With every All-Ireland winner, plus two of the runners-up of the last ten years in the top flight, Division 1 of the 2013 Allianz Football League, which gets underway next weekend, promises to be one of the most competitive for a long time. There will be plenty of exciting action in the other three Divisions too as the battle for promotion places intensifies over the next two months.

It's the 21st year that Allianz have been associated with the Leagues, making it one of the longest sponsorships in Irish sport.

Having created history by bringing the Division 1 title back to Cork for a third successive season last year, Conor Counihan's men will be bidding to become the first team to win the League (Division 1) four-in-a-row since Kerry in 1971-74. Winning the treble was quite an achievement - Cork doubled it up with an All-Ireland win in 2010 - and they are again among the favourites to be challenging for Allianz League honours in April.

They begin their title defence against Dublin in Croke Park next Saturday (7.0), two hours after All-Ireland champions, Donegal and Kildare throw-in. It's an exciting double-header to launch a campaign which will feature 116 games between next Saturday and the four Divisional finals on the weekend of April 27/28.
For the season opener at Croke Park top act Republic of Loose will form part of the entertainment bill on Saturday night which will also include a celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the GAA's ownership of Croke Park and a tribute to the late Kevin Heffernan.
Commenting at the launch of the 2013 Allianz Football League, Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Liam Ó Néill, said:
"Next weekend sees our season explode into life with the onset of the 2013 Allianz Leagues and the prospect of a hugely attractive double bill here at Croke Park is a fitting way to get the new campaign up and running.

Donegal's involvement as All-Ireland champions and Cork's presence as they set out looking to annex what would be an incredible fourth consecutive league title, should ensure a night to remember.

Looking around the different divisions there are some intriguing battles in prospect and it's on these games that the progress or otherwise of teams - many with new managers - rests.

I'd like to thank Allianz and CEO Brendan Murphy and his team for their long running commitment to this competition and their support of them over 21 years. We have worked hard to underline the importance of the Allianz Leagues in recent years and the roll out of our new television advertisement in addition to our other promotional and marketing activity is further evidence of this."

Also commenting, Brendan Murphy, CEO Allianz Ireland said:
"We are delighted to be entering our 21st year as sponsor of the Allianz Leagues. There is no other sporting organisation that can claim to contribute so meaningfully to the social capital of Irish communities than the GAA. The Allianz Leagues and Allianz Cumann na mBunscol are central to our commitment to supporting communities on the island of Ireland through Gaelic Games. It's a commitment that now spans over two decades and is driven by our shared belief in the positive contribution that Gaelic Games makes to our society. In these austere times its relevance is even more acute and for this reason we continue to invest in GAA sponsorship."

All-Ireland champions, Donegal last won the Division 1 title in 2007 while the last time the other counties in the group won the title is as follows: Kerry - 2009; Tyrone - 2003; Mayo 2001; Dublin 1993; Down 1983. Kildare are the only county in the group not to have won the Division 1 title.

Mayo, runners-up in both the League and All-Ireland championship last year, will be hoping to complete the spring campaign on a high while Dublin will be striving to win the Division 1 crown for the first time since 1993.

Kildare and Tyrone are this season's Division 1 newcomers, having been promoted last year. They replace Armagh and Laois, both of whom will be hoping to make a quick return to the top flight. However, they face a big challenge in Division 2 which also includes Derry, Galway, Longford, Wexford, Louth, Westmeath.

Longford and Wexford are the Division 2 newcomers while Wicklow and Fermanagh will be trying their luck in Division 3, having been promoted from Division 4 last year.

Next weekend's fixtures are as follows:
Saturday: Division 1: Kildare v Donegal, 5.0; Dublin v Cork, 7.0 (Both in Croke Park); Down v Tyrone, Newry 7.0; Division 2: Laois v Armagh, Portlaoise, 7.0.

Sunday (2.0): Division 1: Mayo v Kerry, Castlebar Division 2: Galway v Derry, Pearse Stadium; Wexford v Longford, Wexford Park; Westmeath v Louth, Mullingar.
Division 3: Antrim v Cavan, Casement Park; Monaghan v Meath, Clones; Wicklow v Fermanagh, Aughrim; Roscommon v Sligo, Dr. Hyde Park.
Division 4: London v Offaly, Ruislip; Clare v Waterford, Ennis; Limerick v Leitrim, Gaelic Grounds; Tipperary v Carlow, Thurles.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE - DATES TO REMEMBER
February 2/3: Round 1
February 9/10: Round 2
March 2/3: Round 3
March 9/10: Round 4
March 16/18: Round 5
March 23/24: Round 6
April 7: Round 7
April 14: Division 1 semi-finals
April 27: Division 3&4 finals
April 28: Division 1&2 finals

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2011
(What happened last year)

Division 1: Winners: Cork; Runners-up: Mayo; Relegated: Armagh, Laois Division 2: Promoted: Kildare, Tyrone; Relegated: Meath, Monaghan Division 3: Promoted: Longford, Wexford; Relegated: Offaly, Tipperary Division 4: Promoted: Fermanagh, Wicklow Tweet

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