PREVIEWS: TG4 All-Ireland SFC quarter-final pairings to be confirmed; Junior Championship continues

THE 2023 TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final pairings will be confirmed on Saturday – while the Junior Championship picture will also become clearer over the coming weekend.

The group phase of the Senior Championship concludes on Saturday, with four ties down for decision.

The live TG4 action gets underway with the game between Mayo and Laois at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar, at 1.30pm.

The evening fixture is the meeting of champions Meath and Donegal from Páirc Tailteann, Navan, at 7.30pm.

Following the conclusion of that clash, the draw for the quarter-finals, which will be played over the weekend of July 15/16, will be made.

Saturday’s Senior action commences with the meeting of Kerry and Cavan in Tralee (12.30pm), while Cork are at home to Tipperary in Clonakilty at 2pm.

There’s a Junior Championship tie between Fermanagh and London at 1pm on Saturday, with the Down-Kilkenny, Limerick-Sligo and Carlow-Derry Junior games all fixed for Sunday at 2pm.

The live TG4 fixtures can be accessed at https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/watch-live/home/, with the weekend’s other six games available to view via the LGFA’s live-streaming portal: https://bit.ly/3oktfD5

All games at 2pm unless stated 

Saturday July 1 

TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship

Group 1 

Mayo v Laois; Hastings Insurance MacHale Park Castlebar, 1.30pm – Live on TG4

It’s winner-takes-all as Mayo take on Laois at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar.

Both sides have lost to table-toppers Armagh in Group 1, and the winners of the pool’s remaining tie will join the Orchard County in the quarter-finals.

Mayo were caught at the death by Armagh last weekend, with Aimee Mackin netting a last-gasp penalty goal, while Laois lost out by seven points to Armagh in Round 1.

Laois scored 2-8 in that defeat, however, and will be confident of another competitive display against Mayo, who may be wounded from the manner of their loss to Armagh.

If the sides draw, the second-placed team in the group will be the team that registers more points (scores over the bar).

If they’re still deadlocked after that, scoring difference will come into play, with Mayo (-2) having the edge on Laois (-7) before play commences.

Mayo: L Brennan; É Ronayne, C McManamon, D Caldwell; T O’Connor, C Needham, K Sullivan (capt.); A Geraghty, F McHale; S Howley, S Cafferky, S Mulvihill; L Cafferky, D Doherty, S Walsh.

Laois: E Barry; S Farrelly, C Dunne, A Kelly; S Havill, E Healy (capt.), L Nerney; A Healy, O Hennessy; A Kirrane, L.M. Maher, A Moran; S.A. Fitzgerald, M Nerney, K Donoghue.

Group 2

Meath v Donegal; Páirc Tailteann, Navan, 7.30pm – Live on TG4

Saturday’s opponents are safely through to the quarter-finals – and this fixture will determine who gets a home tie in the last eight.

That’s the prize on offer as champions Meath and Donegal face off for the first time in Championship football since last year’s All-Ireland semi-final.

Both sides negotiated the formidable challenge of Waterford in the group phase and while their knockout slots have been assured, they’ve named strong starting line-ups.

Meath won by five points when the sides met in a Lidl National League Division 1 tie earlier in the year.

Meath: M McGuirk; A Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, K Newe; M Byrne, S Ennis (capt.), E Duggan; M O’Shaughnessy, A Minogue; M Thynne, V Wall, N Gallogly; O Lally, S Grimes, N O’Sullivan.

Donegal: C Friel; N Carr, A Temple Asoko, E Gallagher; A Boyle Carr, Nicole McLaughlin, T Hegarty; R Rodgers, Niamh McLaughlin (capt.); S White, K Long, K Dowds; N Hegarty, K Herron, C McGarvey.

Group 3

Kerry v Cavan; Austin Stack Park, Tralee, 12.30pm

Kerry will look to clinch a home quarter-final when they welcome Cavan to Austin Stack Park in Tralee for a 12.30pm start.

The Kingdom battled to an impressive victory over Dublin on June 17 and can clinch top spot with a second successive win in the All-Ireland series.

Cavan were overwhelmed by a rampant Dublin last weekend, with the Sky Blues claiming a 5-15 to 1-8 win.

The Breffni ladies make the long trip South now knowing that they have to win, and with plenty to spare, to make the last eight.

A victory for Cavan would see all three teams locked together on three points – and with scoring difference then coming into play.

Dublin are currently on +17, Kerry +2 and Cavan on -19 following their Round 1 loss.

Kerry: C Butler; A Doherty, K Cronin, C Murphy; C Lynch, E Costello, C McCarthy; L Galvin, A Harrington; N Carmody, D O’Leary, A Galvin; S O’Shea (capt.), C Evans, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh.

Cavan: Róisín O’Reilly; G Faulkner, S Lynch, C Charters; Z Fay, C Brady, Rebecca O’Reilly; N Byrd (capt.), A Cahill; A Walls, A Sheridan, E Halton; G Smith, G Sheridan, A Gilsenan.

Group 4 

Cork v Tipperary; Clonakilty

A straight shoot-out between the Munster rivals for a place in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-finals.

Cork fell by six points to Galway in their previous outing, with Tipperary losing out to the Tribeswomen by nine points.

That line of form would suggest that not much will separate Cork and Tipp, who played in the Munster Senior Championship at the end of April.

Aishling Moloney bagged an incredible individual haul of 1-12 on that occasion but it still wasn’t enough for Tipp as Cork won by 1-17 to 1-14.

Cork will be favourites to get the job done in Clonakilty but Tipp will provide stern opposition.

Cork: M O’Sullivan; M Duggan, E Meaney, R Phelan; A Ryan, S Kelly, L O’Mahony; M O’Callaghan (capt.), H Looney; D Kiely, K Quirke, C O’Sullivan; O Cahalane, D O’Sullivan, E Kiely.

Tipperary: L Fitzpatrick; E Kelly, L Spillane, E Cronin; M Curley (capt.), L Morrissey, C O’Dwyer; E Morrissey, N Towey; S English, M Murphy, C English; A McGuigan, N Martin, A Moloney.

TG4 All Ireland Junior Championship

Group B

Fermanagh v London; Donagh, 1pm

Fermanagh, runners-up last year, enjoyed a good win over Carlow in Round 1 and now face London in a top-of-the-table clash.

The Exiles produced an impressive display of their own against Derry in their first outing, running out 2-12 to 1-4 winners in Ruislip.

Fermanagh and London could yet end up as the two semi-finalists from Group B but the winners of this one can make a big championship statement on Saturday.

Sunday July 2

TG4 All Ireland Junior Championship

Group A

Down v Kilkenny; Páirc Esler, Newry

Down got the better of Sligo in their opening group fixture and could find themselves in an All-Ireland semi-final at the close of play this weekend.

If Down beat Kilkenny and Limerick get the better of Sligo, the top two slots would go to Down and Limerick, who will meet in Round 3 on Sunday July 9.

Down will be expected to get the job done against the Cats and take a big step towards the last four.

Limerick v Sligo; Newcastlewest

Limerick have home advantage against Sligo and will look to make that count.

The Shannonsiders were semi-finalists in each of the last three seasons and another win here, coupled with a Down victory over Kilkenny, would secure a last-four slot again.

Limerick got their campaign off to a winning start with a comprehensive victory over Kilkenny.

Group B

Carlow v Derry; Netwatch Cullen Park

Both teams need the result here after losing their opening fixtures.

Carlow lost out by seven points to Fermanagh, while Derry’s trip to London ended in an 11-point reverse.

Carlow were hope that home advantage can stand them in good stead and Derry will be looking for a big showing on the road as Sunday’s opponents look to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

Ticket details available at: https://bit.ly/44fGW5o

Weekend match programmes and squad listings available at: https://bit.ly/3CQJawv