Game-by-game guide after today's All-Ireland senior football draw
All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals
Kerry v Cavan
- Saturday, 3.15pm – Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney – GAA+
A jolt to Kerry’s system last Saturday in Tullamore. Not their first loss in the All-Ireland group series since it began, that was the 2023 opener at the hands of Mayo, but they recovered then to top the table, the same position where they finished last year. No direct path to the quarter-finals this time, Meath despatching Kerry towards the last 12 stage.
The good news is they have home advantage, greater comfort in the fact they have avoided top-tier Division 1 opposition again. Cavan were terrific in their first game when they stunned Mayo, but life since has been sobering with crushing defeats against Donegal and Tyrone leaving them with a scoring difference of -29.
Crosserlough’s Paddy Lynch kicked an impressive total of 0-9 against Tyrone yesterday, Cavan will need that replicated and others to step up if they are to shock Kerry. The home side’s squad looks threadbare given their injuries, Jack O’Connor will want to reintegrate some key men into the starting side. Only scoring 0-2 in the last 20 minutes is an area Kerry need to remedy as they seek to book a passage to the quarter-finals.
*****
Dublin v Cork
- Saturday, 6.15pm – Croke Park – GAA+
A repeat of the All-Ireland quarter-final between the counties in 2022 and the Super 8s game in 2019. Dublin had 11 points to spare three years ago and crashed home five goals en route to a 13-point success six years ago.
That’s the gap Cork have to close. They pushed Dublin hard when the teams met in the 2023 league, bagging two goals, but have only netted twice in their last seven championship matches. That issue surfaced again on Saturday, yet the flipside was Cork’s nerveless defending in holding out Roscommon, their powerful midfield partnership of Colm O’Callaghan and Ian Maguire, and the combined 0-9 return from Mark Cronin and Seán McDonnell.
Dublin acquitted themselves well to book second spot in a highly competitive group. The form of Lee Gannon and Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne is encouraging, the endurance of Ciaran Kilkenny equally so. The return of Con O’Callaghan, sorely missed against Armagh, was a major boost with his 0-4 tally against Derry. He is a game changing option as Dublin head back to Croke Park.
*****
Down v Galway
- Sunday, 1.45pm – Páirc Esler, Newry – GAA+.
Perhaps the most intriguing pairing given the novelty of the fixture and it puts Galway, All-Ireland finalists in two of the last three seasons, on the road for an awkward encounter. Given their stumbles in the group stage, emerging intact will fill Galway with relief. After defeat to Dublin, a draw with Derry, and trailing by eight points at half-time against Armagh, the recovery mission on Saturday night was impressive, inspired by Shane Walsh’s scoring heroics.
Padraic Joyce will hope that result gets them on the right track and the signs of John Maher, Cein Darcy, Robert Finnerty, and Matthew Thompson moving well will continue. They bring great experience to bear against a Down team who have impressed since jumping up from the Tailteann Cup twelve months ago.
Pat Haverin was outstanding with 0-12 against Monaghan yesterday. Down will be smarting that they didn’t close out that game to bag top spot in the group, tighten things up at the back and they’ll feel confident of seriously testing Galway. Manager Conor Laverty takes on a county he kicked 1-2 against in defeat in the 2005 All-Ireland U21 football final.
*****
Donegal v Louth
- Sunday 4pm – MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey – GAA+.
A repeat of last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final where Donegal triumphed 1-23 to 0-18. Peadar Mogan and Oisin Gallen starred on the Donegal side that day, the point-scoring of Tommy Durnin sustained Louth in opposition. Both enter this game as reigning provincial champions, Donegal after landing a seventh Ulster title in 15 years, Louth memorably ending their 68-year wait for Leinster honours.
The form of both since then has been striking. Louth have shown signs of a hangover from the high of that exhilirating provincial success. They lost by six to Monaghan and one to Down, needing to dig deep yesterday with the combined 2-11 from Ciaran Downey and Sam Mulroy sweeping them past Clare.
This is as tough an examination as they could have asked for, trekking to the north-west. Donegal may have lost at home to Tyrone but since then they ripped Cavan apart and survived a gut check with Mayo. The towering play of Michael Murphy and dashing surges of Ciaran Moore are just two of the assets they can utilise in a game they will be heavily tipped to win.
*****
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