This is a massively important game for both counties. Each team has the advantage of being guided by a smart young manager.

Saturday

ALL-IRELAND SFC QUALIFIERS

ROUND FOUR

Roscommon v Kildare

(Portlaoise, 6.15 p.m. - On TV: Network 2)

Already, Tom Carr's sojourn in the west deserves to be called a success. The Dublin man appears to have added a critical faculty to his management repertoire - luck.

People are still wondering up in Leitrim how they failed to end Roscommon's championship. If Roscommon were blessed with a late goal that day, they reacted to a similar setback with fine resolve and character against Offaly. That working-class epic has left Roscommon in a potentially excellent state. They are not a breathtaking side, but they are tough and stubborn and will not give much away cheaply.

In David Casey they have a class full back and Kildare's Stewart McKenzie Smith may be kept busy chasing out after his number three here. The attack still tilts heavily towards Frankie Dolan, but Frankie is having the kind of season that means Roscommon can survive on that one dimension.

Padraig Nolan's Kildare obviously have buckets of character. If Anthony Rainbow is passed fit, that will provide a fillip as they meet up for this morning. They are also waiting to see if the unfortunate Alan Barry is granted clemency by the GAC. His availability is unlikely, however.

It has been a tough week for Kildare. The aftermath of the Leinster final must be registering with them fully and from the splendour of Croke Park to facing a muscular Roscommon team in Portlaoise represents a rude awakening.

One of Kildare's problems is that they rarely amass very high scores. In Glenn Ryan and Killian Brennan, they have fine ball winners, but that possession does not always yield the richest of bounties.

Roscommon, fresher and brimming with confidence, may just outgun the Leinster team. Without their marquee player Dermot Earley, Kildare have thrown everything at this championship.

The six-day turnover has proven difficult for many teams and the Lilywhites will have to dig exceptionally deep here today.

Tom Carr has not fond memories of playing Kildare as a Dublin manager, but his colours are different now. He will need a big return from Stephen O'Neill and Stephen Lohan at midfield and his defence cannot present easy frees as they did against Galway.It is hard to see them romping home, but this is the kind of game that Roscommon are good at grinding out.

ROSCOMMON (SF v Kildare): S Curran; R Cox, D Casey, J Whyte; M Beirne, F Grehan, E Towey; S O'Neill, S Lohan; G Cox, G Lohan, D Connellan; J Dunning, K Mannion, F Dolan.

Kildare team to be announced.

Donegal v Down

Clones, 4.15 p.m.

Back to Clones for Down. They should just set up home there. After their starkly different experiences against Tyrone in the Ulster final series, Paddy O'Rourke's young side find themselves with their backs against the wall.

Coming off a hiding, facing into another traditional Ulster clash without Dan Gordon and Greg McCartan, important players now suffering for breaches of discipline.

Donegal, their opposition, remain a tough read. After the appalling vista in Enniskillen, they have tip-toed to this stage in the competition with a series of light victories in which they steadily improved. Beating Longford, a disappointing Sligo team and Tipperary is not the stuff to make other teams tremble.

But this is largely the same team that came close to an All-Ireland semi-final last year. The loss of Damien Diver to injury is unlucky as the Ardara man had been having a flawless season. Against that, Mark Crossan returns at left corner back.

Donegal are fresh and with Michael Hegarty threatening to flow again, they will run at teams all day. In a way, they are exactly what Down don't need.

The Devenney-Sweeney axis has been sharpened by the last few games and Donegal's defence, maligned through their crucifying league campaign, operates much better on firm turf. Down will enjoy a considerable weight advantage in their midfield partnership of Brian Burns and Seán Ward, but whoever shadows John Gildea had better be ready to run up and down the central tramline in Clones all day.

A slow, tough and broken game, the type of Ulster derby so regularly castigated by the pundits, would probably suit Down here. Donegal are not lightweight, but they are light and they best express themselves in open games.Down's relatively low return of points in both games against Tyrone has been a worry and it is hard to see them living with Donegal in a free, high-scoring game unless they find the goal avenues that so nearly undid Tyrone.

Pride should overcome whatever inclination towards tiredness Down feel. A team coming off a hammering is always a dangerous team. Donegal coasted through a low-tempo match against Tipperary in Croke Park and today will bring it all back home again; a do-or-die game in Clones.

But if they turn up and play, Donegal can return to the last eight this summer.

DONEGAL: T Blake; N McCready, R Sweeney, M Crossan; S Carr, B Monaghan, K Cassidy; J Gildea, S McDermott; C Toye, M Hegarty, J McGuinness; B Roper, A Sweeney, B Devenney.

Down team to be announced.

Sunday

ALL-IRELAND SHC QUARTER-FINAL

Wexford v Antrim

(Croke Park, 2.15 p.m. - On TV: Network 2)

Things are slotting nicely into place for Wexford. After working themselves to the bone to eliminate a Waterford team widely fancied to storm the championship, they will welcome this more straightforward task.

Trouble is, the Ulster champions will take to it with equal relish. Both counties will fancy their chances here. Wexford were inspirationally "up" for their historic game against the neighbours; can they bring that sort of attitude to bear in this curtain-raiser?

The evergreen Larry O'Gorman had one of those days against Waterford; now he has to do it all again against Kieran Kelly. Antrim achieved their aim of winning the province with little fuss; this is the game they have been itching for.

Dinny Cahill has done a wonderful job in weeding away the inferiority complex that dogged Antrim when they travelled to Croke Park.Also, he has brought the most out of players like Brian McFall and Liam Watson and after last year's near shock against Tipp, they will be convinced they can win.

Antrim are at that important and short-term point of development where, sooner or later, that conviction has to translate to the way they play the last 20 minutes of a game. Wexford will know that. The pain of the Leinster final remains strong enough to keep them playing on overdrive.

Of any county Antrim could have met, it is hard to see Wexford being complacent. They are tough and durable and will be in a robust state of mind after their achievement last Saturday. The close proximity of the games should give them an early sharpness over Antrim also.

WEXFORD: D Fitzhenry; D Guiney, AN Other, D O'Connor; D Stamp, D Ruth, L Dunne; R McCarthy, L O'Gorman; P Codd, AN Other, M Jacob; C McGrath, L Murphy, R Jacob.

ANTRIM: D Quinn; M Kettle, K Kelly, J Campbell; M McCambridge, K McKeegan, C Herron; C Cunning, J Connolly; P Richmond, C McGuckian, L Richmond; L Watson, G O'Kane, B McFall.