Saturday
Munster SFC semi-final: Limerick v Tipperary
Throw-in: 1.15pm. Venue: Gaelic Grounds. On TV: Live on RTÉ News Now. Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois).
Last weekend’s win over Clare was a long time coming for Tipperary, who have flattered to deceive since being in the 2016 All-Ireland semi-final. Conor Sweeney, Brian Fox and Michael Quinlivan saw them to a seriously creditable result, one that it would be a damn shame for them to waste.
It has been a signature year for Limerick already though and they will be stubborn opposition here. Tipp are without Steven O’Brien, which could hand Billy Lee’s side some measure of initiative around the middle. But you’d expect Tipperary to come through all the same.
Verdict: Tipperary.
Tipperary: Evan Comerford; Alan Campbell, Jimmy Feehan, Colm O'Shaughnessy; Bill Maher, Kevin Fahey, Robbie Kiely; Conal Kennedy, Liam Casey; Jack Kennedy, Michael Quinlivan, Emmet Moloney; Jason Lonergan, Conor Sweeney, Colman Kennedy. Subs: Michael O'Reilly, Tadhg Fitzgerald, Brian Fox, Jack Harney, Pádraic Looram, Paudie Feehan, Riain Quigley, Shane Foley, Sean O'Connor, Kevin O'Halloran, Liam Boland.
Limerick: Donal O'Sullivan; Sean O'Dea, Brian Fanning, Paul Maher; Tony McCarthy, Iain Corbett, Gordon Brown; Darragh Treacy, Tommie Childs; Killian Ryan, Cillian Fahy, Adrian Enright; Hugh Bourke, Tommy Griffin, Sean McSweeney. Subs: Eoghan Sherlock, Gareth Noonan, Michael Donovan, Robbie Childs, Cian Sheehan, Seamus O'Carroll, Pádraig De Brún, Mike Fitzgibbon, Davy Lyons, Danny Neville, Gerard Stack.
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Cavan v Antrim
Throw-in: 1.15pm. Venue: Breffni Park. On TV: Live on BBC2. Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).
How do Cavan follow that? Do they surf the wave of last weekend’s dramatic win over Monaghan all the way to another Ulster final or do they trip up either here or in the semi-final? They face an Antrim side that is only a couple of weeks removed from taking a seven-goal hammering from Wicklow so it would be the height of carelessness not to make the most of the draw.
Verdict: Cavan.
Antrim: Michael Byrne; Patrick Gallagher, Declan Lynch, Kevin O'Boyle; Peter Healy, James McAuley, Niall Delargy; Colm Duffin, Michael McCann; Kevin Quinn, Mark Sweeney, Dermot McAleese; Paddy Cunningham, Conor Murray, Patrick McBride. Subs: Oisín Kerr, Ruairí McCann, Odhran Eastwood, Paddy McCormack, Mark Gardiner, Eoin Nagle, Tomas McCann, Eunan Walsh, Kristian Healy, Marc Jordan, Ryan Murray, Adam Loughran.
Cavan: TBA
Leinster SFC quarter-final: Dublin v Westmeath
Throw-in: 6.15pm. Venue: MW Hire O'Moore Park. On TV: Live on Sky Sports Mix and GAAGo. Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).
The champions have looked a bit on auto pilot in the two league fixtures but on both occasions got the job done. Issues for Dessie Farrell include an ageing selection in the fullback line, partly addressed by Cian Murphy’s elevation and confronting the loss of Jack McCaffrey. Paddy Small is being given a good run up front to see if he can become a frontline performer and isn’t doing too badly at it. Westmeath have been road-testing a defensive set-up in recent fixtures, an approach that was the ultimate in damage limitation a few years ago but brought no prospects of exerting any pressure. Without it, though, a year later there were simply no prospects. This may well be different. Empty venues in winter won’t conjure the authentic Dublin experience, which will benefit Jack Cooney’s team but ultimately, and even without Paul Mannion, the champions have too much going on in attack even in sub-optimal conditions and against feisty opposition.
Verdict: Dublin.
Westmeath: Jason Daly; Jack Smith, Kevin Maguire, Boidu Sayeh; Jamie Gonoud, Ronan Wallace, James Dolan; Ray Connellan, Sam Duncan; David Lynch, Ronan O'Toole, Killian Daly; Luke Loughlin, John Heslin, Kieran Martin.
Dublin: TBA
Sunday
Connacht SFC semi-final: Roscommon v Mayo
Throw-in: 1.30pm. Venue: Dr Hyde Park. On TV: Live on RTÉ 2. Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).
This was always going to be a significant contest but now with no second chance, the stakes are even higher. A year ago Mayo were league champions and lost this; now they have been relegated but are firm favourites to avenge 2019. There has been a fair turnover of forward talent in that year with players like Fionn McDonagh, Ciarán Treacy and James Carr (who did appear off the bench against Leitrim), who looked like the future giving way to a new roster of rookies, rolled out last week. It is Roscommon who now look the more settled team – Anthony Cunningham confidently omits the Murtaghs – as James Horan tries to reinvigorate the visiting troops. Will he keep faith with Aidan O’Shea in a purely advanced role if the pressure comes on and Roscommon target the lack of physicality in a very mobile Mayo centrefield? The belief here is that Mayo’s emphasis on mobility and durability can open up the road to victory but it won’t be easily travelled.
Roscommon: Colm Lavin; David Murray, Conor Daly, Sean Mullooly; Ronan Daly, Brian Stack, Niall Daly; Cathal Compton, Tadhg O'Rourke; Niall Kilroy, Enda Smith, Cian McKeon; Donie Smith, Conor Cox, Cathal Cregg.
Mayo: David Clarke; Oisín Mullin, Chris Barrett, Lee Keegan; Patrick Durcan, Stephen Coen, Eoghan McLaughlin; Matthew Ruane, Conor Loftus; Bryan Walsh, Ryan O'Donoghue, Diarmuid O'Connor; Tommy Conroy, Aidan O'Shea, Cillian O'Connor.
Verdict: Mayo.
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Fermanagh v Down
Throw-in: 1.30pm. Venue: Enniskillen. On TV: Live on BBC2. Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).
Even without Connaire Harrison and Darren O’Hagan, Down must be reasonably confident of seeing Fermanagh off. There is the possibility that they could find themselves a little undercooked given the way their league played out but they have surely targeted a run to the Ulster final. Fermanagh are still without a slew of regulars – the Cullen brothers chief among them – and although they have shown commendable brio over the past few weeks, it will be a surprise if they have the firepower to match.
Verdict: Down.
Down: Rory Burns; Peter Fegan, Patrick Murdock, Pierce Laverty; Gerard Collins, Kevin McKernan, Daniel Guinness; Caolan Mooney, Johnny Flynn; Conor Poland, Paul Devlin, Barry O'Hagan; Jerome Johnston, Donal O'Hare, Ceilum Doherty.
Fermanagh: TBA
Leinster SFC quarter-final: Longford v Laois
Throw-in: 1.30pm. Venue: Glennon Brothers Pearse Park. On TV: Live on GAAGo. Referee: Seán Hurson (Tyrone).
Longford turned the advantage of having a first-round match to good account last week with a purposeful win over a competitive – if over-reliant on Sam Mulroy – Louth in very poor weather conditions. Darren Gallagher weighed in with a big display but they’ll need more than that against a Laois team that will be pleased with its league campaign – or at least its late deliverance – and have heft and experience on their side. Pádraic Davis’s underdogs are well set up and won’t go down easily but this looks like an away win.
Verdict: Laois.
Leinster SFC quarter-final: Wicklow v Meath
Throw-in: 1.30pn. Venue: County Grounds, Aughrim. On TV: Live on GAAGo. Referee: Ciarán Branagan (Down).
Two sides with good reason to be happy with current form, even if Meath had been relegated from Division One. The competitive match with Dublin and scoring a point in Monaghan leave them in good fettle. Wicklow sealed promotion from Division Four and beat Wexford for a second time last week in the championship. David Burke has them organised and hard-working and playing a first home match in five years. Meath are too well equipped, though with Donal Keogan’s customary excellence to some promising young attacking talent.
Verdict: Meath.
Munster SFC semi-final: Cork v Kerry
Throw-in: 4pm. Venue: Páirc Uí Chaoimh. On TV: Live on RTÉ Two. Referee: Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary).
Cork were ultimately held at bay by Kerry but the fact that they’d at least given Peter Keane’s young side a rattle clearly emboldened them for the road ahead. Their next job is to find a way to win and end streak of defeats against the old enemy that is up to eight years and counting now.
Ronan McCarthy’s side haven’t had much of a prep. His anger at Longford forfeiting their final league game was understandable – it means that their only game in eight months has been a 5-19 to 0-16 stroll against Louth. Against which, Kerry have tweaked their playing style, won out the league and slotted in Ronan Buckley and Tony Brosnan.
They are set up to guard against the hard running down the middle that Cork made such hay from last year. Allied to their relentless scoring power at the other end of the pitch, it will surely be enough to extend their dominance of the fixture for another year at least.
Team news: Kerry will give a championship debut to Listry's Ronan Buckley. Tony Brosnan makes his first championship start at corner forwards whereas Stephen O'Brien comes in for Micheál Burns after the climactic league match against Donegal two weeks ago when Kerry lifted the trophy.
Most attention on the Cork team has been focused on replacement Mark Keane, who is on the books of Collingwood in the AFL where he signed a two-year contract this summer, having made his debut in August.
Manager Ronan McCarthy introduces three debutants from last year’s under-20 All-Ireland winners in central positions: Maurice Shanley, Seán Meehan and Colm O’Callaghan start at full back, centre back and centre forward, respectively.
Verdict: Kerry.
Kerry: Shane Ryan; Jason Foley, Tadhg Morley, Tom O'Sullivan; Paul Murphy, Peter Crowley, Gavin White; David Moran, Diarmuid O'Connor; Stephen O'Brien, Sean O'Shea, Ronan Buckley; Tony Brosnan, David Clifford, Dara Moynihan.
Cork: Micheál Martin; Sean Powter, Maurice Shanley, Kevin Flahive; Kevin O'Donovan, Seán Meehan, Mattie Taylor; Ian Maguire, Killian O'Hanlon; John O'Rourke, Colm O'Callaghan, Ruairi Deane; Mark Collins, Brian Hurley, Luke Connolly. Subs: Anthony Casey, Sam Ryan, Paul Ring, Michael Hurley, Tadhg Corkery, Paul Walsh, Kevin O'Driscoll, Seán White, Paul Kerrigan, Mark Keane, Damien Gore.
Leinster SFC quarter-final: Offaly v Kildare
Throw-in: 5.30pm. Venue: MW Hire O'Moore Park. On TV: Live on GAAGO. Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).
Offaly got a scrappy win over Carlow under their belt last week but picked up some injuries, including centrefielder Jordan Hayes and Kilmacud wing forward Shane Horan. Defence will be an issue for John Maughan given that Carlow took 0-20 off them. They’re also missing, in the long term, Cian Johnson up front. Kildare stabilised on the resumption and finished all the way up in third place. Jack O’Connor has given them structure. A strong front eight is offset by an inexperienced rear guard but they have enough for this.
Verdict: Kildare.
Offaly: Paddy Dunican; Declan Hogan, Eoin Rigney, Niall Darby; Eoin Carroll, Johnny Moloney, Joseph O'Connor; Aaron Leavy, Jordan Hayes; Peter Cunningham, Ruairí McNamee, Anton Sullivan; Bernard Allen, Niall McNamee, Cian Farrell.
Kildare: Mark Donnellan, Mark Dempsey, Shea Ryan, Darragh Malone; David Hyland, Con Kavanagh, Kevin Flynn; Kevin Feely, Aaron Masterson; Fergal Conway, Ben McCormack, Paddy Brophy; Daniel Flynn, Darragh Kirwan, Jimmy Hyland.
