What began on Saturday 30 January is now nearing a conclusion, with league honours to be decided this weekend.
FIXTURES
SATURDAY 23 APRIL
Division 4: Antrim v Louth, 4pm
Division 3: Kildare v Clare, 6pm
SUNDAY 24 APRIL
Division 2: Cavan v Tyrone, 1.30pm
Division 1: Dublin v Kerry, 3.30pm
After the action concludes at Croke Park on Sunday, ‘Laochra' - the GAA's national 1916 Commemorative Event will be staged.
DUBLIN v KERRY
The Dubs are bidding for a fourth consecutive title, while Kerry are seeking first success since 2009. It's the Kingdom who lead the way with 19 league victories to date, compared to Dublin's 11.Only twice before have the sides met in deciders - 1977 and 1987.
In the latter encounter, it was the Dubs who prevailed on a 1-11 to 0-11 scoreline. After the match the then Kerry boss Mick O'Dwyer was full of praise for the victors, as the clip below shows.
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL:
(Dublin)
Dublin 2-14 Kerry 0-14
Dublin 0-09 Mayo 0-07
Dublin 1-14 Monaghan 0-16
Dublin 2-14 Cork 2-10
Dublin 1-15 Down 1-7
Dublin 1-10 Donegal 0-7,
Dublin 1-13 Roscommon 1-12,
Dublin 1-20 Donegal 0-13 (semi-final)
Played 8, Won 8
Top scorers:
Dean Rock 1-35, Cormac Costello 1-21, Diarmuid Connolly 3-04, Paddy Andrews 1-10
(Kerry)
Dublin 2-14 Kerry 0-14
Roscommon 0-14 Kerry 1-10
Kerry 0-22 Down 0-06
Kerry 1-13 Donegal 1-08
Kerry 2-13 Mayo 0-14
Kerry 1-17 Monaghan 1-09,
Kerry 0-20 Cork 1-12
Kerry 3-15 Roscommon 0-14 (semi-final)
Played 8, Won 6, Lost 2
Top scorers:
Colm Cooper 1-23, Barry John Keane 0-17, Darran O’Sullivan 1-14, Bryan Sheehan 0-16
CAVAN v TYRONE
The Red Hand won the opening round clash in Omagh on 31 January. They finished two points ahead of Cavan (0-10 to 0-08) after the sides were level on 0-05 each at half-time.
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL:
(Cavan)
Tyrone 0-10 Cavan 0-08
Derry 1-12 Cavan 1-11
Cavan 1-20 Meath 1-13
Cavan 3-18 Armagh 0-10
Cavan 1-12 Fermanagh 0-09
Cavan 1-17 Laois 0-15
Cavan 1-16 Galway 1-12
Played 7, Won 5, Lost 2
Top scorers:
Gearoid McKiernan. 1-24, Seanie Johnston 3-16, David Givney 3-05
(Tyrone)
Tyrone 0-10 Cavan 0-08
Tyrone 1-11 Galway 1-09
Tyrone 1-14 Laois 0-14
Tyrone 2-15 Derry 0-12
Tyrone 1-17 Meath 1-11
Tyrone 0-13 Armagh 1-10
Fermanagh 0-12 Tyrone 1-09
Played 7, Won 5, Drew 2
Top scorers:
Ronan O’Neill 1-23
Richie Donnelly 0-09
Darren McCurry 0-08
CLARE v KILDARE
As expected, Kildare made the step to Division 2, suffering only one defeat along the way at the hands of Sligo. Hats off to the Banner for also making the step up, with impressive wins over Longford and Westmeath the stand-out moments in their campaign. Both finalists clashed in Newbridge on 3 April, with the Lilywhites winning by 0-22 to 1-14.
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL:
(Clare)
Clare 1-11 Sligo 0-07
Tipperary 2-07 Clare 1-07
Clare 1-14 Limerick 0-11
Clare 1-18 Westmeath 0-10
Offaly 0-15 Clare 1-11
Clare 1-20 Longford 1-09
Kildare 0-22 Clare 1-14
Played 7, Won 4, Lost 3
Top scorers:
David Tubridy 1-35, Eoin Cleary 1-22, Jamie Malone 2-12
(Kildare)
Kildare 2-09 Westmeath 0-11
Kildare 1-12 Offaly 1-08
Kildare 2-11 Longford 0-10
Kildare 1-11 Limerick 1-10
Sligo 2-15 Kildare 2-14
Kildare 2-13 Tipperary 1-5
Kildare 0-22 Clare 1-14
Played 7, Won 6, Lost 1
Top scorers:
Niall Kelly 2-17, Eoghan O’Flaherty 1-16, Adam Tyrrell 0-09
ANTRIM v LOUTH
They meet for the second time in three weeks, having clashed in where they finished level at Corrigan Park, Belfast. Both were already guaranteed promotion before that game, with Frank Fitzsimmons' Saffrons topping the section.
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL:
(Antrim)
Antrim 1-12 Carlow 0-10
Antrim 1-8 Wexford 0-07
Antrim 2-14 Leitrim 0-10
Antrim 1-11 London 0-11
Antrim 1-16 Waterford 0-06
Antrim 2-13 Wicklow 1-12
Antrim 0-12 Louth 1-09
Played 7, Won 6, Drew 1
Top scorers:
Tomas McCann 2-26, Brian Neeson 2-14, Michael McCann 0-10
(Louth)
Louth 2-9 London 0-09
Louth 1-10 Waterford 1-09
Louth 0-15 Wicklow 1-02
Leitrim 0-16 Louth 2-09
Louth 2-17 Carlow 1-07
Louth 0-13 Wexford 0-11
Antrim 0-12 Louth 1-09
Played 7, Won 5, Drew 1, Lost 1
Top scorers:
Ryan Burns 1-18, Declan Byrne 1-11, Jim McEneaney1-09
