Kildare to meet Tyrone in qualifiers

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney's unbeaten record in the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers will come under serious threat when Tyrone visit the Lilywhites in the third round.

The draws for the round 3 and 4 qualifier matches were made by former Dublin midfielder Ciaran Whelan live on RTÉ Radio 1's 'Morning Ireland' programme today.

McGeeney have overseen 15 wins and a draw in the qualifiers since 2008, but his Kildare side will have to overcome Mickey Harte's Red Hands in Newbridge next Saturday if they are to maintain an interest in this summer's Championship.

Home advantage will no doubt give the Lilywhites a boost, however Tyrone came away from St. Conleth's Park with a 1-13 to 0-10 league victory in March and Harte's charges were 2-15 to 2-11 winners when the counties met in a Division 1 semi-final the following month.

Another of Ulster teams still involved, free-scoring Armagh, have been drawn away to Galway in the third round, with Paul Grimley's Orchard men having accumulated an incredible 8-13 against Leitrim over the weekend.

It is the third qualifier on the trot that Galway will be at home - the Tribesmen have scraped narrow wins over Tipperary and Waterford in Salthill in recent weeks.

The round 3 draw also includes two tasty provincial derbies with Wexford hosting Laois in an all-Leinster tie and Cavan paying a visit to Ulster rivals Derry. The four qualifiers will take place next Saturday (July 20).

Wexford and Laois won through to the next stage of the Championship with away victories over the weekend, with the Model men needing extra-time to pull away from Longford. Laois won by 0-14 to 1-8 when the sides met at Wexford Park in Division 2 in early April.

Beaten Ulster semi-finalists Cavan bounced back by beating Monaghan in an ill-tempered provincial derby last Saturday night. Terry Hyland's side will face Ulster opposition once again when they travel to Derry, who have recorded home successes against Sligo and Down in the qualifiers so far.

Meanwhile, the round 4 pairings have also been confirmed. Beaten provincial finalists Cork and Meath, along with the losers of the upcoming Connacht and Ulster football finals, will return to action at the end of the month.

The winners of the Galway v Armagh game will clash with Cork, while the losers of the Ulster decider between Donegal and Monaghan will come up against Leinster opposition - either Wexford or Laois.

There is a tough route to the All-Ireland quarter-finals for either Kildare or Tyrone. Whoever comes through the Newbridge battle next weekend will have to meet an ever-improving Meath team who gave Dublin quite a test in yesterday's Leinster final.

The losers of the historic Connacht final showdown between defending champions Mayo and London will have Ulster opponents to run the rule over next, with either Derry or Cavan emerging from the third round.

There will be neutral venues for the four round 4 fixtures which will be played over the weekend of July 27-28. The dates, throw-in times and venues for the matches will be confirmed shortly by the GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee.

ALL-IRELAND SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS:

ROUND 3 -

Galway v Armagh

Wexford v Laois

Kildare v Tyrone

Derry v Cavan

ROUND 4 -

Galway/Armagh v Cork

Wexford/Laois v Donegal/Monaghan

Kildare/Tyrone v Meath

Derry/Cavan v Mayo/London