SATURDAY
Leitrim v Wicklow (Glennon Bros Pearse Park, 7pm)
The eye of the neutral will naturally be drawn to the line. Andy Moran takes on Oisín McConville under Longford’s Saturday night lights.
It’s Moran’s third year at the helm, having halted coaching duties with his native Ballaghadereen to replace Cavan man Terry Hyland.
By some coincidence or another means, it’s another former Breffni manager in the shape of Mickey Graham alongside Moran this year, with news of Keith Beirne’s ambitions to travel a far from ideal start to the season.
Beirne - top scorer across the 2023 Allianz National Football Leagues - stated earlier this year that his “passion and desire” weren’t at 100 per cent, denying any rift with Moran.
A late assault in search of promotion fell just short in 2024, with Darragh Rooney and Ryan O’Rourke largely filling the void left by the 26-year-old.
Group wins over Waterford and Longford were juxtaposed with Kildare defeat, but with their home ground under renovation in Carrick-on-Shannon, Moran’s men are bound for Longford for the second time in three weeks.
For Wicklow, their shock win over Westmeath feels a long time ago. A 3-16 to 0-09 opening round defeat to Fermanagh was disappointing, while game management cost them in defeat to Laois, much like their narrow Leinster defeat to Kildare.
They amended that issue somewhat in kicking the last four scores in a three-point win over Carlow, with the returning Mark Jackson featuring in the GAA’s Team of the Week.
Lack of home advantage could sway this one Wicklow’s way.
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Limerick v Tipperary (Rathkeale, 4pm)
Jimmy Lee’s Limerick will be seeking a third victory in succession and a quarter-final berth in the Tailteann Cup, as Munster rivals Tipperary come to town.
Back-to-back relegations in the Allianz NFL were little short of abysmal. It seems odd to think Limerick and Louth were promoted to Division Two together if one were to look at their contrasting trajectories since.
Often, it’s just about stopping the rot, much easier said than done.
Wing-back Cillian Fahy claimed that second spot had been their target prior to the competition, and despite a defeat to a fancied Down, they clawed back their season in defeating a poor Offaly as well as London.
Iain Corbett’s return from injury for the first time this season against London is a further boost.
Which all leaves them as heavy favourites this weekend, with a 2-10 to 0-10 Munster SFC semi-final win still fresh in the memory bank too.
For Tipp’, Munster defeat to Waterford was their first at the hands of The Déise since 1988, having drawn with the country’s basement side during the league too.
They will be buzzing off the back of Stephen Grogan’s match winning antics against Wexford. They could well defy fairly hefty odds here, having only gone down narrowly in Corrigan Park in their opener.
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SUNDAY
Laois v New York (Laois Hire O’Moore Park, 12.30pm)
Laois enter this preliminary quarter-final as seismic favourites against a New York outfit that have been lying idle since they were knocked out of the Connacht Championship by Mayo.
That was April 7, a full two months ago. Ryan O’Donoghue kicked 1-13 and left the side with only one Connacht Championship victory in their history with much to ponder over during their eight-week sabbatical.
Last year’s penalty shootout win over Leitrim offered them a real chance and they seized it. The Mayo encounter was never going to be anything other than what it was.
The best indicator of New York’s chances is having a brief look at their Tailteann Cup history. 2023 saw a 0-15 0-10 defeat to Carlow, rather tight and rather respectable.
In 2022, they did not partake, falling by four to a Sligo team in Connacht who went on to the semi-finals of that year’s Tailteann Cup, where they could and arguably should have beaten Cavan.
They undoubtedly enter this clash as underdogs, particularly after Laois’ strong title-winning Division Four campaign, but breaking the bookies’ margin of 12 points would require a rousing display from Justin McNulty’s men.
In the opposite corner had been his former Armagh teammate Johnny McGeeney, but McGeeney stood aside last year, with wellbeing coach and Cavan man Alan O’Mara now in the hotseat.
New York will more than likely be as well prepared mentally as any GAA outfit. This could end up closer than many expect.