GAELIC GAMES/ SFC Qualifiers, round three: Galway have succeeded in their request to have their third round qualifier against Tyrone postponed until Saturday week.
The match will be played at Croke Park, assuming Sunday's Ulster football final - being played this year for the first time at headquarters - doesn't end in a draw and go to a replay, also scheduled for Saturday week.
"We're happy with Croke Park. It's a fine venue," said Galway manager John O'Mahony. "But the big thing for us was to have the extra week's rest. We felt that, having been asked to play six days after losing the Connacht semi-final, it would be very hard to have to play again seven days after that. So we put in a request to have it put off."
O'Mahony's Tyrone counterpart, Mickey Harte, had mixed feelings at the news. "I'll be happy to play at Croke Park, but the county's not so happy that the match has been put back for a week. I'm not sure that the authorities in Tyrone are that happy, because we couldn't get the match with Down put back at the weekend despite hosting Féile."
The Féile na nÓg tournament was held in Tyrone over the past few days and the involvement of many local GAA members as volunteers meant the county's All-Ireland qualifier second round against Down fell at an inconvenient time and its attendance was affected.
"From our point of view," according to Harte, "playing this week would give an extra week before the next round for whoever wins. But you'd have to win. Whoever wins this next week will have a busy time."
Croke Park is planning a double bill for Saturday week. As well as Galway-Tyrone, the qualifier between Cork and Fermanagh will be played at the venue.
It will be Cork's first appearance at Croke Park in two years, but Fermanagh played there twice last year in the league semi-finals and All-Ireland quarter-finals; both ended in heavy defeats to Tyrone.
The one third-round qualifier, which will be played this weekend is Dublin's match with Longford. This will be staged in Portlaoise on Saturday evening at 7 p.m.
On the same night, Wexford face Offaly in Wexford Park at 6.15 in the counties' second-round qualifier. Derry will play the winners the following weekend with the day, time and venue to be confirmed.
The hurling championship qualifier between Clare and Offaly will take place at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick on Saturday week with a 6.30 p.m. throw-in.
This Saturday's hurling qualifier between Cork and Tipperary in Killarney will be all-ticket. Tickets are available from clubs and county boards, and a limited number will be on sale from the ticket office at the rear of the Cusack Stand in Croke Park this week.
Tickets for the Ulster final between Armagh and Donegal will also be available from the ticket office, which will be open today until Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. while stocks last.
The stand in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise, will also be ticketed for the meeting of Dublin and Longford, and tickets will be available from the respective county boards. Cash will be taken at the stiles only for entry to the terraces.
The Dundalk Institute of Technology will play host to next year's Sigerson and Trench Cups. Dundalk IT will mark the occasion by officially opening new playing pitches for the college.
A cultural festival with concerts is also being planned for the weekend of the tournament.
Dundalk has a strong GAA tradition. Former players include All Stars and All-Ireland winners such as Dermot McCabe (Cavan), Meath's Robbie O'Malley and Jim McGuinness, and Dublin women's captain Martina Farrell.
Fixtures
SFC QUALIFIERS
SECOND ROUND
Saturday, July 10th
Wexford v Offaly: Wexford Park, 6.15pm.
THIRD ROUND
Saturday, July 10th
Dublin v Longford, Portlaoise, 7pm.
Saturday, July 17th
Cork v Fermanagh, Croke Park (time to be confirmed)
Tyrone v Galway, Croke Park (time to be confirmed)
Saturday, July 17th/Sunday July 18th
Derry v Offaly/Wexford (time and venue to be confirmed)
SHC QUALIFIERS,
THIRD ROUND
Saturday, July 10th
Cork v Tipperary, Killarney, 4.15pm
Sunday, July 11th
Galway v Kilkenny, Thurles, 6.15pm
Saturday, July 17th
Clare v Offaly, Limerick, 6.30pm
