Allianz Football League Round 4: All you need to know

SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY

Allianz FL Division 1

Dublin v Kerry, Croke Park, 7pm

Galway v Roscommon, Pearse Stadium, 7pm

Allianz FL Division 2

Derry v Offaly, Find Insurance Celtic Park, 6pm

Allianz FL Division 4

Carlow v Waterford, Netwatch Cullen Park, 5pm

SUNDAY 22 FEBRUARY

Allianz FL Division 1

Monaghan v Mayo, St Tiernach's Park, Clones, 1.45pm

Armagh v Donegal, BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, Armagh, 3.45pm

Allianz FL Division 2

Cork v Meath, Páirc Uí Rinn, 2pm

Louth v Tyrone, DEFY Páirc Mhuire, 2pm

Cavan v Kildare, Kingspan Breffni, 3pm

Allianz FL Division 3

Sligo v Limerick, Markievicz Park, 1pm

Westmeath v Fermanagh, TEG Cusack Park, 1pm

Clare v Laois, Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, 2pm

Wexford v Down, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 2pm

Allianz FL Division 4

Wicklow v London, Echelon Park, 1pm

Leitrim v Antrim, Heartland Credit Union Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, 2pm

Longford v Tipperary, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 2pm

ONLINE

Follow a live blog on all matches on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport.

TV

Saturday sees Dublin v Kerry live on TG4 from 6.45pm. Live coverage on Sunday has TG4 covering Armagh v Donegal from 3.30pm, with Monaghan v Mayo live on the TG4 player, starting at 1.45pm.

Highlights and reaction to all the weekend's action on Allianz League Sunday, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, 9.35pm.

RADIO

Live commentaries and updates on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport as well as Spórt an tSathairn and Spórt an Lae on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.

WEATHER

Saturday: A mild, breezy and rather wet day tomorrow with further outbreaks of rain moving northeastwards across the country, turning heavy at times particularly in the west and north. Highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees with moderate to fresh southwest winds.

Sunday: Bright and blustery with scattered showers, becoming heavier and more persistent for a time through the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees with moderate to fresh, occasionally strong, southwest winds. For more go to met.ie.

We're not going to the piggery

A week on from "just pure piggery" - that is Kieran McGeeney's view as to what the battle for midfield supremacy is now all about - we may get another soundbite this weekend, maybe not from Geezer, but from another coach/onlooker with something to distil from football's new world order.

We've had 13 months, with a few tweaks thrown in along the way, of what the FRC presented to us as a way of making Gaelic football a better game. By and large it has worked. Many will say that there is still too much handpassing, and we'd have more of it if we did not have the piggery to which McGeeney refers to.

The Armagh boss, while not the most gregarious of characters, is at least not afraid to voice an opinion or two, and it often makes for good copy. Of course it's not up to McGeeney to aid journalists in their quest to file something of note, but with so much experience as a player and a now a manager, a telling line on matters of import can be expected. The journos can add the colour.

Not sure many would agree and certainly not the football purists, that the 50-50 pursuit around the middle has anything in common with swinish behaviour.

The hills are alive for Jimmy and Co.

Three rounds in; some are thriving, some are yet to get going, and some are gasping for air. The evidence is there.

Donegal, pacesetters in the top flight, calling the tune. Mayo went to Letterkenny with a pep in their step last week but found the hosts too slick, a unit that saw another young gun, this time Conor McCahill (pictured below), getting his chance to shine. And shine he did with a telling contribution on the scoreboard.

Afterwards Andy Moran spoke about Donegal nullifying Mayo's first-half plan in how they would use the advantage of the wind. The hat being tipped in Jimmy's direction, who nevertheless is still not happy with how his team are dealing with the breaking ball around the middle and some "sloppy" handpassing.

Donegal are in a good place and could deepen Armagh's relegation worries on Sunday. The Orchardmen had chances to complete an unlikely comeback against Roscommon but they again fell foul of a particular offence. A breach call against them saw a Ross McQuillan goal ruled out.

What could have been a four-point deficit at a crucial period in the second half was now eight. Armagh, unlike their hosts, could not find the way to goal thereafter. And they had enough chances to do so in a game played out on a pristine Hyde Park pitch. In the end, a lack of composure from McGeeney's men.

And so to the Rossies. Flying high after the frustration of losing narrowly at the death to Kerry in Round 1. They are scoring freely and still have the St Brigid's duo of Ben O'Carroll and Conor Hand to come back in to that forward line. From the same club, Ruaidhrí Fallon will be another notable addition when he returns. They could have "a big year" said Peter Canavan on Allianz League Sunday and they also could easily be sitting on six points at the head of affairs.

A trip to Salthill awaits on Saturday evening against a Galway side who again displayed their powers of recovery to earn a point in Tralee. Shane McGrath fired over a couple of two-pointers when it mattered. "The heart and character in this group is outrageous," said Tribes boss Pádraic Joyce afterwards, but he also told RTÉ Sport: "We'd be very disappointed how we played overall". Joyce clearly not happy at this side having to execute another comeback.

The positives he can take is that Galway are scoring goals and will feel now that his troops are equipped, with the hope that all the main actors will be ready to perform come the championship.

Dublin v Kerry: perhaps not quite the spring blockbuster we've been accustomed to.

The Kingdom, albeit with more than a few new squad members seeing action against Galway, will be disappointed they didn't see the game out. No need for panic or anything, but it's a habit they would like to kick.

Those attending the Dubs' match with Monaghan were treated to a game where the Farney were probably the better team across the 70 minutes but Ger Brennan's men had that extra kick when it mattered most at the end.

Brennan, while regretting somewhat his comments in public that some of the more established names could be culled, was still saying that squad members were aware of his intentions.

Speaking after the win over Monaghan, he told reporters: "I shouldn't have said it publicly possibly, but the lads were forewarned. They’re great lads and the response was great, to be fair.

"We had a good few one-on-ones with guys in the couple of days afterwards. It was a fairly simple chat with them. 'Where is your head at? Where is your heart at?' The work the fellas put in was incredible and I'm thrilled with their effort."

Two points on the board for Dublin but will need to up it a bit, notwithstanding their manager's desire to blood new players, if they are to survive in the division.

Monaghan, with no points, will be wondering how that is the case after they butchered seven good goal chances at Croker last Saturday. At least they created them. Mayo, the visitors to Clones, as they seek to get back to winning ways.

Match of the day billing

In Division 2, unbeaten Cork and Meath meet at Páirc Uí Rinn, Both mixed the good with the not so good last time out. The Rebels, while always comfortable against Offaly, were less than efficient in the second half. That said they still had a bit to spare at the end.

Jack Flynn, again showing his penchant for splitting the posts outside the arc, was the difference at the death as the Royals edged Louth in what was by some distance the best game at GAA HQ on Valentine's night.

There was no love when these counties met at the end of the 1980s and while such strong-willed characters may be not be present on either side now, expect a contest that will be fiercely fought, with the winner likely to have foot inside the top tier for next season.

After successive wins, Derry will fancy another two points at home to Offaly.

Louth, unlucky in losing to their neighbours, host Tyrone. The latter eventually came good to account for Cavan in Round 3 and will have Darragh Canavan on the pitch for the last time before he heads Down Under for a month.

Like Offaly, Cavan are pointless, but face a Kildare team who have designs on a top-end finish in the section.

Down remain on the up

What we expected is coming to pass in Division 3 but not in the manner we envisaged. Down leading the way; three wins from three, but they nearly coughed up a big lead at home to Westmeath last weekend.

A long trip to Wexford, who had their unbeaten run ended the last day, awaits.

Westmeath could plunge Fermanagh closer to the drop if they get the brace of points in Mullingar.

Clare, after defeating the Erne County for their first win of the campaign, will look to kick on at home to a Laois side who were impressive in dispatching Sligo.

The Yeats County welcome Limerick to Markievicz Park.

Hail McNulty

Division 4 is shaping up nicely and one of the highlights of last weekend was watching Barry McNulty fire over six two-pointers as Leitrim overcame a big half-time deficit to win in London.

The still pointless Antrim are the visitors to Carrick.

Leaders Carlow will be fancied to remain unbeaten when they welcome Waterford to Netwatch Cullen Park.

Elsewhere, Wicklow have comforts against London, while improving Longford host Tipperary.

Watch Tipperary v Limerick in the Allianz Hurling League on Saturday from 5pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1

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