NFL Division 2 - 2026

[SouthOfThe Bann]

Predictions below

1. Tyrone
2. Meath
3. Derry
4. Cork
5. Kildare
6. Louth
7. Cavan
8. Offaly

[Armagh18]

1. Tyrone
2. Derry
3. Meath
4. Louth
5. Cork
6. Kildare
7. Offaly
8. Cavan

[Blowitupref]

Opening round fixtures

Saturday 24th January

Meath v Derry, Croke Park, 3pm
Tyrone v Kildare,Healy Park, 6pm

Sunday 25th January

Cork v Cavan,Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 1.30pm
Offaly v Louth, O'Connor Park, 2pm




Odds to be promoted

Tyrone 4/9
Derry 4/7
Meath 21/10
Cork 3/1
Kildare 7/2
Louth 15/2
Cavan 13/1
Offaly 19/1

To be relegated

Offaly 1/7
Cavan 5/6
Louth 7/5
Kildare 10/3
Meath 13/2
Cork 7/1
Derry 19/1
Tyrone 33/1


Will be a big surprise if Tyrone don't win the Div 2 title they are probably still left wondering how they got relegated on 7 points last year.

Will be interesting to see how Meath do this year after All Ireland Semi final appearance last summer. They failed to get promoted from a promising position last spring and all their home games will be in Croke Park with Navan out of operation.

Can Cork finally rise from the ashes? They haven't played Division 1 football since 2016, truly remarkable for a county of their size and tradition. Steven Sherlock back is a big boost for them.

[Goals_Will_Come]

Tyrone the obvious heavy favourite for a quick return to Division 1. Should have too much about them for the rest of the Division - although away to Derry won't be straight forward.
I would expect Derry to beat Meath to the other promotion slot.
Kildare and Cavan to be relegated for me.

[Fuzzman]

Will be interesting with Tyrone having to face 3 other managers from Tyrone.
Derry, Louth and Offaly.

[Captain Obvious]

Cork ten years away from Division 1? That's mad!

[Goals_Will_Come]

Cork ten years away from Division 1? That's mad!

And probably another 10 until they will be back

[Fogarty]

1. Tyrone
2. Derry
3. Louth
4. Cork
5. Meath
6. Offaly
7. Kildare
8. Cavan

[Captain Obvious]

Cork ten years away from Division 1? That's mad!

And probably another 10 until they will be back

Case study needed for Cork footballers?

2010–2012 they won three consecutive Division 1 titles and in 2015 they topped the Division 1 table losing to Dublin in the final.

Since their relegation only Offaly,Louth in Division 2 haven't played in Division 1.  In the last ten  years Monaghan have spent just one year outside Division 1 and Roscommon have played in Division 1 more often than Armagh the last decade.

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

Cork ten years away from Division 1? That's mad!

And probably another 10 until they will be back

Case study needed for Cork footballers?

2010–2012 they won three consecutive Division 1 titles and in 2015 they topped the Division 1 table losing to Dublin in the final.

Since their relegation only Offaly,Louth in Division 2 haven't played in Division 1.  In the last ten  years Monaghan have spent just one year outside Division 1 and Roscommon have played in Division 1 more often than Armagh the last decade.

Not a case study but several volumes of PhDs could be written on that topic!

But to be brief, standards dropped massively. Management and coaching standards dropped (e.g having a "coach that attends 1 session a week), player standards dropped, preparation standards dropped (e.g doing a lot of pre season running on a 4G pitch leading to massive volume of injuries) etc etc.

Cork should be a football powerhouse but isn't. It wouldn't take a huge amount to get them back to the top table but part of the reason they might not is that there are forces within the county actively working against football development also.

[Armagh18]

Cork ten years away from Division 1? That's mad!

And probably another 10 until they will be back

Case study needed for Cork footballers?

2010–2012 they won three consecutive Division 1 titles and in 2015 they topped the Division 1 table losing to Dublin in the final.

Since their relegation only Offaly,Louth in Division 2 haven't played in Division 1.  In the last ten  years Monaghan have spent just one year outside Division 1 and Roscommon have played in Division 1 more often than Armagh the last decade.

Not a case study but several volumes of PhDs could be written on that topic!

But to be brief, standards dropped massively. Management and coaching standards dropped (e.g having a "coach that attends 1 session a week), player standards dropped, preparation standards dropped (e.g doing a lot of pre season running on a 4G pitch leading to massive volume of injuries) etc etc.

Cork should be a football powerhouse but isn't. It wouldn't take a huge amount to get them back to the top table but part of the reason they might not is that there are forces within the county actively working against football development also.

From what I saw of them against us down there in 2024 plus what they show against Kerry when they can be arsed theres obviously enough there that should have them competing at the top table. You feel they need their own Jimmy McGuinness/Joyce/McGeeney strong leader to come in and galvanise everything.

[Rossfan]

Hurley stuff no.1 in Cork.
Cork County Senior football team about no.8 or 10.

[SouthOfThe Bann]

Hurley stuff no.1 in Cork.
Cork County Senior football team about no.8 or 10.

Thought I read somewhere that they have more football clubs than hurling though.

They probably have the most players to select from outside of Dublin. They should be competing at the top table every yerar.

[Goals_Will_Come]

Cork ten years away from Division 1? That's mad!

And probably another 10 until they will be back

Case study needed for Cork footballers?

2010–2012 they won three consecutive Division 1 titles and in 2015 they topped the Division 1 table losing to Dublin in the final.

Since their relegation only Offaly,Louth in Division 2 haven't played in Division 1.  In the last ten  years Monaghan have spent just one year outside Division 1 and Roscommon have played in Division 1 more often than Armagh the last decade.

Not a case study but several volumes of PhDs could be written on that topic!

But to be brief, standards dropped massively. Management and coaching standards dropped (e.g having a "coach that attends 1 session a week), player standards dropped, preparation standards dropped (e.g doing a lot of pre season running on a 4G pitch leading to massive volume of injuries) etc etc.

Cork should be a football powerhouse but isn't. It wouldn't take a huge amount to get them back to the top table but part of the reason they might not is that there are forces within the county actively working against football development also.

From what I saw of them against us down there in 2024 plus what they show against Kerry when they can be arsed theres obviously enough there that should have them competing at the top table. You feel they need their own Jimmy McGuinness/Joyce/McGeeney strong leader to come in and galvanise everything.

Have they any options of this mould?

[Rossfan]

Hurley stuff no.1 in Cork.
Cork County Senior football team about no.8 or 10.

Thought I read somewhere that they have more football clubs than hurling though.

What size and where are most of the football clubs?

Nearly being trampled on by 90% of the crowd leaving after HL match v Kilkenny as I made my way into De Páirc for Cork v Ros last March showed the lack of interest in football.
Half the Cork ones who stayed left by half time, probably waiting till the traffic cleared!