Stage set for a GAA packed Saturday

Next Saturday will see an incredible 23 senior inter-county football and hurling matches take place around the country, including the All-Ireland SHC qualifier double header of Cork against Galway and Waterford playing Offaly in Thurles.

Mon, 14 Jul, 2008 - 15:57

The recently redeveloped Semple Stadium will play host to the two fourth phase qualifiers, which were teed up at last evening's draw in Limerick.

The Waterford/ Offaly game will get things rolling at 5pm and the Cork/Galway clash has a 7pm throw-in. Both games will be broadcast live on RTE.

Increasing the expected drama and tension, there will be extra-time if necessary in all 23 of Saturday's senior fixtures.

Saturday afternoon and evening will see all eight of the All-Ireland football first round qualifier matches take place.

The pick of those games, the all-Ulster meeting of Monaghan and Derry at Clones will be shown live by TV3 (throw-in 3pm).

Elsewhere, recently dethroned Connacht champions Sligo will take on London in the first round of the Tommy Murphy Cup.

The second tier football competition also has three other games down for decision including the clash of Waterford and last year's winners Wicklow.

Meanwhile, the hurlers of Antrim and Laois will slug it out on Saturday afternoon in their Liam McCarthy Cup relegation play-off tie.

The losers of that game will face another play-off against the 2008 Christy Cup champions to decide who will feature in next year's Liam McCarthy Cup competition.

Also on the hurling front on Saturday, the quarter-finals in the Christy Ring Cup and Nicky Rackard Cup will be played out.

Last year's finalists, Westmeath and Kildare, will square off in the last-eight of the Ring Cup, while there are four Ulster teams, including South Down, left in contention in the Rackard Cup.

The newly-formed Fingal side will be hoping to maintain their run in the competition when they entertain Leitrim at Parnell Park.

Interestingly, none of the remaining teams have won the Rackard Cup to date. Louth came closest when they lost to London in the inaugural 2005 final.

Sunday's GAA action - just the Leinster and Ulster football finals - is relatively sedate when compared with Saturday's blitz of games.

GAA - WEEKEND'S FIXTURES:

SATURDAY, JULY 19:

FOOTBALL:

GAA FOOTBALL ALL-IRELAND SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS - ROUND 1 - Limerick v Meath, Gaelic Grounds, 7pm Longford v Laois, Pearse Park, 7pm Kildare v Cavan, Newbridge, 7pm Offaly v Down, Tullamore, 7pm Louth v Tyrone, Drogheda, 7pm Tipperary v Westmeath, Ardfinnan, 3pm Donegal v Roscommon, Ballybofey, 5pm Monaghan v Derry, Clones, 3pm (live TV3)

TOMMY MURPHY CUP -

ROUND 1 -

London v Sligo, Ruislip, throw-in tbc

Antrim v Carlow, Casement Park, 3.30pm

Clare v Leitrim, Ennis, 7pm

Wicklow v Waterford, Aughrim, 7pm

HURLING:

GAA HURLING ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS - ROUND 4 - Waterford v Offaly, Thurles, 5pm (live RTE) Cork v Galway, Thurles, 7pm (live RTE)

GAA HURLING ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP RELEGATION PLAY-OFF - Antrim v Laois, Pairc Tailteann, 2.30pm

CHRISTY RING CUP QUARTER-FINALS -

Wicklow v Mayo, Aughrim, 5pm

Down v Derry, Newry, 3pm