Kerry and Tyrone look certain to advance

THE semi-final pairings from the Allianz NFL will be finalised this weekend, with a number of places still in the balance.

In Division 1A, Kerry and League champions Tyrone look certain to advance. However, in 1B the situation is much more complex with five counties chasing the two semi-final spots. Leaders Limerick are strongly placed, but they will have to beat Armagh at the Gaelic Grounds to be absolutely sure of advancing.

Ultimately, it may all be decided on the basis of scoring difference, but were Armagh and Wexford (away to Laois) to win, the former two would automatically gain the two qualifying places. Mick O'Dwyer's Leinster champions are certainly out of the reckoning after a poor opening spell.

"We were hoping that maybe six points would keep us in the division and that was as far as we were looking,'' O'Dwyer said yesterday. "It will be eight weeks from next Sunday to prepare for the championship. Last year we ran straight into the championship after playing Tyrone in the League final and that was bad preparation.''

O'Dwyer says that, from the outset, his team had little realistic chance of doing as well. "Things went a little bit wrong for us in the first three games and the reason for that, of course, was that the championship in Laois last year went on as far as December. Straight after Christmas we went to South Africa and we were no sooner back than we had to play Limerick the following Sunday. They beat us well, then we met Sligo and they beat us in Portlaoise and we went up to Armagh and they beat us. We had three Sundays in a row and we had no preparations, good bad or indifferent. That's where our troubles started; that's why we are where we are today.''

A draw would not be good enough for Limerick to advance in the event of Wexford winning in Portlaoise. That's because Wexford have a superior scoring difference (+27 compared to +9 in Limerick's case).

The situation in the second division groupings is that Donegal are certain to qualify from 2A, with full points from six games and a scoring difference of +23. They play Carlow, who are under pressure to avoid relegation. The second place rests between Offaly (10) and Roscommon (8), with the Midlanders favoured by a superior scoring difference in the event of both teams finishing level on points.

Likewise, in Division 2B, Kildare (12) will advance, with Down and Wicklow each with nine points in contention for the other position. Down are away to Kildare while Wicklow have a home tie with Antrim.

Meanwhile, Leigh O'Brien has quit Wexford football at a time when they are on the verge of a major breakthrough. An Allstar replacement last year, O'Brien has rocked the county by his decision to opt out of the squad just seven days before their crucial

Division 1 league clash with Laois, when a victory would send them through to the national league semi-finals for the first time ever.

* Laois midfielder Pádraic Clancy could be a doubtful starter for the opening championship game, after suffering a serious thumb injury in an accident which required surgery last week.

The expectation is he could be out of action for up to eight weeks.

Footnote: It has been pointed out to me that in the Dublin/Cork NFL game on Sunday week, the last-minute foul which earned Dublin a draw was not conceded by Dermot Hurley!