Cork drop to Division 3 for the first time despite win
Cork will play in Division 3 for the first time under the current league structure as they and Tipperary were relegated this afternoon.
Despite beating Armagh in the Athletic Grounds, Ronan McCarthy’s side needed Tipperary to pick up a result in Thurles but Clare’s stunning late fightback to claim victory saw them secure their Division 2 status at the expense of their fellow Munster counties.
Kerry and Mayo will square up in a Division 1 final in Croke Park next Sunday (4pm), which will form the main event in a triple-header involving the Division 1 hurling final between Limerick and Waterford (2pm) and the Galway-Kilkenny Division 1 camogie final (12pm).
Waterford’s qualification for the final means they will go ahead with one round of their hurling championships next month. Two rounds, the first of which was to be played this coming weekend, had originally been scheduled.
In football, Cavan’s defeat to Dublin and Roscommon’s to table-toppers Kerry means they return to Division 2 after just one season. They will be replaced by Meath and Donegal who secured their top flight spots for 2020 with home wins over Fermanagh and Kildare respectively. It will be Meath’s first time in Division 1 since 2006.
Having been in Division 4 last year, Laois made it back-to-back promotions after beating Carlow who they helped relegate to Division 4 alongside already doomed Sligo. John Sugrue’s Laois will be joined in Division 2 by Louth or Westmeath depending on the result of their postponed Round 6 game, which has been rearranged for Drogheda on Saturday (2pm).
Louth (eight points) need a home win to edge out Westmeath (nine points) for the remaining promotion spot while a point would be enough for Jack Cooney’s men to go up. Down are currently on 10 points along with Laois but can’t improve and will miss out regardless of the Louth-Westmeath result. The Division 3 final is now set to go ahead on April 6 or 7.
Derry and Leitrim’s promotion from Division 4 was confirmed earlier this month and their final will take place in Croke Park at 3pm this Saturday, preceding the Division 2 decider between Meath and Donegal at 5pm.
