NFL DIV 1B

[The Real Laoislad]

With only two games left for most counties things couldn't be tighter in this league with only 3 points between Kildare on top and Armagh 2nd last
Who do ye think will go down and stay up at this stage?


                  Pts
Kildare         7
Laois           6
Galway        6
Westmeath 6
Louth         5
Derry          5
Armagh       4
Down         1


Remaining fixtures
Laois v Armagh
Down v Derry
Louth v Galway
Westmeath v Kildare


Division 1B
Galway v Down
Kildare v Laois
Derry v Louth
Armagh v Westmeath


Looks like Down are Down(pardon the pun) But it's all to play for,for the rest of them

[armaghniac]

Galway and Louth have improved form in the second part of the league, putting Louth under pressure. Laois have a home game against Armagh and a local derby, so they are likely to get more points. 

something like

Galway        10
Kildare         9
Laois           9
Derry          9
Westmeath 7
Armagh       6
Louth         5
Down         1

Down and Louth to Div 3, Armagh and Westmeath to Div 2, Galway to the semis, probably with Kildare, but you wouldn't know for sure. Laois and Derry to stay in Div 1. If Louth win a game, Armagh could also survive if they and Kildare beat Westmeath, in which case Westmeath might get the drop. It's all to play for, teams should look at their scores, if you are beaten a smaller margin of defeat might save you.

[GaillimhIarthair]

This division has turned into a real dog fight with no one team displaying any real consistency to date and it certainly makes for an exciting last 2 weeks of matches.  I think Galway will do enough in the last two games v Louth (a) and Down (h) to advance to the semi's and at this stage Kildare are probably best placed to accompany them.  Down are gone at this stage but you would need to be Mystic Meg to work out the permutations of where the rest will end up !  The absence of the Cross contingent is obviously hurting Armagh and they will be without them away to Laois so it looks like Div 2 for them at this stage probably along with Westmeath as their early season form seem to have tapered off.  Louth are another side whose form has dipped recently and hitting 18 wides last Sunday v Kildare will do nothing for their confidence.  I did fancy them to do well in this Div but unfortunately it looks like they may be heading further south along with Down.  That leaves Laois and Derry doing enough to stay in Div 1. 

I have no doubt that I will probably be proven wrong on some of the above over the next few weeks.

[Captain Scarlet]

I dont know what is wrong with this division cause there is something up if we are on top!!

At the Derry and louth matches both teams kicked away after wide. louth coud have had three goals too.

the worst thing is some Kildare fans are looking at the table and thinking "oh we're flyin". we are making U14 mistakes and our entire FF line don't ever make a run.

If i was from Louth or Derry i wouldnt worry too much. Derry didnt have Bradley that day either.
That would be us without Doyle, and i can tell ya we are screwed withou him.

[tbrick18]

I think Galway and Kildare for the semis.
With Derry's run in agains Down and Louth I fancy them to stay in Div 1 although the Down game could be tougher than you might think with their performance against Armagh definate improvement.
Laois also for Div 1. I was at the Derry and Laois game there on Sunday and Laois are very good, particularly going forward. In saying that I thought Derry should have won it with the amount of wides they hit.

Down are definate Div 3. Armagh possibly Div 3 depending on how quickly the Cross players settle back in for the last league game, but prob Div 2 realistic.

As for Louth and Westmeath...I think either one would be happy with Div 2, with Westmeath probably getting the slot and Louth going down.

[Uladh]

A common misconception outside armagh, and its bafflingly prevelent inside the county too, is that the return of whichever cross players make the county squad will make some significant impact on the performance of the current team. It won't. The fact that we've a fading westmeath at home in the last game may be of some significance though.

[Louth Exile]

Louth are being written off here, we have been very consistent. Two good home wins against Down & Westmeath and of the three away games, drew with Laois in Portlaoise, lost by one point in Newbridge and lost by one point in Cross. We have the best scoring average of any team in the division. With a combination of luck / being able to close out games we would be top of the table!!

I genuinely believe we will beat Galway in Dundalk on Sunday, might be proven wrong, but if other results go as I expect we will be in third next Sunday evening and safe from Div 3. We don't want to be going to Derry on last day relying on points to avoid Div 3 and I don't think we will.

I think it is Down & Armagh going down with Kildare and Galway finishing top.

[Dinny Breen]

I dont know what is wrong with this division cause there is something up if we are on top!!

Was only saying the same thing this morning but lets enjoy it and it would be nice to secure a semi spot at the expense of our neighbours.

At the Derry and louth matches both teams kicked away after wide. louth coud have had three goals too.

To be honest I wouldn't be too concerned with other teams wide counts as a lot of is due to good defence forcing the attacking team to take a poor option.

the worst thing is some Kildare fans are looking at the table and thinking "oh we're flyin". we are making U14 mistakes and our entire FF line don't ever make a run.

Most Kildare fans know that we're probably in a false position but when you consider our only defeat was on a pitch that was unplayable and we were without JD for most of the game and Earley for all of it and it was a bogey side I think we're progressing very well. If we get to the semi-final we'll be in great position for the Meath game. As for the FF line, he played a similar system with Towers and it was quite effective, ideally he's looking for the half-backs to overlap the half-forwards into that space. Still evolving...

That would be us without Doyle, and i can tell ya we are screwed withou him.

Absolutely...

[armaghniac]

It is all to play for, Galway or Laois could end up in the semis or in Div 3! However home advantage should see one win at least for these teams.

I think either Louth or Armagh will join us in Division 3 next year.

So you can expect beatings from your neighbours next year too!

[armaghniac]

Yes, Geezer and McGrane may be gone next year, but on Sunday's game Armagh's best players were Stevie and Andy Mallon, both of whom will be around for a few years yet. Given the respective performances of the Down and Armagh u-21 teams over the weekend I would say that we'll do OK in the future.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Remaining fixtures Division 1B

Laois v Armagh               Home win
Down v Derry                 Away win
Louth v Galway              Draw
Westmeath v Kildare       Home win

Galway v Down              Home win
Kildare v Laois                Draw
Derry v Louth                Home win
Armagh v Westmeath     Home win

That would leave the table like:

                  Pts
Laois           9
Galway        9
Derry          9
Kildare         8
Westmeath 8
Louth         6
Armagh       6
Down         1

Absolutely imperative that we beat the flourbags next Sunday. It would set us up for going to Crossmaglen in the right frame of mind, i.e. looking for a semi-final spot as opposed to looking over our shoulders.

[armaghniac]

At this stage Galway and the winners of next weeks game between Kildare and Laois are for the semi-finals. Armagh are for div 3 unless they beat Westmeath, in this case they will survive if Louth are beaten (as seem probable) or if Louth win then we have to beat Westmeath by more than 5 points (hardly likely!). Most likely Louth will draw and Armagh will win by 4 points, after missing a sitting goal and we'll end up in Div 3!

[belleaqua]

Anyone able to post a detailed copy of the table as it stands this evening, scoring difference included?

[the green man]

Football League Division 1B
Team                  P W D L F A +/- Pts
1 Kildare               6 4 1 1 2-62 3-54 5 9
2 Laois                 6 3 2 1 6-64 3-59 14 8
3 Galway              6 4 0 2 3-57 1-55 8 8
4 Derry                6 3 1 2 3-64 5-55 3 7
5 Westmeath       6 3 0 3 4-55 4-59 -4 6
6 Louth               6 2 1 3 6-68 5-65 6 5
7 Armagh            6 2 0 4 3-52 2-69 -14 4
8 Down               6 0 1 5 1-62 5-68 -18 1
Last updated: 1 Apr 2007

[belleaqua]

Would have to favour Kildare to top the group and Galway to follow bar a major screw up in Pearse Stadium next week.