With five rounds of the Allianz Football League now complete before the competition resumes with the penultimate round of games on Saturday week, we assess the state of play across the four divisions.
Division One
Mayo are in pole position to reach the final and one victory from their remaining two games against Donegal and Monaghan will almost certainly be enough to secure their spot.
Roscommon, in second, are best placed to join them as is but, in theory, anybody from there right down to Monaghan, who currently sit in the relegation zone, could yet reach the final.
Similarly, in terms of relegation, nobody from Roscommon down is safe yet. Donegal sit bottom and are favourites to make the drop and whoever loses the Monaghan-Tyrone tie in Clones on Sunday week will be on the brink of Division Two.
Division Two
Derry need one more win to be assured of promotion and it’s most likely that Dublin will join them.
Cork, Louth or even Meath could yet overhaul Dublin though it appears unlikely. Wins for Dublin and Louth in round six would set up an interesting winner-takes-all clash between the two at Croke Park in round seven, however.
At the foot of the table, Limerick look doomed despite picking up their first point against Meath, with Kildare or Clare the next closest to the trap door.
Despite Kildare’s ongoing troubles, they could make themselves safe with a round to spare.
If they beat Limerick in next and Clare lose to Derry, their head-to-head advantage over Clare would mean that they could not be overtaken.
Division Three
Cavan are all but promoted but a draw from one of their last two games will be enough to make sure.
Fermanagh, Westmeath, Down and Offaly are all in the race for the second spot though the latter pair’s scoring difference relative to the other two slims their chances.
It’s most likely that the winners of Fermanagh and Westmeath in Ederney on Saturday week will be promoted though Down and Offaly have winnable games that day too and will be confident of keeping the pressure on.
Longford and Tipperary have looked most likely to be relegated from a long way out though, unless Antrim beat Cavan in round six, Longford will still have a chance to save themselves when the Saffrons come to Pearse Park in the final round.
Division Four
Laois and Sligo (eight points each) are best placed to earn promotion and victories in their remaining two games will ensure that.
Carlow and Wexford (both on five points) can, mathematically at least, still entertain hopes of a top two finish but Wicklow and Leitrim’s (seven and six points respectively) are more realistic.
The Leitrim-Laois game in Carrick-on-Shannon in round six will be critical, while Wicklow and Sligo have trips to Carlow and Wexford respectively.
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