WEEKEND PREVIEWS
FOOTBALL TODAY LEINSTER SFC FINAL
Dublin v Meath, Croke Park, 7pm; Referee: D O’Mahony (Tipperary) Commentators are seeing what they want to see to build the case that the champions are on the wane. Ciaran Kilkenny is making an early and strong application for Player of the Year, bagging 1-9 in the 33-point aggregate wins over Westmeath and Laois, while Paul Mannion’s appearance off the bench last weekend suggests the team will start to take on a familiar shape. Meath’s form is on an upwards trajectory but it won’t be enough. Verdict: Dublin
TOMORROW ULSTER SFC FINAL
Cavan v Donegal, Athletic Grounds, 4pm; Referee: B Cassidy (Derry) Ulster’s claim of having the most competitive provincial Championship is a tad undermined by the fact that Cavan are 7/1 to win here, which is almost double the odds Donegal are to win the Al-Ireland (4/1). In normal circumstances, when a team shows such resolve as Cavan did in overturning seven and 10point deficits against Monaghan and Down, it is hard not to give them a puncher’s chance. With the obvious exception of Dublin, Donegal look the best balanced team left in the Championship. A first-ever three-in-a-row in Ulster has the feel of a pitstop on the road to something bigger. Verdict: Donegal
MUNSTER SFC FINAL
Cork v Tipperary, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 1.30pm; Referee: M Deegan (Laois) Tipperary manager David Power insisted this week that his team will hold ‘no fear’ of Cork, because so many of his players have beaten the Rebels at all levels through the grades. The Premier men have been boosted by the news that Sydney Swans had given the green light to Colin O’Riordan to play. Despite Tipp’s successes, Cork have shown that when it really matters, they have their rivals’ measure, beating them in the 2017 and 2018 Championship. Cork’s win over Kerry is likely to be transformative in terms of their belief levels. More to the point, they won that game with a malfunctioning attack and if that clicks into gear, this could turn ugly for Tipp. Verdict: Cork
HURLING TODAY ALL-IRELAND SHC QUARTER-FINALS
Galway v Tipperary, LIT Gaelic Grounds, 1.15pm (RTÉ1); Referee: J Murphy (Limerick) From the body language of Cathal Mannion during a conference call earlier in the week, there was no doubting how much losing the Leinster final hurt. How much Kilkenny’s smash and grab raid is still in their system will go a long way to deciding this. Galway have the runners, power and athleticism, and have a strike trio of Joe Canning, Conor Whelan and Brian Concannon to win this. Verdict: Galway
Waterford v Clare, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 3.45pm (Sky Sports Mix); Referee: P O’Dwyer (Carlow)
Every team has come with a plan to limit the influence of Tony Kelly — no team has gone close to making it work. Waterford supporters won’t have forgotten either Kelly’s match-winning points when Clare won the National League final replay between these two in 2016. A six-day turnaround from the Munster final could very well be a fatal blow to Waterford’s ambitions but there were so many positives to take in defeat — the energy, defensive organisation, and the seven different scorers — that it’s within them to bounce back. Verdict: Waterford
JOE McDONAGH CUP ROUND 4
Meath v Westmeath, Páirc Tailteann, 1pm; Referee: R McGann (Clare) Darragh Kelly’s capacity to hit a booming score from distance was one of the features of Meath’s performance against Carlow and Nick Weir’s team will take confidence from the late fightback against a Westmeath team that has been out of sorts so far. Verdict: Meath
KERRY V CARLOW
Austin Stack Park, 1.30pm Referee: C McAllister (Cork) As Kerry manager Fintan O’Connor has pointed out, this is a fantastic opportunity for the team to make it to the Joe McDonagh Cup final and go within a match of being part of the 2021 Leinster Championship and Liam MacCarthy race. More than enough motivation then. Marty Kavanagh remains in scoring form for Carlow though and the squad’s overall big-game know-how could be the difference. Verdict: Carlow
TOMORROW
NICKY RACKARD CUP FINAL Donegal v Mayo, Croke Park, 1.30pm (Sport TG4/YouTube); Referee: K Jordan (Tipperary) Mayo’s Shane Boland has clocked up 1-31 over three games while Gerard Gilmore made the GAA Team of the Week after his two goals helped Donegal power past Tyrone and into the final. It looks set up for a high-scoring affair on the fast sod of Croke Park. Verdict: Mayo
CHRISTY RING CUP FINAL
Down v Kildare, Croke Park, 4pm (Sport TG4 YouTube); Referee: C Mooney (Dublin) Down will take so much from going toe-to-toe with Offaly over the course of regular time, and then extra time, before captain and goalkeeper Stephen Keith emerged as the penalty shoot-out hero, making two crucial saves and then scoring the winner last Saturday. After disposing of Michael Fennelly’s charges, now they face off against another student of Brian Cody in David Herity. Brian Byrne and Jack Sheridan have been clocking up regular big tallies with Kildare and both teams have the comfort of knowing they are already promoted to the Joe McDonagh Cup for 2021. Verdict: Down