The National Football League sees counties ranked on match points and, if those are equal between two teams, the head-to-head from the match between them determines who has advantage. If that game ended in a draw, scoring difference decides who comes out on top. For situations where more than two teams are tied on points, scoring difference is applied.
If scoring difference is equal, the team with the highest cumulative score has advantage and if aggregate scores are the same, the number of goals scored determines outcome. Failing all of that, a playoff must take place.
All of this weekend’s NFL fixtures will be played on Sunday.
Division 1
Seven of the eight counties have something to play for this weekend. Four are, to varying degrees, in with a chance of competing in next week’s final, but Donegal and Kerry lead Mayo and Roscommon by a point. That and circumstances – Donegal playing bottom team Monaghan, and Kerry having beaten both of the chasing duo – make a repeat of last summer’s All-Ireland final the most likely outcome.
Potential finalists: Donegal, Kerry, Mayo and Roscommon.
Probable finalists: Donegal and Kerry.
Potential relegation: Monaghan (confirmed) and one of Dublin, Armagh and Galway.
Probable relegation: Monaghan (confirmed) and Dublin.
Armagh v Kerry, Athletic Grounds, 3.30pm (Live, BBC iPlayer & GAA+) – Jack O’Connor may have declared his boxes ticked for the current league – even if considering his record of five All-Irelands after winning silverware in the spring might make anyone observing Kerry look askance – but there will be no such ambivalence for the home team, who are on the relegation shortlist. If Kerry are indeed indifferent to reaching the final, expect that to be expressed in the team they send.
It would be great to see the pair of them trading genuine blows. Armagh have the motivation of last June’s unhappy end to their reign as champions as well as the obvious one of staying up. An average of their performance levels has been quite good despite a series of narrow defeats and they will be buoyant after embellishing their good Croke Park record against Dublin last week when Cian McConville maintained excellent form and Oisín Conaty scored a cracking goal. They are top scorers in the division despite also having the second-leakiest defence. David Clifford and Seán O’Shea, Kerry’s Two Horsemen, were electric against Mayo. Might be more grounded here. Verdict: Kerry
Galway v Dublin, Pearse Stadium, 3.30pm (Live, TG4) – Galway simply need to lose by no more than three points in order to stay up. Galway duly did their bit against doomed Monaghan and have got minutes into some decent young players. They are still short of their galacticos, Shane Walsh, Damien Comer and Cillian McDaid, but have proved competitive, filching a draw in Kerry and getting caught for one in Donegal as well as sliding in under the tape in Armagh and being on the receiving end against Roscommon. Pádraic Joyce will be mindful of the Dubs’ previous visit in last year’s All-Ireland series and the unexpected defeat inflicted. Ger Brennan’s team had a good match and a half against Roscommon and Armagh before the latter dismantled their 10-point lead in the second half. The lack of direction when the match was rupturing on them, plus the expected absence of Con O’Callaghan, makes the visitors underdogs here. Verdict: Galway
Roscommon's Daire Cregg in action against Dublin's Nathan Doran. Photograph: Tom O’Hanlon/Inpho
Roscommon's Daire Cregg in action against Dublin's Nathan Doran. Photograph: Tom O’Hanlon/Inpho
Mayo v Roscommon, MacHale Park, 3.30pm (Live, TG4 YouTube) – The two Connacht teams have a shout of reaching the final should Donegal or Kerry slip up. Roscommon got back on track after the dismal outing against Dublin by inflicting Donegal’s only defeat of the campaign. Mayo were surely rattled by the scale of Kerry’s victory over them and the vulnerabilities of their man-on-man defence. They responded positively to their previous defeat, by Donegal but with the younger players now active in the under-20 championship, it will be slightly harder for Andy Moran, who also has to be fretting a bit about the lack of impact at centrefield in securing primary possession. Roscommon have three of the campaign’s top five scorers from play in Diarmuid Murtagh, Daire Cregg and Enda Smith. Home advantage, however, plus an anticipated bounce back, favour Mayo. Verdict: Mayo
Monaghan v Donegal, St Tiernach’s Park, 3.30pm (Live, TG4 YouTube) – Table toppers Donegal go to Clones for their concluding match and with Monaghan suffering after a draining and demoralising campaign, it should be difficult for Jim McGuinness’s team to give full vent to their stated indifference. Verdict: Donegal
Cork's Sean McDonnell is tackled by Cavan's Ryan Donohue. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho
Cork's Sean McDonnell is tackled by Cavan's Ryan Donohue. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho
Division 2
Promotion is in the hands of Cork and Meath. Win and they go up. Meath go to bottom county Offaly but Cork have a tricky assignment in Omagh and are vulnerable to the chasing pair, Derry and Louth, because the former beat them in the head-to-head and the latter have a far better scoring difference. However, even a draw will suffice for them.
Potential finalists: Cork, Meath, Derry and Louth.
Probable finalists: Cork and Meath.
Potential relegation: Offaly (confirmed) and one of Kildare, Cavan or Tyrone.
Probable relegation: Offaly (confirmed) and Kildare.
Derry v Cavan, Celtic Park, 1.15pm (Live, TG4 YouTube) – It wasn’t great for Cavan that it took a tour de force from Ryan Donohue to take the points against bottom county Offaly. The centrefielder scored 1-5, including the late, decisive two-pointer. Derry were unexpectedly caught by form team Louth last weekend but few expect Ciarán Meenagh’s previously rampant side to slip up twice in succession. Verdict: Derry
Kildare v Louth, St Conleth’s Park, 1.15pm (Live, TG4 YouTube) – Kildare’s last stand sees Brian Flanagan’s team desperately in need of something in this re-run of last year’s Leinster semi-final. Under Gavin Devlin, Louth have been in scintillating form of late and Sam Mulroy, who leads the division’s scoring charts, has been exceptional. Their tactical mastery of Derry lay at the heart of the surprise result a week ago and with an outside shot at promotion, they should win this. Verdict: Louth
Offaly v Meath, O’Connor Park, 1.15pm (Live, TG4 YouTube) – Offaly put on a brave show against Cavan and were unlucky to lose again but this weekend’s visitors are the top scorers in the division and in search of promotion. Verdict: Meath
Tyrone v Cork, Healy Park, 1.15pm (Live, TG4 YouTube) – Cork’s last trip north ended in disaster at Celtic Park but they hit back last week against Kildare. Tyrone are having a mystifyingly hard time of it despite the much-in demand Malachy O’Rourke being in charge and a glittering array of emerging talent. But if Kildare shock Louth, Tyrone are notionally vulnerable to going down. Cork have been excellent apart from the Derry drubbing and have a good chance here to put their rise beyond doubt. Verdict: Cork
Louth's Sam Mulroy during the Division 2 game against Tyrone last month. Photograph: Grace Halton/Inpho
Louth's Sam Mulroy during the Division 2 game against Tyrone last month. Photograph: Grace Halton/Inpho
Division 3
Potential finalists: Down (confirmed), Westmeath and Wexford.
Probable finalists: Down and Westmeath.
Potential relegation: Fermanagh (confirmed) and one of Limerick, Sligo or Laois.
Probable relegation: Fermanagh (confirmed) and Sligo.
Down v Laois, Páirc Esler, 2pm – On the fast track back to Division 2, Down should remain the league’s only 100 per cent team despite some decent performances by Laois after a poor start. Verdict: Down
Limerick v Fermanagh, Mick Neville Park, 2pm – A must-win for Billy Lee’s team if they are to vault out of the drop zone. Fermanagh finally came to life last week but too late to save themselves. Verdict: Limerick
Sligo v Clare, Markievicz Park, 2pm – Clare surprisingly lost their effective promotion playoff against Wexford and this won’t be easy against a Sligo team that gave a feisty account of themselves against Down. Verdict: Clare
Wexford v Westmeath, Wexford Park, 2pm (Live, TG4 Player) – Wexford’s excellent season has a fitting finale: a playoff for promotion against Westmeath. Luke Loughlin has been in fine form for the visitors, who have scored more easily than John Hegarty’s men. Verdict: Westmeath
Division 4
Potential finalists: Everyone except Waterford!
Probable finalists: Carlow and Wicklow, who have fate in their own hands.
Antrim v London, Erins Own, Cargin, 1pm – After a historic campaign, garnering more points than ever, high-scoring London are still outsiders against Antrim, who eventually picked up form. Verdict: Antrim
Carlow v Leitrim, Cullen Park, 1pm – Losing to London last week means that Carlow need to win this. Two years ago in the same fixture, it took an injury-time goal to beat Leitrim, who have their own (remote) promotion hopes after a big win over Longford. Verdict: Carlow
Longford v Wicklow, Pearse Park, 1pm – Longford had a bad day last week whereas Oisín McConville’s men have promotion in their sights. Verdict: Wicklow
Tipperary v Waterford, Semple Stadium, 1pm – Poor old Waterford are the only team with nothing to play for. Verdict: Tipperary