SUNDAY 27 MARCH
Allianz Football League Division 1
Donegal v Armagh, Letterkenny, 1.45pm
Kerry v Tyrone, Fitzgerald Stadium, 1.45pm
Mayo v Kildare, Avant Money Páirc Sean MacDiarmada, 1.45pm
Monaghan v Dublin, Clones, 1.45pm
Allianz Football League Division 2
Down v Clare, Páirc Esler, 2pm
Meath v Derry, Páirc Tailteann, 2pm
Offaly v Cork, Bord na Móna O'Connor Park, 2pm
Roscommon v Galway, Dr Hyde Park, 2pm
Allianz Football League Division 3
Antrim v Westmeath, Corrigan Park, 2pm
Laois v Longford, MW Hire O'Moore Park, 2pm
Limerick v Fermanagh, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 2pm
Wicklow v Louth, Aughrim, 2pm
Allianz Football League Division 4
Sligo v Leitrim, Markievicz Park, 1pm
ONLINE
A live blog on all of Sunday's games on RTÉ Sport Online and the RTÉ News app.
RADIO
Live updates and commentaries on Sunday Sport, RTÉ Radio 1
TV
Monaghan v Dublin live on TG4 from 1.15pm. The Clones fixture, along with Offaly v Cork in Division 2, is available to watch for viewers outside Ireland on GAAGO.
Highlights of all the weekend's action on Allianz League Sunday, RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player, from 9.30pm.
WEATHER
Sunday: Mist and fog will clear from most areas on Sunday morning but may persist along parts of the north and east coast. It will be dry with sunny spells and light east to southeast or variable winds. Highest temperatures of 13 to 17 degrees. For more go to met.ie.
Many pieces to be filled in
And so the regulation phase of this year's league is reaching its finale. In all, 14 pieces of the promotion/relegation jigsaw needed to be filled in coming into this weekend. Some of those pieces are already in place - Kerry in the Division 1 final, Galway heading back to the top flight, Down making the drop to Division 3 and on Saturday, Cavan and Tipperary clinching promotion from Division 4.
And so nine more outcomes will be decided on Sunday. Was there ever as much riding across the final round? Joy and disappointment in equal measure then. Or is that really the case? With the championship so close, would some teams be happier if there were no divisional finals?
Mayo, perhaps, considering how close their Connacht opener with Galway, is. Yes, silverware is available for the divisional winners in a week's time, but it also bonus-game territory. It's grand if you win it. If not, you move on.
There's not much mid-table safety to be gleaned when looking across the sections. Five teams in Division 1 still have relegation concerns. Meath are safe in tier 2 and it would take an unusual scoring shift for Clare to enter the dreaded zone. It's either Offaly or Cork to join Down making the drop.
In Division 3, Louth will fancy themselves to top the section, with four others in contention to join them.
Takeaways - Kerry structure, Dubs depth..and a lot more
Each of Jack O'Connor's previous stints as Kerry boss began with a league title. Another spring success looks likely in this the start of the third coming for the Dromid native. The Kingdom forward line is imbued with star quality; the Clifford brothers, the Spillanes and Tony Brosnan.
At the other end of the pitch, there is certainly more steel on view when it comes to frustrating the opposition. There's a meaner streak there. Will such meanness have the desired effect when the sod is a lot dryer at Croker in June and July?
After two wins on the bounce the narrative around Dublin has changed somewhat. Key names have returned; they are not as open at the back, and are not pressing out from the middle like they were against Armagh and Kerry. Crucially, they are not giving up as many goal chances now. Up front Cormac Costello and Sean Bugler are going more direct.
They'll be confident of sealing their survival away to Monaghan, though it's dangerous to write off the Farney on the last day.
In the latest, RTÉ GAA Podcast, Ciarán Whelan, while agreeing with most that the Dubs have rediscovered their groove, has concerns about the depth of quality beyond the first XV. While he has championed Tom Lahiff's role in midfield, he would like to see other names emerge with summer combat in mind and a possible date with Kerry in an All-Ireland semi-final.
And as for Mayo, the word from within the county boundaries is that the focus is now on Galway on 24 April. Division 1 survival is in the bag. Aidan O'Shea at No 6? Most would say that experiment is not working, though the Breaffy man is down to start in that position against Kildare on Sunday. He is better around the midfield sector, perhaps more effective of coming on for the last 20 minutes of a game.
James Horan's side, at times were good during the league - their best displays coming against Dublin and Kerry. Last weekend in Omagh, they were off the pace, though the side was quite experimental. David McBrien, Jack Carney and Aidan Orme have all shown well with championship starting places in mind.
Getting Cillian O'Connor back will also be key. The league has given us clues that Mayo are primed for another big year. We'll see how it all develops.
All-Ireland champions Tyrone have had a somewhat unremarkable campaign so far. They were a bit more like themselves against Mayo, though in saying that relegation wouldn't be the end of the world for them. Fermanagh in the Ulster championship is on the horizon over the Easter weekend.
Armagh have caught the eye at times. They wouldn't mind getting to Croke Park and having another crack off the Kingdom. Good prep for an Ulster campaign where ending a 14-year wait for a title is well within their grasp.
Elsewhere across the divisions, Kildare are continuing to show progress. Chalked up a big score against Monaghan - will now fancy a crack off Mayo - and if the draw dictates a showdown with the Dubs in a Leinster final. They are good enough to reach an All-Ireland quarter-final.
Donegal, some say are not keeping up with the times, a case of should do better.
Monaghan have been a bit too up and down so far. They won't fear hosting the Dubs on Sunday. But this could be the year they slip through the trap door.
Pádraic Joyce's Galway were in their pomp when blitzing Derry last week. A 100% return so far. Roscommon have it in their own hands to join them in the top flight next year.
Offaly v Cork is the do-or-die clash in Division 2. Faithful momentum stalled if they fall, much head-scratching for Keith Ricken and co if the Tailteann Cup looks a more realistic proposition after this weekend.
In Division 3, Mickey Harte and Louth are on course for back-to-back promotions. Sam Mulroy continues to shoot out the scoring lights.
The finer detail
What we know: Kerry will contest the final - either Mayo or Armagh will join them. The Connacht county will be ahead on the head-to-head if both win on Sunday. If both were to lose, then we'll end up with four counties on seven points and scoring difference will come into play. At this remove, Armagh have the slight advantage in those stakes.
Two from Kildare, Donegal, Tyrone Dublin and Monaghan will be relegated.
Kildare must win to have any chance of reaching a first league final since1990-91 - though a loss in Carrick-on-Shannon against Mayo could send them down.
Donegal need to win or draw to be absolutely certain of their safety.
Tyrone know a victory away to Kerry will keep them up. A defeat, however, and they're in trouble - their score difference is the worst of those on five points.
The bottom two - Monaghan and Dublin - meet at Clones knowing that victory is realistically the only way to potentially avoid the drop. If there is a winner at St Tiernach's Park they could still go down if Donegal, Tyrone and Kildare all win too.
There's also the potential for two counties to finish on six points, thus bringing head-to-heads into it, or even for three counties to finish on six points, which will mean scoring difference will be critical. For any of these circumstances to occur we need a winner at Clones, and at least one of Kildare, Donegal and Tyrone to draw.
There's also the outside chance that Monaghan and Dublin draw, and any or all of Kildare, Tyrone and Donegal lose, thus leaving up to five counties on five points. That's when scoring difference will come into things.
What we know: Galway are promoted and either Roscommon or Derry will join them. Down are relegated. Meath are safe.
The Rossies know a win against Galway will definitely seal promotion. A draw could be enough as they are +5 better than Derry, even if the Ulster side were to win away to Meath. Parity in Navan could be enough for Rory Gallagher's side if Galway were to win by six points or more at the Hyde.
Clare could only face the drop if there was a draw between Offaly and Cork in Tullamore, and they were beaten by Down by a cricket score.
The Offaly-Cork is a shootout to decide who stays in Division 2 for 2023, and who guarantees themselves a spot in the Sam Maguire race for this year. A draw would be enough for the Rebels owing to their superior scoring difference.
What we know: Nothing decided as yet.
If Louth can avoid defeat away to Wicklow, than they will be promoted. Were they to lose at Aughrim then they could be passed out, in theory, if Limerick were to draw with Fermanagh, and there was to be a winner between Antrim and Westmeath. That would leave three counties on nine points - scoring difference would apply.
Limerick beat Antrim but lost to Westmeath earlier in the campaign, so that will be relevant if teams end up on the same points. It's simple for the Treaty men; win against Fermanagh and they go up, any other result leaves them open to being pipped.
If there's a winner between Antrim and Westmeath then they will be depending on Limerick to lose to reach the final. As above, were Limerick to draw, and Louth to lose, the winner at Corrigan Park could qualify for the final on scoring difference.
A draw between the Saffrons and the Lake County, coupled with a Limerick defeat to Fermanagh would leave four counties on eight points, in which case Westmeath could steal second place.
Fermanagh have to win to have any chance of reaching the final, but their scoring difference leaves them with one hand tied behind their back somewhat. The Ernesiders at least know that they can't be relegated.
As for relegation, if Laois lose to Longford, and Wicklow beat Louth, then all three counties will end up on five points. The O'Moore men have a big advantage when it comes to scoring difference.
The Garden County can only avoid relegation with a big victory in Aughrim, coupled with a heavy defeat for Laois at O'Moore Park - we're talking a 31-point swing here.
Longford need to beat Laois, and then for Wicklow to fail to win against Louth. Longford's head-to-head record against Laois would see them saved.
But if Wicklow were also to win, then Longford's poor scoring difference would see them down, barring a 13-point victory at Portlaoise.
It's all settled when it comes to the promotion battle in the bottom tier with Cavan and Tipperary both securing their progress on Saturday, making it impossible for Sligo and Leitrim to catch them.
