After comfortably handling the challenge of Wicklow on Saturday afternoon, Galway's back-door route in the football championship now starts to heat up. Last night's draw for round three of the All-Ireland qualifiers has pitted them against Armagh, and if that doesn't bring them back to their best then nothing will.

It is the headline fixture in the four-game programme that has also drawn Sligo against Kildare, Laois against Derry, and Westmeath against Louth. All games will be played at neutral venues next Saturday, the location of which will be decided by the GAA's Games Administration Committee later today.

Galway and Armagh both surrendered their provincial titles in the last few weeks, with Galway suffering a shock defeat to Roscommon in the Connacht semi-final and Armagh falling to Tyrone in the first round in Ulster. Yet both counties still have genuine ambitions in this championship, and this game is sure to create even greater interest in the qualifier series.

The Kildare supporters are also certain to travel in mass to their game with Sligo following Saturday's sensational win over Donegal in Newbridge. But it won't be an easy challenge.

Mick O'Dwyer must raise his men for the third time in just three weeks, whereas Sligo will benefit from a two-week rest following their second-round win over Carlow.

Derry also fancy their chances of making an impact in the latter stages of the championship but the meeting with Laois will also provide an interesting test. Derry's three-point win over Antrim was far from convincing, but they too have the benefit of an extra week's preparation.

The meeting between Westmeath and Louth is perhaps the closest to call, although Westmeath do seem to be gathering some momentum after the narrow defeat to Meath. Their win over Limerick was slightly more convincing than Louth's win over Offaly, and manager Luke Dempsey will be happy to have avoided one of the big trio.

The draw for round four, which will include the winners here and the four beaten provincial finalists, will be made next Sunday.

Those games will then take place on the weekend of July 21-22nd. The winners there go into the All-Ireland quarter-finals on August 4-5th.