GAA weekend previews: All-Ireland SFC series gets under way as hurling round-robins heat up

Saturday

All-Ireland SFC Round One

Clare v Donegal, Cusack Park, Ennis, 2.0

This is probably Clare’s best chance of picking up a win in the group stages. Donegal have endured a difficult few months and confidence within the camp cannot be high. Clare are away to Monaghan and will face Derry in a neutral venue in their remaining games, so this could be the contest that determines who finishes third in the group.

However, Clare are entering the game on the back of a heavy beating from Kerry, so much will depend on how Colm Collins has managed to refocus his troops. If Donegal have spent recent weeks getting their house in order, Aidan O’Rourke’s side have the firepower to leave Ennis with a victory. But a strong start by Clare would put doubts in Donegal minds. If the visitors want to have any say in this year’s championship, they will be prepared for that possibility.

Verdict: Donegal

Kerry v Mayo, Fitzgerald Stadium, 3.0 (Live on GAAGO)

Jack O’Connor has named an unchanged team from the side that scorched Clare in the Munster final for this All-Ireland SFC round-robin opener against Mayo. Kerry haven’t lost a championship game in Killarney since 1995, but Mayo will be hoping to emerge from the long grass of an early Connacht championship exit to end that run.

Cusack Park to host Munster football final for first time since 1919

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Kevin Flynn to miss Kildare’s Leinster SFC semi-final over red card

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Tactical breakdown: Clare’s wide open spaces a stark contrast to Limerick solidity

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However, Kerry looked scintillating at times during the Munster final, albeit Clare were very poor on the day. There has been a sense all season that Kerry were building towards this stage of the campaign. Mayo hammered Kerry 2-14 to 1-10 when the sides met during the league in Castlebar, but that’s the kind of result the home side here will be using for fuel rather than fear. This is the first real chance for us to see where both teams are at as the business end of the year gets going. Mayo were the team of the league, but championship is when Kerry tend to come alive.

Verdict: Kerry

Galway v Tyrone, Pearse Stadium, 5.15 (Live on GAAGO)

Galway are a team whose confidence has been growing as the season progresses. With players returning from injury and their spread of scoring power increasing, the Tribesmen look to be building momentum nicely.

Matthew Tierney is showing the best form of his career, while the return of Ian Burke and Peter Cooke has strengthened the depth to the squad. Seán Kelly has led by example from the back, though they are still waiting for Shane Walsh to rediscover the heights of 2022. Paul Conroy has returned to the starting team from the side that beat Sligo in the Connacht final. Rob Finnerty drops out.

If Galway have started to build consistency, Tyrone are much harder to read. At times they have looked cohesive and dangerous, but on other occasions they have lacked energy and drive. This should be a very evenly contested and tightly fought game, but right now Galway are the team playing with more belief and confidence.

Verdict: Galway

Tailteann Cup round 2

London v Cavan, Ruislip, 2.0 – If Cavan have the energy and interest, there’s another cup run in them. Either way they have the winning of this against a resilient but uninspired London. Verdict: Cavan

Carlow v Limerick, Netwatch Cullen Park, 3.0 – Another big Tailteann performance form Carlow after last year’s heroics. This looks more difficult against a Limerick side that impressed against Longford. Verdict: Limerick

Longford v Wicklow, Glennon Bros Pearse Park, 5.0 – There’s suddenly an edge to this with both sides losing last week – Wicklow in an inexplicable loss of control, which handed Carlow a chance of progressing. Verdict: Longford

Wexford v Antrim, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 5.30 – Wexford rallied brilliantly to get a draw in Fermanagh and now have home advantage against Antrim, for whom Adam Loughran shot the lights out against Leitrim. Verdict: Wexford

Leitrim v Fermanagh, Avant Money Páirc Sean MacDiarmada, 6.0 (Live, GAAGO) – Signs were that Leitrim were still struggling from the PTSD picked up in New York in last week’s defeat by Antrim, who they beat last year. It’s a derby match so maybe they can pick it up but Fermanagh will be stung by letting the points slip last week. Verdict: Fermanagh

Waterford v Meath, Fraher Field, 6.30 – Meath made the best of their Spartan new Tailteann surroundings, as they warmed to the task of trimming Tipperary. Waterford proved porous against Down, which leaves Meath looking at two from two. Verdict: Meath

Laois v Offaly, Laois Hire O’Moore Park, 7.0 – A fixture with a respectable history reunites the Midlands rivals. Offaly are on a better trajectory however, even if they laboured to beat London and can hand Laois a second defeat. Verdict: Offaly

Leinster SHC round 4

Kilkenny v Dublin, UPMC Nowlan Park, 6.0 (Live, GAAGO)

This has an air of weary inevitability given recent meetings for Dublin of defeats by 11, 17 and 13 points in the last three competitive encounters. Micheál Donoghue produced a win over Wexford out of the hat before the break and by the look of things that may be enough to advance the team, which has one further date, with Galway.

The manager was pleased with the resilience as Wexford woke up towards the finish and at either end, Seán Brennan in goal and Dónal Burke’s marksmanship got the result over the line. Kilkenny have been in good form, caught a little for the draw in the shadowboxing bout with Galway, but otherwise have looked purposeful and on a form line through Antrim, Dublin are in trouble.

Verdict: Kilkenny

Sunday

Munster SHC round 4

Clare v Cork, Cusack Park, Ennis, 2.0 (Live RTÉ 2)

Is there a psychological element to the challenge Cork pose? Last year Clare watched an 11-point lead evaporate down to a winning margin of just two. It fuelled the grumble in the county that Cork always appeared a bit more difficult, or as one local put it: “The Cork players who are criticised for being inconsistent are always fairly consistent against us”.

In mitigation, Ian Galvin’s red card meant Clare were reduced to 14 for the last quarter.

This time around, Cork are different both in personnel with a turnover of about one third as well as a robustness that saw them refuse to accept defeat against Tipperary despite being outplayed for significant spells.

Clare will give Aidan McCarthy time to recover from the injury that kept him out of last week’s comfortable win against Waterford. Brian Lohan will also have needed to address defensive issues having conceded seven goals so far and given that the visitors put four past Tipperary.

Cork’s line-up may also be tweaked from the published 15 but Clare’s power game gives them the edge.

Verdict: Clare

Tipperary v Limerick, FBD Semple Stadium, 4.0 (Live, RTÉ2)

Once the lurid possibilities settled on this, reality began to kick in. Tipperary have arguably suffered more at the hands of the Limerick risorgimento than any other county and despite their far perkier form this year, they don’t look any better equipped to fend off the champions than previously.

Limerick’s rap sheet is an underwhelming win (with mitigation) over Waterford and a first championship defeat in four years – by Clare, but also by just a point. Are they fully up to speed yet? In the previous three years of provincial round-robins they have never topped the table but neither has that for the most part derailed them.

Jason Forde’s injury is a bad blow for Tipp. His free-taking can keep the team ticking afloat in times of deluge, like the second half of the league semi-final this year.

Challenges for Tipperary will be the usual – discipline in the middle third when the pressure comes on so that Diarmaid Byrnes doesn’t get pot-shot opportunities all afternoon and a conscious effort to dig in and contest the area, as Clare did.

It’s a bit early in the cycle for some in Liam Cahill’s team to exploit any decline in Limerick and a bit late for others.

Verdict: Limerick

Leinster SHC round 4

Galway v Antrim, Pearse Stadium, 2.0

Antrim were given a hard time by Kilkenny in Belfast and now travel to Galway without the settling experience of Neil McManus, who picked up an injury. They will be conscious that the big match for them comes next week with the virtual relegation playoff. In the meantime, this might be a bit of a chasing given Galway’s 34-point pounding of Westmeath last time out.

Verdict: Galway

Wexford v Westmeath, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 3.0

Just as Wexford console themselves that they beat Kilkenny in Nowlan Park last year, Westmeath can reflect on the late, late draw they secured against these opponents 12 months ago. Damien Reck misses out with injury but otherwise Wexford are at full tilt. Manager Joe Fortune wants Westmeath to compete and be ready for Antrim despite the litany of injuries he has had to process.

Verdict: Wexford

All-Ireland SFC Round One

Sligo v Kildare, Markievicz Park, 2.30

Kildare delivered their best performance of the year last time out against Dublin, while Sligo’s most difficult afternoon of the season was their Connacht final defeat to Galway. Sligo played Division Four football this season and their two championship wins this year came against London and New York. Kildare, despite having not played particularly well throughout the season, have been operating at a much higher level.

Verdict: Kildare

Tailteann Cup round 2

Tipperary v Down, FBD Semple Stadium, 1.45 – Tipperary’s sad decline from the hoped for new dawn of promotion last year has taken in a winless Division Three relegation campaign and a whacking from Kerry. Down to take advantage. Verdict: Down