of the last 10 years was rolled into 70 minutes. The only way is up for the Connacht side who cannot have a systems failure like earlier this month.
Mayo won the Allianz Football League clash last year by 4-12 to 2-14 and the All-Ireland quarter-final by 1-19 to 2-15. Cork are unlikely to allow them secure a third win in a row..
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 2: Roscommon v Galway, Dr. Hyde Park, Sunday 1.30.
Not just a Connacht derby but a huge game in terms of the promotion and relegation dogfight. Roscommon have surprised many with their impressive form and are just one point behind leaders Down heading into this game. Their opponents have been on a wretched run but the return of the Corofin contingent should at least give Kevin Walsh more options ahead of Sunday. The return to action of players such as Micheal Lundy and Gary Sice should bolster the Tribesmen’s options but improving confidence could be more problematic after such a poor run.
Galway opened their league campaign with two narrow wins but since the midterm break have been in freefall, losing to Laois, Down and Cavan. They failed to score at all in the second half against Laois last weekend, while they left a five point advantage slip away against Cavan in their previous outing.
Wily old Kerry fox John Evans is looking for his side to record back to back promotions, and a win Sunday will put them in charge of their own destiny ahead of the final weekend. The demolition of Kildare when scoring 0-24 points should be a major concern at Galway training. How they shut down Cathal Cregg, who grabbed a quarter of his sides total last time out, could be the games’ crucial battle. Roscommon win.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 4: Longford v Offaly, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park; Sunday 3pm.
The feature game in the basement division is the top of the table clash between Longford and Offaly. Both are on nine points, and just a single score separates them on the board Longford’s +24 just edging the Faithful county at +23.
As the two demoted sides from Division Three in 2014 they have eased their way to the nine point mark with two games left to go. The winner Sunday will be promoted and Offaly will be hoping that their last game-when the edged Carlow by a point in a titanic struggle-gives them the added edge of mental toughness to dig out a result on the road.
Longford beat Offaly by 1-15 to 1-10 in last year’s Division 3 clash and repeated the success (0-19 to 0-15) in the Leinster championship. Their extra fire-power, having scored 1-16 against Wicklow last time out should be enough to guarantee automatic promotion.
