Senior footballers begin defence of Leinster SFC title

Dublin begin the defence of the Leinster SFC this weekend when they take on Longford in Croke Park on Sunday (4.0) as the second leg of a double-header, which opens with the Dublin v Galway Leinster hurling quarter-final at 2.0.

Dublin footballers are bidding for another Leinster five-timer this year, having won in 2011-12-13-14. They also won the five-in-a-row in 2005-2009.

There’s quarter-final action in Munster and Ulster too. In Munster, Tipperary host Waterford in Semple Stadium at 3.30 on Sunday and in Ulster, Fermanagh will be at home to Antrim in Brewster Park at 4.0.

DUBLIN vs LONGFORD

They meet for the first time since 2006 when Dublin won by two points in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park. It was the last time Dublin played a championship games outside of Croke Park.

Last Five Championship Clashes

2006: Dublin 1-12 Longford 0-13 (Leinster quarter-final)

2005: Dublin 2-23 Longford 0-10 (Leinster 1st round)

2004: Dublin 1-17 Longford 0-11 (All-Ireland qualifier – Round 3)

2001: Dublin 2-19 Longford 1-13 (Leinster quarter-final)

1988: Dublin 4-15 Longford 0-9 (Leinster semi-final)

 Longford are seeking their first Leinster senior championship win over Dublin since 1970 when they won a first round clash by 2-14 to 3-8 in Mullingar.

 Dublin have not lost their first outing in the Leinster championship since 2004 when Westmeath beat by 0-14 to 0-12 in Croke Park.

 Rival managers, Jim Gavin (Dublin) and Jack Sheedy (Dublin) were team mates on the Dublin team in the first half of the 1990s.

 Longford are bidding to reach the Leinster semi-final for the first time since 1988 when they lost to Dublin.

 Dublin are pursuing their 13th successive win in Leinster, having last lost (to Meath) in the 2010 semi-final. Since then they have beaten Meath and Wexford 3 times each, Kildare and Laois twice each, Louth and Westmeath one each.

 Longford already have a championship win behind them this year, having beaten Offaly by 0-16 to 0-13 in the Leinster first round in Tullamore.

Sunday’s winner will play Kildare or Laois in the Leinster semi-final, June 28.

TIPPERARY vs WATERFORD

Unusually, in a six-county province, this will be the first Munster championship meeting between the counties since 2003 when they met in the quarter-final. Tipperary are seeking their seventh successive win over Waterford, whose last success came in the 1998 first round (3-9 to 1-11).

Last Five Championship clashes

2003: Tipperary 0-18 Waterford 1-12 (Munster quarter-final)

1998: Tipperary 1-16 Waterford 0-7 (Munster 1st round)

1997: Tipperary 2-7 Waterford 1-5 (Munster 1st round)

1994: Tipperary 5-14 Waterford 0-15 (Munster semi-final)

1993: Tipperary 3-10 Waterford 0-13 (Munster semi-final)

 Waterford are seeking their first win in the Munster championship since 2010 when they beat Clare. Since then, they have lost to Cork (2011), Limerick (2012), Kerry (2013) and Clare (2014).

 Tipperary beat Limerick in their first outing last year, their first win in the Munster championship since 2003. They lost their first games to Kerry in 2013-12-11-10, to Limerick in 2009 and 2008, to Cork in 2007, to Kerry in 2006-2005 and to Limerick in 2004.

 Tipperary finished third behind Armagh and Fermanagh in Division 3 this year, winning four and losing three of seven games.

 Waterford finished sixth in Division 4, with one win, one draw and 5 defeats.

The winners of Sunday’s game play Kerry in the Munster semi-final on June 14

FERMANAGH vs ANTRIM

This will only the 9th championship meeting between the counties, with each county having won four times. Their most recent clash was in last year’s Ulster quarter-final when Antrim won by 2-18 to 3-13 in Enniskillen.

Brian Neeson (1-6), Kevin Niblock (1-3) and Tomas McCann (0-3) scored a total of 2-12 for Antrim while Sean Quigley (1-6), Marty O’Brien (1-1) Barry Owens (1-0) scored a total of 3-7 for Fermanagh.

Last Five Championship Clashes

2014: Antrim 2-18 Fermanagh 3-13 (Ulster quarter-final)

2006: Fermanagh 1-9 Antrim 0-9 (Ulster quarter-final)

1992: Fermanagh 1-9 Antrim 1-8 (Ulster quarter-final)

1991: Fermanagh 3-12 Antrim 1-8 (Ulster quarter-final)

1974: Antrim 2-7 Fermanagh 1-8 (Ulster quarter-final)

 Fermanagh are seeking their first win in the Ulster championship since beating Cavan in the 2010 quarter-final. Since then, they lost to Derry (2011), Down (2012), Cavan (2013) and Antrim (2014).

 Fermanagh were promoted from Division 3 this year after winning five, drawing one and losing one of the group games. They lost to the final to Armagh.

 Antrim finished third in Division 4 after winning four, drawing one and losing two of seven games.

Next Sunday’s winners will play Monaghan in the Ulster semi-final on June 21.

GAA FOOTBALL ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 2015: RESULTS & FIXTURES

CONNACHT

Round 1:

May 3: Galway 2-18 New York 0-8, Gaelic Park;

Quarter-finals:

Galway 1-13 Leitrim 0-8, Carrick-on-Shannon;

May 24: Roscommon 1-14 London 0-10;

Semi-finals:

June 14: Galway v Mayo, Pearse Stadium;

June 20: Sligo v Roscommon, Markievicz Park.

Final:

July 19

LEINSTER

Round 1:

Laois 3-16 Carlow 0-8, Netwatch Cullen Park;

Longford 0-16 Offaly 0-13, O’Connor Park;

Westmeath 3-14 Louth 0-16, Drogheda.

Quarter-finals:

May 31: Dublin v Longford, Croke Park;

June 6: Kildare v Laois, O’Connor Park;

June 14: Meath v Wicklow, Pairc Tailteann; Westmeath v Wexford, Cusack Park.

Semi-finals:

June 28: Wexford/Westmeath v Meath/Wicklow, Croke Park; Dublin/Longford v Kildare/Laois, Croke Park.

Final:

July 12

MUNSTER

Quarter-finals:

May 24: Clare 0-15 Limerick 0-13, Ennis;

May 31: Tipperary v Waterford, Thurles

Semi-finals:

June 14:

Cork v Clare, Pairc Uí Rinn;

Waterford or Tipperary v Kerry, Fraher Field or Thurles.

Final:

July 5

ULSTER

Preliminary round:

Donegal 1-13 Tyrone 1-10 Ballybofey.

Quarter-finals:

Monaghan 0-16 Cavan 0-15, Kingspan Breffni Park

May 31: Antrim v Fermanagh, Brewster Park;

June 7: Derry v Down, Celtic Park;

June 14: Armagh v Donegal, Athletic Grounds

Semi-finals:

June 21: Monaghan v Antrim/Fermanagh;

June 27: Donegal/Armagh v Antrim/Fermanagh.

Final:

July 19

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

Qualifiers

Round 1A:

June 20: Four games: Carlow, Offaly, Cavan, London, Dublin/Longford, Kildare/Laois; Antrim/Fermanagh; Tipperary/Waterford.

Round 1B:

June 27: Four games: Tyrone, Louth, Leitrim, Limerick; Armagh/Donegal, Derry/Down, Meath/Wicklow, Wexford/Westmeath

Round 2A:

July 4: Four 1A winners v four beaten provincial semi-finalists

Round 2B:

July 11: Four 1B winners v four beaten provincial semi-finalists.

Round 3A:

July 11: Four 2A winners play off in two games;

Round 3B

July 18: Four 2B winners play off in two games.

Round 4A:

July 25: Munster runners-up v 3A winner; Leinster runners-up v 3A winner

Round 4B:

August 1/2/3: Connacht runners-up v 3B winner; Ulster runners-up v 3B winner

Quarter-finals:

August 1/2/3: Leinster winners v 4A winner; Munster winners v 4A winner.

August 8: Connacht winner v 4B winner; Ulster winner v 4B winner

Semi-final:

August 23: Ulster v Munster

August 30: Connacht v Leinster

Final:

September 20