Ups and downs: Dramatic final day of Football League sees Dublin and Kildare relegated, Cork survive and Limerick promoted

All-Ireland champions Tyrone als spared themselves a relegation sweat with a spirited 1-15 to 2-11 win over Kerry in Killarney.

HANGING ON: Monaghan’s Ryan Wylie and Cormac Costello of Dublin Pic: James Crombie, Inpho

THERE will be no Leinster county in Allianz League Division One next season after Dublin and Kildare were relegated from the top tier on a dramatic final day of football.

Cork retained their Division Two status, relegating Offaly in the process, and they will be joined in the second tier in 2023 by Limerick, who beat Fermanagh 1-16 to 0-14 to seal promotion. It will be their first time at that level since 2007. The winners of Division 3 are Mickey Harte's Louth, who concluded their campaign with a 2-17 to 1-13 win over Wicklow. 

In Clones, Jack McCarron iced a 74th minute free to spirit Monaghan free of the trap door and consign Dessie Farrell's Dubs to the drop on a 3-13 to 1-18 scoreline. A late Dean Rock penalty appeared to have saved the Dubs, but McCarron sealed the deal with the last kick of the game. 

UP FOR GRABS: Offaly's Johnny Moloney and Ian Maguire of Cork 

It's the first time since 1995 Dublin have been relegated and the second season in a row that a last-ditch McCarron intervention has spared the Monaghan men.

Tyrone, the All-Ireland champions, spared themselves any prospect of such ignominy with a spirited 1-15 to 2-11 win over Kerry in Killarney. The Kingdom were already booked for a Division One final next weekend, where they will meet Mayo, who defeated Kildare and relegated Glenn Ryan's side. As it turned out, Tyrone would have survived anyway with Kildare and Dublin losing, but it's a positive end to the League for the Red Hands. Kerry seldom lose in Killarney.

Galway were already promoted to Division One and will be joined there by their neighbours Roscommon (who topped Division 2 on scoring difference), who beat Paraic Joyce's side 1-20 to 1-15 on the final day. It meant Derry's victory over Meath was not good enough to secure promotion to the top flight.

Cork looked in bother when Offaly rallied from five points down with time running out in Tullamore but late points from Cian Kiely, Brian Hurley and the unerring Stephen Sherlock rescued Keith Ricken's men, securing both their Division 2 and Sam Maguire status for 2022. 

The day's Allianz League drama confirmed the 16 counties guaranteed to play in the All-Ireland SFC (Sam Maguire) Championship. They are Kerry, Mayo, Armagh, Donegal, Tyrone, Monaghan, Kildare, Dublin, Roscommon, Galway, Derry, Meath, Clare, Cork, Louth and Limerick.

BREAKING FREE: Kieran McGeary of Tyrone is tackled by Micheál Burns of Kerry at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney. Pic: Brendan Moran, Sportsfile

Unless they get to a provincial final, the 16 teams who will contest the Tailteann Cup are (in order of their league finish): Offaly, Down, Antrim, Westmeath, Fermanagh, Longford, Laois, Wicklow, Cavan, Tipperary, Sligo, Leitrim, London, Wexford, Carlow, Waterford and New York.

In a rematch of the 2019 football decider, Kerry and Mayo wil meet in Croke Park nexy Sunday in the Division One final at 4pm. Galway, who clash with Mayo in a Connacht quarter-final next month, are in the curtain-raiser Division 2 final against Roscommon (1.45pm).

Kerry are looking to complete a league three-in-a-row having shared the title with Dublin last year and being handed the title in 2020 as a result of topping Division 1 and no final taking place.

In hurling, Cork and Waterford’s Division 1 hurling final has been scheduled for FBD Semple Stadium this Saturday (7.15 throw-in). Ahead of their Munster SHC Round 3 game in Walsh Park on May 15, Cork will be looking to bridge a 24-year gap to their last league crown while Waterford are hoping for a first title since 2015.

Fixtures: Saturday, April 2, Allianz Hurling League Division 1 final: Cork v Waterford, FBD Semple Stadium 7.15 pm Live TG4l Division 2A final: Down v Westmeath, FBD Semple Stadium 4.45pm (Streaming TG4); Allianz Football League Division 3 football final: Louth v Limerick, Croke Park 4.45 pm (Live TG4); Division 4 football final: Cavan v Tipperary, Croke Park 2.30 pm (Live TG4.)

Sunday, April 3: Allianz Football League Division 1 final: Kerry v Mayo, Croke Park 4pm (Live TG4); Division 2 final, Roscommon v Galway, Croke Park 1.45 pm (Live TG4); Hurling League Division 2B final: Derry v Sligo, TBC; Division 3A final: Tyrone v Armagh, TBC; Division 3B final.

Fermanagh v Longford, TBC.

Allianz Football League - Division 1 relegated: Dublin, Kildare; Division 2 relegated: Down, Offaly; Division 3 relegated: Laois, Wicklow.