NFL Division 1

[Armagh18]

When weakened Roscommon,Galway teams could score high and beat Armagh then no excuse for Donegal with most of their best players available not to win by a few points to spare this weekend.

A real relegation battle on Armagh hands now and the Dublin game in Croke Park will likely be a key game.

Saw mc Elroy and grugan sitting in stand Sunday hopefully they are fit for Sunday
Need both back but alas neither can play in the full back line which is seriously missing mc Kay and mc Cambridge

Ciaran Higgins and Connaire Mackin both left at a bad time for a bit of physicality and size in the back line.

[moonster]

Dublin v Kerry - Kerry by 12
Galway v Roscommon  - Roscommon by 2
Monaghan v Mayo - Mayo by 8
Armagh v Donegal - Armagh by 2

[Main Street]

Dublin v Kerry   -  Kerry
Galway v Roscommon   -  a draw or close enough
Monaghan v Mayo  - Monaghan by 3
Armagh v Donegal - a game with some bite, I'll go with Armagh,  a team on the rebound.

[Harold Disgracey]

ARMAGH midfielder Andrew Murnin could be set for a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, Gaelic Life understands.

The St Paul's clubman was withdrawn on the hour mark in Armagh's three-point defeat to Roscommon last Sunday afternoon.

Further assessment is required, but the versatile player is expected to miss a number of rounds.

Murnin, an All-Ireland winning minor in 2009, has been in fantastic form so far throughout Armagh's Division One league campaign having found himself playing a centerfield.

Murnin is responsible for the only goal Armagh have scored in the opening three games of 2026 and that came on the first day out against Monaghan at Clones. He registered 1-3 that day and kicked a two-pointer last weekend against the Rossies before making way.

Despite not scoring in round two against Galway at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, in a game Armagh lost by the minimum of margins, Murnin was arguably the best player on the pitch in an orange jersey.

His presence around the middle of the park will be keenly missed this weekend as the Orchard County welcome old foes Donegal to the Cathedral City in a repeat of the last two Ulster finals.

Donegal have come out on top in the last four meetings with Armagh and have collected the Anglo Celt Cup on consecutive occasions. Armagh's last win over the Tir Chonaill County came in their 2023 league meeting, when both sides were relegated from the top tier.

Ben Crealey, an All-Star in 2024, did return to action last weekend to earn his first competitive minutes of the season and is likely to start against Jim McGuinness' men on Sunday.

Donegal are the in-form team in the country at the minute having earned three successive victories over Dublin, Kerry and most recently Mayo and they will be keen to continue their hoodoo over the Orchard County.

[balladmaker]

With loss of Andrew Murnin who has easily been our best player in the league, with a weakened midfield, have to worry for Armagh this weekend.  Donegal with their aggressive high press allied with Armagh's ongoing struggle to get the ball out in those situations doesn't bode well.  However, maybe the Donegal men will be content with having secured Div 1 safety 

[illdecide]

Dublin v Kerry - Kerry by 3
Galway v Roscommon  - Galway by 4
Monaghan v Mayo - Mayo by 3
Armagh v Donegal - Donegal by 7

[lurganblue]

Andy is a big loss for the league.  Hopefully he is fit again for the championship.  Armagh will struggle around the middle with Donegal.  That was going to be an uphill task anyway, even with Murnin.  You'd imagine Crealey slots in, if fully 100%.

[Armagh18]

Realistically we need to hope that Monaghan, Dublin and the Rossies keep losing, that Donegal (after this week) keep winning. Ideally we've safety secured before Kerry come to town but if not hopefully they're already in a league final.

[mackers]

Championship is getting closer.  We need the list of players missing to be getting shorter, not longer.

[SouthDublinBro]

Mayo lose this game and they are right down in the relegation struggle.

[Armagh18]

Mayo lose this game and they are right down in the relegation struggle.

Can't see it, but then again it is Mayo!

[armaghniac]

Mayo lose this game and they are right down in the relegation struggle.

Can't see it, but then again it is Mayo!

Monaghan will beat someone, they always do.

[thewobbler]

Mayo lose this game and they are right down in the relegation struggle.

The thing we don't know yet - as we don't know Moran yet - is whether Mayo approached last week's game with one eye on avoiding a national league final. Which would have been close to inevitable with a victory.

Whilst you could never rule out the possibility that Mayo don't actually know what they want, nor the possibility that if even if they knew what they wanted to do, whether they could actually do it, there is still a strong possibility that they wipe the floor with Monaghan this week, effectively secure D1 status, and use the last few games to sort the wheat from the chaff without running the risk of having to go to Croke.

[Manning18]

Mayo lose this game and they are right down in the relegation struggle.

The thing we don't know yet - as we don't know Moran yet - is whether Mayo approached last week's game with one eye on avoiding a national league final. Which would have been close to inevitable with a victory.

Whilst you could never rule out the possibility that Mayo don't actually know what they want, nor the possibility that if even if they knew what they wanted to do, whether they could actually do it, there is still a strong possibility that they wipe the floor with Monaghan this week, effectively secure D1 status, and use the last few games to sort the wheat from the chaff without running the risk of having to go to Croke.

If you've seen the way Mayo, and indeed Moran, have celebrated winning the league in the past, you'd know there's zero chance that's the case. They've a nice entry point into Connacht this year also (London), and a two week gap from the league final

A bit too much has been made of that game last week, both in the national media and locally. Donegal are right in the top 2 (with probably a gap to third), whereas Mayo haven't made a quarter final in years. Donegal's accuracy was very good and Mayo's was off, and the game was in Donegal. 8 points feels like a completely normal gap between those teams in that circumstance. If they meet in championship later in the summer the handicap will be around the 4 or 5 point mark

[mouview]

Dublin v Kerry - Kerry by 12
Galway v Roscommon  - Roscommon by 2
Monaghan v Mayo - Mayo by 8
Armagh v Donegal - Armagh by 2

First entry I've seen here to tip a Roscommon win. At 23/10 with PPs they have to be the value bet of the weekend. With Donegal, perhaps the form team of the league, maybe more Brigid's lads to return, will be keen to lay down an early marker v Galway in Salthill. Even in defeat their performance away to Kerry was probably better than Galway's. The latter's form has been a little illusory I feel. Damn lucky to have 3 points on the board from the 2 away matches. Defensively still suspect with no. 3 becoming an ongoing problem, though the corner-backs McGrath and Glynn are showing welcome signs of a return to form. Expecting Maher to play 2 big games in a week is a bit much and asking for trouble. Newer lads flattering to deceive a bit, 2 McDonaghs anyway. Don't be surprised at a narrow Rossie win tomorrow evening.