Calculators out: The final permutations for the All-Ireland football group stages
GIVEN THE RIOTOUS nature of the first two rounds of the All-Ireland football round-robin series, it's only natural that the delegates to Congress may be feeling a little regret that as of next year, the format will be scrapped and replaced with a double trapdoor/backdoor/reverse ferret system.
But for now, we are looking at a final weekend of football fixtures with more cliffhangers than an EastEnders omnibus.
Grab yourself a large pot of coffee and sit down as we consider the permutations of the final weekend and who will emerge blinking into the limbo of the preliminary quarter-finals, who gets to put their feet up until the quarter-finals proper, and who enter the Valhalla of finishing bottom of their group.
Group 1
Probably the most entertaining of the groups so far. Donegal losing their opening round game to Tyrone in Ballybofey was something of a shock but not as much of a shock as Mayo losing to Cavan.
Donegal recovered well by hammering Cavan by 19 points, while Tyrone experienced a sugar slump in losing to Mayo in Omagh.
Paddy Durcan is cheered off the field after his three-point return against Tyrone. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Essentially, everything is up for grabs with all four sides in a win and a loss so far.
Donegal play Mayo and Tyrone meet Cavan in the final round on neutral ground. A draw in either game will be enough to squeeze out the losers of the other game.
If there are two teams locked on the same points, then the head-to-head rule applies. If more than two finish level on points, then points difference will determine who remains.
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Group 2
A bit more cut and dried this one. Kerry, with a win at home over Roscommon and away to Cork, have already qualified.
Meath are in the same boat, having beaten Cork at home and drawn with Roscommon away.
Those two meet at a neutral ground in the final weekend. A quarter-final place is up for grabs if Meath can beat Kerry. All Kerry need is a draw to guarantee their place in the quarter final.
Kerry and Cork exchange pleasantries. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
Roscommon's record of a draw against Meath and a defeat to Kerry have them on a point.
They face Cork now, and a win for either grants them a preliminary quarter-final slot.
Group 3
Down top the table and it's fair to say they have been the surprise package of the group stages and will continue on after beating Clare away and then Louth at home.
Monaghan also have a 100% record, beating Louth and Clare.
Now, the two sides meet in a game that will decide who gets into the quarter-final. A draw in this game will have Down grabbing that slot as they have a superior points difference.
Adam Crimmins produces a game-winning block for Down. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Louth and Clare have found it difficult, but are still alive despite having lost two games each.
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Essentially it comes down to a shoot-out between the two in the final game. Whoever wins will guarantee themselves third place and the preliminary quarter-final.
A drawn between the two will favour Louth and their healthier points difference.
Group 4
Since their Ulster final defeat to Donegal, All-Ireland defending champions Armagh are already through to the quarter-final.
Wins over Derry and Dublin have them on four points and while Dublin could draw level with them if they get a positive result against Derry and Armagh lose, they would still lose out on the head-to-head rule.
Dublin's win over Galway seemed to be a sign of the good times returning, but they were flat against Armagh.
Derry and Galway show that needle isn't gone from the game. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO
A repeat of the All-Ireland final is in store when Galway play Armagh, seemingly a staple of these round-robin game.
Derry face Dublin and are also on a point after their dramatic last-gasp equaliser against Galway in Celtic Park, following their opening day defeat to Armagh.
Both are on a single point. Should Derry and Galway win against an Armagh side already guaranteed their quarter-final slot, we could be looking at a scenario whereby Dublin are eliminated.
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