Compiled by SEAN MORAN
TODAY
LEINSTER SHC PRELIMINARY ROUND
Carlow v Laois, Dr Cullen Park, 7.0 – THE two teams have passed each other on the stairs in this year’s league. Carlow’s unbeaten run brought them the Division Two title and promotion whereas Laois’s whitewash sends them in the other direction.
Teddy McCarthy also has a number of absentees to deal with – including Cahir Healy opting for the footballers this weekend – but his selection has plenty of experience. Carlow manager Kevin Ryan was bemoaning poor turnout in training. Laois have been playing at a higher level while Carlow have already hit the main target for the year in securing promotion – those considerations can tip the balance.
CARLOW: F Foley; A Corcoran, E Nolan, E Coady; J Corcoran, S Kavanagh, R Coady; J Kavanagh, A Gaule; E Byrne, J Kane, C Doyle; M Kavanagh, M Brennan, D Roberts. Subs: B Treacy, K McCabe, HP O’Byrne, R Smithers, M Clowry, A McDonald, A Kenny, C Wall, JM Nolan, D Shaw, P Coady.
LAOIS: E Reilly; C Coonan, D Maher, G Burke; C Dunne, M Whelan, M McEvoy; J Walsh, S Hanlon; S Maher, B Dunne, W Hyland; T Fitzgerald, N Foyle, D O’Mahoney.
Referee: A Kelly (Galway)
Westmeath v Antrim, Cusack Park, 3.0 – Disappointment for Westmeath in coming up short against Carlow in the Division Two final but Brian Hanley’s team will be well up for this crack at the Ulster champions. A year ago they ran out losers in the qualifier in Belfast but they’ve had some decent form in home matches in recent years. Antrim have the boost of Loughgiel’s All-Ireland success and the impact that Jerry Wallace’s tactical adjustments have had on the team. The home side have some prolific scorers, but the presence of the lethal Liam Watson – back on the Antrim team after his club exploits – gives the visitors an attacking edge.
WESTMEATH: S McGovern; C Jordan, A Price, P Fennell; P Dowdall, A McGrath, P Greville; A Clarke, J Clarke; B Murtagh, F Boyle, R Greville; N O’Brien, J Shaw, E Price. Subs: P Maloney, P Gilsenan, D Fennell, E Clarke, C Boyle, A Dermody, K Orme, S Savage, R Gallagher, K Murphy, A Craig, A Price.
ANTRIM: DD Quinn; J Kerr, C Carson, A Graffin; M Gettens, N McManus, N McAuley; B McAuley, P Shiels; M Herron, B McFall, E McCloskey; D Hamill, L Watson, S McNaughton.
Referee: A Stapleton (Laois).
TOMORROW
(3.30 unless stated)
CONNACHT SFC QUARTER-FINAL
Roscommon v Galway, Dr Hyde Park, 4.0 – Alan Mulholland’s insistence that losing this wouldn’t be the end of the world for Galway owes more to his understated management style than any lack of ambition. To date he has done well, bringing in some of his All-Ireland- winning under-21s from last year while emphasising that whereas young players may be the best available in the county, he had to find out were they good enough for senior intercounty.
There has been a setback with the injury picked up by Fiontán Ó Curraoin, who had been doing well in the middle but tomorrow’s selection of Greg Higgins, as the fetcher and enforcer, and Joe Bergin, whose form has been re-energised by the added responsibility of out-and-out centrefield duty, looks reliable. Roscommon’s league campaign wasn’t brilliant but they at least didn’t go backwards despite Des Newton not having access to the St Brigid’s players for most of the campaign. They will as usual be hoping to involve Donie Shine and Senan Kilbride as often as possible in order to create pressure on the Galway defence where Finian Hanley will be in charge of operations.
At the far end Galway will be relying on Seán Armstrong, back from injury, and Paul Conroy but reinforcements will be on hand with Pádraic Joyce, who has been a great influence since rejoining the panel, and under-21 shooter Danny Cummins likely to be first into the fray. Michael Meehan is also on the bench but understood to be likely to stay in reserve unless crisis is breaking out – which on balance looks improbable.
Previously: Four years ago under the baton of temporary manager Michael Ryan, Roscommon ran into Galway’s propellers in Salthill. A red card for Gary Cox opened the floodgates and the home side ran out 16-point winners, 2-16 to 0-6.
You bet: Galway are 8-15, Roscommon 2-1 and 15-2 the draw.
Just the ticket: Stand tickets €25, Terrace €20, €10 refund for OAPs and students, €5 for juveniles (16 and under).
Crystal ball gazing: Galway’s rebuilding has gone quietly but well and despite Roscommon’s impressive underage production line, the visitors should justify their favourites rating.
ROSCOMMON: G Claffey; S McDermott, N Carty, S Purcell; C Dineen, P Domican, I Kilbride; M Finneran, K Mannion; D Keenan, C Cregg, J Rogers; S Kilbride, D McDermott, D Shine.
GALWAY: A Faherty; K McGrath, F Hanley (capt), K Kelly; G Bradshaw, J Duane, G O’Donnell; J Bergin, G Higgins; G Sice, D Burke, T Flynn; S Armstrong, P Conroy, M Hehir.
Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).
Ulster SFC preliminary round
Cavan v Donegal, Kingspan Breffni Park – A year ago Donegal were easy winners and went on to win Ulster and create one of the summer’s talking points with their style of play. Cavan’s challenge petered out and an indifferent league campaign resulted in their preserving Division Three status albeit against poor-quality opposition and losing their manager Val Andrews.
Donegal also stayed put, in Division One, despite losing Michael Murphy for the critical match against Armagh. Manager Jim McGuinness has been looking at ways to vary the rigours of the deep defence but as the obvious one is to play Murphy farther up, he hasn’t had the full league to look at his options.
The bright light on Cavan’s horizon has been the recent success at under-21 and Terry Hyland has imported five newcomers for tomorrow. Critically Gearóid McKiernan, who has kicked on impressively since last year, has recovered from injury and the battle with Neil Gallagher, also just passed fit, for control of centrefield will be important.
The problem for Cavan will be introducing so many to the level of intensity that Donegal will bring. The compression of space in their half of the field will mean that, as Tyrone’s Seán Cavanagh put it about playing Donegal, conversion rates have to rise as it’s so hard to create scoring chances.
Donegal have been playing this tactic for over a year and are familiar with its demands and even in Murphy’s absence have enough firepower to ensure their progress.
Previously: The sides met last year in the Ulster quarter-final and Donegal has their biggest win of the championship, 2-14 to 1-8, despite having Michael Murphy sent off on a subsequently rescinded red card.
You bet: Cavan are 4-1, Donegal 2-7 and 7-2 the draw.
Just the ticket: Stand tickets (€25, €15 for OAPs and €5 for under-16s).
Terrace (adults €15, OAP/Student €10 and under-16s free).
Crystal ball gazing: Cavan have been at the centre of much turbulence this year to date and their new-look team will be hoping to make a competitive statement but an away win looks inevitable.
CAVAN: J Reilly; P O’Reilly, D Reilly, R Flanagan; K Meehan, J McCutcheon, R Maloney-Derham; D Givney, G McKiernan; F Flanagan, M McKeever, N Smith; J Brady, E Keating, B Fitzpatrick. Subs: K Fannin, K Clarke, J McLoughlin, D Tighe, F Slowey, T Corr, J Hayes, K Tierney, N McDermott, R Galligan, R Cullivan.
DONEGAL: P Durcan; P McGrath, N McGee, F McGlynn; L McLoone, K Lacey, A Thompson; R Kavanagh, N Gallagher; M McElhinney, M McHugh, R Bradley; P McBrearty, C McFadden, D Walsh.
Subs: M Boyle, D Walsh, M Boyle, T McKinley, C Toye, S Griffin, D McLaughlin, M O’Reilly, D Molloy, P McGee, A Hanlon.
Referee: C Reilly (Meath).
LEINSTER SFC FIRST ROUND
Longford v Laois, Pearse Park – Last year both counties had just been promoted, two divisions apart. This weekend they have converged with Longford hugely impressive in winning Division Three and ending the season as the league’s only unbeaten team. Next year they’ll be joined in Division Two by Laois, who recorded a couple of good results in the top flight but hadn’t the consistency to keep that status.
One tactic trialled with some success was using Pádraig Clancy at full forward and the big Timahoe man is named there for tomorrow. His presence is one area in which Laois can hope for improvement, as injury limited his involvement last year.
Longford have been energised by the return from Australia of Michael Quinn after a spell with Essendon. Injury to last year’s debutant Kevin Diffley has necessitated using Quinn at centre back – where he’ll find himself in traffic with another AFL graduate Colm Begley – and whereas he has played well there, Diffley’s return – he is on the bench tomorrow – could liberate the former and allow him a more advanced role.
Seán McCormack is in razor-sharp form for Longford in an attack also boasting Paul Barden and Brian Kavanagh whereas Laois don’t impress with the range of scoring options.
Previously: Laois won last year’s meeting by a point after an uninspiring match in Portlaoise. Prior to that the last meeting at Pearse Park was in 2008 in the qualifiers, which Laois also won.
You bet: Laois are 5-6, Longford 11-8 and 7-1 the draw.
Just the ticket: Stand tickets (€20). Family tickets for the stand (adults €20 and children €5 – limited availability) and terrace (adults €10 and children €3).
Terrace (€10). OAPs and students can get rebates.
Crystal ball gazing: Longford have momentum and home advantage but Laois have been operating at a higher level in recent years. Time has come for Glenn Ryan’s team to step up to the plate.
LONGFORD: D Sheridan; D Brady, B Gilleran, D Reilly; CP Smith, M Quinn, S Mulligan; B McElvaney, J Keegan; D Barden, P Barden (capt.), N Mulligan; D McElligott, B Kavanagh, S McCormack. Subs: P Columb, P Foy, N Farrell, F Battrim, M Brady, P Kelly, P McCormack, F McGee, J McGivney, B McKeon, K Diffley.
LAOIS: E Culleton; C Healy, K Lillis, P O’Leary; D Strong, S Julian, C Boyle; J O’Loughlin, B Quigley; K Meaney, B Sheehan, C Begley; R Munnelly, P Clancy, G Walsh.
Referee: Michael Duffy (Sligo).
Westmeath v Louth, Páirc Tailteann – These meetings have been going Louth’s way of late. Since the Leinster semi-final two years ago, Peter Fitzpatrick’s team have won last season’s Division Three final and the league match in February.
Though they ended up on the same points total, Louth had more spectacular results and never looked in too much trouble whereas Westmeath has to stage a virtual resurrection to stay up.
John Heslin’s return from Australia has been a help in countering Dessie Dolan’s decision to sit out the foreseeable future and Louth are short of full strength for a variety of reasons. Full back Dessie Finnegan is on honeymoon and his replacement Liam Shevlin is likely to move around in a slightly improvised defence.
Midfield will be important, as it’s a sector where Louth have had an edge in the recent meetings and Westmeath will hope that Heslin, a newcomer to the fixture, can make an impact. Pat Flanagan will also have his fingers crossed that Denis Glennon – vital up front in the absence of Dolan – won’t suffer a recurrence of his injury.
Previously: Two years ago the counties met in an entertaining Leinster semi-final. It took a questionable penalty to get Westmeath back into the game but eventually Louth, driven by Paddy Keenan at centrefield, took the verdict 1-15 to 2-10. You bet: Louth are 10-11 favourites, Westmeath 6-5 and 15-2 the draw.
Just the ticket: Stand tickets (€20). Family stand tickets (adults €20 and children €5 – limited availability) and terrace (adults €10 and children €3). Terrace (€10). OAPs and students can get rebates.
Crystal ball gazing: Westmeath have proved resilient and have improved since the sides’ earlier meeting this year but the home side can repeat that league victory.
LOUTH: N Gallagher; P Rath, L Shevlin, G Hoey; R Finnegan, J Carr, D Byrne; P Keenan, R Carroll; D Crilly, M Brennan, A Reid; D Maguire, J McEneaney, D Clarke.
WESTMEATH: G Connaughton; M Curley, J Gaffey, K Maguire; D Harte, M Ennis, D McDermott; J Heslin, P Bannon; K Maguire, G Egan, J Dolan; Denis Glennon, David Glennon, P Sharry. Subs: D Quinn, A Finnan, B Moran, K Sheridan, D Gavin, R Foley, C McCormack, A Giles, M McCallon, P Sheridan, R English, A Stone, T Warburton, J Egan, D Mullen.
Referee: M Higgins (Fermanagh).
MUNSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL
Limerick v Waterford, Gaelic Grounds – Although Waterford have greatly improved in the past couple of seasons and they again won this season’s league meeting – and bearing in mind the immense loss to Limerick of John Galvin with a cruciate recurrence – Maurice Horan’s team may still have too much for the visitors.
Waterford have their problems with captain Gary Hurney out because of a broken jaw.
If Tom Lee can assert himself at centrefield where Waterford have been strong and secure a decent supply, Limerick have the more likely match-winners in attack.
The home side have had the better of the championship meetings and with this side of the draw unencumbered by Cork or Kerry, the prospect is there for Limerick to reach a third provincial final in four years.
Ticket information on www.gaa.ieLIMERICK: B Scanlon; J McCarthy, P Brown, L O'Dwyer; S Lavin, J Riordan, P Ranahan; T Lee, P Kinnerk; E Barry, E O'Connor, S Buckley; G Collins, S O'Carroll, I Ryan.
WATERFORD: tba.
Referee: C Lane (Cork).
