NFL Division 3 2013

[ross4life]

The league is under way next weekend hopefully an improvement from our lot this year. This division has habit of underdogs getting promotion.

To lift the trophy (PP odds)

Meath   6/5
Monaghan   5/2
Roscommon   15/2
Sligo   15/2
Cavan   10/1
Antrim   11/1
Wicklow   18/1
Fermanagh   25/1

To be relegated

Fermanagh   4/7
Wicklow   4/5
Cavan   15/8
Antrim   15/8
Roscommon   5/2
Sligo   5/2
Monaghan   9/1
Meath   18/1

Antrim: vs Cavan (H), Sligo (A), Fermanagh (H), Wicklow (A), Roscommon (H), Meath (H), Monaghan (A)

Cavan: vs Antrim (A), Monaghan (H), Meath (A), Sligo (A), Fermanagh (H), Wicklow (A), Roscommon (H)

Fermanagh: vs Wicklow (A), Roscommon (H), Antrim (A), Monaghan (H), Cavan (A), Sligo (H), Meath (A)

Meath: vs Monaghan (A), Wicklow (A), Cavan (H), Roscommon (A), Sligo (H), Antrim (A), Fermanagh (H)

Monaghan: vs Meath (H), Cavan (A), Sligo (H), Fermanagh (A), Wicklow (H), Roscommon (A), Antrim (H)

Roscommon: vs Sligo (H), Fermanagh (A), Wicklow (H), Meath (H), Antrim (A), Monaghan (H), Cavan (A)

Sligo: vs Roscommon (A), Antrim (H), Monaghan (A), Cavan (H), Meath (A), Fermanagh (A), Wicklow (H)

Wicklow: vs Fermanagh (H), Meath (H), Roscommon (A), Antrim (H), Monaghan (A), Cavan (H), Sligo (A)

[Syferus]

Literally any team could get hot and go on a run, even Wicklow or Fermanagh. If any panel is looking beyond their first fixture their promotion hopes could be up in smoke immediately.

For us we can very possibly have six points from our first three and if we do that confidence and momentum should get us a victory over at least one of Meath and Monaghan and that should bring us too close to the line not to be promoted when all's said. Two early losses and it'll be D3 football we're fighting for and not D2.

[Maguire01]

I would have been more confident before last night!

But anything less than promotion will be disappointing, given 2 successive relegations. We have as good a draw as possible - 4 home games and 2 of the away games in Enniskillen and Cavan - couldn't have asked for much better. The Meath game next Sunday should be a very good indication of how things will pan out - a win here would be a massive start.

[Rossfan]

Likewise for us - a win next Sunday is vital and we owe the Shliigos a NFL batin.
A loss and as even our eternal optimist admits we'll be fighting to stay up.
The last few years this has been the tightest of all the Divisions and despite Paddy Power it has all the appearances of being the same again this year.

[Itchy]

Its a super tough div 3 this year. From a Cavan perspective I don't know what to expect. Its all about making a good start, if we can go to Belfast and win then who knows where we could go. Get bet in that game and we are really up against it.

[Ard-Rí]

"They seem quite optimistic to me, maybe they do want to fight ..."

[Jinxy]

Ah balls!
Just remembered we're in division 3. 

[Gold]

Yip, hard to judge. A good start makes all the difference. It's been a right while since Cavan have beat us last. Hope we can take points in that with home advantage.

I'm worried about us this year. With Loughrey gone and Tomas McCann injured its hard to see where our goal chances will come from due to lack of penetration and genuine pace (although Niblock can punch holes).

Scores will be a problem though Ryan Murray may turn out to be the real deal, we'd need him to be and fast or Div 4 may beckon.

Good start vital

[FermGael]

Fermanagh need to get off to a good start. We seem to have a very very defensive set up this year. The Seamus Quigley side show is gone this year. Whose going to get the scores in his place? If Canavan unearths somebody who can then we will stay up.

[SLIGONIAN]

I cannot see us getting promoted tbh, is the Ross game in kiltoom or the Hyde? I've been presuming kiltoom. Will be tough to get anything either way. Not sure how we will react to yday horror show.

[Main Street]

Everybody wants to get off to a good start
We (Monaghan) have previous form of getting off to a good start. I'd be confident that we can beat the Meath men, i.e. until that time the scoreboard/clock tells a different story.

[AQMP]

Yip, hard to judge. A good start makes all the difference. It's been a right while since Cavan have beat us last. Hope we can take points in that with home advantage.

I'm worried about us this year. With Loughrey gone and Tomas McCann injured its hard to see where our goal chances will come from due to lack of penetration and genuine pace (although Niblock can punch holes).

Scores will be a problem though Ryan Murray may turn out to be the real deal, we'd need him to be and fast or Div 4 may beckon.

Good start vital

Yeah, Div 3 looks seriously competitive this year.  I wouldn't expect us to be in the promotion mix.

[imtommygunn]

There's nearly a whole division of teams who could take points of each other though I'd expect Monaghan to be the strongest then Meath / Roscommon.

Antrim have beat Cavan nearly every time they played over the last few years but Cavan are due to start getting better with all their u21 success. The first game is important so that'll be a tight one.

Sligo seem a bit hit and miss these days so hard to know what of them. There are some good footballers in Wicklow so they could be dangerous. Fermanagh I would say are an unknown at this kind of level. I'm not sure how strong they'd be as they lack forwards but have some good footballers no doubt.

It's a good test for Frank Dawson. I'd like to see much more positive football than under Baker but we'll see. We maybe don't have the forwards for that either.

[Hardy]

Ah balls!
Just remembered we're in division 3. 

Let's just do this. OK?

[Rossfan]

is the Ross game in kiltoom or the Hyde? I've been presuming kiltoom.

Officially in the Hyde but with recent and forecasted weather I expect ye'll be heading to the home of Naomh Bríd .
Maybe we shoud play it on Friday then ( St Brigid's Day for info of the haythens among ye  )