Final countdown: Meath have potential to overcome

NFL Division Two final, Meath v Roscommon, Breffni Park, 3.30, tomorrow:An outsider double has given tomorrow's divisional final the unexpected pairing of the teams that finished second in each of their groups.

Roscommon manager John Maughan said during the week he had yet to win a national title during nearly two decades of intercounty management - forgetting he led Clare to the 1991 All-Ireland B competition, but that's a long time ago now.

This is a re-run of last year's qualifier match between the counties, which was well won by Meath, whose rapid-fire scoring at the start of the second half cut Roscommon adrift.

There is reason to believe that Maughan's team are a different proposition now and their fitness and tactical shape have impressed observers. Their development over the course of the league has also been evident - one opposing manager described them as between 30 and 35 per cent better than they had been in early February - with a strong closing run taking them clear of the complications caused by an indifferent start.

The drawback for the team is the injury toll, most specifically the loss of Séamus O'Neill whose centrefield presence is a vital influence. On top of that, two centre backs are out injured. O'Neill's absence will have an important bearing on the efforts to rein in Nigel Crawford and Mark Ward.

Meath's win over a Monaghan side with the NFL's only 100-per-cent record was a surprise but slack defending led to early high-ball damage yielding two goals.

Although the result never seemed to be in doubt after that, Monaghan dominated much of the remainder of the match but failed through poor finishing to make significant inroads.

It's likely Colm Coyle's side had greater motivation going into the semi-final, not just because of the Division Two final defeat by Monaghan two years ago (conversely for Monaghan, the top-two finish was mission accomplished for the season) but more immediately after the embarrassing drubbing they got from Wexford.

There's no doubting the potential of the attack, with Joe Sheridan, Stephen Bray and Graham Geraghty all firing. Throughout the field there is the physical power and Darren Fay is playing his best football since his heyday.

Roscommon won't give Meath the same leeway they enjoyed at crucial stages against Monaghan and the Connacht side's forwards - particularly Enda Kenny, Ger Heneghan and Gary Cox - will make possession count.

The problem for Roscommon is that in the absence of key players they will struggle both to limit their opponents' opportunities and create their own.

NHL Division Two final

Laois v Wicklow

Thurles, 2pm, tomorrow

Ironic that after the hype surrounding Micko's advent to Wicklow that at league's end the footballers languish in Division Four whereas the hurlers share a big-day double bill with the All-Ireland champions.

The world seems to have been waiting for Wicklow to topple off their perch for the campaign. Instead, John Mitchell's team have confounded the sceptics and kept going.

They go into tomorrow's final on a 100-per-cent record, something Offaly two years ago couldn't manage.

Even in the semi-final it looked as if Kildare's galacticos policy might beef them up sufficiently to overcome their neighbours but Wicklow were undaunted.

Laois have come from a different angle during the campaign. Manager Damien Fox has operated on the basis that the county needed a major overhaul and that young players had to be called up en masse if the team were to make up ground in the senior championship.

This radical change of personnel has had its teething problems and the defeat by Wicklow on the second weekend of the season was among them. But turning that result around won't be easy. Wicklow are athletic, well organised and forceful.

They impressed Carlow manager Eoin Garvey, who has faced both teams, with the way "they upped it physically in the second half against Kildare", but also have plenty of hurling. It seems heedless to continue to back against them but the guess is Laois have made up ground as the campaign has unfolded and that the counties' relationship this season has reached tipping point.

NHL Division Three final

Roscommon v Sligo

Breffni Park, 1.45, tomorrow

Roscommon, on the verge of a quick return to Division Two, have had a smooth run through the campaign, culminating in a huge semi-final win over Tyrone. There is more competition for places and the return of veteran Colm Kelly has galvanised the team.

Sligo have done very well under the guidance of former Mayo coach Frank Browne and have come through to this stage unbeaten.

They had a harder semi-final against Longford but emerged, with the display of Paul Seevers an important factor.

It's eight years since Roscommon gave up the unequal fight at senior level and things have drifted since. Every road back starts somewhere and for Roscommon it's tomorrow.