SATURDAY
Munster SFC final
Kerry v Limerick, Fitzgerald Stadium, 3.0 [Live, RTE2]
Like half of this weekend’s provincial finalists, Limerick will play next season in Division Two, but none of the others are quite as blithely dismissed. Viewed through even the unforgiving lens of history, Limerick have in recent times, the last three decades, consistently given Kerry a hard time in Munster finals, losing over five matches since 1991 by an average of less than three points.
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This is expected to be different, as Limerick are an inexperienced, if rising, team and Kerry are league winners and have been All-Ireland favourites all year.
They dismissed Cork with a power play in the final quarter that saw a nip-and-tuck match morph into a procession after the introduction of Paul Geaney, David Moran and Paul Murphy off the bench.
David Clifford’s absence with a hamstring injury, confirmed in Friday night’s team selection, will be an impediment given how he dominates Kerry’s shooting stats.
Limerick’s central line has been good, led at the back by Brian Fanning and Iain Corbett and up to full forward Hugh Bourke, with good impact off the bench from his brother Robbie. but efforts have been inconsistent and they’ll need to sustain performance here.
Verdict: Kerry
Leinster SFC final
Dublin v Kildare, Croke Park, 5.0 [Live, RTE2]
For the first time in nearly a decade, Leinster looks lively. Certainly, after the league relegation there would have been questions about Dublin. But since the championship and the return of Con O’Callaghan from injury and Brian Fenton’s form, the champions have looked reasonably restored with the caveat that this hasn’t been exactly rigorously tested.
Kildare were unlucky to accompany their opponents to Division Two but had the benefit of beating them in Newbridge last February, a first competitive win in over 20 years.
There are high hopes that the county, for whom the fearful lack of ambition in last year’s final still rankles, are hoping for Kildare to go for it and go down, if that’s what happens, with guns blazing.
They have the forwards for the task. Daniel Flynn has been brilliant in this fixture, even in less buoyant times, and was excellent in the league along with Jimmy Hyland.
Kevin Feely is also there after missing last year and his centrefield capabilities can challenge Dublin as well as releasing the team’s player of the league, Kevin Flynn, to his best position at wing back.
They need to trust that middle third, as not pressing up and surrendering possession was a costly trade-off against Westmeath. A step forward is very possible but anything further will take more time.
Verdict: Dublin
Tailteann Cup SFC first round
Cavan v Down, Kingspan Breffni, 2.0 – Two very different mindsets come into this, as Cavan are among the favourites for the title, putting it up to Donegal for a long periods of the Ulster semi-final. and Down have been paralysed by poor performance and lack of resolve. Verdict: Cavan
Leitrim v Antrim, Carrick-on-Shannon, 2.0 [Live, GAAGO] – Andy Moran got some good form out of Leitrim in the league and survived a championship fright in London, but will need to be at their best to counter Enda McGinley’s well-drilled team, who nonetheless disappointed against Cavan in Ulster. Verdict: Leitrim
Longford v Fermanagh, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 5.30 – Longford slid off the standard of a satisfactory league when getting well beaten by Westmeath whereas Fermanagh put an early dent in Tyrone’s reputation. This may be an away fixture for them but Kieran Donnelly’s team are likely to advance. Verdict: Fermanagh
Sligo v London, Markievicz Park, 6.0 – This was an outlier for London in an otherwise competitive league, getting hammered at this venue. Sligo in the meantime have been well beaten by Roscommon but also won a first Connacht under-20. London, edged out by understrength Leitrim, have it all to do. Verdict: Sligo
Leinster women’s SFC final
Meath v Dublin, Croke Park, 2.30 [Live, TG4]
Dublin are unaccountably tight odds for this given the closeness of the give-and-take in recent reruns of last year’s All-Ireland: two one-point wins either way in the league and Leinster. This is the last trophy left for Eamonn Murray’s phenomenal Meath outfit to win to complete a clean sweep. Mick Bohan is able to strengthen his team from the recent Parnell Park defeat, including the return of Hannah Tyrrell, who kicked the last-second winner in the league. They will need to contain Emma Duggan a bit better if they are to retain this trophy. Verdict: Dublin
Munster women’s SFC final
Kerry v Cork, Fitzgerald Stadium, 12.15 – Kerry have played themselves back to the top table in Munster with a convincing league campaign, which brought promotion to Division One and the expectation is that the gap is narrowing all the time. Nonetheless, at present Cork appear to have a slightly stronger selection and a trove of know-how. Verdict: Cork
SUNDAY
Connacht SFC final
Galway v Roscommon, Pearse Stadium, 1.45 [Live RTE 2]
Probably the hardest fixture of the weekend to crack. Despite Roscommon having beaten their rivals twice this year, Galway remain favourites for all their failure to win a Connacht final in Salthill for 16 years.
The second league defeat was worrying in that they were fully loaded and even after they had lost the initiative, managed to recover and still lost the endgame. They will be expected to provide a less flimsy defence this weekend and signs of that were on view in the critical defeat of Mayo, which effectively reinstated Pádraic Joyce’s team as favourites.
Even that had its glitches, including a late run on the match by Mayo, which nearly salvaged a draw. If Roscommon’s forwards get the same opportunities, they won’t find it as hard to take advantage.
Centrefield looks interesting with Paul Conroy in top form taking on Ultan Harney and Eddie Nolan, who have brought fresh dynamism to the area.
Galway’s forwards, Shane Walsh especially, did the trick against Mayo and Leitrim and if they play to their potential, will probably win but Roscommon’s attack is in many ways a more powerful collective.
If Joyce is going to move Galway to a new level, this has to be won.
Verdict: Galway
Ulster SFC final
Derry v Donegal, Clones, 4.0 [Live, RTE2/BBC Two NI]
If it weren’t for the league, this would have looked a natural progression from last year but dropped points against the Connacht finalists cost Derry promotion and raised questions, most of which Rory Gallagher’s team have enjoyed answering in Ulster so far.
Nit picking, you might argue that Tyrone’s inability to keep 15 on the pitch and Monaghan’s squanderlust played their parts in the county’s progress to a first final in 11 years but there have been really strong performances from Gareth McKinless, Conor Glass and Chrissy McKaigue among others.
They also look to have the composure that was lacking last year when they couldn’t turn a couple of minutes of injury-time possession into an equalising score when the counties met last year.
Donegal though have been impressive in sweeping aside Armagh and if Cavan caused the usual problems, they too were resolved. Michael Murphy is in classic, influencer mood and presumably Gallagher will have a plan for him and players that he knows so well. They’re too practised a bunch, though to let this slip by as easily as nearly happened last year. Shaun Patton’s mastery of restarts is another advantage they have in a game of small margins.
Verdict: Donegal
Tailteann Cup SFC, first round
Carlow v Tipperary, Netwatch Cullen Park, 2.0 – Tipperary will have been dismayed by the Munster semi-final defeat by Limerick but this offers a shot at redemption. Carlow’s young side struggled to cope in the league version of the fixture and it’s there for Tipp if they have the energy. Verdict: Tipperary
Laois v Westmeath, MW Hire O’Moore Park, 2.0 – This fixture has swung Westmeath’s way of late and given Laois’ travails it’s hard to see the team that kept going against Kildare despite setbacks, not taking this by the scruff of the neck. Verdict: Westmeath
Offaly v Wicklow, O’Connor Park, 2.0 – Two winners from last week face off in Tullamore. Wicklow have been impressively high-scoring – Kevin Quinn has scored five goals in three matches – and were this in Aughrim, would be favoured. But Offaly survived a battle last week and can put the lessons to good use. Verdict: Offaly
