A look at the weekend's matches

Saturday

All-Ireland under-21 FC semi-finals

(Live TG4; extra time if necessary) Cork v Dublin, Thurles, 3.30

Dublin were impressively resilient during the provincial campaign and have a strong line-out for this afternoon, retaining the side that saw off a more fancied Laois. Cork are favourites and would have been stronger but for that close call in the Munster final in the face of a great challenge from Tipperary. Cork manager John Cleary is restricted to the stands after the fraught finale in Munster. His team have better in them and should progress but Jim Gavin’s side will push them all the way.

Down v Mayo, Longford, 5.00

Down’s thrilling eclipse of Armagh in Wednesday’s Ulster final runs unfairly close to this match against a Mayo side that have already defeated the minor All-Ireland winners of two and three years ago. With key players emerging unscathed from the seniors’ match against Tyrone a week ago, Pat Holmes’s team should progress.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Division Four

Clare v London, Cusack Park, 1.00

A poor season for Clare can end on a positive note but London have been at times competitive during this campaign.

Waterford v Antrim, Dungarvan, 2.30 Another near miss for Waterford in the league, as the defeat in London proved costly. They have a point to prove against already-promoted Antrim.

Kilkenny v Carlow, Freshford, 2.30

Carlow pulled out a surprise win last week. Another to come here – minus the surprise.

Wicklow v Sligo, Aughrim, 2.30

Critics of Wicklow’s management this campaign can’t have been paying much attention to Mick O’Dwyer’s attitude to the league over 50 years. Sligo have already booked the return flight to Division Three.

Leitrim, bye.

Sunday

NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE Division One

Cork v Waterford,

Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Taken through the Kilkenny form line this could be another chastening afternoon for Cork but Waterford’s season hasn’t developed much apart from the creditable, collectors’ item win over the All-Ireland champions last month. News of Brian Murphy’s premature retirement was another complication for Denis Walsh, as well as a desperate turn of events for one of the country’s most consistent corner backs. Walsh brings in a few of the players used by his predecessor, Gerald McCarthy, during the dispute, most notably Barry Johnson whose dead-eye free-taking will help make up for Ben O’Connor’s absence. One last match isn’t an awful lot of time for the new Cork manager to lay the foundations of a championship challenge. Waterford give a belated first start to Eoin McGrath, recovered from injury, and Kevin Moran after his club exploits with De La Salle.

Clare v Galway, Cusack Park

John McIntyre probably feels the league could have gone better but Mick McNamara will know it couldn’t have gone worse for Clare, who started the campaign as possibilities for the title after a good pre-season, but ended up relegated with a match to go, and with dissent in the camp. Mark Flaherty comes back after injury to try to build on an encouraging rookie year.

Galway rest Joe Canning and reintroduce James Skehill in goal and full back Shane Kavanagh, both of whom have recovered from injury. Kevin Hayes replaces the suspended Andy Smith.

Kilkenny v Dublin, Nowlan Park

Kilkenny never seem to run out of reasons to administer punishment beatings: Tipp took their league title last year, Cork made some unwise claims about how they might have disrupted the champions’ three-in-a-row and who knows with Dublin? Maybe that regular speculation about how they might one day challenge Kilkenny in Leinster could set it off. The All-Ireland champions have been in awesome form of late and are closing in on a second date with Tipperary in next month’s final like an express train. Dublin have had a very satisfactory campaign and tomorrow will be a good gauge of where they stand – strong medicine maybe but a useful dose.

Tipperary v Limerick,

Semple Stadium

Liam Sheedy takes the opportunity to have a further look at various players a couple of weeks before his team defend their title against Kilkenny. Shane McGrath is suspended but will be back in time for the final. Limerick round off a useful campaign with up to two thirds of a team settled in advance of the championship opener against Waterford – not a bad haul having used nearly 30 players so far.

Division Two

Down v Kerry, Ballycran

Down should complete the season with a win against the relegated visitors.

Offaly v Antrim, Tullamore

The only match in the top divisions with any real competitive bite, as a win for the Ulster champions will put them ahead of Offaly. Joe Dooley’s team are short three important defenders, David Kenny and Diarmuid Horan having been joined in the field hospital by David Franks. Antrim will have picked up on the home side’s vulnerability to bit of muscle at the back when under-strength in the hiding by Wexford but the home team having looked comfortable until the last match should be able to hold out, particularly given Antrim’s indifferent away form.

Westmeath v Laois,

Cusack Park

A disappointing season for Westmeath has a chance of ending well but eyes will be on congress to see if the motion to promote the Ring Cup winners to senior championship passes.

Wexford v Carlow,

Wexford Park

Carlow have done enough not to be taken for granted here but Wexford at home to their neighbours must be favoured to nail down a place in the divisional final.

Division Three B

Fingal v Roscommon, Swords; London v Donegal, Ruislip, 12.0; Louth v Tyrone, Dundalk; Longford, bye – Likely to end in a London-Roscommon final given the latter’s scoring difference advantage over Fingal.

WeekendPreviews (Matches at 2.30pm unless stated)

SEÁN MORAN