PREVIEWS: Pivotal weekend ahead in TG4 Provincial Championships

ANOTHER big weekend lies in store in the TG4 Provincial Championships – with senior action in Connacht, Leinster and Munster.

On Saturday, Leitrim host holders Galway in the TG4 Connacht Senior Championship, before Sunday’s top tier focus switches to Leinster and Munster.

Kildare host Meath for the right to take on Dublin in the Leinster Final, as Waterford entertain Kerry and Cork travel to Tipperary in Munster.

There’s also more Munster B action in Munster, with other key in action in Leinster as the junior round-robin series continues, while there are two Intermediate semi-finals on the agenda.

In Ulster, Antrim can book a Junior Final slot, as Tyrone, Down, Monaghan and Cavan chase Intermediate Final places.

Sunday’s Leinster senior clash between Kildare and Meath will be streamed live at: https://bit.ly/4cVGZc4

Friday May 2, 2025

Munster Senior B Championship 

Limerick v Kerry; Rathkeale, 7.30pm 

Both counties will be looking to bounce back after Round 1 defeats.

Limerick lost narrowly to Clare by a point, as Kerry were well beaten by Cork.

Limerick: C Collum; C Hynes, Y Lee, J McGuire; M MacNamara, C Mee, G Lee; O Ryan, K O’Leary; C McGrath, D Murphy, E Crowe; E Woulfe, L O’Brien, R Ambrose (capt.).

Kerry: A Looney; L Reilly, K McGrath, L Kearins; A Quinn, K Furey, S O’Donovan; O Clifford, K Ryan; K McGlashan, A O’Sullivan, C Daly; E O’Sullivan, G Musgrave, M Duffy.

Saturday May 3, 2025 

TG4 Connacht Senior Championship

Leitrim v Galway; Avant Money Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick-On-Shannon, 6pm 

Leitrim simply have to win to stand a chance of reaching the TG4 Connacht Senior Final.

Following defeat against Mayo last weekend, another loss would see the 2024 TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate champions exit the provincial competition.

A victory for holders Galway in Carrick-on-Shannon would set up another Connacht Final clash with Mayo – and the Lidl NFL Division 2 champions, who contested last year’s All-Ireland Senior Final, will start as strong favourites against Leitrim.

The hosts have made two changes in personnel from the Mayo game, with Eimear Quigley and Aoife Gilmartin coming in for Jasmine Maye and Chloe Dolan.

Galway’s last competitive outing was the Lidl NFL Division 2 Final victory over Cork at Croke Park last month.

Manager Daniel Moynihan has opted for four changes in personnel from that outing, with Leah O’Halloran handed a start in goal, while Leanne Coen, Eva Noone and Andrea Trill have been handed opportunities to impress in attack.

Shauna Hynes, Ailbhe Davoren and Kate Slevin all started up front at Croke Park but sit this one out from the outset.

Leitrim: M Guckian (capt.); M Murphy, C Tyrell, E Quigley; S Reynolds, C Owens, R McIntyre; N Tighe, A Quinn; A Gilmartin, V Egan, A Clancy; L Fox, M Devaney, L O’Dowd.

Galway: L O’Halloran; A Ní Cheallaigh, S Ní Loingsigh, K Geraghty (capt.); H Noone, N Ward, C Trill; L Ward, S Divilly; L Noone, O Divilly, L Coen; E Noone, R Leonard, A Trill.

TG4 Ulster Junior Championship

Antrim v London; Tír na nÓg, Randalstown, 1pm

Antrim can book a place in the final with victory here.

The Saffrons, recently-crowned Lidl NFL Division 4 champions, got the better of Derry in Round 1.

London will provide stiff opposition but Antrim will start as favourites to advance.

Antrim: A Devlin; N McIntosh, M Blaney, M Mulholland; S O’Neill, C Brown, C McKenna; A Mulholland, O Todd; T Mellon, M O’Neill, A Kelly; B Devlin (capt.), L Agnew, Á Tubridy.

London: H Dike-Lawlor; M Jordan (capt.), L Harrold, O Reilly; C Flanagan, A Spain, N Cunningham; E McCarthy, A Healy; E Gray, A Molloy, D Snow; E Bartley, A Ryan, E Phelan.

Sunday May 4, 2025 

TG4 Leinster Senior Championship

Kildare v Meath; Cedral St Conleth’s Park, 2pm – Live stream at https://bit.ly/4cVGZc4

It’s all on the line for Kildare and Meath in Newbridge.

Both sides have lost to holders and finalists Dublin but they have a chance to join the Sky Blues in the Final.

It’s a winner takes all clash at Cedral St Conleth’s Park and Kildare have a psychological edge after defeating the Royals in Division 1 of the Lidl National League in February.

Meath have made one change to the team that lost out to Dublin, with Kerrie Cole coming in for Megan Collins at top of the left.

There are two changes for Kildare, with Lauren Murtagh and Ciara Moran coming in for Claire Sullivan and Emma Wheeler.

Kildare: M Hulgraine; R Sargent, L Lenehan (capt.), M Doherty; L Shaw, L Dunlea, M Aspel; L Murtagh, G Wheeler; C Moran, C Wheeler, N Dooley; A Rattigan, A Prizeman, R Byrne.

Meath: R Murray; A Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, K Newe; A Cleary (capt.), S Wall, K Kealy; O Sheehy, M Farrelly; M Thynne, N Gallogly, C Smyth; E Duggan, V Wall, K Cole.

TG4 Leinster Intermediate Championship semi-finals

Wicklow v Laois; Echelon Park, Aughrim, 2pm 

Wicklow’s eight point victory over Offaly sent them through to a TG4 Leinster Intermediate championship semi-final.

After suffering relegation from the Senior grade last year, Laois will be hoping they can bounce back up when the All-Ireland series rolls around.

But first and foremost, both sides here are focused on a provincial semi-final – and the chance to face Westmeath or Wexford in the Final.

Wicklow: E Griffin; S Goetelen, E O’Keane, A Gorman; S McGettigan, S Byrne, SJ Winders (capt.); S Evans, N Cullen; M Corr, H Dowling, L Dunne; I Ledesma, E.R. O’Toole, E O’Brien.

Laois: E Barry; S Farrelly, F McEvoy, G Lalor; A Gorman, A Moore, A Moran (capt.); F Dooley, J Moore; S Havill, E Lawlor, C Crowley; E Galvin, C Burke, M Nerney.

Westmeath v Wexford; Ballynacargy GAA, 2pm 

Westmeath finished strongly in Division 2 to retain their second-tier status in the Lidl National League.

Wexford, meanwhile, were busy gaining promotion from Division 3, although they did suffer defeat to Cavan in the provincial decider.

Both teams will come into this game in good form and it should make for an intriguing tie.

Westmeath: A Temple; L McCartan, S Murphy, F Coyle (capt.); C Gonoud, L Power, S Buckley; V Carr, A Roche; A Ruane, S Dillon, T Dillon; G Byrne, A Jones, C Kilmurray.

Wexford: S Cloake; S McCarthy, M Byrne, A Tormey; C Banville, A Halligan, K English; C Donnelly, R Murphy (capt.); S Hamilton, C Murray, O Byrne; A Neville, C Ni Nuallain, C Foxe.

TG4 Leinster Junior Championship Round 2

Louth v Carlow; Integral GAA Grounds, Drogheda, 2pm

Louth needed late heroics from captain Áine Breen, who popped up with a crucial brace of scores, to edge past Longford in Round 1.

Now they turn their attentions to Carlow, in what is a repeat of last year’s provincial decider.

Carlow also got their campaign off to a winning start last weekend, with a comfortable victory over Kilkenny.

Louth: R Lambe Fagan; C Boyle, E Hand, H Lambe Sally; C O’Reilly, S McLaughlin, A Russell; G McCrave, Á Breen (capt.); Z Sweeney, E Byrne, R Leonard; K Flood, C Woods, C Nolan.

Carlow: S Cotter; S McCullagh, C Mahon, K Tunstead; T Lyons, A Carroll, M Cranny; R Bailey (capt.), E Ware; B Nolan, O Woods, E Molloy, S Hayden; C Ní Shé, A Kiernan, N Hanley.

Longford v Kilkenny; Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford, 2pm 

Longford will be hoping to bounce back quickly after losing by just a point to Louth.

The Midlanders need the win here before they face Carlow in their final game in the round robin series.

Kilkenny will be hoping to remain competitive for as long as possible in this one.

Longford: A Cooney; G Kenny, L Keegan, A Brady; C McCormack, E O’Brien (capt.), E Duggan; S Gallagher, S Hagan; E O’Reilly, K Crawford, K McKeon; L McGuire, K Burke, C Lohan.

Kilkenny: K Fitzpatrick; S Mooney, A Galwey, R Crowley; S Dunne, L Brett, A Ring; E Lawlor (capt.), S Smith; N Ward, J O’Keefe, L Gilmore; A Ryan, L McDowell, K Purcell.

TG4 Munster Senior Championship

Tipperary v Cork; Fethard Town Park, 2pm 

This is a crucial game for both sides, following Round 1 defeats.

Tipperary lost out to Waterford, as Kerry got the better of Cork.

To keep Munster Final hopes alive, a win is a must in Fethard on Sunday – and there are changes to both teams.

Sarah English and Ava Fennessy come into the Tipperary side, with Kate Cashman and Caoimhe Condon dropping out.

For Cork, Máire O’Callaghan, Aoife Healy and Aine O’Sullivan are all drafted in to replace Aimee Corcoran, Sadbh McGoldrick and Abigail Ring.

Cork won comfortably in a Division 2 clash when the counties met during the group stages of the Lidl National League.

Tipperary: L Fitzpatrick; N Martin, L Morrissey, E Cronin; S English, M Curley, B Condon; A.R. Kennedy, C Kennedy; H Spillane, A Ryan, A O’Shea; A Moloney, K Crotty Ryan, A Fennessy.

Cork: S Murphy; D Kiniry, S Kelly, M Duggan; E O’Shea, S Cronin, R Corkery; M O’Callaghan, A Healy; A O’Mahony, L O’Mahony, E Cleary; A O’Sullivan, E Coppinger (capt.), K Quirke.

Waterford v Kerry; Dungarvan GAA, 2pm 

Another pivotal Munster Championship tie sees Waterford at home to TG4 provincial and All-Ireland champions Kerry.

A win for either side here and they’ll be almost guaranteed of a provincial final place and a competitive game lies in store.

Following victory over Tipperary in Round 1, Waterford have made two changes to their starting line-up.

Maeve Ryan and Carragh McCarthy earn starts for the Dungarvan showdown, as Aoife Murray and Lia Ní hArta drop to the bench.

Kerry have named an unchanged starting line-up and they’ll look to Danielle O’Leary and Síofra O’Shea for attacking power again.

O’Leary scored 1-3 and O’Shea added six points, including four frees, in the Cork win.

Waterford: G Corcoran; M Ryan, R Casey, C Murray; K McGrath, H Power, Á O’Neill; E Murray (capt.), E Power; B McMaugh, K Hogan, C McCarthy; K Murray, C Walsh, L McGregor.

Kerry: M.E. Bolger; F O’Donoghue, D Kearney, E Lynch; A O’Connell, N Broderick, A Dillane; M O’Connell, A Galvin; C Evans, N Ní Chonchúir, K Brosnan; D O’Leary, R Dwyer, S O’Shea.

Munster Senior B Championship

Cork v Clare; Cloughduv, 2pm 

Two teams who got off to winning starts meet in Round 2.

Clare edged out Limerick by a point, as Cork enjoyed a big win over Kerry.

Cork: C Moore; E Murphy, A McKennedy, R Sheehan; R Shanley, E Cooney, A O’Sullivan; A McTaggart, K O’Donovan; A Moloney, G Ní Mhurchú, H Fitzgerald; S Pattwell, A Hurley, R O’Regan.

Clare: A Griffin; L Power, G Harvey, R Doohan; C Byrne, J Doohan, E Burke; C Harvey (capt.), R Martin; M Downes, C Moloney, L Conway; A Slattery, E Hanrahan, S Melican.

TG4 Ulster Intermediate Championship semi-finals

Tyrone v Down; Thomas Clarke’s, Dungannon, 2pm 

A repeat of last year’s TG4 Intermediate semi-final pits Tyrone against Down.

This time, it’s in the Ulster Championship and there’s a final place at stake.

Tyrone have Lidl NFL Division 1 experience from this year to call upon but Down are the provincial champions.

Tyrone had to survive a fierce test from Fermanagh last weekend before advancing on a 4-11 to 3-11 scoreline.

Tyrone: A Coyle; J Lyons, G McKenna, E Quinn; C Canavan, C Campbell, S McCarroll; M Mallon, A McHugh (capt.); M Moore, S Gormley, A Horisk; A McGahan, C McCrossan, N O’Neill.

Down: C Byrne; A Greene, C McCreanor, N McClory; C Mulvenna (capt.), A Brogan, A Sands; M Doherty, A Laverty; E Fitzpatrick, L Duffy, A Smyth; N King, N Rice, E Hicks.

Monaghan v Cavan; Éire Óg, Smithboro, 2pm 

Monaghan lost out in last year’s provincial final and will be anxious to go one step better this time.

But they’ll have it all to do against a Cavan side on the rise.

The Breffni County landed the Lidl National League Division 3 title recently and will be high on confidence.

Monaghan won three of their seven outings in Division 2 of the Lidl NFL and this one could go right to the wire.

Monaghan: O Kelly; C Brennan, S Brady, A Loughman; G Hanratty, J Duffy, A Garland (capt.); A Burns, N Flannigan; C Kelly, L Garland, C Treanor; L Connolly, E Sherry, L Maguire.

Cavan: E Baugh; L Crowe, S Kelly, E Corcoran; M Sheridan, S Lynch (capt.), S Greene; M Fitzpatrick, A Deneher; E Brady, L McVeety, C Dolan; N Keenaghan, A Sheridan, A Gilsenan.