Some big names face the drop

Results in Sunday's penultimate round of Church and General National Football League matches have set up a potential relegation clash between the current league holders Offaly and the reigning All-Ireland champions Galway.

This is just one of a number of enticing duels in the final round of the league schedule. With only an hour of regular league football remaining for most teams, the play-off picture remains obscure while some big names seem destined for the drop.

The top three teams in the upper sections advance to the play-offs, along with the winners of the lower two sections. The runners-up in each of the lower sections also secure promotion at the expense of those teams which finish in the bottom two places of Divisions 1A and 1B.

Despite Offaly's late win against Donegal in Tullamore on Sunday, they still languish at the fag end of Division 1A and they are involved in a fight with Galway, Donegal and Leitrim to decide which two teams are relegated.

Offaly still have two games to play - besides Galway they have a rescheduled game against bottom-of-the-table Leitrim - while Donegal's final game is also against Leitrim. Even Leitrim, with just one point, could escape if they beat both Offaly and Donegal and Galway defeat Offaly, admittedly an unlikely scenario given their poor form.

Dublin have set the pace in Division 1A, yet Tommy Carr's team will have to produce a positive result away to Cork on the final day of the league to guarantee play-off action.

Tyrone, in second place, face an equally tricky visit to Armagh, who could also clinch post-season action with a win. Everything to play for in this section.

In Division 1B, breathing room at the top is equally constricted. Kildare's uncharacteristic slump against Monaghan on Sunday means that any three of the four top teams can still advance.

Mayo, in second pace, will be fancied to travel to out-of-sorts Down and take the points. Kildare, however, face a visit to Navan and a Meath team still smarting from the weekend loss in Crossmolina. A home win would push them into the play-off bracket with nine points, Kildare's current total, and Sean Boylan's side possess a superior scoring average, should it boil down to that.

Monaghan, lying fourth, could also qualify for the quarter-finals (pending the result in Navan) if they beat Clare, who lie just above the danger zone.

After flirting with relegation all season Derry ought to make themselves safe in their last game when they play Laois, marooned at the foot of the table with just one draw to show for their efforts. It would seem that Down, a point above Derry as the tables stand today, will also drop to the second division unless they beat Mayo on Sunday week.

One of the most attractive billings of the day comes courtesy of Division 2A, where Kerry and Wicklow, both on 12 points, clash. After a really impressive season, the wheels fell off the Wicklow effort with the disappointing and violent loss against Westmeath.

For all their efforts, they now face a visit a tough visit to Kerry and may find themselves rueing final-day results for the second season running as Roscommon, also on 12 points, might well clinch section honours and promotion on the last day. Gay Sheerin's have an easy final game, away to Kilkenny.

A Kerry-Wicklow draw would leave Roscommon as section winners but if Roscommon finish tied on points with either of the two teams, their inferior scoring average will cost them.

In Division 2B, leaders Sligo ought to underline their promotional worth with a win over Tipperary. The crucial match in this section is between Cavan and Wexford, both of whom significantly advanced their causes with wins over the weekend. A Cavan win would certainly suit their neighbours Fermanagh, who can secure division one football with a win against Longford in their final match.