FOR the eight teams in the 2A games there will still be another chance if they lose this weekend but this is the last chance saloon for the eight in the 2B fixtures.
If you’ve already lost a game there’s no more second chances and that means some big hitters, including defending champions Kerry, have to go all-in.
For the 2A teams victory means they’re through to the quarter-final stage. Defeat means round three, the spectre of a difficult draw and an early exit.
With plenty on the line in every game here are five things to look out for...
1. Kerry getting their act together
THE word before the Kingdom played Donegal in Killarney was that we wouldn’t see a proper Kerry for three weeks. Well we’ve had three weeks since the Sam Maguire holders lost to Jim McGuinness and his boys so we’ll see what they’re made of this weekend.
The Kerry team named to take on the Lilywhites looks much more like it. Allstars Seanie O’Shea, Shane Ryan and Tom O’Sullivan remain absent but Brian O Beaglaoich returns to the starting line-up and Paul Murphy, Gavin White, Paul Geaney and Armin Heinrich are included on the bench. Paudie Clifford looked under-cooked against Donegal but he’ll have plenty of work done since then.
2. No love in the Inniskeen bearpit
RETIREMENTS, injuries, even Manchester United stealing their booking at Carton House… Nothing has knocked Armagh out of their stride in this championship and Kieran McGeeney’s orange machine are fancied to keep on truckin’ on Sunday in Inniskeen.
Ok, a global superpower like Man United couldn’t derail Armagh but that won’t bother their neighbours in the Wee County who’ve done all they can do give themselves an edge in selecting the venue and, apparently, denying Armagh the chance to train on it.
Both camps will be stoked up for the game and although Armagh deservedly go in as favourites they’re up against an excellent Louth team that has quality, physicality and confidence.
Armagh play with devastating pace and fluency but they have lost some big units in Grimley, Crealey, Rian O’Neill and Stefan Campbell… Will that trip them up this year? We’ll know more after this game.
3. Tyrone forcing their way back into the frame
WITH all the talent they have in the county you feel it’s a matter of when, not if, with Tyrone. Some argue there is a formula for winning minor and U20 titles that doesn’t necessarily translate to senior level but if you keep throwing class players into the mix sooner or later that quality is going to rise to the top.
Tyrone have looked short on confidence and they’ve been short on support but their performance against Connacht champions Roscommon was arguably the best of the Malachy O’Rourke era. Even without Darragh and Ruairi Canavan they had nine scorers and Darragh should return on Sunday to join Ethan Jordan, Eoin McElholm and Mattie Donnelly in the attack.
If Conn Kilpatrick and Brian Kennedy get their hands on enough ball, Tyrone can bank another win and they’ll take a bit of stopping in Croke Park.
All of the above is not to discount Mayo of course. Andy Moran’s looked good in the first half against Monaghan in Clones last time out but escaped by the skin of their teeth after the Farneymen missed a succession of goal chances. They’ll need better in Omagh.
4. Galway laying down a marker
JIM McGuinness said recently that there’s no such thing as form in football anymore, it’s all about which team is the healthiest.
Galway have lost 2024 full-back Sean Fitzgerald to the allure of Love Island but their broad-shouldered attacking ducks including Damian Comer, Rob Finnerty, Matthew Tierney and Shane Walsh are back in-a-row and the line-up has a formidable look to it.
The Tribesmen put 30 points on the board against Kildare and look a good bet to go past Westmeath at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.
5. Someone needing Surgical Sofa Removal (SSR*)
SEND her up to her ma’s, book the youngsters and the dog into a surf school, ignore the sun, forget the weeds…
There are 2880 minutes in a weekend and for the most dedicated among us the majority of those minutes – if not all of them – will be spent in front of the telly.
As two codes collide, the sporting equivalent of Halley’s Comet is coming into our orbit. An undoubtable, veritable, unquestionable feast of sporting action is in store from Donegal v Cork at 3pm on Saturday, through Monaghan, Kerry and then Derry v Meath.
And there’s no let-up. Brazil v Morocco, Scotland v Haiti and Australia v Turkey will get you through the night.
After that perhaps a couple of hours shut-eye before the GAA resumes with the clash of Horse and Geezer in Inniskeen through to Tyrone v Mayo at 3.30pm. A brisk walk to get that blood circulating is recommended before World Cup viewing resumes with ze Germans versus mighty Curacao, Holland v Japan, Ivory Coast v Ecuador…
That’s not even counting the Tailteann Cup quarter-finals, the Ladies’ Football or the Love Island action.
Enjoy sports fans!
*If you have an SSR problem, if no one else can help and if you can find him, snap Mickey @stuck_sofa26
