TODAY
Football League Division One
Donegal v Mayo
(MacCumhaill Park, 7.15pm)
DONEGAL will be without a number of players due to injury but Michael Murphy is set to feature having watched his Letterkenny IT side lose their Sigerson semi-final in heart-breaking fashion midweek. Oisin Mullin, Jordan Flynn, Bryan Walsh and Ryan O'Donoghue are set to make their League debuts for Mayo.
Odds: H: 4/5 D: 15/2 A: 11/8
Verdict: Draw
Football League Division Two
Armagh v Cavan
(Athletic Grounds, 7pm)
ARMAGH’S attack has been talked about a lot heading into the New Year, and they will be expected to start with a good scoring show. Conor Turbitt could be in line for his League debut after a super McKenna Cup. Cavan boss Mickey Graham has handed NFL debuts to four players – Paddy Meade, Benjamin Kelly, Evan Fortune and Simon Cadden.
Odds: H: 3/10 D: 9/1 A: 10/3
Verdict: Armagh
Football League Division Three
Derry v Leitrim
(Celtic Park, 5pm)
THESE sides met in an entertaining Division Four final last season but it’s been a tough pre-season for Terry Hyland’s Leitrim with a 7-16 to 0-7 FBD League loss to Roscommon proving most alarming. Rory Gallagher will have the Slaughtneil hurling contingent available after their All-Ireland loss to Ballyhale and they should win comfortably.
Odds: H: 1/12 D: 14/1 A: 8/1
Verdict: Derry
Cork v Offaly
(Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 6pm)
CIARAN Sheehan has been named in the Cork attack and he is set to make his first appearance for the Rebels since 2013 having recently returned from the AFL. Offaly had a good January and made it to the O’Byrne Cup final where they lost to Longford.
Odds: H: 1/7 D: 12/1 A: 11/2
Verdict: Cork
Football League Division Four
Carlow v Wicklow
(Netwatch Cullen Park, 7pm)
CARLOW warmed up for this encounter with a competitive challenge match against Armagh and they should get off to a winning start here. Wicklow boss Davy Burke has said that their December injury crisis has eased considerably ahead of this game.
Odds: H: 2/5 D: 15/2 A: 5/2
Verdict: Carlow
Waterford v Limerick
(Fraher Field, 7pm)
MCGRATH Cup champions Limerick will be confident of carrying their good early form into the League and they’ll be expecting a promotion push. They should certainly start with a win here, and by about the same six-point margin as when the sides met a few weeks ago in that pre-season competition.
Odds: H: 11/4 D: 8/1 A: 4/11
Verdict: Limerick
Hurling League Division One Group A
Tipperary v Limerick
(Semple Stadium, 5.15pm)
LIMERICK boss John Kiely has made just one change to the side that defeated Cork in the Munster League final as they target a big two points on the road - Mike Casey replacing Aaron Costello. Tipp boss Liam Sheedy has called for his fans to come out in their droves, so it could be a noisy night.
Odds: H: 6/4 D: 9/1 A: 4/6
Verdict: Limerick
Hurling League Division One Group B
Laois v Wexford
(MW Hire O'Moore Park, 7pm)
WEXFORD are aiming for big things in 2020 and the return of centre half-back Andrew Shore after three years away is a great boost ahead of the new season. Eddie Brennan’s Laois won the Joe McDonagh Cup last year and they’ll be keen to show that they’re ready for the step up in class.
Odds: H: 13/2 D: 14/1 A: 1/9
Verdict: Wexford
Hurling League Division 2A
Mayo v Kerry
(MacHale Park, 2pm)
EIGHTEEN points separated these sides when they met in the League last year but only four of those Kingdom players are due to start tomorrow. Mayo should close the gap but an away win looks nailed on here.
Odds: H: 9/2 D: 12/1 A: 1/7
Verdict: Kerry
Hurling League Division 2B
Roscommon v Warwickshire
(Dr Hyde Park, 1pm)
ROSCOMMON earned promotion from Division 2B while Warwickshire required a play-off win over Donegal to avoid passing them on the way down. The Rossies should start with a win here.
Verdict: Roscommon
Hurling League Division 3B
Lancashire v Cavan
(Abbotstown, 2pm)
IT’S all about small steps for Cavan and the appointment of Antrim native Ollie Bellew as their new manager looks a shrewd move. Lancashire have only met twice ahead of this game but should pick up the two points.
Verdict: Lancashire
TOMORROW
Football League Division One
Tyrone v Meath
(Healy Park, 2pm)
NO Mattie Donnelly, no Peter Harte, no Cathal McShane but this should be no problem for Tyrone. Meath are on an upward curve and this is their first time playing Division One football in 14 years.
Odds: H: 3/10 D: 9/1 A: 7/2
Verdict: Tyrone
Galway v Monaghan
(Pearse Stadium, 2.30pm)
IT’S new management for Galway in the form of Padraic Joyce and new – but familiar – for Monaghan in the form of Seamus McEnaney. Both are still getting used to their panels and that could lead to a disjointed encounter.
Odds: H: 8/15 D: 15/2 A: 21/10
Verdict: Galway
Football League Division Two
Westmeath v Clare
(TEG Cusack Park, 2pm)
INJURY rules out key Westmeath pair Ger Egan and Kieran Martin while Clare have lost some key men of their own over the winter, most notably midfield general Gary Brennan. Keelan Sexton has returned to the Banner squad.
Odds: H: 4/6 D: 15/2 A: 13/8
Verdict: Westmeath
Roscommon v Laois
(Dr Hyde Park, 2pm)
ROSCOMMON have suffered a huge blow in the lead up to this game with the news that Conor Cox is set to miss the first half of the league. The sounds out of Laois is that their key aim is to avoid relegation, and a win is unlikely here.
Odds: H: 1/3 D: 9/1 A: 3/1
Verdict: Roscommon
Kildare v Fermanagh
(Newbridge, 2.30pm)
Odds: H: 2/7 D: 9/1 A: 7/2
JANUARY proved somewhat of a baptism of fire for new Fermanagh boss Ryan McMenamin but he will be hoping that his side rise to the challenge in Newbridge. Jack O’Connor’s Kildare are amongst the favourites for promotion.
Verdict: Kildare
Football League Division Three
Longford v Louth
(Glennon Bros Pearse Park, 2pm)
LONGFORD won this year’s O’Byrne Cup despite a host of big-name drop-outs this season. Louth haven’t escaped that misfortune either with Andy McDonnell, Jim McEneaney and Anthony Williams amongst their departures.
Odds: H: 1/2 D: 15/2 A: 2/1
Verdict: Longford
Tipperary v Down
(Clonmel, 2pm)
HIGHLY-RATED young Burren defender Peter Fagan is set to make his Down League debut as the Mourne county aim for a precious two points in Clonmel. Caolan Mooney and Connaire Harrison miss out while Tipp have their own big loss with Michael Quinlivan travelling this year.
Odds: H: 11/10 D: 15/2 A: 10/11
Verdict: Tipperary
Football League Division Four
Antrim v Wexford
(Glenavy, 2pm)
WITHOUT the likes of Matthew Fitzpatrick and Ryan Murray, the big question about Antrim is the power of their scoring punch. Paul Galvin has endured a difficult start as Wexford boss and he will be looking for some respite here.
Odds: H: 1/2 D: 15/2 A: 2/1
Verdict: Antrim
London v Sligo
(Ruislip, 2pm)
NEW London manager Michael Maher faces a tricky start, but he will hope a recent challenge match with Louth has his side tuned up. Niall Murphy, Sligo’s captain last year, has left the squad.
Odds: H: 4/1 D: 9/1 A: 2/9
Verdict: Sligo
Hurling League Division One Group A
Galway v Westmeath
(Pearse Stadium, 12.30pm)
WESTMEATH won all six Division 2A games last year – including the final with Kerry – so they are here by right, but this is a real baptism of fire. Joe Canning has been named in the Galway attack for the first time since last March’s groin injury.
Odds: H: 1/66 D: 33/1 A: 11/1
Verdict: Galway
Waterford v Cork
(Walsh Park, 2pm)
WATERFORD will be without Philip Mahony who recently announced his surprise retirement despite only being 28. Austin Gleeson is set to miss this match anyway after pulling up in the Fitzgibbon Cup midweek. The Rebels will be without Daniel Kearney who has stepped away.
Odds: H: 7/4 D: 8/1 A: 8/13
Verdict: Waterford
Hurling League Division One Group B
Clare v Carlow
(Cusack Park, 2pm)
NEW Clare boss Brian Lohan has handed the captaincy to John Conlon and the Banner should record an easy win here. Carlow boss Colm Bonnar said that he was concerned by their inability to score a goal in their three Walsh Cup games.
Odds: H: 1/50 D: 28/1 A: 11/1
Verdict: Clare
Kilkenny v Dublin
(UPMC Nowlan Park, 2pm)
THE Ballyhale contingent – including new Killkenny captain Colin Fennelly – are unlikely to feature here so an away win shouldn’t be ruled out. Dublin have their own new captain with Mattie Kenny bestowing the honour on Danny Sutcliffe.
Odds: H: 4/5 D: 8/1 A: 11/8
Verdict: Kilkenny
Hurling League Division 2A
Wicklow v Antrim
(Aughrim, 2pm)
PROMOTION is the name of the game for new Antrim boss Darren Gleeson and they should have little bother starting with a win. Eamonn Scallan’s Wicklow will be aiming to keep this as tight as they can.
Odds: H: 13/2 D: 14/1 A: 1/12
Verdict: Antrim
Offaly v Meath
(Birr, 2pm)
AFTER a horrible 2019, Offaly will be hoping to get off the floor this season and they should open up with a routine win against Meath. Michael Fennelly, who won an All-Ireland with Ballyhale last weekend, is the man tasked with driving them forward again.
Odds: H: 1/10 D: 14/1 A: 6/1
Verdict: Offaly
Hurling League Division 2B
Kildare v London
(Newbridge, 12.30pm)
ANTRIM native Kevin McMullan is over London this year and on their day the Exiles should give anyone in this division a game. Kildare boss David Herity has said that promotion is their number one goal this season.
Odds: H: 1/4 D: 11/1 A: 16/5
Verdict: Kildare
Derry v Down
(Celtic Park, 2pm)
THIS Ulster derby could have a huge say on the promotion picture and Ronan Sheehan’s young guns may just pull off a small surprise to set them up nicely.
Odds: H: 10/11 D: 17/2 A: EVs
Verdict: Down
Hurling League Division 3A
Louth v Tyrone
PAUL McCormack’s Louth have played challenge matches against Leitrim and Sligo in the build up to this. Conor Grugan has returned to the Tyrone panel and the Carrickmore man brings a lot of experience.
Verdict: Tyrone
(Darver, 2pm)
Donegal v Armagh
(Letterkenny, 2pm)
RUAIRI Convery is set to make his first League start for Armagh having previously coached with the Orchard county. Donegal have enjoyed some good results against Armagh in recent seasons, but could stumble on their own patch.
Verdict: Armagh
Monaghan v Longford
(Inniskeen, 2pm)
MONAGHAN are under new management in the form of Paul Hughes and Paul Casey and with a few players returning, they should get off to a winning start.
Verdict: Monaghan
Hurling League Division 3B
Fermanagh v Leitrim
(Brewster Park, 2pm)
LEITRIM lost all four League games last year but turned things around to win the Lory Meagher Cup. Joe Baldwin is the new Fermanagh manager but they are facing an ever-improving side.
Verdict: Leitrim
