Allianz NFL Division 1 previews

RTÉ.ie's Séamus Leonard previews this weekend's opening Allianz National Football League action in the top flight.

Allianz NFL Division 1

Sunday

Kerry v Dublin, Killarney, 2.30pm

Fitzgerald Stadium will play host to an age-old rivalry on Sunday afternoon, but there will be plenty of fresh faces on view.

Kerry will have 19 players unavailable for the clash. As well as the usual injuries, the Kingdom will also be denied the services of Colm 'Gooch' Cooper, Darran O'Sullivan and Kieran Donaghy as the trio are off to Miami to watch the Superbowl.

It should be noted, however, that of the three only Donaghy could have been considered for selection. Add Marc Ó Sé's wedding in Dingle on Friday into the mix and you can see how deep into his resources Kerry manager Jack O'Connor will have to dig as his side begin the defence of their title.

The hosts will be buoyed by their McGrath Cup final win over UCC last weekend, which, amazingly, represented only the second time that the Kingdom had captured that title.

Dublin are similarly hamstrung by absenteeism, which has resulted in boss Pat Gilroy naming a hugely experimental side.

Stephen Cluxton, David Henry, Paul Griffin, Ross McConnell, and Paul Flynn are the only survivors from the side that was walloped by the Kingdom in last year's All-Ireland quarter-final.

Given the nature of that 1-24 to 1-07 demolition, it is probably a blessing in disguise that so many of the Dubs who were humiliated that day cannot make the trip south.

Gilroy says his selection was based on mobility, though how mobile players can be on a sodden pitch in early February is open to debate. In saying that, the two O'Byrne Cup games with Meath (the Royals won through after a replay) should stand to them.

No-one expects the Metropolitans to be contending for league honours come April, but retaining Division 1 status and unearthing a few gems would be considered a satisfactory return. The required points will most likely have to come at a later date for the Dubs, however.

Verdict: Kerry

Monaghan v Cork, Scotstown, 2.30pm

Monaghan and Cork will renew acquaintances with each other following two league encounters last year.

They both competed in Division 2 last year, with Monaghan winning the initial encounter in Scotstown, but Cork took the honours in the divisional final at Headquarters.

The latter victory provided a springboard for the Rebels to go on and claim the Munster Championship before falling to neighbours Kerry in the All-Ireland decider.

That defeat hurt a lot, and there is a question mark over whether Conor Counihan and his men can recover psychologically from losing so comprehensively a game that many neutral observers had felt they had the capacity to win.

The Rebels opted not to take part in the McGrath Cup, a decision which Counihan has admitted has left their league preparations a little 'disjointed'. They will travel north without injured duo John Miskella and Graham Canty and their options will also be limited by the Sigerson Cup commitments of some of their younger players.

Unlike Cork, who grew in strength after last year's league final, Monaghan endured a deeply disappointing summer. They were knocked out of Ulster by Derry and then saw their All-Ireland ambitions destroyed by the same opponents in the second round of the qualifier series.

Many thought Seamus McEnaney would step down at that point, but he is back again for what is surely his last shot at bringing some silverware back to the county.

The availability of Dick Clerkin is uncertain, as the Currin clubman awaits the outcome of an appeal against the suspension he received for his dismissal against Fermanagh in the Dr McKenna Cup.

JP Mone (knee) and Eoin Lennon (back) will definitely miss out, while there are doubts over Dessie Mone (groin) and Stephen Gollogy (calf).

Neither side looks in great shape at this particular point in time, but Cork should just be that little bit stronger on the day.

Verdict: Cork

Mayo v Galway, Castlebar, 2.30pm

No strangers to each other, Mayo and Galway will open their NFL campaigns with a Connacht derby on Sunday.

While it will be Joe Kernan's first competitive game in charge since succeeding Liam Sammon as Galway manager, it will also mark the end of an era for Mayo after veterans James Nallen and David Heaney announced their retirements during the week.

Mayo supremo John O'Mahony paid tribute to the departing duo, but sentiment will be set aside quickly as he has a depleted squad to work with at the moment.

Pat Harte is tied up by work commitments, while Barry Moran and Aidan Kilcoyne are on the injured list. Ace forwards Alan Dillon and Conor Mortimer are currently in South Africa, but have confirmed that they will be returning early from their travels and should come into the equation prior to Dublin's visit to Castlebar on 7 March.

Kernan famously brought his native Armagh to their first and only All-Ireland title in 2002. Galway may never have suffered such a drought, but they have persistently flattered to deceive since they last laid claim to Sam Maguire in 2001.

There is no denying the talent the Tribesmen have at their disposal, but it has been getting the best out of that talent has proved elusive in the intervening nine years.

Kernan said recently that there is a lot of 'hurt' in the locker of his outfit, and if any man can convert that pain into desire then it is the Crossmaglen man.

Veteran Padraic Joyce is still on the road back from injury, but Michael Meehan made an impressive appearance as a sub in the FBD Connacht League win over GMIT last week and should play some part on Sunday despite not being named in the starting XV.

This will not be the last time these sides meet this season (they have both qualified for the FBD final), but Galway should manage to draw first blood.

Verdict: Galway