Gavin Cummiskylooks ahead four matches in the second round.
Tyrone to take Omagh advantage
TYRONE V WESTMEATH
ALL THE ingredients are here for the clash of the weekend. Westmeath proved their late league form was no illusion by keeping Dublin honest in the Leinster semi-final. If they have learned the lessons from that game and reproduce the middle 20 minutes for an hour they could catch Tyrone.
Mickey Harte's team are undoubtedly nearing full throttle. The McGuigan brothers, Brian and Tommy, are capable of wiping defensive systems with their powers of telepathy alone.
Brian Dooher is nearing peak fitness and can still have an influence on this year's championship. Seán Cavanagh appears to be adapting to full forward.
The qualifiers proved the ideal working environment for them in 2005 and it looks the same three years on. For the neutral onlooker it will be interesting to see how Tyrone fair against Westmeath in comparison to Dublin.
If the two-time All-Ireland winners in the panel retain the old hunger they should advance.
If Westmeath retain their composure when that old white heat comes on and find scorers outside Denis Glennon and Dessie Dolan an upset is possible. But winning in Omagh looks like a trip too far for Tomás Ó Flatharta's ever-improving group.
Verdict:Tyrone.
TYRONE:J Devine; R McMenamin, J McMahon, PJ Quinn; D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan; R Mellon, E McGinley; B Dooher, B McGuigan, T McGuigan; M Penrose, S Cavanagh, C McCullagh.
WESTMEATH:G Connaughton; F Boyle, K Gavin, J Keane; M Ennis, D Heavin, D Healy; D O'Donoghue, M Flanagan; D Dolan, J Smyth, D Harte; David Glennon, Denis Glennon, A Mangan.
Referee:P Hughes (Armagh).
Limerick aim to confirm worth
LIMERICK V KILDARE
LIMERICK MANAGER Mickey Ned O'Sullivan spoke this week about this group of footballers getting the respect they deserve.
Get Kildare's scalp to put beside that of Meath tonight and they will get the plaudits. Lose and last week's hammering of Meath will be dismissed as a Royal collapse.
Much has been made of the scoring prowess of 19-year-old Ian Ryan and he is undoubtedly set for a long intercounty career - if he resists the lure of the AFL.
Kieran McGeeney remains in the early stages of a team-building process in Kildare. He struggled to explain the defeat to Wicklow back in May and his tenure could under real threat if another mediocre loss follows here.
The raft of changes made for last weekend's victory over Cavan were justified but only after a late goal from James Kavanagh.
Verdict:Limerick.
LIMERICK:S Kiely; D Carroll, J McCarthy, S Gallagher; P Browne, S Lavin, P Ranahan; J Donovan, J Galvin; S Kelly, J Ryan, S Buckley; G Collins, M Crowley, I Ryan.
KILDARE:E Murphy; M O'Flaherty, K O'Neill, A Mac Lochlainn; E Bolton, M Foley, M Scanlon; K Brennan, D Earley; J Kavanagh, P O'Neill, E Callaghan; A Smith, K Donnelly, J Doyle.
Referee:S Doyle (Wexford).
Monaghan can qualify yet again
DOEGAL V MONAGHAN
A DIFFICULT game to predict. Monaghan, the qualifier experts, must feel they are destined to play Ulster opposition all the way to September.
The nerve-jangling victory over Derry last Saturday without the suspended Paul Finlay and Gary McQuaid puts morale at an all-time high but Ballybofey is a notoriously dangerous place to go.
Twelve months ago we were trumpeting Donegal as All-Ireland contenders on the back of their National League form.
We should have known better in the context of Donegal and their unique ability to self-destruct in troubled times.
Monaghan appear marginally better-equipped to prevail. Whoever emerges will be well-tuned to take out one of the provincial runners-up in round three.
Verdict:Monaghan.
DONEGAL:P Durcan; E McGee, N McGee, K Lacey; F McGlynn, B Monaghan, K Cassidy; N Gallagher, R Kavanagh; K Rafferty, D Walsh, S Griffin; C McFadden, R Bradley, M Murphy.
MONAGHAN:P McBennett; D Mone, JP Mone, D McArdle; D Freeman, V Corey, D Hughes; E Lennon, P Finlay; D Clerkin, S Gollogly, C McManus; C Hanratty, R Woods, T Freeman.
Referee:R Hickey (Clare).
Laois must take cue from Kearns
LAOIS V DOWN
WEXFORD'S 23-POINT collapse in the Leinster final puts Laois in an even worse state, considering Liam Kearns's team - who only occasionally play the Liam Kearns way, mind - capitulated to Wexford in the semi-final.
Down were looking like the breakthrough team of the summer after they stared down Tyrone in a thrilling Ulster championship replay only to bounce off Armagh on their very next excursion.
They are widely expected to recover here and make a significant impact on the summer.
Laois are an infuriating enigma. When they reach full potential, which is rare, they are a match for any team. The teenagers John O'Loughlin and Donie Kingston, along with Barry Brennan, have added much needed steel to the panel.
Darren Rooney is retained at full back despite Mark Timmons' return from injury. Pádraig Clancy returns from suspension to give further options around the middle, as John O'Loughlin makes way; the priority will be to curtail Dan Gordon. Joe Higgins returns at corner back to shadow Down's main marksman, Benny Coulter.
It should be close. Will Laois ignore Kearns and return to their short-passing game?
If so, and they lose, the Kerryman will surely walk. Win and he might finally be given his dues as a decent manager.
Verdict:Laois.
LAOIS:M Nolan; C Healy, D Rooney, J Higgins; P O'Leary, T Kelly, P McMahon; B Quigley, P Clancy; B Brennan, B McCormack, B Sheehan; C Parkinson, C Kelly, D Kingston.
DOWN:B McVeigh; L Howard, M Cole, K McGuigan; A Carr, C Murney, P Murphy; D Gordon, A Rodgers; K McKernan, B Coulter, D Hughes; J Clarke, R Murtagh, J Fegan.
Referee:D Fahy (Longford).
