It's hotting up in the NFL
Dublin, Cork, Antrim, Clare and Limerick are the only counties to have picked up full points in the Allianz GAA National Football League which next weekend heads for its fourth round in the top three Divisions and for the fifth round in Division 4.
At the other end of the tables, Tyrone (Div 1), Westmeath (Div 2), Roscommon (Div 3) and Kilkenny (Div 4) are the only counties who are still waiting to pick up a point.
Division 1
Saturday (7.30): Tyrone v Cork, Omagh (Live on Setanta Ireland); Dublin v Monaghan, Parnell Park (Live on Setanta 1); Derry v Mayo, Celtic Park.
Sunday (2.30): Galway v Kerry, Pearse Stadium (Deferred on TG4)
With six points between top (Cork and Dublin) and bottom (Tyrone) after three rounds, it may look as if the group is sorting itself out unusually quickly but the reality is quite different since four counties (Kerry, Galway, Derry, Monaghan) are all on two points while Mayo are on four points so clearly this Division has several twists and turns ahead.
Tyrone are in a very unusual position for them, having lost their first three games (to Derry, Mayo, Monaghan) and need to take something from their home tie against unbeaten Cork in Omagh on Saturday night if they are to begin their climb from the basement. The counties clashed in last year's All-Ireland semi-final which Cork won by five points. Cork and Dublin have both made the perfect start, winning their first three games. Dublin will be hoping to extend that run at home to Monaghan on Saturday night but they face quite a challenge against Seamus McEnaney's men who recorded a morale-boosting one-point win over Tyrone last Sunday.
Mayo's unbeaten run ended last Sunday when they went down by a point to Dublin and they now prepare to head for Celtic Park on Saturday night to take on Derry, who have lost twice after winning their opening game against Tyrone.
Galway v Kerry is the only Division 1 clash on Sunday as two teams who have won only one each of their first three games battle for the points in Pearse Stadium.
Last year: Kerry 2-15 Galway 1-11 (NFL); Derry 1-9 Mayo 0-10 (NFL); Cork 1-13 Tyrone 0-11 (All-Ireland semi-final); Dublin v Monaghan (Didn't meet).
Division 2
Saturday (7.30): Donegal v Down, Ballybofey.
Sunday (2.30 unless stated): Armagh v Kildare, Crossmaglen; Tipperary v Meath, Thurles, 12.45; Westmeath v Laois, Mullingar.
No team on full points....Westmeath the only team without a point - that's the shape of Division 2 after three games. Down top the group on five points, followed by Donegal on four points which makes their clash in Ballybofey next Saturday night very interesting. All the more so since the counties are to clash again in the Ulster championship at the same venue on May 30.
Armagh and Kildare are both on four points, making their clash on Sunday crucially important in the relegation race. It will, of course, be a return to old haunts for former Armagh star, Kieran McGeeney who now manages Kildare.
Meath, who are also on four points in what is an extremely competitive group, travel to Thurles to take on Tipperary who grabbed an encouraging draw away to Down last weekend. Westmeath, who are still without a point, badly need to take something from their home clash with Laois, who are also in the lower end of the table after winning one of three games.
Last year: Armagh 1-12 Kildare 1-10 (NFL); Donegal-Down (Didn't meet); Westmeath - Laois (Didn't meet); Tipperary-Meath (Didn't meet).
Division 3
Saturday (7.30): Cavan v Wexford, Kingspan Breffni Park.
Sunday (2.30); Fermanagh v Louth, Enniskillen; Sligo v Offaly, Markievicz Park; Roscommon v Antrim, Dr.Hyde Park.
It's top v bottom when Antrim take on Roscommon on Sunday. Antrim, who were promoted from Div 4 last year, have made a great start to life in Div 3, winning all three games so far whereas Roscommon have lost all three of theirs. Wexford, who were relegated from Division 2 last year, have won two of their first three games and now head for Cavan, who have lost two of three. Sligo have also lost two of three but will have home advantage against Offaly who are the group's top scorers after winning two of three games and losing the third by a point.
Fermanagh, who were relegated from Division 2 last year, are second last in the Division 3 table which makes their clash with Louth (two wins from three games) on Sunday very important in their battle to avoid dropping two Divisions in successive seasons.
Last year: None of this weekend's fixtures had equivalents last year as Wexford and Fermanagh were in Division 2 while Sligo and Antrim were in Division 4.
Division 4
Saturday (7.30): Limerick v Waterford, Gaelic Grounds.
Sunday (2.30 unless stated): Longford v Wicklow, Pearse Park; London v Clare, Ruislip, 1.30; Carlow v Kilkenny, Dr.Cullen Park.
Wicklow, Clare, Limerick and Waterford are all on six points, three clear of nearest pursuers, Carlow which leaves the top quartet fancied to battle it out for the two promotion places. Clare and Limerick have played a match less than Wicklow and Waterford.
Limerick v Waterford looks certain to be very competitive, as does Longford v Wicklow which is a re-run of last year's Leinster championship tie which Wicklow won by two points. Kilkenny have scored just 1-8 in three games while conceding 9-43, a differential which is likely to widen after their visit to Dr.Cullen Park to take on Carlow. It's Clare's turn to visit London where the Banner men will be fancied to win a fourth successive win.
Last year: Carlow 2-22 Kilkenny 1-9 (NFL); Clare 3-21 London 1-7 (NFL); Wicklow 2-12 Longford 1-13 (Leinster SFC first round); Limerick v Waterford (Didn't meet).
NFL 2010
Division 1
Round 1: Dublin 1-12 Kerry 1-10; Mayo 2-14 Galway 1-10; Derry 1-18 Tyrone 1-12; Cork 3-13 Monaghan 3-12.
Round 2: Galway 1-20 Monaghan 1-14; Cork 1-12 Kerry 0-12; Dublin 1-11 Derry 0-7; Mayo 1-12 Tyrone 1-11.
Round 3: Cork 1-19 Galway 1-17: Dublin 1-9 Mayo 1-8; Kerry 0-15 Derry 1-9; Monaghan 1-14 Tyrone 0-16.
Next Saturday (Round 4): Tyrone v Cork; Dublin v Monaghan; Derry v Mayo.
Next Sunday: (Round 4): Galway v Kerry.
March 20: (Round 5): Cork v Dublin.
March 21: (Round 5): Galway v Tyrone; Monaghan v Derry; Kerry v Mayo.
March 27: (Round 6): Dublin v Galway; Tyrone v Kerry; Derry v Cork.
March 28: (Round 6): Mayo v Monaghan.
April 11: (Round 7): Cork v Mayo; Kerry v Monaghan; Tyrone v Dublin; Galway v Derry.
DIVISION TWO
Round 1: Laois 1-13 Tipperary 1-11; Meath 2-8 Armagh 0-13; Down 1-16 Kildare 0-8; Donegal 1-13 Westmeath 0-9.
Round 2: Down 0-12 Meath 0-8; Kildare 1-17 Tipperary 0-8; Donegal 3-11 Laois 0-5; Armagh 2-19 Westmeath 0-8.
Round 3: Armagh 0-13 Laois 0-12; Down 0-14 Tipperary 1-11; Meath 1-12 Westmeath 2-8; Kildare 1-17 Donegal 1-9.
Next Saturday: (Round 4): Donegal v Down
Next Sunday (Round 4): Westmeath v Laois; Armagh v Kildare; Tipperary v Meath.
March 20 (Round 5): Down v Armagh; Meath v Laois; Tipperary v Donegal.
March 21 (Round 5): Kildare v Westmeath.
March 27 (Round 6): Laois v Kildare; Donegal v Meath.
March 28: (Round 6): Armagh v Tipperary; Westmeath v Down.
April 11 (Round 7): Down v Laois; Meath v Kildare; Donegal v Armagh; Tipperary v Westmeath.
DIVISION THREE
Round 1: Cavan 2-20 Roscommon 1-10; Antrim 1-12 Sligo 0-14; Louth 0-13 Wexford 1-8; Offaly 1-13 Fermanagh 1-10.
Round 2: Fermanagh 2-6 Roscommon 0-11; Antrim 2-13 Cavan 1-8; Wexford 1-14 Offaly 2-10; Sligo 1-17 Louth 2-10.
Round 3: Antrim 0-16 Fermanagh 0-8; Wexford 3-7 Sligo 1-6; Offaly 2-14 Roscommon 2-13; Louth 0-13 Cavan 1-6.
Next Saturday: (Round 4): Cavan v Wexford.
Next Sunday: (Round 4): Sligo v Offaly; Roscommon v Antrim; Fermanagh v Louth.
March 21: (Round 5): Wexford v Fermanagh; Offaly v Antrim; Louth v Roscommon; Sligo v Cavan.
March 27 (Round 6): Antrim v Louth; Cavan v Offaly.
March 28 (Round 6): Roscommon v Wexford; Fermanagh v Sligo.
April 11 (Round 7): Wexford v Antrim; Offaly v Louth; Cavan v Fermanagh; Sligo v Roscommon.
DIVISION 4
Round 1: Waterford 0-13 Leitrim 0-10; Clare 1-9 Wicklow 0-11; Limerick 0-17 London 1-4; Carlow 1-10 Longford 0-10.
Round 2: Limerick 0-11 Carlow 0-7; Wicklow 1-13 Leitrim 0-9; Clare 4-18 Kilkenny 0-2; Waterford 1-16 London 0-8.
Round 3: Wicklow 4-13 London 1-5; Limerick 1-8 Longford 0-9; Leitrim 4-18 Kilkenny 1-4; Carlow 1-11 Waterford 1-11.
Round 4: Waterford 0-10 Longford 1-7; London 1-17 Kilkenny 0-2; Wicklow 0-14 Carlow 0-7; Clare 2-12 Leitrim 0-17.
Next Saturday: (Round 5): Limerick v Waterford.
Next Sunday (Round 5): Carlow v Kilkenny; Longford v Wicklow; London v Clare.
March 21: (Round 6): Leitrim v London; Kilkenny v Longford; Wicklow v Limerick; Clare v Carlow.
March 27 (Round 7): Carlow v Leitrim; Limerick v Kilkenny.
March 28: (Round 7): Longford v Clare; Waterford v Wicklow.
April 3 (Round 8): Kilkenny v Waterford; Leitrim v Longford; Clare v Limerick; London v Carlow.
April 11: (Round 9): Waterford v Clare; Limerick v Leitrim; Wicklow v Kilkenny; Longford v London.
FOOTBALL LEAGUE STATS
Division One
Top Scorers.................Cork (5-44: 3 games)
Lowest Scorers............Derry (2-34 2 games)
Most conceded.............Monaghan (4-49: 3 games)
Least conceded............Dublin (2-25: 3 games)
Home wins.....8
Away wins.....4
Draws............0
Division Two
Top Scorers.................Armagh (2-45: 3 games)
Lowest Scorers............Westmeath (2-25: 3 games)
Most conceded.............Westmeath (4-44: 3 games)
Least conceded.............Down (1-27: 3 games)
Home wins.....8
Away wins.....4
Draws............0
Division Three
Top Scorers.................Offaly (5-37: 3 games)
Lowest Scorers...........Fermanagh (3-24: 3 games)
Most conceded...........Roscommon (6-40: 3 games)
Least conceded..........Antrim (1-30: 3 games)
Home wins.....10
Away wins.....2
Draws.............0
Division Four
Top Scorers.................Wicklow (5-51: 4 games)
Lowest Scorers...........Kilkenny (1-8: 3 games)
Most conceded............Kilkenny (9-43: 2 games)
Least conceded............Limerick (1-20: 3 games)
Home wins.....8
Away wins.....6
Draws............2
