PREVIEWS: TG4 All-Ireland semi-final slots on offer; Intermediate relegation play-offs in store

A pivotal weekend lies in store in the 2023 TG4 All-Ireland Championships – with All-Ireland semi-final slots on offer in the Intermediate and Junior grades.  

Two teams will also be relegated from the Intermediate ranks on Saturday, with Offaly, Longford, Louth and Roscommon all battling for survival.  

Those relegation play-offs will both take place in Kinnegad, as Kilkenny and Sligo conclude their Junior campaign.  

Attention on Sunday switches to the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship quarter-finals, with all four ties down for decision.  

There are also three remaining fixtures in the group stages of the Junior Championship to be completed, after which the semi-final line-up will be confirmed.  

All ten of the weekend’s games can be accessed via the LGFA’s live-streaming portal:
https://bit.ly/3oktfD5 

 

Saturday July 8 

 

TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship – relegation play-offs  

 

Offaly v Longford; Kinnegad, 2pm  

 

Offaly survived relegation from Division 3 of the Lidl National League earlier in the year and now they must do similar to preserve Intermediate Championship status.  

Their opponents are Leinster counterparts Longford, who were relegated from Division 3 and could now drop down to the Junior Championship ranks.  

This is a massive fixture for both counties, who finished bottom of their respective All-Ireland Championship groups.   

 

Louth v Roscommon; Kinnegad, 4pm  

 

Roscommon were All-Ireland semi-finalists last year but now find themselves battling to stay alive in the Intermediate Championships ranks.  

Defeats to Wexford and Monaghan have plunged the Rossies into a relegation play-off, and they’ll want to stay up after slipping from Division 2 to Division 3 of the Lidl National League this year.  

Louth, Junior All-Ireland Champions in 2019, they’ll be faced with a return to that grade if they can’t get the better of the Rossies.  

 

TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship  

 

Group A 

 

Kilkenny v Sligo; Crettyard, 3pm  

 

Just pride to play for in Crettyard with Kilkenny and Sligo both out of the running for a semi-final place.  

The sides are pointless after two games but this fixture affords the winner the opportunity to finish their 2023 inter-county season on a high.  

 

Sunday July 9  

 

TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship – quarter-finals 

 

Wexford v Leitrim; Chadwick’s Wexford Park, 2pm  

 

Wexford topped Group 3 in impressive fashion, securing victories over Roscommon and Monaghan.  

Their reward is a home quarter-final against Leitrim, who finished second behind Kildare in Group 1.  

An interesting tie lies in store as Wexford, beaten All-Ireland Finalists in 2021 and 2022, aim to keep alive their hopes of contesting a third successive Final.  

The winners of this one will face Kildare or Tyrone in the semi-finals.  

 

Antrim v Monaghan; Davitt Park, Belfast, 2pm  

 

A repeat of the Ulster Final sees Antrim with home advantage in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.  

Antrim, last year’s Junior champions, have been brilliant in 2023, landing the Lidl NFL Division 4 title before adding a first ever provincial Intermediate crown.  

But Monaghan, relegated from the Senior ranks last year, will be hellbent on revenge for two defeats against the Saffrons in the province – and they’ll have learned plenty from those games.  

Can the Antrim fairytale continue – or will Monaghan get one over on their provincial rivals?  

 

Kildare v Tyrone; Manguard Plus Hawkfield COE, 2pm  

 

Tyrone bowed out of the All-Ireland series at the quarter-final stage last year, losing out to Wexford.  

Now, Leinster opposition stands in the way of the Red Hands again, this time in the form of Kildare.  

Kildare topped Group 1 to secure a home quarter-final, while Tyrone finished second behind Clare in Group 2, having drawn with the Banner County after defeating Wicklow and Offaly.  

Kildare, Lidl National League Division 3 and TG4 Leinster champions, have been one of the form teams in 2023 and they’ll need to be at their very best here to progress.  

 

Clare v Westmeath; Cusack Park, Ennis, 2pm  

 

Westmeath, relegated from the Senior grade last year, had to beat Longford in their second group game to advance to the knockout stages, having lost to Antrim.  

The Lake County now face a tough assignment against Clare, who topped Group 2 unbeaten ahead of Tyrone.  

This tie pits Clare’s in-form Fidelma Marrinan, who’s scored 2-19 in the All-Ireland series to date, against Aoife Connolly, who’s bagged 3-7 for Westmeath. 

The winners here will advance to an All-Ireland semi-final against Antrim or Monaghan.  

TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship 

 

Group A 

 

Limerick v Down; Newcastlewest, 1pm  

 

Both sides are both safely through to the semi-finals – and this fixture will decide who tops the group.  

The winners here will face the second-placed team from Group B, which will be Carlow or London.  

 

Group B 

 

Carlow v London; Netwatch Cullen Park, 2pm  

 

A straight shoot-out here for second place behind Fermanagh.  

Carlow and London both go into this one with victories secured over Derry, but with defeats against Fermanagh.  

 

Derry v Fermanagh; St Treas, Ballymaguigan, 5pm  

 

Fermanagh are already safely through as table-toppers and they’ll face either Limerick or Down in the semi-finals.  

Fermanagh would like to finish their group campaign on a high – and victory over pointless Derry would ensure that.  

 

Ticket details available at: https://bit.ly/3NYeH5R 

Match programmes available at: https://bit.ly/3O4djik