TESCO HomeGrown NFL Round 7 Fixtures

This weekend sees the final round of fixtures in the group stages of the TESCO HomeGrown National Football League and there is plenty at stake for counties at either end of the table across all four divisions.

In Division 1 the tie of the round is the meeting of Dublin and Mayo in Naomh Mearnóg as the two sides have a straight shoot out to decide who goes through to the league semi finals. Monaghan are already assured of first place and will welcome a Tyrone side with very little to play for. Cork will want to make amends for their surprise defeat to Laois by beating a Donegal team that have a long journey ahead of them and that have also already secured their Division 1 status. Laois make the short journey to relegated Meath high on confidence after their surprise victory over All Ireland champions, Cork, last time out.

Kerry and Galway have both booked their passage through to the semi finals and they will meet this weekend in Kerry to decide who will emerge as the table toppers. Clare travel to Westmeath knowing that they must win to guarantee their place in Division 2 next year as they hold a slender two point lead over bottom of the table, Waterford. Waterford know that they must win this weekend to have any chance of avoiding relegation but they face a tough assignment away to a Kildare team that have been impressive to date and are already planning for their semi final. Cavan host Fermanagh in the other game in the Division where the home team need just a point to be sure of remaining in Division 2 but if they slip up this weekend an unlikely combination of results could see them dragged into a relegation play off.

The game of the round is probably in Division 3 where bottom of the table teams, Wexford and Wicklow, meet in Rathnew in a straight shoot out to decide who is relegated. All six of the other teams in the division have hopes of reaching to the semi-final stages. Armagh have already secured passage to the knock out stages but this weekend they travel to Longford who must win to be sure of their place in the semi finals. Sligo and Tipperary will battle it out at IT Sligo on Sunday where anything but a win for either team ends their hopes of progress. Down and Leitrim meet in the other semi final in the knowledge that a win for either team guarantees their place in the semi finals but any other result leaves them waiting nervously for news from other fixtures.

High flying Offaly travel to Limerick safe in the knowledge that they are guaranteed to finish top of the table whereas their hosts, Limerick, know that the only result that will guarantee their progress to the knock out stages is a victory. Antrim and Roscommon are currently level on 9 points and a win for either side will secure their place in the semi finals whilst the loser will need the result of the Louth v Derry match to go their way.

Round 7 of the TESCO HomeGrown National Football League promises to be full of excitement with so much at stake for teams chasing semi final spots or trying to avoid the dreaded drop.

 

TESCO HOMEGROWN NFL ROUND 7 Fixtures

 

6^th April 2013.

Division 1

Cork (H) v Donegal, CIT, 1.00pm, (S Joy)

 

Division 2

Kildare (H) v Waterford, Hawkfield, 2.00pm, (P Kehoe)

Cavan (H) v Fermanagh, Templeport, 2.00pm, (C McManus)

 

Division 4

Limerick (H) v Offaly, Ballybrown, 2.00pm, (S Mulvihill)

Antrim (H) v Roscommon, The Dub (Queens Uni), 2.00pm, (G Corrigan)

 

7^th April 2013.

 

Division 1

Monaghan (H) v Tyrone, Clones, 1.00pm, (T McShea)

Dublin v Mayo, Naomh Mearnóg, Portmanock, 2.00, (D McEnery)

Meath (H) v Laois, Summerhill, 2.00pm, (J Murray)

 

Division 2

Westmeath (H) v Clare, Kinnegad, 2.00pm, (Y Duffy)

Kerry (H) v Galway, Spa, Killarney2.00pm, (MJ O’Keeffe)

 

Division 3

Wicklow (H) v Wexford, Rathnew , 2.00pm, (G McMahon)

Sligo (H) v Tipperary, IT Sligo, 1.00pm, (G Carmody)

Longford (H) v Armagh, Emmet Park, 2.00pm, (S Regan)

Down (H) v Leitrim, Abbey Grammar School, Newry, 12.30pm, (B McCallion)

 

Division 4

Louth (H) v Derry, Malachys, Dundalk, 2.00pm, (K Phelan)