IT WILL take a couple of seasons for the top tier to be fully reflective of the game’s hierarchies, but this is a strong division even without two of the four provincial champions and the defeated All-Ireland semi-finalists.

Kerry and Tyrone can be expected to mount strong challenges, as much because of panel depth as burning ambition, whereas Dublin, already fielding a visibly changed selection in Pat Gilroy’s first year, are under pressure to make a mark in the competition.

All of the remaining five counties would welcome a league title, although for John O’Mahony, starting his third season on his return to Mayo, the bar is set considerably higher given the county’s four unyielding All-Ireland appearances in the past 13 years.

The team has had a couple of lack-lustre seasons, following an encouraging league campaign two seasons ago with a disastrous championship, and O’Mahony knows that he has to continue refurbishing the personnel with the under-age talent of recent years.

Galway, under Liam Sammon, made harder work of the Connacht League final against Roscommon, but were the best side in the tournament and only missed out on a league final last year because of scoring difference.

Holders Derry followed last year’s impressive final win over Kerry with a very unimpressive championship.

Now under the management of Damian Cassidy, the county can be expected to have a harder edge and, although the team is beset with long-term injury problems to quality players such as Mark Lynch, Enda Muldoon, Kevin McCloy, Niall

McCusker and Colin Devlin the holders can be expected to experiment with panellists and provide a competitive presence.

Donegal had one of the least smooth management appointments outside of Cork hurling with John Joe Doherty eventually getting the nod and starting impressively.

The team’s win over Queen’s in last week’s McKenna Cup final was notable for the absence from the team of 10 of the county’s best known players and was the culmination of a number of good displays by the under-strength team.

Westmeath are the outsiders in the division but that’s not a reflection on their achievement last year in both winning the division two title and developing one of the tightest defensive game plans in football – an achievement reflected in two of the back four gaining All Stars.

2009 NFL Division One Fixtures

Today: Dublin v Tyrone. Tomorrow: Mayo v Derry; Westmeath v Galway; Kerry v Donegal. Feb 14th: Donegal v Mayo. Feb 15th: Derry v Westmeath; Tyrone v Kerry; Galway v Dublin. Mar 7th: Tyrone v Galway. Mar 8th: Mayo v Westmeath; Derry v Kerry; Donegal v Dublin. Mar 14th: Dublin v Derry. Mar 15th: Galway v Donegal; Westmeath v Tyrone; Kerry v Mayo. Mar 21st: Donegal v Tyrone. Mar 22nd: Mayo v Dublin; Derry v Galway; Kerry v Westmeath. Mar 28th: Tyrone v Derry. Mar 29th: Galway v Mayo; Westmeath v Donegal; Dublin v Kerry. Apr 12th: Dublin v Westmeath; Kerry v Galway; Mayo v Tyrone; Derry v Donegal. April 26th: Division One Final.

Betting

Tyrone 9/4; Kerry 11/4; Derry 6/1; Dublin 13/2; Galway 8/1; Mayo 10/1; Donegal 14/1; Westmeath 20/1.

A VERY competitive division with Cork and Armagh provincial champions and three more All-Ireland quarter-finalists, giving this section as many last-eight championship teams as the top tier.

Armagh looked to be making solid progress last year until getting sand-bagged by Wexford whereas Cork picked up pace after a league campaign fatally undermined by the points forfeited early in the campaign.

The story of last year’s league in many ways was the performance of the promoted Division Three teams, Wexford and Fermanagh, both of whom reached provincial finals and in the former’s case an All-Ireland semi-final.

Under impressive young managers Jason Ryan and Malachy O’Rourke both can be expected to mount strong campaigns this season, although cautionary experience suggests that for teams trying to make the breakthrough, sustaining progress over two seasons can be difficult. Meath and Monaghan bear witness to this. Having bet the bank on getting promoted last year, Séamus McEnaney’s team struggled in the championship before recovering for the qualifiers. Meath, on the other hand, followed a tepid league campaign with a poor championship.

Kildare and Laois have to pick themselves up after last year’s relegation and the campaign will be a useful indicator of what can be realistically expected in the summer.

2009 NFL Division Two Fixtures

Tomorrow: Wexford v Armagh; Fermanagh v Monaghan; Cork v Meath; Laois v Kildare. Feb 14th: Armagh v Laois; Meath v Fermanagh. Feb 15th: Kildare v Cork; Monaghan v Wexford. Mar 7th: Meath v Laois. Mar 8th: Kildare v Wexford; Cork v Fermanagh; Armagh v Monaghan. Mar 14th: Laois v Cork; Fermanagh v Armagh. Mar 15th: Monaghan v Kildare; Wexford v Meath. Mar 21st:Meath v Monaghan; Laois v Fermanagh. Mar 22nd: Kildare v Armagh; Cork v Wexford. Mar 29th: Wexford v Laois; Fermanagh v Kildare; Monaghan v Cork; Armagh v Meath. Apr 12th: Wexford v Fermanagh; Laois v Monaghan; Meath v Kildare; Cork v Armagh. Apr 26th: Division Two Final.

Betting: Cork 10/3; Armagh 7/2; Monaghan 9/2; Meath 9/2; Wexford 10/1; Fermanagh 12/1; Laois 12/1; Kildare 12/1.

ON THE basis of pre-season showings, Louth and Roscommon already have some form with the Leinster county’s achievement in winning the O’Byrne Cup for the first time in nearly two decades a positive augury for Eamonn McEneaney.

But this is a division that could go to any of the teams.

2009 NFL Division Three Fixtures

Tomorrow: Roscommon v Offaly; Louth v Limerick; Longford v Cavan; Tipperary v Down. Feb 14th: Limerick v Roscommon; Down v Louth. Feb 15th: Offaly v Longford; Cavan v Tipperary. Mar 7th: Down v Cavan. Mar 8th: Offaly v Louth; Limerick v Tipperary; Roscommon v Longford. Mar 14th: Cavan v Limerick. Mar 15th: Tipperary v Offaly; Louth v Roscommon; Longford v Down. Mar 22nd:Offaly v Cavan; Louth v Longford; Limerick v Down. Mar 23rd: Roscommon v Tipperary. Mar 28th: Down v Offaly; Longford v Limerick. Mar 29th: Cavan v Roscommon; Tipperary v Louth. Apr 12th: Roscommon v Down; Louth v Cavan; Tipperary v Longford; Offaly v Limerick. April 25th: Division Three Final.

A STRONG standard in the bottom grouping. Leitrim were unlucky to go down and Sligo had the awful experience of getting relegated to Division Four as Connacht champions. Both will be hoping for quick exits.

2009 NFL Division Four Fixtures

Tomorrow: Sligo v Kilkenny; Carlow v Clare; London v Leitrim; Antrim v Wicklow. Feb 7th: Wicklow v Waterford; Clare v Sligo; Kilkenny v Antrim. Feb 8th: Leitrim v Carlow. Feb 14th: Antrim v Clare. Feb 15th: Carlow v London; Sligo v Leitrim; Waterford v Kilkenny. Mar 8th: Kilkenny v Wicklow; Clare v Waterford; London v Sligo; Leitrim v Antrim. Mar 14th: London v Waterford. Mar 15th: Leitrim v Wicklow; Carlow v Antrim; Clare v Kilkenny. Mar 21st: Antrim v London. Mar 22nd: Wicklow v Clare; Waterford v Leitrim; Sligo v Carlow. Mar 28th: Antrim v Sligo; Waterford v Carlow; Waterford v Carlow. Mar 29th: Wicklow v London; Kilkenny v Leitrim. Apr 12th: Leitrim v Clare; Carlow v Wicklow. London v Kilkenny; Sligo v Waterford. Apr 18th: Clare v London; Waterford v Antrim; Kilkenny v Carlow; Wicklow v Sligo. April 25th: Division Four Final.