GAELIC GAMES: THE GAA football championship gets really interesting from next Saturday onwards as the fourth round qualifier draw threw out some unique and very familiar last 12 ties.

Of course, Tyrone, Cork, Dublin and Mayo (in no particular order) wait down the tracks but one thing for certain is the contenders are beginning to rise to the surface.

Kerry are spluttering through the qualifiers right now and Diarmuid Murphy’s late penalty save perhaps spared them a surprise defeat to Sligo on Saturday. Next it is Antrim, bullish from a poor start in the Ulster final that ruined any hope of competing with All-Ireland champions Tyrone, who captured their 12th provincial title in Clones yesterday.

“It’s up to the senior players to calm fellas down,” said Jack O’Connor as his second stint in command goes through a rough patch down in Tralee. “There’ll obviously be fellas on their back this week about the performance but I won’t worry about that. I just feel that one of these days we’re going to gel a bit because up front, we’re getting a lot of ball, and we’re struggling, not playing with the confidence we should have.”

Kerry without confidence in mid-July, who could’ve seen that?

It goes provincial now for Wicklow as a repeat of last season’s Croke Park meeting with Kildare, which they won, will take place in five days’ time probably in Portlaoise.

“I didn’t think we would be going as long in the championship,” said O’Dwyer after Saturday’s defeat of Down in Aughrim. “I’ve come here to build a team for Wicklow. I’m here for people who have interest in the game in Wicklow. I think it is getting through to the young people in Wicklow and I think now they want to play Gaelic football in Wicklow. I think that’s what it’s all about.”

It looked certain that Mayo had managed to blow another Connacht final in Galway until Peader Gardiner kicked an injury time point to secure a 42nd title.

Galway’s penance is Donegal who completed a remarkable mid-season recovery to beat Derry in Ballybofey. Finally, Munster runners-up Limerick await the winners of Meath and Roscommon after the latter finally saw off Wexford.

Championship ’09

Football qualifiers

A - Antrim v Kerry

B - Kildare v Wicklow

C- Galway v Donegal

D - Limerick v Meath/Roscommon

Ties to be played July 25th/26th except D which will be on Aug 1st or 2nd.

Hurling qualifiers

Dublin v Limerick

Waterford v Galway

Ties to be played July 26th