Hectic football schedule ahead

There is plenty of action in the first round of the All-Ireland football qualifying series this afternoon as several county teams who lost out in the first round of the Championship get a second chance to advance.

Seven of the eight games scheduled for today feature sides who have never played each other before in the All-Ireland Championships.

At 4.15pm Waterford play Roscommon in Dungarvan. Roscommon were Connacht Champions last season and will be seeking to rescue their season after a disappointing performance against Galway in the first round of the provincial championship this year.

The Roscommon men pushed the defending All-Ireland Champions close in the first-half of their match and will be hoping to recreate that form this evening.

Antrim play Westmeath at Casement Park after the Midlands side went down to Meath following a disappointing performance last weekend while Antrim were beaten by ten points at the hands of Derry.

Elsewhere, Monaghan play Louth in Clones and Wicklow play London in Aughrim.

The remaining games all have a 6:15pm kick-off and feature the only pairing that have previously clashed in the All-Ireland series, the Leinster duo of Carlow and Laois.

There are three other matches, Wexford have the difficult task of hosting Tyrone, Limerick are set to face Cavan at the Gaelic Grounds and Longford take on Down at Pearse Park.