MONAGHAN’S HEADLINE TYRONE FIXTURE IS LIVE ON TG4

COLM SHALVEY

The 2022 Allianz NFL gets underway this weekend with the first round of a return to a full seven-game series. Monaghan’s eighth consecutive spring in Division One features Ulster derbies away to Tyrone (this Sunday in Omagh), Armagh and Donegal, as well as a trip to Newbridge to face newly-promoted Kildare. Monaghan’s home games (against three of last year’s All-Ireland semi-finalists: Mayo, Kerry and Dublin) are all set for Clones. The last round of group fixtures will take place on the last Sunday in March, with the top two contesting the final at the start of April. We take a look here at the Division One contenders.

ARMAGH

Having worked their way back up to Division One of the NFL for the first time since 2012, a first-round win over Monaghan last May set the foundations for Armagh to retain their top-flight status, although they eventually needed a playoff against Roscommon, which they won with a bit to spare. Kieran McGeeney’s side saw off Antrim in the Ulster quarterfinals, but they then lost out to Monaghan in a high-scoring epic. Their only defeat of this month’s McKenna Cup came via a penalty shoot-out again…