Cork to face Louth in Navan in opening Sam Maguire Cup group clash

GROUP MEETING: Louth manager Mickey Harte and Cork manager John Cleary at the end of the qualifier game in 2022. Pic: INPHO/Ken Sutton

Cork will face Louth in Páirc Tailteann in Navan on May 27 after the GAA revealed the fixture details for the Sam Maguire Cup Group 1, Round 1 clash.

A throw-in time will be announced later in the week for the clash which will be both sides opening group clash.

The Cork clash is Louth's 'home' game in the group but the capacity of the venue they had used for home league games, St Mary's Ardee, does not fit new criteria laid down by the GAA.

Counties had to nominate 'home' venues that can accommodate crowds of 3,500 or 80pc of the expected crowd for their group games. Ardee's capacity during the league was around 2,600.

Cork and Louth are in Group 1 alongside Kerry and Mayo who face off this Saturday in Killarney at 3pm.

Elsewhere, Leinster champions Dublin will open their Group 3 campaign with a clash against Roscommon in Croke Park on Sunday, May 28 at 4pm.

That game will be part of a double header along with Dublin against Galway in the Leinster senior hurling championship.

Ulster runners-up Armagh kick off their Group 2 campaign with a home game against 2022 Tailteann Cup champions Westmeath in the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh on Saturday, May 27. Throw-in is at 3.45pm with coverage provided on GAAGO.

Ulster champions Derry face Ulster rivals Monaghan later that evening in Group 4 at Celtic Park in Derry. The game is a repeat of this year's Ulster semi-final in which the Oak Leaf county prevailed on a scoreline of 1-21 to 2-10.

Throw-in in that one is at 7pm and will be broadcast live on GAAGO.