Weekend Previews: Dublin host Kerry at Croker, Cork aiming to avoid fourth loss in a row

Elsewhere Tyrone take on Mayo on Saturday while Galway face Derry on Sunday.

CLASH OF THE TITANS: David Clifford of Kerry in action against David Byrne of Dublin during the Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Kerry and Dublin at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, Kerry. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

SATURDAY

Allianz Football League, Round 4

Division 1

Tyrone v Mayo

O’Neills Healy Park

Throw in: 5.15pm

Referee: B. Cawley, Kildare

Live RTÉ

It will no skin off either team’s nose if they don’t reach the final and right now all Tyrone want to do is push themselves away from the drop zone.

The defeat to Galway was an improvement on what went on against Derry and the Canavans will be fresher this week but their squad depth remains questionable. Two more points for Mayo and the latter half of the league won’t be stressful.

Verdict: Mayo.

Dublin v Kerry

Croke Park

Throw-in: 7.30pm

Referee: C. Lane, Cork

Live TG4

For a combination of reasons – a Covid breach and relegation being two – this is the first league game between the counties in Croke Park in four years. That day, David Clifford was again beating the buzzer only on that occasion with an equaliser.

Dublin’s relegation fears eased slightly in seeing off Roscommon but they were still opened up a few times and Kerry won’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

Con O’Callaghan is in sharp form but memories of July’s stinging loss won’t be far from Kerry minds.

Verdict: Kerry.

Division 3

Down v Offaly

Páirc Esler

Throw-in: 6pm

Referee: C. Dourneen, Cavan

It was understandable how Offaly chairman Michael Duignan came to the defence of this relatively new team managed by a new manager. Losing as they did to Clare would have smarted but they are unlikely to find themselves so far ahead, if at all in Newry.

Verdict: Down.

Division 4

Wexford v Waterford

Chadwicks Wexford Park

Throw-in: 5pm

Referee: S. Mulvihill, Kerry

Not that Wexford’s promotion hopes have completely disappeared but they have not been going as well as hoped. Waterford are one of the two teams currently below them.

Verdict: Wexford.

Cork manager John Cleary and his team against Cavan during the Allianz NFL division 2 at SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh . Picture; Eddie O'Hare

SUNDAY

Allianz Football League, Round 4

Division 1

Galway v Derry

Pearse Stadium

Throw-in: 1.45pm

Referee: D. O’Mahoney, Tipperary

Live TG4

A Derry win in Salthill and Mickey Harte’s side will be odds-on for a league final appearance at the end of next month. They have been in flying form and the attacking qualities of their defenders have been illustrated in recent weeks.

Galway are down key players so to pull off a win in Tyrone was a major plus but even with home comforts they look outgunned here.

Verdict: Derry

Roscommon v Monaghan

Dr Hyde Park

Throw-in: 1.45pm

Referee: B. Griffin, Kerry

Monaghan’s graph has declined sharply since their opening day win over Dublin but it may just be that Vinny Corey realises he has to pick and choose his battles with a squad that has lost seasoned players.

This game will have been targeted but then it will have been earmarked by Roscommon too and while their attack is depleted Enda Smith can lead the way.

Verdict: Roscommon.

Division 2

Fermanagh v Cork

Ederney St Joseph’s

Throw-in: 2pm

Referee: A. Nolan, Wicklow

There was a time when Cork thrived on these trips north but on the back of three straight losses they will be low in belief. Fixed away from Brewster Park in Ederney, this has all the hallmarks of being a dogfight.

On paper, Cork have better players but Fermanagh have been playing more like a team than them. Cork to take something home simply because they have to.

Verdict: Draw.

Louth v Cavan

Defy Páirc Mhuire

Ardee

Throw-in: 2pm

Referee: N. Cullen, Fermanagh.

Louth may only have one win to their name but life after Harte hasn’t been as tragic as some were making it out to be. Ger Brennan has put together a strong backroom team and the players appear to be responding as much as the Meath loss will have hurt. Cavan have eyes on promotion but may have to make do with a point.

Verdict: Draw.

Meath v Kildare

Páirc Tailteann

Throw-in: 2pm

Referee: S. Mulhare, Laois).

Anybody who was in Carlow last Sunday will not be expecting a Kildare win in Navan. They are so devoid of confidence that anything but a fourth straight defeat seems highly unlikely.

Meath shouldn’t hold no fear for them but they are not playing to their strengths and while the margin should be relatively close a home win is on the cards.

Verdict: Meath.

Armagh v Donegal

Box-It Athletic Grounds

Throw-in: 3pm

Referee: N. Mooney, Cavan

Live BBC iPlayer

They will be expected to lock horns again in a final at the end of next month but this opportunity for a full-blooded clash should be embraced by both managements. Armagh sent a U20 side for the McKenna Cup game but Kieran McGeeney will want the test of the Donegal high press on his best defenders.

Armagh have done plenty right so far and will be cheered on by a big crowd but they might be spooked by Donegal’s relentlessness.

Verdict: Donegal.

Division 3

Clare v Wicklow

Cusack Park

Throw-in 2pm

Referee: J. Hayes, Limerick

Clare will be on cloud nine after coming back to beat Offaly and providing they don’t think it will be all plain sailing in Ennis they should put themselves in the promotion race. Wicklow have easier games than this coming up.

Verdict: Clare.

Sligo v Antrim

Markievicz Park

Throw-in: 2pm

Referee: M. Farrelly, Cavan

Sligo have had to show their battling qualities to pick up back-to-back wins since losing out narrowly in Clare on day one. Antrim were a distant second to Down but had picked up two earlier wins. The result here should go some way to defining who stays in the hunt for promotion.

Verdict: Sligo.

Westmeath v Limerick

TEG Cusack Park

Throw-in: 2pm

Referee: J. Gilmartin, Sligo

Limerick showed more in the Sligo defeat than they had in the previous reverses against Antrim and Down. The problem for them in Mullingar is Westmeath are quietly working their way towards a final spot and morale is high in Dessie Dolan’s group.

Verdict: Westmeath.

Division 4

Longford v London

Glennon Brothers Pearse Park

Throw-in: 1pm

Referee: N. Quinn, Clare

After a disappointing start, Longford pick up the first points of their campaign against Waterford and should add another brace here, even though London held Tipperary last weekend.

Verdict: Longford.

Carlow v Leitrim

Netwatch Cullen Park

Throw-in: 2pm

Referee: C. Ryan, Galway

It was quite the lesson Laois dolled out to Carlow in Round 3 and they now face another team with strong designs on Division 3 in 2025. Andy Moran seems to have learned plenty from a difficult 2023.

Verdict: Leitrim.

Tipperary v Laois

FBD Semple Stadium

Throw-in: 2pm

Referee: F. Pierce, Offaly

Tipperary weren’t the first Division 4 team to be humbled in Ruislip but it was the last thing they needed coming into a clash with a Laois side who have been a class apart in their opening three games.

Verdict: Laois.