WEEKEND PREVIEWS: TG4 Provincial Championship silverware on offer in Leinster and Ulster

THE first provincial silverware of the season is up for grabs this weekend -with the TG4 Ulster and Leinster Senior Finals down for decision.

On Saturday, at 3pm in Clones, holders Armagh will put their crown on the line against Donegal, before attention switches to Croke Park on Sunday and the Leinster decider between reigning champions Dublin and Meath (2pm).

Both games will be streamed live on the Spórt TG4 YouTube channel, with the Ulster decider available at https://bit.ly/3RRenHp while the Leinster Final can be accessed at https://bit.ly/3GJ3vJg.

In the TG4 Connacht Senior Championship on Sunday, Galway and Mayo go head to head in Tuam (1pm) in a pre-Final dress rehearsal, while Kerry’s Munster Final opponents will be confirmed.

In the final round of games in the group phase in Munster, Kerry entertain Tipperary in Tralee (2pm) while Waterford’s tie with Cork in Dungarvan (2pm) is a shoot-out to decide who joins the Kingdom in the provincial decider on May 25.

Also over the weekend, the round-robin phase of the Munster B Championship will conclude (Clare are already through to the final), while the winners of Saturday’s Carlow-Longford tie in the TG4 Leinster Junior Championship will join Louth in the final.

In the TG4 Ulster Junior Championship, Derry take on London for the right to play Antrim in the final.

Saturday May 10, 2025

TG4 Leinster Junior Championship

Louth v Kilkenny; Integral GAA Grounds, Drogheda, 3pm

Louth are already safely through to the TG4 Leinster Final and will face the winners of the Carlow-Longford tie in the provincial decider.

The Wee County will wrap up their round-robin campaign with a home tie against Kilkenny, who have lost their two games to date.

Holders Louth will be expected to make it three wins from three and warm up nicely for the Leinster showpiece.

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

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

Carlow v Longford; COE Fenagh, 2pm

A winner-takes-all clash for both sides here.

With Louth already safely through to the final, attention now turns to who will join them.

Both sides have lost to Louth but they achieved victories over Kilkenny in the group phase.

Now it’s down to 60 minutes in Fenagh to determine who will play Louth in the Leinster final on May 18.

If the game ends in a draw, the team which registers the most points (scores over the bar) during the tie will advance.

If they still can’t be split on that rule, Longford will go through with the better scoring difference ahead of throw-in.

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.

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

Munster Senior B Championship

Cork v Limerick; Naomh Abán, 6.30pm

Cork and Limerick will battle it out for the right to face Clare in the Munster Senior B Final.

Both sides are on three points ahead of throw-in, three behind already qualified Clare.

If the game ends in a draw, the team which registers the most points (scores over the bar) during the tie will advance.

If they still can’t be split on that rule, Limerick will go through with the better scoring difference ahead of throw-in.

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

Limerick: C Bateman; R Browne, J McGuire, C Hynes; E Woulfe, L O’Brien, S Dillon; G Mullane, O Ryan; E Crowe, G Keane, A Morrissey; C McNamara, T Geoghegan, R Ambrose.

TG4 Ulster Junior Championship

Derry v London; O’Donovan Rossa, Magherafelt, 12.30pm

Derry and London face off in Magherafelt bidding for a TG4 Ulster Junior final slot.

Both teams have lost to Antrim, who are safely through to the final.

Derry and London met in the 2024 TG4 All-Ireland Junior championship, when Derry ran out nine-point winners.

If Saturday’s game ends in a draw, the team which registers the most points (scores over the bar) during the tie will advance.

If they still can’t be split on that rule, Derry will go through with the better scoring difference ahead of throw-in.

Derry: T Cassidy; C Dillon, G Brewster, J Corr; O McEvoy, S Hargan, B Donnelly; L Brewester, A Crozier (capt.); N Hannon, A Ni Lochlainn, A Martin; A McAlister, C Donnelly, K McCann.

London: H Dike-Lawlor; M Jordan (capt.), A Nagle, O Reilly; R McKegney, A Ryan, A Spain; E McCarthy, A Healy; E Gray, A Molloy, S Munnelly; A McLoughlin, E Bartley, E Phelan.

TG4 Ulster Senior Championship Final

Armagh v Donegal; St Tiernach’s Park, Clones, 3pm – Live on Spórt TG4 YouTube

Since 2017, Armagh and Donegal have been the dominant teams at Senior level in Ulster, winning the provincial title four times each.

Armagh are the current holders, having won the 2024 Final after extra-time by just a single point against Donegal, on a 0-17 to 1-13 scoreline.

The last four Ulster finals between the sides have been exciting and tense affairs that have gone right to the wire.

On Saturday, this one has been billed a clash between an experienced and settled line-up, and a young and fearless side.

Armagh fall into the former category and come into this one on the back of contesting another Lidl National League Division 1 Final.

There’s just one change in personnel to the team that lost out to Kerry in the Croke Park decider, with Grace Ferguson replacing Louise Kenny.

Donegal’s last competitive outing in 2025 was their final group game in Division 2 of the Lidl National League, a three-point loss to Cork.

There are two changes from that game, as Abigail Temple-Asokuh and Ulitah Boyle come into the starting line-up, with Rhiana McColgan and Eva Gallagher dropping to the bench.

Armagh: A Carr; M Ferguson, C McCambridge (capt.), R Mulligan; E Druse, C Towe, G Ferguson; C O’Hanlon, N Coleman; L McConville, A McCoy, B Mackin; E Lavery, N Henderson, N Reel.

Donegal: C Friel; S McFadden, A Temple Asokuh, S McFeeley; N Carr, E McGinley, C Gillespie; U Boyle, R Rodgers (capt.); N Boyle, K Dowds, F McManamon; J McFadden, M Bennett, S White.

Sunday May 11, 2025

TG4 Connacht Senior Championship

Galway v Mayo; Tuam Stadium, 1pm

Galway and Mayo are already through to the TG4 Connacht Senior decider and meet on Sunday in a pre-final dress rehearsal.

Both sides have achieved victories over Leitrim and this round 3 clash is a dead rubber but with the chance for both managers to run the rule over their fringe players.

Galway have opted more for experimentation here, with no fewer than nine changes in personnel from the win against Leitrim last weekend.

Dearbhla Gower returns in goal, while there are starts outfield for Aoibhinn Eilian, Bronagh Quinn, Charlotte Cooney, Aisling Madden, Kate Thompson, Shauna Hynes, Ailbhe Davoren and Kate Slevin.

It’s a heavily-rotated Galway side, with those chosen handed the chance to impress ahead of the Connacht final on May 25, as goalkeeper Leah O’Halloran, Aoife Ní Cheallaigh, Sarah Ní Loingsigh, Chellene Trill, Louise Ward, Lynsey Noone, Olivia Divilly, Róisín Leonard and Andrea Trill are held in reserve.

For Mayo, there’s just one change to the team that beat Leitrim, as the green and red look to lay down a pre-final marker, with Clodagh Keane replacing Niamh Mooney.

Galway: D Gower; A Eilian, B Quinn, K Geraghty (capt.); C Cooney, N Ward, H Noone; A Madden, S Divilly; K Thompson, S Hynes, A Davoren; E Noone, L Coen, K Slevin.  

Mayo: J Gawalkiewicz; L Wallace, N O’Malley, C Durkin; D Caldwell (capt.), E Brennan, S El Massry; H Reape, S Lally; R Jordan, S Walsh, A McDonnell; E Murray, C Keane, A Devereux.

TG4 Leinster Senior Championship Final

Dublin v Meath; Croke Park, 2pm – Live on Spórt TG4 YouTube

Dublin will aim for a 12^th successive TG4 Leinster senior crown when they take on Meath at Croke Park on Sunday.

Sunday will also see these counties battle it out in a TG4 Leinster Final for a fourth successive year.

Dublin have had the upper hand on their rivals at provincial level and they also won by 2-10 to 1-6 in the round-robin phase of the competition, which also featured Kildare.

Dublin have made two changes to the team that defeated Kildare to clinch a spot in another Leinster final, with Hannah McGinnis and Martha Byrne replacing Aoife Curran and Aoife Kane.

Meath, in contrast, are unchanged from the side that got the better of Kildare to advance.

Meath had to work hard last weekend to see off a stern Kildare challenge.

The Lilywhites came with a late surge but Meath held on to book a Croke Park date with the champions.

Dublin: A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey (capt.), N Donlon; H McGinnis, M Byrne, L Magee; É O’Dowd, G Kós; C O’Connor, C Darby, S McIntyre; H Tyrrell, N Hetherton, A Timothy.

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 Munster Senior Championship

Kerry v Tipperary; Austin Stack Park, Tralee, 2pm

Holders Kerry are already through to the TG4 Munster Senior Final – while opponents Tipperary are out of contention.

There’s just pride to play for here and Kerry boss Mark Bourke is taking the chance to rotate.

He’s made seven changes to the team that defeated Waterford last time out, with goalkeeper Katie Hannan, Kayla O’Connor, captain Cáit Lynch, Ciara McCarthy, Jaydn Lucey, Leah Boyle and Julia Curtin named to start.

Goalkeeper Mary Ellen Bolger, Fay O’Donoghue, Deirdre Kearney, Mary O’Connell, Caoimhe Evans, Niamh Ní Chonchúir and Danielle O’Leary drop to the bench.

For Tipp, there’s just one change to the team defeated by Cork last weekend, as Heather Spillane comes in for Caoimhe Condon.

Kerry: K Hannan; K O’Connor, E Lynch, C Lynch (apt..); C McCarthy, E Costello, A Dillane; A O’Connell, A Galvin; N Carmody, J Lucey, L Boyle; S O’Shea, R Dwyer, J Curtin.

Tipperary: L Fitzpatrick (apt..); 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.

Waterford v Cork; Dungarvan GAA, 2pm

Waterford and Cork meet in Dungarvan with a TG4 Munster Senior Final place on offer.

It’s all on the line for both teams, who lost to Kerry but achieved victories over Tipperary in the round-robin phase.

Waterford put up a good show against Kerry last weekend, losing by just a point, and they’ll approach the Cork tussle in Dungarvan with plenty of confidence.

There are four changes to the Déise starting line-up, with goalkeeper Gemma Corcoran, Ellen Bolger, Caragh McCarthy and Lucie O’Shea drafted in.

They replace goalkeeper Katelyn Gardiner, Áine Power, Chloe Fennell and Lia Ní hArta, as Waterford look to clinch a TG4 Munster Senior final slot for the first time since 2019.

Cork, runners-up in 2024 and champions last in 2023, are unchanged after claiming a crucial win against Tipperary last weekend.

If the game ends in a draw, the team which registers the most points (scores over the bar) during the tie will advance.

If they still can’t be split on that rule, Cork will go through with the better scoring difference ahead of throw-in, by just a point.

Waterford: G Corcoran; R Casey, E Power, E Bolger; C Murray, K McGrath, M Ryan; K Hogan, H Power; Á O’Neill, K Murray, C McCarthy; L McGregor, C Walsh, L O’Shea.

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 (capt.); A O’Sullivan, E Coppinger, K Quirke.

Munster Senior B Championship

Clare v Kerry; Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis, 2pm

Top plays bottom in the final group game of the Munster Senior B championship.

Clare are already through to the final after defeating Limerick and Cork, while Kerry have lost their two games to date and cannot advance.

Clare: A Griffin; L Power, G Harvey, R Doohan; C Byrne, J Doohan, E Burke; E McNamara, R Martin; M Downes, T Collins, L Conway; A Slattery, E Hanrahan, S Melican.

Kerry: R Whyte; L Reilly (capt.), K McGrath, G Kearney; K Furey, A Relihan, S O’Donovan; K Ryan, O Clifford; A O’Sullivan, K McGlashan, C Daly; E O’Sullivan, C Murray, M Duffy.