Croke Park will play host to the Division 1 and 2 Lidl NFL finals on Sunday afternoon. Kildare meet Tyrone in the Division 2 Final at 1pm, later at 3 Kerry meet Armagh at 3pm in the Division 1 Final.
Kildare v Tyrone, 2pm
Can Kildare keep their unbeaten run alive and secure more silverware in the league or will Tyrone end their wait since 1999 to claim league honours.
A dress rehearsal a few weeks ago failed to determine a winner and with both still unbeaten it has all the hallmarks of a real ding dong battle between these two.
The Lilywhites have impressed certainly in the last 12 months, claiming Division 3 success and the All Ireland Intermediate title. Already assured Division 1 football next year, a win on Sunday would be a real catalyst for them going into the Leinster and All Ireland series.
Diane O’Hora has the side playing well and the Mayo native has been a thorn in the side of Tyrone in the past. In their last League final Tyrone met Mayo in 2000 with O’Hora on the field that day, 24 years later Tyrone are back and O’Hora occupies the opposite dugout.
Tyrone finished two points behind Kildare in the league but have looked sharp and will be hungry to end their wait for league silverware. 1999 is their sole win in this competition overcoming Dublin and making their way to a first Division 2 final since then can they remain unbeaten in Finals.
Maria Canavan will be a big threat for Tyrone. A forward well capable of taking a score and will enjoy the size of Croke Park to be able to glide along the turf and cause Kildare worry.
Kildare may start as slight favorites by virtue of the fact that they topped the Division 2 standings with 19 points from seven outings. This is a fourth Division 2 Final appearance for Kildare, last winning this competition in 2004, they were runners-up in 2006 and 2010.
One winning run has to end this weekend, will it be the Lilywhites or the Red Hands as both opt for a change in attire ahead of this colossal showdown in headquarters.
A WORD FROM THE CAPTAINS
Armagh v Kerry, 3pm
A rematch of the 2022 Division 2 decider as Kerry and Armagh lock horns and a lot has changed since their last meeting in a final at headquarters.
Kerry have made back to back All Ireland Finals and are chasing a three in a row of league titles, with a win on Sunday being their 13th Division 1 crown. Kerry were once undisputed Division 1 League queens. From 1980-1985, they won six successive titles and followed that up with five-in-a-row from 1987-1991.
The long wait for a 12th title ended in 2023 when the team managed by Declan Quill and Darragh Long got the better of Galway in impressive fashion at Croke Park and now they’re aiming to hang onto the coveted silverware.
Armagh will prove a big threat, they toppled Kerry already in the league up in Armagh and will look to land the big fish this weekend in their first Division 1 Final outing. The Orchard County have swept through the Top Tier this year and won six in a row prior to their Round 7 tie with Dublin.
A blemish on their record but not something of concern to Armagh who beat Laois last year to get promoted back to Division 1 for the first time since 2017. Aimee Mackin has been a real threat for Armagh and the top scorer will look to further the tally this weekend.
Kerry have experimented in the league with selection at times but are fielding a very strong team in their first outing at headquarters since that crushing defeat to Dublin last year. Form with both is good, Kerry will want to kick on and record an impressive back to back, Armagh will be a real test and might just be favorites for this one.
A WORD FROM THE CAPTAINS
Diarmuid Kearney
Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.