Senior footballers ready to set out on Leinster road

Dublin's senior footballers' Championship quest begins in Portlaoise on Saturday evening when they play Louth in the Leinster SFC quarter-final. It’s part of a double-header with Carlow v Meath while Tullamore has another double-header on Sunday when Westmeath play Laois and Kildare play Longford.

Connacht stages semi-final action – Mayo v Roscommon in Castlebar on Saturday evening - while the busy weekend also features two Ulster quarter-finals, Antrim v Tyrone on Saturday and Fermanagh v Donegal on Sunday.

The full line-up is as follows

SATURDAY

Leinster quarter-finals: Carlow v Meath, O’Moore Park, 5.0; Dublin v Louth, O’Moore Park, 7.0

Connacht semi-final: Mayo v Roscommon, Elverys MacHale Park, 7.0

Ulster quarter-final: Antrim v Tyrone, Athletic Grounds, Armagh, 6.0

SUNDAY

Leinster quarter-finals: Laois v Westmeath, Bord na Mona O’Connor Park, 2.0; Kildare v Longford, Bord na Mona O’Connor Park, 4.0.

Ulster quarter-final: Fermanagh v Donegal, Brewster Park 2.0

DUBLIN v LOUTH

They meet in the championship for the first time since 2012 when Dublin won a Leinster quarter-final clash by 16 points, 2-22 to 0-12.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2012: Dublin 2-22 Louth 0-12 (Leinster quarter-final)

2010: Dublin 2-14 Louth 0-13 (All-Ireland qualifier)

2008: Dublin 1-22 Louth 0-12 (Leinster quarter-final)

2003: Dublin 1-19 Louth 0-9 (Leinster quarter-final)

1999: Dublin 2-15 Louth 0-14 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

*Dublin are having their first outing in Championship 2019 as they set out in pursuit of a ninth successive provincial title and their 14th in 15 seasons.

*Louth beat Wexford by 0-22 to 1-14 in the Leinster 1st round last Sunday week.

*Louth are seeking their first championship win over Dublin since 1973 when they won a second round replay by 1-8 to 0-9 in Pairc Tailteann.

*Dublin and Louth have met 55 times in the championship. It’s 36-13 in Dublin’s favour, with six draws.

*Louth haven’t scored a goal against Dublin in their last six championship games.

*The winners will play Kildare or Longford in the Leinster semi-final on June 9.

KILDARE v LONGFORD

They meet in the championship for a second successive year, with Kildare having won an All-Ireland qualifier (Round 2) tie by three points in Longford last June.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2018: Kildare 1-16 Longford 1-13 (All-Ireland qualifiers)

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

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

*This will be Longford’s first game in this year’s championship, after earlier finishing fifth (three wins, a draw and three defeats) in Division 3.

*Kildare are having their second championship outing after beating Wicklow by 0-15 to 1-10 in the first round. Adam Tyrrell on 0-5 (0-4 frees) and Eoghan O’Flaherty on 0-4 were top scorers for the Lilywhites.

*Longford are bidding to reach the Leinster semi-finals for a second successive year, having beaten Meath to reach the last four in 2018.

*Kildare are attempting to reach the Leinster semi-finals for the 8th time in nine seasons. They reached seven semi-finals in a row in 2011-2017 but lost to Carlow in last year’s quarter-final.

*The winners play Dublin or Louth in the semi-final on June 9.

LAOIS v WESTMEATH

They meet in the Leinster quarter-final for a second successive year, with Laois having won by ten points in Tullamore last season. Paul Kingston scored 3-2 for Laois.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2018: Laois 4-13Westmeath 1-12 (Leinster quarter-final)

2004: Westmeath 0-12 Laois 0-10 (Leinster final replay)

2004: Laois 0-13 Westmeath 0-13 (Leinster final - draw)

2000: Westmeath 1-12 Laois 0-11 (Leinster quarter-final)

1999: Laois 1-16 Westmeath 1-8 (Leinster quarter-final)

*They are having their first outing in the 2019 championship after both won promotion from Division 3 on ten points. Laois had five wins and two defeats while Westmeath had four wins, two draws and one defeat.

*This will be their third clash of the year, with Westmeath having won the previous two by three points. It finished 0-13 to 0-10 for Westmeath in Round 4 of the Allianz League in Mullingar and 1-13 to 0-13 in the final in Croke Park.

*Laois are bidding to reach the Leinster semi-final for a second successive year. Westmeath lost to Laois in the quarter-final last year, having been semi-finalists in 2015-2016-2017.

*The winners play Carlow or Meath in the semi-finals on June 9.

CARLOW v MEATH

Carlow have never beaten Meath in the championship, with their best performance of recent times against the Royals coming in 2012 when they drew a quarter-final before losing ht replay.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2014: Meath 7-13 Carlow 0-6 (Leinster quarter-final)

2012: Meath 2-21 Carlow 1-9 (Leinster quarter-final) Replay

2012: Meath 1-12 Carlow 1-12 (Leinster quarter-final) Draw

2008: Meath 1-25 Carlow 0-8 (Leinster 1st round)

2006: Meath 1-17 Carlow 0-12 (All-Ireland qualifiers)

*Carlow are having their first outing in this year’s championship, after being relegated from Division 3 of the Allianz League with two wins, one draw and four defeats from seven games.

*Meath, who were promoted to Division 1 this year, are having their second championship outing after beating Offaly by two points in the Leinster first round.

*Meath beat Carlow by 28 points (7-13 to 0-6) in the 2014 Leinster quarter-final. Mickey Newman scored 3-2 for the winners.

*The winners play Westmeath or Laois in the Leinster semi-final on June 9.

MAYO v ROSCOMMON

They meet in the Connacht championship for the first time since 2014 when Mayo won a semi-final by a point in Dr. Hyde Park. However, they have since met twice in the All-Ireland quarter-final, with Mayo winning a replay in 2017 after a 1-12 (Mayo) to 2-9 (Roscommon (draw).

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2017: Mayo 4-19 Roscommon 0-9 (All-Ireland quarter-final) Replay

2017: Mayo 1-12 Roscommon 2-9 (All-Ireland quarter-final) Draw

2014: Mayo 0-13 Roscommon 1-9 (Connacht semi-final)

2013: Mayo 0-21 Roscommon 0-9 (2013 Connacht semi-final)

2011: Mayo 0-13 Roscommon 0-11 (Connacht final)

*Mayo beat New York by 1-22 to 0-4 while Roscommon beat Leitrim by 3-17 to 0-12 in the Connacht quarter-finals.

*Mayo are bidding to reach the Connacht final for the first time since 2015 while Roscommon are attempting to reach the decider for a fourth successive season.

*They sides met in the opening round of this year’s Allianz League in January when Mayo won by 1-8 to 1-7 in Castlebar.

*Anthony Cunningham is in his first season as Roscommon manager while James Horan is back in charge of Mayo, having previously been there in 2011-2014, a period in which they won four successive Connacht titles.

*Roscommon’s last win over Mayo in the championship was in 2001.

*The winners play Galway in the Connacht final on June 16.

ANTRIM v TYRONE

They meet in the Ulster championship for the first time since 2010, when Tyrone won a quarter-final tie by four points.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2010: Tyrone 2-14 Antrim 1-13 (Ulster quarter-final)

2009: Tyrone 1-18 Antrim 0-15 (Ulster final)

1993: Tyrone 1-17 Antrim 1-9 (Ulster semi-final)

1988: Tyrone 3-13 Antrim 2-4 (Ulster quarter-final)

1987: Tyrone 2-6 Antrim 2-5 (Ulster quarter-final) (Replay)

*Tyrone beat Derry by 1-19 to 1-13 in the Ulster quarter-final.

*Antrim, who are having their first outing in this year’s championship, finished third in Division 4 with three wins and four defeats.

*Antrim’s last win in the Ulster championship was against Fermanagh in the 2014 quarter-final.

*Tyrone haven’t lost to Antrim in the Ulster championship since 1964 when they were beaten in a first round tie by four points.

*The winners play Donegal or Fermanagh in the semi-final on June 8.

DONEGAL v FERMANAGH

They meet for a second successive year, with Donegal having won last year’s Ulster final by 12 points

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2018: Donegal 2-18 Fermanagh 0-12 (Ulster final)

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)

*Both are having their first outing in this year’s championship. Donegal took the Division 2 title (and promotion) earlier in the season after winning six and drawing two of eight games. Fermanagh finished third in Division 2 (three wins, two draws, two defeats).

*Fermanagh beat Donegal by three points (0-13 to 0-10) in Round 4 of this year’s Allianz League (Division 2) campaign in Letterkenny.

*Fermanagh’s last championship win over Donegal was in the 2004 qualifiers.

*The winners play Tyrone or Antrim in the Ulster semi-final on June 8.

GAA FOOTBALL ALL-IRELAND & PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2019

CONNACHT

May 5: Quarter-finals: Galway 0-16 London 1-9, McGovern Park, Ruislip; Mayo 1-22 New York 0-4, Gaelic Park.

May 12: Quarter-final: Roscommon 3-17 Leitrim 0-12, Dr. Hyde Park.

May 19: Semi-final: Galway 3-11 Sligo 0-7, Markievicz Park.

May 26: Semi-final: Mayo v Roscommon, Castlebar

June 16: Final: Galway v Mayo or Roscommon, Pearse Stadium

LEINSTER

May 11: First round: Kildare 0-15 Wicklow 1-10, Netwatch Cullen Park.

May 12: First round: Louth 0-22 Wexford 1-14, Innovate Wexford Park; Meath 1-13 Offaly 0-14, Pairc Tailteann.

May 25: Quarter-finals: Dublin v Louth, Portlaoise; Carlow v Meath, Bord na Mona Park, Portlaoise.

May 26: Quarter-finals: Longford v Kildare, Tullamore; Westmeath v Laois, Tullamore

June 9: Semi-finals: Louth/Dublin v Kildare/Longford; Meath/Carlow v Westmeath/Laois. Both in Croke Park.

June 23: Final: Croke Park

MUNSTER

May 11: Quarter-finals: Limerick 3-11 Tipperary 1-10, Semple Stadium; Clare 0-9 Waterford 0-8, Ennis

June 1: Semi-finals: Cork v Limerick, Pairc Ui Rinn; Clare v Kerry, Ennis

June 22: Final.

ULSTER

May 12: First round: Tyrone 1-19 Derry 1-13, Omagh.

May 18: Quarter-final: Cavan 1-13 Monaghan 0-12, Kingspan Breffni Park.

May 19: Quarter-final: Armagh 2-17 Down 3-13 (aet), Newry.

May 25: Quarter-final: Antrim v Tyrone, Athletic Grounds.

May 26: Quarter-final: Fermanagh v Donegal, Brewster Park.

June 2: Semi-final: Cavan v Armagh.

June 8: Semi-final: Tyrone/Antrim v Fermanagh/Donegal.

June 23: Final: Clones

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 8: Qualifiers – Round 1: Offaly, Wexford, Wicklow, Leitrim, London, Tipperary, Waterford, Derry, Monaghan, Down; Carlow or Meath; Laois or Westmeath; Kildare or Longford; Dublin or Louth; Tyrone or Antrim; Donegal or Fermanagh.

June 22: Qualifiers – Round 2 (Round 1 winners v beaten provincial semi- finalists)

June 29: Qualifiers- Round 3 (Round 2 winners)

July 6: Qualifiers – Round 4 (Round 3 winners v beaten provincial finalists)

July 13/14: All-Ireland quarter-finals – Phase 1

July 20/21: All-Ireland quarter-finals – Phase 2

August 3/4/5: All-Ireland quarter-finals – Phase 3

August 10/11: All-Ireland semi-finals, Croke Park.

September 1: Final, Croke Park.