OK, STRAP YOURSELF IN and we will try to make this all as simple as possible as we determine what could happen on the final day of the Allianz football leagues.
Turns out an already complex year is about to get even more mind-bending.
Division One
At present, there is only one certainty, and that is that league champions last year, Derry, are relegated.
Every other team is ‘in play’ in that they have the honour – dubious in some cases – of making the league final, or could go down.
One of Tyrone and Armagh who both sit on five points, and even Kerry on six, could go down. Should Tyrone beat Dublin and Armagh get a likely victory over Derry, and if Kerry were to come up short against Galway, then the Kingdom could go down. Even six points is no guarantee of safety anymore.
In fact, neither is seven. Because if Tyrone and Armagh win, and Kerry draw, one of those will go down on seven points. It’s never happened before.
If Tyrone and Armagh finish level on points, then Tyrone go down due to the head-to-head meeting, which Armagh won.
At the top, Galway, Dublin and Donegal are all on eight points. Defeat for all three and a win for Kerry would put them into the final.
Joining them there in that scenario as we outlined would be Mayo, currently on seven points, with a win over Donegal who despite protestations to the contrary, are wary about making a final.
Prediction: It’s a Galway-Dublin league final. Tyrone will join their neighbours Derry in the second tier next year.
Division Two
Again, let’s start with the certainties. And we have but one; that Westmeath are relegated with six defeats from six, although such clinical accounting does not show how close those games were.
But anyway, three other counties have a little work to do to avoid joining them. Down and Louth are on four points with Louth having won the head-to-head. Down have Monaghan, who need the points to be absolutely certain of promotion, while Louth have a derby against rejuvenated Meath, who sit joint-second and need the points.
With three teams stuck on eight points, it’s conceivable that Roscommon, Meath and Cavan all finish on ten points, with Roscommon’s score difference of plus-9 right now making it likely they join Monaghan in the league final.
Prediction: Roscommon and Monaghan to go up, with Down joining Westmeath in the drop.
Division Three
The end is nigh for Leitrim; unable to field a team against Fermanagh last weekend, they have had a hard time trying to cope with player turnover, injury and an increased standard in the third tier.
It would appear that Sligo can pick up two handy points against them this weekend which would leave Antrim as the other side heading back to the basement league.
The meeting of Offaly and Clare will decide much. A win for Offaly and Clare will remain on eight points with Kildare likely to leap-frog them onto ten points when they host Antrim this weekend.
Fermanagh have an outside chance, but need Antrim to beat Kildare and Offaly to beat Clare.
Prediction: Offaly are joined by Kildare in the league final, Antrim join Leitrim in the dropzone.
Division Four
Very straightforward in this one. Wexford’s 100% record so far has them in the league final already.
They can be joined there by Limerick (eight points) or Wicklow (seven).
With one game left and Limerick facing bottom of the table Waterford, it appears promotion is theirs.
Prediction: It’s promotion for Wexford and Limerick.
This guy is completely overratted
@jay bernard: don’t know how he warrants a contract of that size given his achievements in the game. He needs to start scoring regularly especially if the Wissam Ben Yedder rumours are true. WBY is a real fox in the box, Deschamps really rates him.
Best goal tally for 21 and under in the EPL, La Liga & Seria A in what was a shocking season under two different managers. 200k going to 300k based on incentives. Manchester born and bred. He’ll turn out to be some player yet
An absolute joke.
It’s 200k a week max as per Simon Stone – reliable United journo
@Brian: and you think that even £200,000 is acceptable for a player that scored 10 league goals last season. He’s English!!! He has been overhyped and overrated since they Day he broke into the first team by the British press, £200,000 per week for a very average player that would be more suited to playing for a team like Newcastle, Everton or Southampton. Mid table player at best, that shouldn’t be earning anything over 100,000 never mind 200,000 or 300,000.
@Devilsavocado: And eventually he will be destroyed by the British press too, I wish Utd would sell him on now
Beans Beans Beans
@Alan Brazil: is all you eat. Stand well back!
The club is a circus. Run by clowns who aren’t football men
@munsterman: and if you look at the nonsense that ich bin Brendan has been scribbling up there, it seems they are supported by a few clowns as well…..
@Devilsavocado: haha! G!mp
@Ich bin brendan: come on,, seriously mate, you really don’t believe the nonsense that you were writing in your previous posts do you?? There isn’t a club that finished in the top 5 above Utd that the lad would get into as a first team player. Not a single club that will be in the champions league next year had a bit of interest in buying him, he’s at best a bench player for Utd, but a 200,000 a week bench player??? WTF is going on at Utd that they offered that much money to him?? Where else was he going to go, they easily could have halved that and even then he should still consider himself lucky to be wearing the Utd jersey,, come on, I can’t be the only one who sees this….
@Devilsavocado: quit looking for validation. I’ll correct myself in that he didn’t score v pool in their 3-1 spanking but everything stated is fact inc. turning the best rb inside out and scoring in every debut. Barcelona were being touted as making an official approach, how much of that is being true is as truthful to say not a single team were, it would take a team of that stature to pull a local lad away from his local team. Apart from Kane for Spurs there isn’t a top 5 team that would produce an academy player like him. 200,000K is daft money but that’s the state of the club atm, not many want the Glazers there but that’s what they’re working with. I’m delighted he’s there for another 4 yrs, he’s got the wage now it’s upto him to start earning it, I believe he will.
@Ich bin brendan: ok fair enough, you have your opinion on the matter and people that actually know a bit about football have there’s. Let’s be honest here, I doesn’t matter that your opinion is obviously that of a delusional fan that can’t look at things without your fan glasses on but that’s ok,, we will leave it there and I’ll let you get back to your colouring book and crayons, there’s a good boy,, don’t stay up to late… :) validate myself, ha ha ha ha ha..
@Devilsavocado: “that actually know a bit about football” you have me stumped, you’ve trouble validating your opinionated drivel. “Ha ha ha” like I said before, G!mp
He’s got to start delivering on his promise . A lot of cash for a man still not scoring regularly but he does have the potential to be an absolute world class player I just hope he does start getting 30 odd goals a season .
On his debut he’s scored 2 in the EPL, same in his Europa, 1 Champions league and on his derby debut. Also turned the best rb in the country inside out to score against their biggest rivals, with the golden glove winner in goal!
@Ich bin brendan: can throw in his debut in the EFL & FA Cup as well. So every cup comp available to him. Calling him over rated is being bias, he’s proven he’s capable, needs consistency with age.
Reminds me of Ian Rush
His nose is offside
Even as a man utd fan, I think he doesn’t deserve this, prove your worth then get the money, he didn’t prove anything last season to deserve half this money.