Dublin for final? Down to drop? All the Allianz Football League permutations

Promotion, relegation and qualification are on the line this weekend and next. Who needs what?

Thu, 13 Mar, 2025 - 11:49

John Fogarty

Division 1

Final: Little love has been shown to the GAA’s second national final but of the two counties currently at the top, Galway (8 points) would appear the one least disinterested in making the decider. Beating Dublin in Croke Park on Saturday evening will secure their place in the March 30 game. Combined with a win for Donegal (8) over Tyrone in Letterkenny that will confirm the finalists. A win for Dublin (6) will give them a chance of a second successive final appearance. There are outside final chances for Armagh and Mayo (both 5) and an ever-so slim one for Kerry (4).

Final prediction: Dublin v Galway.

Relegation: With just one point to their name, last year’s winners Derry are desperate for a win over Mayo. Tyrone (3 points) are scrambling for another couple of points and might be buoyed by Donegal’s indifference about reaching a league final and their poor home record in O’Donnell Park. The winners of Kerry and Armagh on Saturday should be secure but there remain concerns for both of them and Mayo.

Relegation prediction: Derry, Tyrone.

Division 2

Promotion/final: It would appear a three-horse race between Monaghan, Roscommon and Meath who have all collected eight points. Roscommon may have an edge as they have already played the other two, whereas Monaghan visit Navan on Sunday. Monaghan host relegation-challenged Down in Clones in Round 7 in the same county (Inniskeen), on the same day and at the same time as Meath take on another team fighting for Division 2 survival in Louth.

Promotion prediction: Roscommon, Monaghan.

Relegation: Anything but two points for luckless Westmeath (0 points) in Newry on Saturday and they will be demoted. Even a win might not save them for another week as in that event a draw between Cork and Louth (both 4 points) the following afternoon would consign them and Down (2) to the drop. Cork’s defeat to Down may be a factor in determining finishing places but score difference is also a possibility. Cavan (6) are safe at the moment but they have Sam Maguire Cup qualification to consider as do the other four teams currently positioned below them.

Relegation prediction: Westmeath, Down.

Division 3

Promotion/final: As many as five teams remain in the hunt for Division 2 football next season. The top four face off against each other this weekend – first-placed Kildare against Offaly who are in second but have also accumulated eight points, and third and fourth-placed Laois and Clare (both 6 points).

A result in Tullamore would give Kildare a great chance of going up with Antrim coming to Newbridge on the final weekend. In the last round, Offaly travel to Ennis.

Promotion prediction: Kildare, Clare.

Relegation: Yet to pick up a point, Leitrim will be relegated this weekend if they lose to Fermanagh but even a win in Ballinamore might not be enough as a win for Antrim (4 points) against Sligo (3) combined with a victory for Fermanagh (5) would put them down along with The Yeats County.

Relegation prediction: Leitrim, Antrim.

Division 4.

Promotion/final: Wexford, the only team across the four divisions with a 100% record, last weekend secured their ascension to Division 3 in 2025. Limerick, currently on seven points, are leading the race to join them ahead of Wicklow (6), Tipperary and Longford (both 5) and London (4). Sunday’s clash between Wicklow and Limerick in Aughrim could go a long way to deciding second spot.

Promotion prediction: Limerick to join Wexford.