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Paddy Tierney

Allianz Football League permutations and fixtures guide for relegation and promotion

It is the penultimate weekend of action in the Allianz Football Leagues with promotion and relegation still to be decided across all four divisions.

As things stand, all nine Ulster counties have something to play for over the next two weekends.

It seems extremely likely that Ulster champions Derry will be playing Division One football next season while Cavan are on the cusp of promotion from Division Three.

Read more: Tyrone ace Darragh Canavan wary of "dangerous opponent" ahead of relegation showdown

However, a host of Ulster teams are fighting relegation in Division One while Antrim will be determined to avoid a return to Division Four later this month.

Here’s a guide to what each team needs over the final two games of the game campaign.

Division One

Armagh

Five games in and Armagh have won two, lost two and drawn one. That’s a perfect illustration of the inconsistent nature of their performances this season.

When Kieran McGeeney’s men are good, they are very good, but they have a tendency to throw in a poor display every so often.

They’ll need no extra motivation to defeat Galway at the Athletic Grounds on Saturday and a win would see them retain their Division One status with a game to spare.

Lose and they’ll head to Omagh next weekend needing at least a draw against Tyrone.

Remaining fixtures: Saturday, March 18 v Galway (Box-It Athletic Grounds, 5pm); Sunday, March 16 v Tyrone (O’Neills Healy Park, 1.45pm)

Will reach the Division One final if: Armagh will need at least three points from their final two games.

Will be relegation if: Should Armagh lose their last two games, they’ll be in danger if both Monaghan and Donegal pick up points. They’re helped by their head-to-head wins over both however.

Donegal

Things haven’t gone according to plan for new manager Paddy Carr and the continued fallout of Karl Lacey’s departure from the Donegal Academy suggests all is not well within the county.

It can be difficult to show a united front when results aren’t going well and the injury to captain Paddy McBrearty in round two has only compounded their woes.

Still, they can redeem themselves with back-to-back wins over Mayo and Roscommon, both of whom are safe from relegation at this stage.

Remaining fixtures: Sunday, March 19 v Mayo (Ballybofey, 3.45pm); Sunday, March 26 v Roscommon (Dr Hyde Park, 1.45pm)

Will reach the Division One final if: Even two wins in their final games wouldn’t be enough as the fixtures mean at least two teams will be certain to finish on more than seven points.

Will be relegation if: They need at least one win and probably at least a draw as well to give themselves a fighting chance of avoiding the drop.

Monaghan

True to form, Monaghan are battling for their Division One survival at the business end of the season. Will this be the year they make the drop to Division Two?

Should they lose to Tyrone on Sunday, they’ll be staring down the barrel. It looks increasingly likely that one team finishing on six points could be relegated so their final game against Mayo could be vital.

Monaghan players celebrate with Jack McCarron after the game after his last-gasp point saved the Farney and relegated Dublin from Division One last season (©INPHO/James Crombie)

Vinny Corey will be keen that they keep their fate in their own hands and they’ll do that if they avoid defeat against Tyrone at Clones.

Remaining fixtures: Sunday, March 19 v Tyrone (Clones, 1.45pm); Sunday, March 26 v Mayo (Castlebar, 1.45pm)

Will reach the Division One final if: Monaghan can still reach the Division One final if they pick up impressive wins over Tyrone and Mayo in their final two games and Roscommon and Galway don’t win more than once over the last two weekends.

Will be relegation if: Monaghan’s nine-year stint in the top flight will be ended if they don’t beat Tyrone and/or Mayo. A draw against Tyrone would be enough if they lose to Mayo by less than Tyrone lose to Armagh.

Tyrone

Only Tyrone could lose to Mayo by 10 points one week then defeat the All-Ireland champions Kerry the next.

The challenge for the Red Hands now is to show some level of consistency. They’ve a tough run in with two Ulster derby games against Monaghan and Armagh, but they know what they have to do to stay in Division One.

Should Armagh win this weekend, they’d be safe and, perhaps, their starting 15 wouldn’t be as strong for the round seven clash in Omagh next weekend.

However, Tyrone will want to win this weekend and keep both Monaghan and Donegal below them in the table.

Remaining fixtures: Sunday, March 19 v Tyrone (Clones, 1.45pm); Sunday, March 26 v Armagh (O’Neills Healy Park, 1.45pm)

Will reach the Division One final if: Like Monaghan, Tyrone have an outside chance of reaching the League final if they win their final two games, but will need to vastly improve their scoring difference.

Will be relegation if: Should Tyrone lose their last two games and Kerry pick up one more point, the Red Hands will drop to Division Two. Losing this weekend wouldn’t be fatal, but they would then need to beat Armagh and need other result to go in their favour.

Division Two

Derry

Were probably the unluckiest team in the League last year when their tally of 11 points wasn’t enough to gain promotion and they were pipped by Roscommon and Galway.

They’ve already reached 10 points this season with two games to spare and 11 points will be enough this time around.

However, Rory Gallagher’s side will be keen to maintain their winning form and they’ll seal promotion if they avoid defeat against Clare at Owenbeg on Sunday.

That would afford Gallagher the chance to rest a few players in their final game against Cork before a Division Two final at Croke Park.

Remaining fixtures: Sunday, March 19 v Clare (Owenbeg, 1pm), Sunday, March 26 v Cork (Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 2pm)

Will be promoted if: They pick up one more point from their remaining fixtures against Clare and Cork. If they lose their final two games, they could be pipped by Cork for second, providing Dublin secure at least three points from their final two games.

Will be relegated if: Derry have no such worries with five wins in 2023.

Division Three

Antrim

If Derry were the unluckiest team in the last League last year, Antrim are contenders for that honour this term.

Surrendered a five-point lead against Down and then an eight-point lead against Fermanagh and came away with nothing to show from either games.

Had they taken a point from both games, they’d be in a much stronger position.

A win away to Tipperary in round three gives them hope of avoiding the drop, but they must try and regroup after a 31-point thrashing against Westmeath last time out.

Remaining fixtures: Saturday, March 18 v Cavan (Corrigan Park, 2pm); Sunday, March 26 v Longford (Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 2pm).

Will be promoted if: Antrim’s defeat to Westmeath ended any prospect of a late charge for promotion.

Will be relegated if: This weekend’s game against Cavan isn’t a must-win for the Saffrons, but they’ll need to beat Longford in round seven and hope Down win this weekend. Tipperary can make life difficult if they pick up points from their last two games.

Cavan

Only two teams in the country have a 100 per cent record at this stage of the Allianz Football League.

Derry are one and Cavan are the other. Mickey Graham’s men are awaiting the winners of the preliminary round tie between Armagh and Antrim in the Ulster SFC so they’d probably welcome an additional game in the Division Three final.

Only a very odd set of results would deny the Breffnimen promotion at this stage and they’ll seal the deal as long as they don’t suffer a surprise defeat to Antrim on Saturday.

Remaining fixtures: Saturday, March 18 v Antrim (Corrigan Park, 2pm); Sunday, March 26 v Fermanagh (Kingspan Breffni, 2pm)

Will be promoted if: They can gain a win or a draw against either Antrim or Fermanagh.

Will be relegated if: Cavan are more than safe at this stage.

Down

What goes down doesn’t always come back up and the Mournemen have found the going tough in Division Three this term.

Conor Laverty will be a little frustrated that their fate isn’t in their own hands at this stage of the competition and they’ll need results elsewhere to go in their favour.

A draw between Fermanagh and Westmeath would be a good start, but their cause might not be helped if Cavan secure promotion this weekend then field a weakened team in round seven against the Ernemen.

Remaining fixtures: Saturday, March 18 v Longford (Páirc Esler, 7pm); Sunday, March 26 v Offaly (Tullamore, 2pm).

Will be promoted if: Down need two wins and, realistically, their best chance of promotion is a three-way finish for second with two other counties, but not Westmeath. Their 31-point win over Antrim has given them a huge advantage over their promotion rivals.

Will be relegated if: Down are safe from relegation with six points on the board.

Fermanagh

Just how vital could Sean Quigley’s winning-goal against Down prove to be for Fermanagh?

Should the Ernemen and Down finish level on points in the race for promotion, the head-to-head win over the Mournemen will be worth more than the two points.

However, Fermanagh are second on their own going into the final two rounds and will be promoted should they defeat Westmeath and Cavan.

This Saturday’s clash with Westmeath in Ederney will have a huge bearing on the final table with the winners in pole position to join Cavan in the Division Three final.

Kieran Donnelly’s side might be helped if Cavan seal promotion against Antrim this weekend.

Remaining fixtures: Saturday, March 18 v Westmeath (Ederney, 3pm); Sunday, March 26 v Cavan (Kingspan Breffni 2pm).

Will be promoted if: Fermanagh will want to keep it simple and win their final two games. Do that, and they’ll be promoted. A draw against Westmeath wouldn’t be the worst result either as it would keep one of their rivals below them in the table.

Will be relegated if: Fermanagh have four wins from five games and won’t be relegated.

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