TODAY
Christy Ring Cup quarter-final
Kildare v Carlow (Newbridge, 3pm)
KILDARE have endured a stuttering Christy Ring campaign to date and it would be a big ask for them to turn it around against Carlow. They had just a single point to spare over 14-man Mayo in round one before Wicklow finished strongly to beat them in round 2A.There has been an over-reliance on David Reidy for scores with the Limerick native notching 0-24 across those two games. After losing to Antrim in an extra-time thriller, Carlow bounced back to record a 20-point win over Mayo with James Doyle and Kevin McDonald sharing four goals while Martin Kavanagh also raised a green flag for Colm Bonner’s men.
ODDS: H: 9/4 D: 10/1 A: 2/5
VERDICT: Carlow
Nicky Rackard Cup quarter-finals
Armagh v Longford (Crossmaglen, 3pm)
ARMAGH manager Sylvester McConnell should be able to welcome a few players back from injury in Crossmaglen. The Orchard men struggled against the wind in the first half against Louth last week and trailed by three points just after the break, but they won 0-14 to 0-3 from there on in with joint captain David Carvill and Conor Corvan excelling. After an opening round bye, Longford were hammered 8-21 to 1-14 by Derry and they should be well beaten again here.
ODDS: H: 1/33 D: 25/1 A: 9/1
VERDICT: Armagh:
Monaghan v Donegal (Inniskeen, 3pm)
HAVING recorded a first win over Armagh in 17 years, Donegal were caught cold by Tyrone in round 2A as the Red Hands tore them apart when playing with the wind in the first half. Seventeen points separated the sides at the break and Ardal McDermott’s men could only chip away two of those in the second half. Danny Cullen is an injury concern for the trip to Grattan Park but they should be too good for the Farney side. Trevor Hilliard’s team were just one point off Tyrone in round one though, and they would have watched last week’s result with interest.
ODDS: H: 7/4 D: 8/1 A: 4/7
VERDICT: Donegal
Lory Meagher Cup round three
Cavan v Sligo (Kingspan Breffni Park, 2pm)
CAVAN continue to take small steps as they adjust to life back at inter-county level, and the aim for Dinny Cahill’s side will to be even more competitive than in weeks one and two. They had a decent second half against Warwickshire and a fine first half against Leitrim, but Cahill will be looking for 70 minutes here instead of 35. Sligo have won one and lost one so far, but with players like Kevil Gilmartin and Eamon Kilgannon in good form, they should bank another two points here.
VERDICT: Sligo
Fermanagh v Warwickshire (Brewster Park, 2pm)
FERMANAGH were second best against Lancashire last week and another loss here would basically eliminate any thoughts of a third final appearance in four years. This will be a battle of two in-form forward with Fermanagh’s Sean Corrigan and Warwickshire’s Liam Watson going head-to-head. It should be the former Antrim player who is happiest at full time.
VERDICT: Warwickshire
Leitrim v Lancashire (Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, 1.15pm)
THIS is a huge game for the teams currently sitting in second and third in the table with Leitrim just ahead on scoring difference. The winner here will have real ambitions of a final spot and home advantage should prove crucial.
VERDICT: Leitrim
Ulster U17 Football Championship quarter-finals
Down v Monaghan (Clonduff, 12pm)
Down hammered Fermanagh 6-12 to 0-5 in the preliminary round last week, but an injury to Bredagh forward Cormac O’Rawe did sour the win a bit for the Mournemen. If O’Rawe misses out, James McCartan will look to Matthew Carville and Sheelan Johnston to lead the line with the pair combining well for Liatroim and St Malachy’s, Castlewellan over the years. Monaghan, managed by Paul O’Connor, were victors in the shield competition last month, but they should find Down too strong in Hilltown.
VERDICT: Down
Tyrone v Donegal (Healy Park, 12pm)
COLIN Holmes’s Tyrone U17 team have already claimed the league crown and they look like favourites for the championship too. Donegal were their opposition in the league final and eight points separated the sides at the end with Michael Conory top-scoring for the Red Hands with four points. Francie Friel’s Donegal side were always held at arm’s length throughout that final, but they will be hoping that they’ve rediscovered their scoring touch for the trip to Omagh.
VERDICT: Tyrone
Armagh v Antrim (Pearse Og, 12pm)
ARMAGH are attempting to recover from their 3-11 to 0-2 loss to Monaghan in the shield final. It’s not the first time that their attack has malfunctioned with the side registered just six points in a 29-point loss to Cavan in the league group stages. A good few of their panel have been playing with Paul McGrane’s minor side though and if they are available today, their chances will improve significantly. Hugh McGettigan is juggling Antrim minor and U17 duties this year and the latter of those have had some decent outings. They defeated Donegal and Fermanagh and pushed Monaghan hard in the shield semi-final.
VERDICT: Armagh
Cavan v Derry (Kingspan Breffni Park, 12pm)
THIS could perhaps be the most one-sided quarter-final of all with John Brady’s Cavan side looking extremely strong pre-championship. They topped their league section with five points from a possible six and lost out to Tyrone by a point in the league semi-final. Derry can call on some of the players who helped St Mary’s to a first ever MacRory title in March, such as Tiarnan Donaghy. Others like Craigbane’s Fergal Mortimer also bring quality, but a home win looks almost certain here.
VERDICT: Cavan
TOMORROW
Christy Ring Cup quarter-final
London v Down (Páirc na hÉireann, 1pm)
DOWN travel across the Irish Sea as big underdogs but they should have their best starting 15 in a long time. Danny Toner is back from injury while Conor Woods and Eoghan Sands are both expected to be passed fit to start. Chris Egan is also back in the squad. London have had a mixed bag of a season, but they did hammer Roscommon by 23 points last weekend. Kevin O’Loughlin and Edmund Kenny were superb up front with the Exiles having 11 different scorers in all. There is a smell of an upset here though.
ODDS: H: 1/5 D: 14/1 A: 7/2
VERDICT: Down
Connacht Senior Football Championship preliminary round
New York v Sligo (Gaelic Grounds, 8.15pm Irish time)
THERE is a real belief that New York could claim their first Connacht Championship win ever with their two games with Donegal last month giving them a real platform in terms of preparation. Sligo boss Niall Carew will be without key forward Niall Murphy because of injury while a number of other players have missed the trip due to exam commitments.
ODDS: H: 5/2 D: 9/1 A: 2/5
VERDICT: New York
