Preview Dublin V Clare & Bord Gais Energy National League

Dublin V Clare – Sunday 15th March 2pm in Naomh Mearnog(Portmarnock GAA)

 

Attached Team Photo from Dubin V Cork Game.

 

Also well done to Denise Masterson (Naomh Mearnog)who was awarded Dublin GAA Supporters Club, Ladies Footballer Player of the year award for 2008. Attached picture of Denise with Leinster championship cup 08

 

 

Lyndsey Davey of Skerries Harps was also awarded Evening Herald/HALIFAX GAA player for February 2009. For her performances during Dublin’s unbeaten run in this years league.

 

 

Bord Gais Energy National League. 15/3/2009.

The final games in the league stage of the Bord Gais Energy National League take place on Sunday next, 15th March. Mayo and Dublin lead their respective divisions, 1A and 1B, ahead of the concluding games. Division 1B will see Dublin, Cork, Monaghan and Clare qualify for the quarterfinal stages and more than likely in that order. Defeats for Dublin or Cork would upset the order but that seems highly unlikely. Cork can expect to get a good run from Monaghan but it is hard to see beyond a win for the Leesiders. Monaghan came with a late burst to inflict defeat on Galway last week and leave the Tribeswomen in serious relegation trouble. The fact that Kildare grabbed a late equaliser against Clare means that Galway must win against Lillies to avoid relegation. Very few would have forecast this scenario at the start of the campaign.

Dublin manager, Gerry McGill, and his management team must be delighted with their situation to date. No doubt Gerry will caution against overconfidence going into their encounter against Clare. The Banner side can relax going into this one knowing that they have already qualified for the knock-out stages. They will want to put it up to the Jackies, nevertheless. It is hard to see beyond a home victory which would secure top spot for Dublin ahead of the quarterfinal draw.

Division 1B is somewhat more complicated. Mayo top the table but have a difficult away game against Armagh. A victory for the Orchard County could see them leapfrog Tyrone were the latter to lose away to Donegal. Donegal have registered high scores in their last two games so a home win for them is not beyond the bounds of possibility. Tyrone

’s form has been patchy of late and as a place in the play-offs beckons it is unlikely that they will slip up. Kerry versus Laois is also for determining position on the league table with Laois possibly having a slight edge on the Kingdom. A Tyrone victory over Donegal and a Kerry defeat to Laois would see the Red Hand county overtake Kerry. They would overtake Laois were the latter to lose to the Kingdom.

While it would be most surprising to see changes in position in Division 1B a number of changes could arise in 1A. Sunday evening will tell all.

Forecast on final placings – Division 1A – Mayo, Laois, Tyrone and Kerry.

Division 1B – Dublin, Cork, Monaghan and Clare.

The quarterfinal draw would be as follows – Dublin v Kerry, Cork v Tyrone, Monaghan v Laois and Clare v Tyrone. Let’s see what happens.

Relegation Forecast – Donegal and Kildare.

League Tables ahead of final round of games.

League table for Bord Gais Energy NFL Division 1A

Team	P	W	L	D	P+	P-	P+/-	Pts
Mayo	4	3	1	0	73	45	28	9
Laois	4	2	1	1	70	45	25	7
Kerry	4	2	1	1	45	53	-8	7
Tyrone	4	2	2	0	55	61	-6	6
Armagh	4	1	3	0	47	48	-1	3
Donegal	4	1	3	0	56	94	-38	3

League table for Bord Gais Energy NFL Division 1B

Team	P	W	L	D	P+	P-	P+/-	Pts
Dublin	4	4	0	0	77	39	38	12
Cork	4	3	1	0	75	34	41	9
Monaghan	4	3	1	0	62	46	16	9
Clare	4	1	2	1	37	61	-24	4
Kildare	4	0	3	1	35	71	-36	1
Galway	4	0	4	0	36	71	-35	0