Senior footballers hoping to maintain winning streak in Leinster

Tue, 19th June 2018

Galway are the first county to qualify for the GAA football All-Ireland quarter-final group stages and will be joined next weekend by the winners of the Munster, Leinster and Ulster finals.

It’s also very busy on the All-Ireland qualifier front with eight Round 2 games on Saturday and Sunday.

The line-up is as follows:

SATURDAY

Munster final: Cork v Kerry, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 7.00pm

All-Ireland qualifiers – Round 2

Waterford v Monaghan, Dungarvan, 2.00pm

Tipperary v Mayo, Semple Stadium, 5.00pm

Carlow v Tyrone, Netwatch Cullen Park, 5.00pm

Cavan v Down, Enniskillen, 5.00pm

Sligo v Armagh, Markievicz Park, 6.00pm

Leitrim v Louth, Carrick-on-Shannon, 7.00pm

Longford v Kildare, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 7.00pm

SUNDAY

Ulster final: Donegal v Fermanagh, Clones, 2.00pm

Leinster final: Dublin v Laois, Croke Park, 4.00pm

All-Ireland qualifier – Round 2

Offaly v Clare, Tullamore, 1.30pm

DUBLIN v LAOIS

Laois are seeking their first championship win over Dublin since 2003 (Leinster semi-final), which was also the last time they won the Leinster title.

Dublin have beaten them seven times since then, the most recent coming two years ago.

PATHS TO THE FINAL

Dublin 4-25 Wicklow 1-11

Dublin 2-25 Longford 0-12

Dublin’s Top Scorers

Dean Rock...........2-8 (0-7 frees)

Ciaran Kilkenny...1-11

Brian Fenton.........1-7

Laois 2-21 Wexford 1-18 (aet)

Laois 4-13 Westmeath 1-12

Laois 0-12 Carlow 0-8

Laois’ Top Scorers

Paul Kingston..........3-6

Donie Kingston.......1-10 (0-6 frees, 1-0pen)

Ross Munnelly.........0-10 (0-8 frees)

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2016: Dublin 2-21 Laois 2-10 (Leinster quarter-final)

2014: Dublin 2-21 Laois 0-16 (Leinster quarter-final)

2012: Dublin 1-11 Laois 0-12 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

2011: Dublin 1-16 Laois 0-11 (Leinster quarter-final)

2007: Dublin 3-14 Laois 1-14 (Leinster final)

PREVIOUS DUBLIN v LAOIS LEINSTER FINALS

2007: Dublin 3-14 Laois 1-14

2005: Dublin 0-14 Laois 0-13

1985: Dublin 0-10 Laois 0-4

1963: Dublin 2-11 Laois 2-9

1959: Dublin 1-18 Laois 2-8

Dublin are bidding to win the Leinster title for an 8th successive year.

Jim Gavin is in his sixth season as Dublin manager; John Sugrue is in his first term as Laois boss.

Dublin have won the last four Leinster finals by an average of just over 13 points, beating Kildare by nine last year, Westmeath by 15 in 2016 and by 13 in 2015 and Meath by 16 in 2014.

Dublin’s Allianz League (Division 1) and Leinster Championship Record this year is: Played 10, Won 8, Drew 1 (v Galway Round 6), Lost 1 (v Monaghan Round 7)

Laois’ Allianz League (Div 4) and Leinster Championship record this year is: Played 9, Won 9.

Laois were the last county to prevent Dublin scoring a goal in a Leinster final. In 2005 Dublin beat them by 0-14 to 0-13 in the decider. Since then, Dublin have scored a total of 24 goals in 11 finals.

The winners will advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals where their opponents in the first phase (July 14/15) will be Donegal or Fermanagh.

PREVIOUS LEINSTER TITLE SUCCESSES

DUBLIN 56 (1891-92-94-96-97-98-99-1901-02-04-06-07-08-20-21-22-23-24-32-33-34-41-42-55-58-59-62-63 -65-74-75-76-77-78-79-83-84-85-89-92-93-94-95-2002-05-06-07-08-09-11-12-13-14-15-16-17)

LAOIS 6 (1896-1936-37-38-46-2003)

CORK v KERRY

The great rivalry returns to Páirc Uí Chaoimh for the first time since 2014, with Cork seeking their first win over Kerry in the championship since the 2012 Munster semi-final. They have met five times since then, with Kerry winning four while there was one draw (2015)

PATHS TO THE FINAL

Cork 1-17 Tipperary 0-9

Cork’s Top Scorers

Luke Connolly.........0-10 (0-5 frees)

Colm O’Neill...........1-0

Mark Collins..........0-3

Kerry 0-32 Clare 0-10

Kerry’s Top Scorers

Sean O’Shea.................0-7 (0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘45’)

Paul Geaney.................0-7 (0-1 free)

James O’Donoghue......0-4 (0-2 frees)

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2017: Kerry 1-23 Cork 0-15 (Munster final)

2015: Kerry 1-11 Cork 1-6 (Munster final) Replay

2015: Kerry 2-15 Cork 3-12 (Munster final) Draw

2014: Kerry 0-24 Cork 0-12 (Munster final)

2013: Kerry 1-16 Cork 0-17 (Munster final)

Kerry are seeking their 80th Munster title while Cork are chasing their 38th. Here’s the Munster Roll of Honour. Kerry (79); Cork (37); Tipperary (9); Clare (2); Limerick (1); Waterford (1)

Cork haven’t beaten Kerry in the championship since 2012. It’s their longest barren spell against their great rivals since going from 1974 to 1983 without a win.

Kerry are seeking to win the Munster title for a sixth successive season, something they last achieved in 1975-80. They added two more titles in 1981-82.

Cork v Kerry has been by far the busiest championship rivalry in the new Millennium. They have met 28 times since 2000, with Kerry winning 17 to Cork’s five while there were six draws. Six of Kerry’s wins have been in All-Ireland semi-finals/final in Croke, where Cork have never beaten their neighbours.

Changed times....it’s six years since Cork last beat Kerry in the championship (0-17 to 0-12 in the 2012 Munster semi-final). Here are the teams:

Cork: Alan Quirke; Ray Carey, Eoin Cadogan, Michael Shields; Paudie Kissane, Graham Canty, Noel O’Leary; Alan O’Connor, Aidan Walsh; Ciaran Sheehan, Paddy Kelly, Paul Kerrigan; Colm O’Neill, Nicholas Murphy, Donncha O’Connor.

Subs: Daniel Goulding for Sheehan; Barry O’Driscoll for Murphy; Eoin Cotter for Kissane; Mark Collins for Kerrigan.

Kerry: Brendan Kealy; Killian Young, Aidan O’Mahony, Marc O Se; Peter Crowley, Eoin Brosnan, Tomas O Se; Anthony Maher, Seamus Scanlon; Paul Galvin, Declan O’Sullivan, Darran O’Sullivan; Colm Cooper, Kieran Donaghy, Kieran O’Leary.

Subs: Johnny Buckley for Scanlon; James O’Donoghue for O’Leary; Patrick Curtin for Donaghy; Barry John Keane for Galvin.

The winners will advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals where their opponents in the first phase (July 14/15) will be Galway.

FERMANAGH v DONEGAL

They meet in the Ulster final for the first time, with Fermanagh also seeking to win the title for the first time. Their previous Ulster final appearances were in 1914 (lost to Monaghan), 1935 (lost to Cavan), 1945 (lost to Cavan), 1982 (lost to Armagh) and 2008 (drew and lost replay to Armagh).

PATHS TO THE FINAL

Donegal 2-20 Cavan 1-15

Donegal 2-16 Derry 0-16

Donegal 2-22 Down 1-12

Donegal’s Top Scorers

Paddy McBrearty........0-18 (0-6 frees)

Michael Murphy..........0-13 (0-6 frees, 0-1 ‘45’)

Jamie Brennan.............1-6

***

Fermanagh 0-12 Armagh 0-7

Fermanagh 1-8 Monaghan 0-10

Fermanagh’s Top Scorers

Seamus Quigley.......0-9 (0-7 frees)

Eoin Donnelly...........1-0

Ryan Jones.................0-2

Aidan Breen................0-2

Tomas Corrigan..........0-2

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2016: Donegal 2-12 Fermanagh 0-11 (Ulster quarter-final)

2006: Donegal 0-11 Fermanagh 0-8 (All-Ireland qualifier – Round 4)

2004: Fermanagh 1-10 Donegal 0-12 aet (All-Ireland qualifier – Round 4)

2003: Fermanagh 0-10 Donegal 0-6 (Ulster quarter-final)

2001: Donegal 0-15 Fermanagh 1-6 (All-Ireland qualifiers)

Donegal are seeking to take the Ulster title for the ninth time, having previous won in 1972-74-83-90-92- 2011-2012-14. The counties will both be in Division 2 of the Allianz League next year after Donegal were relegated from Division 1 and Fermanagh were promoted from Division 3 last March.

Donegal scored two goals against Fermanagh in their last championship clash two years ago but the previ- ous five championship games between the counties produced only three goals.

There’s a marked contrast in the scoring and concession rates between the counties on their way to the Ulster final. Donegal scored an average of 2-19 and conceded 0-16 in their wins over Cavan, Derry and Down while Fermanagh scored an average of 11.5 points and conceded 8.5 points against Armagh and Monaghan.

Donegal are in the Ulster final for the seventh time in eight seasons. They won in 2011-12-14 and lost in 2013-15-16.

The winners will advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals where their opponents in the first phase (July 14/15) will be Dublin or Laois.

ALL-IRELAND QUALIFIERS

TIPPERARY v MAYO

They last met in the championship in the 2016 All-Ireland semi-final when Mayo won by five points.

PREVIOUS CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2016: Mayo 2-13 Tipperary 0-14 (All-Ireland semi-final)

2002: Mayo 0-21 Tipperary 1-14 (2002 All-Ireland qualifiers)

1922: Tipperary 1-5 Mayo 1-0 (All-Ireland semi-final)

1919: Tipperary 2-2 Mayo 1-4 (All-Ireland semi-final)

2018 CHAMPIONSHIP

Galway 1-12 Mayo 0-12

Mayo 5-19 Limerick 3-7

***

Tipperary 0-20 Waterford 0-9

Cork 1-17 Tipperary 0-9

CAVAN V DOWN

This will be their first meeting in the championship for eleven years. Their most recent competitive meeting was in this year’s Allianz League (Division 2) in March when Cavan won by 0-17 to 0-14 in King- span Breffni Park.

2018 CHAMPIONSHIP

Donegal 2-20 Cavan 1-15

Cavan 2-16 Wicklow 1-5

***

Down 1-18 Antrim 0-14

Donegal 2-22 Down 1-12

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2007: Down 0-15 Cavan 0-11 – Replay (Ulster preliminary round)

2007: Down 3-8 Cavan 2-11 – Draw (Ulster preliminary round)

2006: Down 1-13 Cavan 0-11 (Ulster preliminary round)

2004: Cavan 3-13 Down 2-12 – Replay (Ulster quarter-final)

2004: Cavan 1-13 Down 1-13 – Draw (Ulster quarter-final)

LONGFORD V KILDARE

They last met in the championship in 2015 when Kildare won a qualifier tie by 19 points. That was their first championship clash since 2003, having gone 20 years prior to that without meeting.

2018 CHAMPIONSHIP

Longford 0-16 Meath 0-14

Dublin 2-25 Longford 0-12

***

Carlow 2-14 Kildare 1-10

Kildare 2-22 Derry 2-14

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2015: Kildare 2-24 Longford 0-11 (All-Ireland qualifiers)

2003: Kildare 1-14 Longford 2-6 (Leinster quarter-final)

1983: Kildare 3-9 Longford 2-9 (Leinster quarter-final)

1974: Kildare 2-10 Longford 0-11 (Leinster quarter-final)

1973: Kildare 0-13 Longford 0-8 (Leinster quarter-final)

SLIGO V ARMAGH

They meet in the championship for the third time, their previous meetings coming in the 2002 All-Ireland quarter-final. They drew (Armagh 2-9 Sligo 0-15) in Croke Park, with Armagh winning the replay by 1-16 to 0-17 in Navan. Armagh later went on to win the All-Ireland title for the first time.

2018 CHAMPIONSHIP

Sligo 1-21 London 1-11

Galway 4-24 Sligo 1-12

Fermanagh 0-12 Armagh 0-7

Armagh 3-16 Westmeath 1-11

OFFALY V CLARE

They meet in the championship for the third time, with Offaly having won the previous two. They won by 2-18 to 1-18 after extra-time in Tullamore in the 2010 qualifiers and by 1-12 to 1-8 in the 2003 qualifiers in Ennis.

2018 CHAMPIONSHIP

Wicklow 1-20 Offaly 1-15 (aet)

Offaly 2-20 Antrim 1-15

Kerry 0-32 Clare 0-10

CARLOW V TYRONE

They meet in the championship for the first time.

2018 CHAMPIONSHIP

Carlow 2-17 Louth 0-12

Carlow 2-14 Kildare 1-10

Laois 0-12 Carlow 0-8

***

Monaghan 1-18 Tyrone 1-16

Tyrone 2-14 Meath 0-19 (aet)

LEITRIM V LOUTH

Their only previous championship meeting was in the 2015 All-Ireland qualifiers when Louth won a Round 1 clash by 1-16 to 0-11 in Drogheda.

2018 CHAMPIONSHIP

Leitrim 0-19 New York 1-15

Roscommon 0-24 Leitrim 0-10

***

Carlow 2-17 Louth 0-12

Louth 2-26 London 1-19

WATERFORD V MONAGHAN

They meet in the championship for the first time.

2018 CHAMPIONSHIP

Tipperary 0-20 Waterford 0-9

Waterford 3-14 Wexford 1-18

Monaghan 1-18 Tyrone 1-16

Fermanagh 1-8 Monaghan 0-10

2018 GAA FOOTBALL ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

CONNACHT

May 6: Quarter-finals: Leitrim 0-19 New York 1-15 (aet), Gaelic Park; Sligo 1-21 London 1-11, McGovern Park, Ruislip.

May 13: Quarter-final: Galway 1-12 Mayo 0-12, Elverys Mac Hale Park.

May 26: Semi-final: Roscommon 0-24 Leitrim 0-10, Carrick-on-Shannon.

June 3: Semi-final: Galway 4-24 Sligo 1-12, Pearse Stadium

June 17: Final: Galway 0-16 Roscommon 2-6, Dr. Hyde Park

LEINSTER

May 12: First round: Laois 2-21 Wexford 1-18 (aet), Innovate Wexford Park.

May 13: First round: Carlow 2-17 Louth 0-12; Wicklow 1-20 Offaly 1-15 (aet) Both in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.

May 26/27: Quarter-finals: Laois 4-13 Westmeath 1-12, Tullamore; Carlow 2-14 Kildare 1-10, Tullamore; Dublin 4-25 Wicklow 1-11; Longford 0-16 Meath 0-14, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

June 10: Semi-finals: Laois 0-12 Carlow 0-8; Dublin 2-25 Longford 0-12. Both in Croke Park.

June 24: Final: Dublin v Laois, Croke Park.

MUNSTER

May 19: Quarter-finals: Clare 1-23 Limerick 0-14, Gaelic Grounds; Tipperary 0-20 Waterford 0-9, Semple Stadium.

May 26: Semi-final: Cork 1-17 Tipperary 0-9, Semple Stadium.

June 3: Kerry 0-32 Clare 0-10, Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney.

June 23: Final: Cork v Kerry, Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

ULSTER

May 13: Preliminary Round: Donegal 2-20 Cavan 1-15, Ballybofey.

May 19: Quarter-final: Fermanagh 0-12 Armagh 0-7, Enniskillen.

May 20: Quarter-final: Monaghan 1-18 Tyrone 1-16, Omagh.

May 26: Quarter-final: Down 1-18 Antrim 0-14, Newry.

May 27: Quarter-final: Donegal 2-16 Derry 0-16, Celtic Park.

June 3: Semi-final: Fermanagh 1-8 Monaghan, 0-10, Omagh

June 10: Semi-final: Donegal 2-22 Down 1-12

June 24: Final: Fermanagh v Donegal, Clones

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 9/10: Qualifiers – Round 1: Kildare 2-22 Derry 2-14, Owenbeg; Tyrone 2-14 Meath 0-19 (aet), Navan; Louth 2-26 London 1-19, McGovern Park, Ruislip; Mayo 5-19 Limerick 3-7, Gaelic Grounds; Armagh 3-16 Westmeath 1-11, Mullingar; Waterford 3-14 Wexford 1-18, Innovate Wexford Park; Cavan 2-16 Wicklow 1 -5, Joule Park Aughrim; Offaly 2-20 Antrim 1-15, Bord na Mona O’Connor Park.

June 23/24: Qualifiers – Round 2: Tipperary v Mayo; Carlow v Tyrone; Waterford v Monaghan; Sligo v Ar- magh; Longford v Kildare; Leitrim v Louth; Cavan v Down; Offaly v Clare.

June 30: Qualifiers Round 3: Round 2 winners – four games

July 7/8: Qualifiers Round 4: Round 2 winners v beaten provincial finalists (Roscommon; Dublin/Laois; Fer- managh/Donegal; Cork/Kerry)

QUARTER-FINALS

July 14/15: Phase 1: Group 1: Galway v Munster winners; Leinster winners v Ulster winners; Ulster runners-up or Round 4 winners v Leinster Runners-up or Round 4 winner.

July 21/22: Phase 2: Group 1: Galway v Ulster runners-up/ Round 4 qualifier; Munster winners v Leinster runners-up/ Round 4 qualifier; Group 2: Ulster winners v Munster runners-up/Round 4 qualifier; Leinster winners v Roscommon or Round 4 winner.

August 4/5/6: Phase 3: Group 1: Munster winners v Ulster runners-up/Round 4 winners; Galway v Leinster runners-up/Round 4 winners; Group 2: Leinster winners v Munster runners-up/Round 4 winners; Ulster winners v Roscommon or Round 4 winner.