Eight teams still unbeaten heading into round 5 of Football League

Dublin, Galway (Division 1), Cavan (Division 2), Armagh, Fermanagh (Division 3), Carlow, Laois, Antrim (Division 4) are still unbeaten after four rounds. Antrim and Cavan dropped a point each in draws but the other six have won all their games.

Kildare (Division 1), Louth (Division 2), Wexford and Offaly (Division 3) are the only counties still without a point as the action moves to Round 4 next weekend.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1: DUBLIN AND GALWAY SETTING A RAPID PACE

Saturday (19.00):  Dublin v Kerry, Croke Park; Tyrone v Donegal, Omagh.

Sunday (12:30): Galway v Monaghan, Pearse Stadium.

Sunday (14:00): Kildare v Mayo, Newbridge.

With full points from four games, Dublin and Galway are setting a cracking pace in a group where Kildare are the only side without a point. Dublin host Kerry in Croke Park on Saturday night in what will be the first clash between the counties since Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s men beat the Blues in last year’s Allianz Football League Division 1 final (Kerry 0-20 Dublin 1-16). The sides drew 0-13 each in Round 5. Kerry are currently on four points in fourth place on the table.

Galway haven’t lost a single Allianz Football League game since going down by a point to Meath in Round 4 of last year’s Allianz Football League Division 2 campaign. Since then they have beaten Derry, Down and Kildare (twice) in Allianz Football League Division 2 and Tyrone, Donegal, Mayo and Kerry in Allianz Football League Division 1.

They host third-placed Monaghan, who have won three of four games. The sides last met in the Allianz Football League (Division 2) in 2014 when Monaghan won by a point.

Tyrone and Donegal, who have each lost three of four games, meet in Omagh with the threat of relegation hanging over both. Donegal beat Tyrone by six points in last year’s Allianz Football League.

The bottom two Kildare (0 points) and Mayo (2 points) meet in Newbridge in what will be their first Allianz Football League clash since 2014 when the Lilywhites won by a point.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 2: CAVAN IN STRONG BID FOR QUICK RETURN TO DIVISION ONE

Saturday (19:00): Cavan v Down, Kingspan Breffni Park.

Sunday (12:30):  Tipperary v Louth, Semple Stadium.

Sunday (14:00): Clare v Roscommon, Ennis.

Sunday (15:00): Meath v Cork, Pairc Tailteann. 

Having been relegated from Division 1 at the end of last season, Cavan are going the right way about making a quick return to Allianz Football League Division 1, having won three and drawn one of their four games so far. And with two of their last three games in Kingspan Breffni Park they look well-placed to take one of the promotion places.

They host Down (four points) on Saturday night in what will be the first Allianz Football League clash between the counties since 2015 (Down won in Allianz Football League Division 2). Second placed Tipperary welcome bottom-of-the-table Louth to Thurles, hoping to maintain their good run.

Both came up from Division 3 this year, with Tipperary adapting much better to life in the higher group. Louth have scored only 0-46 in four games so far, leaving them with a scoring difference of -38 points, the worst of any county in the four divisions. Louth beat Tipperary by four points in Division 3 of the Allianz Football League last year.

The clash of Meath and Cork in Navan will evoke memories of epic battles in better time for both counties. Cork (3 points) dropped to fourth place after losing to Cavan last Sunday while Meath (3 points) are in the relegation zone after losing their last two games. Cork and Meath drew in last year’s Allianz Football League.

Clare and Roscommon meet for the first time since the Bannermen won an All-Ireland qualifier in 2016. Roscommon (5 points) are in third place on the table with Clare in sixth place on four points.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 3: TWO POINTS SEPARATE TOP FOUR

Saturday (19:00): Armagh v Derry, Athletic Grounds.

Sunday (14:00): Sligo v Longford, Markievicz Park; Wexford v Offaly, Innovate Wexford Park.

Sunday (15:00): Westmeath v Fermanagh, TEG Cusack Park.

It has turned into a top four/bottom four table with Armagh and Fermanagh both on full points (8 points), followed by Longford and Westmeath on six points. There’s a four-point gap to Derry and Sligo, while Wexford and Offaly have yet to pick up a point.

Armagh host Derry in Round 5 in what will be the first meeting between the counties for two years when Kieran McGeeney’s men by six points in Division 2. Fermanagh, who dropped down from Division 2 this year, travel to Mullingar to take on Westmeath, who are going well after winning promotion last year. Longford are also in good form as they prepare for the trip to Sligo, whom they beat by three points last year.

Relegation is a real threat for Wexford and Offaly, who meet in Innovate Wexford Park. Offaly have the worst scoring difference (-30 points) in the division.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 4: THREE BREAK CLEAR IN PROMOTION RACE

Saturday (13:00): London v Leitrim, McGovern Park, Ruislip.

Saturday (19:00): Carlow v Wicklow, Netwatch Cullen Park.

Sunday (12:30): Laois v Antrim, Portlaoise.

Sunday (14:00): Limerick v Waterford, Newcastlewest.

Laois, Carlow (both on 8 points) and Antrim (7 points) have pulled well clear in the promotion race and are four points ahead of third placed London, with Leitrim and Wicklow on two points each.

The top three have yet to play each other, starting next Sunday when Laois host Antrim in O’Moore Park. It’s a clash between the two sides relegated from Division 3 of the Allianz Football League last year. They met in Corrigan Park, Belfast in Round 5 last year when Antrim won by 1-10 to 0-11.

Carlow will be looking for their fifth win when they host Wicklow, whom they beat by 1-18 to 0-11 in last year’s Allianz Football League. Carlow also won in 2016 while the sides drew in 2015, leaving Wicklow seeking their first Allianz Football League win over Turlough O’Brien’s men since 2014. London will be bidding to hold on to third place when they host Leitrim, who beat them by seven points last year.

Limerick and Waterford meet in a clash of the bottom two – Limerick won last year’s clash by six points.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2018: RESULTS AND FIXTURES

ALLIANZ FOOTBALLL LEAGUE DIVISION 1

Round 1: Dublin 2-17 Kildare 2-10; Galway 1-9 Tyrone 0-8; Kerry 2-18 Donegal 3-14; Mayo 0-13 Monaghan 0-12.

Round 2: Kerry 1-15 Mayo 2-9; Dublin 2-13 Tyrone 1-11; Monaghan 1-10 Kildare 0-12; Galway 1-12 Donegal 0-14.

Round 3: Dublin 0-20 Donegal 0-15; Galway 1-13 Mayo 0-11 Tyrone 1-16 Kildare 0-18; Monaghan 1-13 Kerry 0-14.

Round 4: Dublin 2-10 Mayo 0-12; Monaghan 0-15 Tyrone 0-14; Donegal 1-15 Kildare 3-7; Galway 1-14 Kerry 0-14.

Round 5: Mar 3: Dublin v Kerry; Tyrone v Donegal; Mar 4: Galway v Monaghan; Kildare v Mayo.

Round 6: Mar 17:  Kerry v Kildare; Mar 18: Galway v Dublin; Mayo v Tyrone; Monaghan v Donegal.

Round 7: Mar 25: Donegal v Mayo; Dublin v Monaghan; Kildare v Galway; Tyrone v Kerry.

Final: Apr 1

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 2

Round 1: Clare 1-12 Cavan 2-9; Tipperary 3-16 Cork 1-16; Down 1-14 Louth 0-11; Roscommon 2-12 Meath 2-12.

Round 2: Cavan 3-17 Louth 0-14; Cork 1-13 Down 0-10; Meath 0-21 Clare 0-7; Roscommon 1-17 Tipperary 3-9.

Round 3: Clare 0-11 Tipperary 0-11; Cork 2-11 Louth 0-10; Down 0-12 Roscommon 0-7; Cavan 2-14 Meath 1-12. 

Round 4: Tipperary 2-15 Meath 1-10; Cavan 0-14 Cork 0-11; Clare 1-14 Down 1-12; Roscommon 1-21 Louth 0-12.

Round 5: Mar 3: Cavan v Down; Mar 4: Clare v Roscommon; Meath v Cork; Tipperary v Louth.

Round 6: Mar 17: Cork v Clare; Mar 18: Down v Tipperary; Louth v Meath; Roscommon v Cavan.

Round 7: Mar 25: Cavan v Tipperary; Clare v Louth; Meath v Down; Roscommon v Cork.

Final: Apr 1

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 3

Round 1: Armagh 2-17 Sligo 0-9; Westmeath 2-17 Derry 2-14; Fermanagh 3-7 Wexford 2-5; Longford 3-18 Offaly 1-13.

Round 2: Fermanagh 2-11 Offaly 1-6; Longford 1-13 Derry 1-6; Sligo 1-16 Wexford 1-13; Armagh 2-17 Westmeath 1-11.

Round 3: Armagh 1-11 Longford 1-10; Westmeath 0-16 Wexford 1-10; Derry 1-15 Offaly 0-13; Fermanagh 0-13 Sligo 0-8. 

Round 4: Fermanagh 1-16 Derry 3-8; Longford 1-12 Wexford 0-9; Armagh 1-15 Offaly 1-9; Westmeath 0-20 Sligo 0-14.

Round 5: Mar 3: Armagh v Derry; Mar 4: Sligo v Longford; Westmeath v Fermanagh; Wexford v Offaly.

Round 6: Mar 11: Derry v Wexford; Mar 18: Fermanagh v Armagh: Longford v Westmeath; Offaly v Sligo.

Round 7: Mar 25: Longford v Fermanagh; Sligo v Derry; Westmeath v Offaly; Wexford v Armagh.

Final: Mar 31

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LLEAGUE DIVISION 4

Round 1: Carlow 2-14 London 2-9; Laois 2-12 Limerick 0-9; Antrim 0-15 Leitrim 0-5; Wicklow 0-12 Waterford 0-12.

Round 2: Laois 3-16 Leitrim 3-10; Carlow 2-11 Limerick 0-14; London 1-16 Wicklow 0-10; Antrim 2-12 Waterford 0-10.

Round 3: Laois 0-18 Waterford 1-11; Carlow 2-11 Leitrim 0-5; Antrim 0-12 Wicklow 0-12; London 2-8 Limerick 2-8.

Round 4: Carlow 2-12 Waterford 2-9; Leitrim 2-18 Limerick 1-9 Laois 1-16 Wicklow 0-10; Antrim 0-17 London 0-13.

Round 5: Mar 3: Carlow v Wicklow; London v Leitrim; Mar 4: Laois v Antrim; Limerick v Waterford.

Round 6: Mar 11: London v Laois; Mar 18: Antrim v Carlow; Waterford v Antrim; Wicklow v Limerick.

Round 7: Mar 25: Carlow v Laois; Leitrim v Wicklow; Limerick v Antrim; London v Waterford.

Final: March 31