The Alllanz-sponsored National Football League Division 3

[Owenmoresider]

Seeing as 2 and 4 have their own, sure why not one for Div 3 too?

A wide open division, hard to call it in relation both to promotion as well as relegation, some decent sides who have enjoyed reasonably good form (or success for some, ahem ) in contention. So many possiblities here, will Sligo manage to build on last year's achievements? Can Louth get back up a division after a close relegation last year? Does Down's McKenna Cup form suggest a promising year ahead for the 'aristocrats'? Can Fermanagh rediscover the form of 2004 under new management? Similiarly can Wexford and Limerick end their current decline and restore their own form of recent years? Whose scalp will Laythrum claim, and how many near-misses will they have? And does anybody care about Longford?

Round-by-round is as follows:

Round 1

02.02.08 (Sat) @ 7.00pm

Newry: An Dún 1-12 Sligeach 2-5

03.02.08 (Sun) @ 2.30pm

Páirc na nGael: Luimneach 1-10 An Lú 0-9
Carrick-on-Shannon: Liatroim PvP Fear Manach
Wexford Park: Loch Garman 3-8 Longfort 1-9

Round 2

17.02.08 (Sun) @ 2.30pm

Pearse Park: Longfort v Liatroim
Drogheda: An Lú v An Dún
Lisnaskea: Fear Manach v Luimneach
Markievicz Park: Sligeach v Loch Garman

Round 3

02.03.08 (Sun) @ 2.30pm

Sligeach v Luimneach
Longfort v Fear Manach
Loch Garman v An Dún
An Lú v Liatroim

Round 4

15.03.008 (Sat) @ 7.00pm

An Dún v Longfort

16.03.08 (Sun) @ 2.30pm

Fear Manach v An Lú
Liatroim v Sligeach
Luimneach v Loch Garman

Round 5

29.03.08 (Sat) @ 7.00pm

An Dún v Luimneach

30.03.08 (Sun) @ 2.30pm

Sligeach v Fear Manach
Longfort v An Lú
Loch Garman v Liatroim

Round 6

06.04.2008 (Sun) @ 2.30pm

Fear Manach v Loch Garman
Luimneach v Longfort
Liatroim v An Dún
An Lú v Sligeach

Round 7

13.04.08 (Sun) @ 2.30pm

An Dún v Fear Manach
Luimneach v Liatroim
Longfort v Sligeach
Loch Garman v An Lú


From the Connacht champions' perspective, it's looking like a tough campaign in store. Four away ties, including daunting and cross-country travels to Down and Louth, a last-day trip to Longford, and the short journey to Carrick to resume league hostilities after a long time apart (must be early 90's if even that). Can't see us getting anything from the border duo, Longford possibly (may depend on who needs what by then) and Leitrim will be tight, but we could shade it. The home games are hard to know, I'd see us taking Limerick, and possibly Wexford too. Fermanagh is anyone's guess. Mid-table safety will be the likely outcome, can't see us gaining promotion, and I believe that honour will go to Louth and Down instead.

I'm not going to hazard a guess at the two to fall, but Leitrim will need to get on the right side of those close calls, though to be fair they were not far from being in Div 2 this year. Might as well have been there, because that other crowd will be coming straight back down anyway.

[Zulu]

I fancy Limerick to do well this year and as such I'd not be surprised if they made the top two here. They've added a bit of scoring power this year and that could take them up a level. They have a tough enough draw though, so they might be under pressure if they don't beat Louth next week.

[pedro]

It's hard to know how Louth will fair in the league this year. We're missing a lot of men and hadn't had near a full team in the O'yrne Cup. Paddy Keenan is likely to miss most of the league and so we'll be struggling in midfield. It will be an interesting campaign. All the teams are generally at the same standard and i can see it being very tight

[Shamrock Shore]

[And does anybody care about Longford

Don't wind us up for Jezes sake. I'm on prozac most of the time so I'm calm chemically -  but don't rise Billys Boots.

I predict mid table domination for us.

[Owenmoresider]

Good result for Limerick - and Leitrim too, they will be only too happy to let us know that they are unbeaten yet.