GAA Weekend previews: silverware on the line in Leinster and Ulster
SILVERWARE: There will be a new Leinster champions this weekend with Louth and Meath going head-to-head in Croke Park. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
The dark art of the dummy team has not been dissuaded by the team registration protocols. They rightly allow for illness too and thus Clare were able to replace a sick Tony Kelly for the Waterford game. He now returns but don’t be surprised if Brian Lohan still has one or two surprises in store. Shane O’Donnell’s reappearance shouldn’t shock anyone and what a lift he will give the group. They sure seem to need it but they had a two-week gap has given them a much-needed pause and Clare have yet to go a Munster round-robin without winning one game at home. They could lose this one – Tipperary are going to fight off their backs and suffered no long-lasting damage in going down to Cork apart from Darragh McCarthy’s – but Clare’s reserve list appears stronger even if Conor Cleary and Diarmuid Ryan are missing. It is right that Noel McGrath begins this game. Tipperary will need goals to beat Clare and his awareness will be vital. At the same time, it takes from Tipperary’s bench. We repeat, Tipperary have a great chance but their efforts may just come up short. : Clare.
No Daithí Burke for Galway as his suspension was upheld while Jack O’Connor returns for Wexford after serving his ban. Although he has been listed as a substitute, he was missed in the defeat to Dublin and his aerial ability will be an asset in Salthill. Anyone thinking that Galway’s win over Offaly has steered them back on course would be myopic. They still have a number of issues to address and a Wexford team knowing it has to make up for a loss in Donnycarney should stay with them. : Draw.
Kilkenny steamrolled Antrim in the end but for the first half and early stages of the second they gave The Cats their fill and were able to slice through their defence. Dublin will be forewarned about this trip after returning home from Belfast two years ago. They have the size to withstand Antrim but in their remaining three games this is one of the two The Saffrons will be targeting to stay up. : Dublin.
The demands of a promotion run from Division 1B seemed to catch up with Offaly the last day as they made a series of errors that wouldn’t have been found in many of their previous outings. TJ Reid makes his first championship appearance of the year and Kilkenny will hope they are given a contest going into their final games against potential Leinster final opposition Dublin and Wexford. : Kilkenny.
A game, much like the hurling clash that is played later in Ennis, that shouldn’t have any distractions. This could very much end up as only the second ever All-Ireland pairing from Ulster, the first since Tyrone-Armagh in 2005. For now, the Anglo-Celt Cup is more than enough to whet their appetites. The most impressive element about Armagh’s win over Tyrone was the use of their resources (sure, they should have won easier). The team they have named for this final is more familiar but they have again demonstrated they have a squad and like-for-like replacements even if Rian O’Neill’s x-factor would sure come in handy here. Donegal too have a panel that can be boasted about but they don’t look to be as defensively sound as their opponents and that may require a change of player or two. There was a time when winning Ulsters from the preliminary round were onerous. Donegal have made light of that but it has been an intense schedule for them over these past couple of months. If this game goes to extra-time and penalties for a third year in a row, Ulster Council officials will despair but Armagh won’t. Beating Kerry last year in additional minutes, they turned a corner. Heads will have to be kept cool, not thrown in the chests of Donegal’s leading men but they can make it third time lucky. : Armagh.
Leitrim will hope to build on a courageous display against Mayo last month but here they face genuine contenders for the title who gave them a 23-point trimming earlier this year. : Kildare.
Another team who went out of their province on their shoulders, Wicklow won’t be perturbed about this trip. In saying that, Offaly have enough thrust to combat them as Mickey Harte meets his fellow BBC commentator Oisín McConville on the sideline. : Offaly.
Laois will feel they can go one step better than last year and lift the title and they will hope to take this opener in their stride before more difficult outings in Round 2 and 3. Laois.
It’s difficult to what to expect from London. Can they expect to take a point or two off Westmeath in Ruislip? Their best chance of making the knock-out stages may actually come on the road but Limerick should be doughty enough to beat them. Limerick.
Wexford’s last two outings have been disappointing and it has taken a shine off their promotion to Division 3. Starting here, they have to remind people of the advances they have made in 2025. Wexford.
Carlow have begun this campaign like a rocket but this will be a step-up from the Down and Kerry fixtures. Kildare need to win to keep up with the Joneses but may not have enough. Carlow.
Down’s form thus far contrasts sharply with what the strength they demonstrated in the league. They might be able to rediscover some of that power here. Down.
London can keep themselves in the hunt for a final spot by making this journey worthwhile. London.
Tyrone don’t look to be in great shape and Derry will hardly afford them pity. Derry.
It will surprise some to state this is a top-of-the-table clash but Wicklow have been full value for their couple of wins and are battle-hardened. Meath should be too good though. Meath.
Neither are making much impact at the moment but Louth are scoring more. Louth.
Sligo have turned things around after an awful league but Mayo shouldn’t be beaten. Mayo.
Monaghan.
Cavan.
The occasion is guaranteed as over 60,000 people are now expected to attend Croke Park, which would make it the largest provincial football final never mind a Leinster one since 2017. We should get the game to match it too. It will be assumed the derby element will level the playing field but irrespective of Louth’s comfortable wins over their neighbours in the last couple of clashes in Inniskeen, they only started coming out on the right side last year. Psychologically, they know what it takes to beat Meath and the hurt of previous defeats should also serve their older players like Tommy Durnin and Ryan Burns well. Meath continue to benefit from Robbie Brennan’s first-year bounce and don’t seem to be suffering, at least not yet, from losing the acumen of Martin Corey and Joe McMahon. Louth have to get it out of their heads that it would be just like Meath to skip the queue just as it seems the turn of their neighbours to finally win the provincial championship. Then again, Meath have to get it into their noggins that they have won nothing yet irrespective of taking out Dublin. It truly is a toss-up but the graph for Louth has been steadier and their big guns have come back at just the right time. Nobody should rule out extra-time but this time should be theirs. : Louth.
Their ambitions to get out of Division 3 faded far too quickly for Tony McEntee’s liking but Sligo should make a good fist at the Tailteann Cup. Tipperary’s goal will be the knock-out stages but a win is unlikely here. Sligo.
Surely, Westmeath’s luck has to improve at some stage this year. Antrim will be full of spirit in Mullingar but nearly everything points towards a home win. Westmeath.
Probably the most difficult place Carlow could go to in Round 1. Fermanagh do stand a couple of inches taller in Enniskillen and they are almost certain to make that advantage count. Fermanagh.
The personnel may have changed but last year’s All-Ireland final will be a touchstone for Tomás Ó Sé as he sizes up Tyrone again. He is expecting them to play with the same intensity and speed as before. Kerry can play like that but they have at times switched off and that will be a worry for the management. They haven’t been tested as much as Tyrone either but their Austin Stacks crew really give this Kerry side a solid look. Eoin McElholm and Ruairí McCullagh can be the stars again but expect a tighter margin than the six points last year. Tyrone.
: Monaghan.
Kerry still appear to be searching for the right balance and Portlaoise isn’t the most accommodating place to go looking for answers. Laois will be expected to maintain their
run for a final berth. Verdict: Laois.
Roscommon should inflict upon Fermanagh their fourth defeat of the competition. : Roscommon.
: Leitrim.
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