Saturday
Leinster SHC
Offaly v Galway
O’Connor Park, 7.00
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)
The looming threat of relegation from the Liam MacCarthy is a wrinkle to the Leinster Championship that their brethren to the south don’t have to pay any heed to. The upshot is that Offaly – much like Dublin on Sunday – need to cut their summer’s cloth according to their measure. Defeat at home to Galway here won’t be an ideal start to the summer but nor will it spell the end. The clash with Dublin on June 3rd is likely to be the long and short of Offaly’s summer. Sure and steady progress to that point would be no disgrace.
The league was broadly encouraging for Kevin Martin’s side. Running Kilkenny to a couple of points in the quarter-final in Tullamore is the closest they’ve come to seeing a chink of light through the black and amber clouds in years. Martin has been outward-facing and borderline bolshy in his public pronouncements too. Offaly don’t have the look of a side with the weight of the world on them, as has been the case in other years. Regardless of the fact that a bigger day lies ahead, they’re intent on testing Galway here to see if the cobwebs are still lingering.
In that regard, the bookies’ handicap spread of 12 points looks possibly three or four too many. Galway were already well on their way to being best team in the country when these sides met last year; they haven’t shown anything like that form so far in 2018. Maybe they’ll turn it on here – or maybe they’ll get their sea legs under them and ease their way into the summer.
Either way, they will surely have a bit in hand.
Last meeting: 2017 Leinster SHC, Portlaoise; Galway 0-33 Offaly 1-11.
Odds: Galway 1/33, Offaly 11/1, Draw 25/1.
Just the ticket: Stand €20; Terrace €15; Juveniles €5. Concessions available for students, senior citizens and families.
Verdict: Galway
Sunday
Leinster SHC
Dublin v Kilkenny
Parnell Park, 2.00
Live, RTÉ2, 1.15
Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Offaly)
The one upside to being at such a low ebb is that nobody expects a thing from Dublin here. They are still in the nascent stages of Pat Gilroy’s reign and the league threw up precious little by way of encouragement. They have seen fewer Cuala players than hoped for return to the fold, and they go into this one without arguably their most dangerous forward, with Eamonn Dillon still sidelined.
Indeed, even the one straw in the wind that has been put around – namely that Parnell Park is a sticky place to visit – doesn’t necessarily hold up to closer scrutiny. It certainly can be – and was for a time under Anthony Daly and even in the early days of Ger Cunningham’s time. Between 2010 and 2015, Dublin played 11 games in Donnycarney in championship and (mostly) league and won nine of them.
It all feels a long time ago, however. They’ve lost three of their last four league games in Parnell and their championship win there last year was against Laois. Kilkenny won’t mind the tightness of the pitch – Eoin Murphy will fancy his chances with long-range frees, more likely.
Dublin have a very capable defence and will obviously have a plan for TJ Reid. If that comes off and they can keep Kilkenny to somewhere in the region of 20 points, then maybe there’s a chance. But Brian Cody’s side won the league without needing to have all their kinks ironed and they have clear scope for improvement themselves.
Despite all the imponderables of the new system, Cody will still hold certain truths to be self-evident. Kilkenny will be sent out to do a professional job and get out of Dodge. Expect them to fulfil the brief.
Dublin: Alan Nolan; Paddy Smyth, Cian O'Callaghan, Bill O'Carroll; Shane Barrett, Seán Moran, Chris Crummey; Rian McBride, Eoghan O'Donnell; Jake Malone, Conal Keaney, Danny Sutcliffe; Fergal Whitely, Liam Rushe, Paul Ryan.
Kilkenny: TBC
Last meeting: 2016 Leinster SHC, Portlaoise; Kilkenny 1-25 Dublin 0-16.
Odds: Kilkenny 1/7, Dublin 11/2, Draw 14/1.
Just the ticket: Stand €20; Terrace €15; Juveniles €5. Concessions available for students, senior citizens and families.
Verdict: Kilkenny
Saturday
Leinster SFC first round
Wexford v Laois
Innovate Wexford Park, 6.30pm
This time last year Wexford were dumped out of Leinster by Carlow, and have been on the slip ever since, winning only a single game in division three, against an already promoted Armagh.
For manager Paul McLoughlin, in his first season, it’s still all foundation work, his team including three debutants in defenders Glen Malone and Shane Doyle, plus forward Nick Doyle; some experience too in Malone’s older brother Brian, set to make his 150th competitive appearance at midfield beside team captain Daithi Waters.
James Stafford and Ben Brosnan have been around a while too, the big problem being they meet a Laois team on the ascension, manager John Sugrue guiding his team through an unbeaten division four campaign, including a final win over Carlow.
Top scorer Gary Walsh is also back in the panel, having been dropped for that Croke Park clash against Carlow for disciplinary reasons, this being the team that scored 7-100 in their league. There is plenty of incentive for both teams, being on the opposite side of the draw to Dublin, with Westmeath awaiting in the quarter-final. Despite surrendering home advantage Laois won’t let this chance slip.
Verdict: Laois
Sunday
Leinster SFC first round
Louth v Carlow
O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, 2.0
Two teams coming at Division Three from very different perspectives next year get the Leinster championship under way. Carlow kicked on from a good championship last year to seal promotion from Division Four with a match to spare whereas Louth toppled out of Division Two at the first time of asking, having lost all of their matches.
The tail of a memorable campaign contained a sting in that they lost their last two matches to Laois and Brendan Murphy – who was outstanding when Carlow won this fixture seven years ago – but the morale and structure of the team put together by Turlough O’Brien should be intact.
Peter McGrath spent much of his first campaign with Louth despairing at the haemorrhage of players and frustrated by performance levels. His cheerful belief that the team can learn sufficiently from the setbacks and raise their game for championship looks a triumph of optimism as things stand.
Last meeting: 2016 Leinster first round, at Portlaoise, Louth 2-24, Carlow 3-11.
Just the ticket: Stand: €20. Adult terrace €15 Reductions for students and senior citizens. Children (under 16) €5.
Odds: Carlow 10/11, Louth 6/5 and 15/2 the draw.
Verdict: Carlow to win
Carlow: Tba
Louth: Tba
Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh)
Leinster SFC first round
Offaly v Wicklow
O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, 4.0
With Offaly’s dire record in the provincial championship, this represents an opportunity against the bottom team in the league. In a way they both face similar difficulties: loss of experienced players, new management (in both cases from Kerry) trying to reconstruct and the prospect of Dublin in the next round.
The loss of retired players Brian Darby and Niall McNamee, as well as others simply not available, has left the Midlanders looking rudderless at times and short of the physicality necessary for championship football at the top end.
They did, however, recover well in the league to record a welcome win over Westmeath on the last day, and if they can get their developing, quick-transfer game going this weekend and combine it with those finishing instincts it will be too much for Wicklow.
John Evans has been piecing together a new team and has the experience of Seán Furlong to anchor things but, despite some battling recent championship outings, it looks like the end of the road.
Last meeting: 2014 All-Ireland qualifier, at Aughrim, Wicklow 3-12, Offaly 0-17.
Just the ticket: Stand: €20. Adult terrace €15. Reductions for students and senior citizens. Children (under 16) €5.
Odds: Offaly 2/7, Wicklow 7/2 and 10/1 the draw.
Verdict: Offaly to win
Offaly: Tba
Wicklow: Tba
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)
Sunday
Ulster SFC first round
Donegal v Cavan
Ballybofey, 4pm
Warning: may contain traces of quality football. The preliminary round of the Ulster football championship is typically more slog than skill, but perhaps not this one, both teams capable and intent on winning from the front.
They arrive from opposite directions, Donegal relegated from division one, Cavan arriving back up from division two, but meet on the daunting terrain of MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey, where Donegal haven’t lost a championship game since the 2010 Ulster quarter-final, when Down beat them after extra time.
Cavan manager Mattie McGleenan’s quip that nobody gives his team “a pup’s chance” is only partly true, because while Donegal are well fancied, Cavan are capable of an upset. The absence of the injured Dara McVeety won’t help but Gearóid McKiernan, Cian Mackey and Ciarán Brady all shone during the league.
Donegal manager Declan Bonner has pressure in reverse, expected to win given that home record, and will be nervous nonetheless. Only with Michael Murphy settled at midfield and Patrick McBrearty pointing the way up front they are better poised to progress, into the softer end of the draw too.
Verdict: Donegal
