In a dramatic final day in the NFL, Mayo became the last team in the Division One semis-finals, All-Ireland Champions Donegal were relegated to Division Two and Kerry stayed safe. Just.
Going into the final round of fixtures, all three sides were locked on four points but Kerry were in the greatest danger of dropping down a division by virtue of the fact that they had already lost to both sides and had a poorer scoring difference.
In the end, they survived thanks to a 1-16 – 2-12 victory over great rivals Tyrone in Omagh, but they still had to sweat for a few minutes until the final whistle blew in Ballybofey, where Donegal could only manage a draw with Dublin, a result that means the reigning All-Ireland Champions will be playing their football in Division Two next season.
As for Mayo, their incredibly tight one-point victory over Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh not only ensured they remained safe in Division One, but it also secured them the last spot in the Division One semi-finals, where they will face Dublin in a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final.
In the other game in Division One, Down secured their second win of the campaign with a comfortable seven-point victory over Kildare in Newry, but it was too little too late for James McCartan’s men, who were relegated from the top flight along with Donegal.
Replacing those two teams in Division One next season will be Derry and Westmeath, who met in Celtic Park this afternoon and Westmeath will be hoping for a better showing when they meet again in the Division Two League Final after losing out by 15 points today.
Longford and Wexford, meanwhile, have been relegated to Division Three after defeats to Louth and Laois respectively.
In Division Three, Monaghan and Meath have been promoted to Division Two and Antrim and Wicklow have been relegated to the bottom division, where Limerick and Offaly sealed promotion after victories over Clare and Tipperary this afternoon.
National Football League results:
Division One:
Down 3-13 Kildare 1-12
Cork 0-10 Mayo 0-11
Tyrone 2-12 Kerry 1-16
Donegal 1-10 Dublin 0-13
Division One semi-finals (Sunday 14 April):
Dublin v Mayo
Tyrone v Kildare
Relegated: Down and Donegal
Division Two:
Derry 2-17 Westmeath 1-05
Louth 1-14 Longford 1-08
Wexford 1-08 Laois 0-14
Armagh 0-21 Galway 1-12
Promoted: Derry and Westmeath
Relegated: Longford and Wexford
Division Two final (Sunday 28 April):
Derry v Westmeath
Division Three:
Monaghan 3-16 Antrim 0-13
Sligo 1-12 Wicklow 0-11
Meath 2-12 Fermanagh 0-14
Cavan 1-07 Roscommon 2-14
Promoted: Monaghan and Meath
Relegated: Antrim and Wicklow
Division Three final (Saturday 27 April):
Monaghan v Meath
Division Four:
Leitrim 1-11 London 1-09
Clare 0-10 Limerick 1-13
Carlow 0-10 Waterford 0-15
Offaly 2-11 Tipperary 1-08
Promoted: Offaly and Limerick
Division Four final (Saturday 27 April):
Offaly v Limerick
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