Football

Matchbox

OUT: Injury has ruled Austin Gleeson out of Waterford's game with Clare Picture Seamus Loughran
OUT: Injury has ruled Austin Gleeson out of Waterford's game with Clare Picture Seamus Loughran OUT: Injury has ruled Austin Gleeson out of Waterford's game with Clare Picture Seamus Loughran

Matchbox

Football

Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final

Down v Antrim

(tonight, Pairc Esler, 7pm)

DOWN have handed a Championship debut to Castlewellan defender Colm Flanagan but Kilcoo’s Darragh O’Hanlon misses out with a back injury. Niall McKeever has been named in the Antrim line-up but it is understood that he is still not 100 percent fit. Much of the build up to this game has been focussed on the potential attendance with a low number expected in Newry due to the game’s clash with the Champions League final. The Mourne county should make it through, big crowd or not.

Odds: H: 1/5 D: 12/1 A: 9/2

Verdict: Down

Derry v Donegal

(tomorrow, Celtic Park, 4pm)

DERRY’S in-house preparations have focussed on making their defence harder to break down and while they have the personnel to do that, it’s hard to see them having enough at the other end to match Donegal’s attacking threat. The Tir Chonaill men hit 2-20 against Cavan in the preliminary round and should be stronger with Paddy McGrath, Odhran MacNiallais and Mark Anthony McGinley set to return to the squad from injury.

Odds: H: 5/1 D: 14/1 A: 1/6

Verdict: Donegal

Connacht Senior Football Championship semi-final

Leitrim v Roscommon

(tonight, Pairc Sean MacDiarmada, 5.30pm)

HAVING had the furthest of away trips in their first outing – the Bronx in New York – Leitrim will enjoy home comforts tonight as they attempt to shock a Roscommon side who haven’t played competitively since April 1. Kevin McStay has made five changes to the side that defeated Cavan in that Division Two final with Peter Domican set to make his first Championship start in six years.

Odds: H: 11/1 D: 25/1 A: 1/33

Verdict: Roscommon

Leinster Senior Football Championship quarter-final

Westmeath v Laois

(tonight, Bord na Mona O’Connor Park, 5pm)

WESTMEATH are sweating on the fitness of John Heslin and his availability, or non-availability as the case may be, could have a huge impact on this game. Colin Kelly’s side haven’t had the best of build-ups, but they do generally go alright in Leinster having reached two finals and a semi-final over the past three years. Laois have made three changes from the side that came back brilliantly against Wexford with Paul Kingston joining his brother Donie in attack.

Odds: Westmeath: 11/8 D: 15/2 Laois: 4/5

Verdict: Laois

Kildare v Carlow

(tomorrow, Bord na Mona O’Connor Park, 2pm)

THE clichéd banana skin for Kildare as they are sure to get severely tested by an up-and-coming Carlow outfit. The Lilywhites lost all seven Division One games although two of those were by a point and another by two points. Turlough O’Brien’s Carlow have prepared diligently and their plan will be to frustrate Kildare with defensive solidity, but will they have enough class at the other end of the pitch? They should stay within reach for most of the contest but ultimately they’ll fall short.

Odds: Kildare: 1/10 D: 16/1 Carlow: 7/1

Verdict: Kildare

Longford v Meath

(tomorrow, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 3pm)

LONGFORD are deemed underdogs for this Leinster clash but this match is ripe for a shock. Denis Connerton’s side were unlucky not to come out of Division Three, promotion snatched away from them in the dying seconds against Fermanagh, while Sean McCormack returned from injury in a recent challenge match with Cork. Meath just about survived the drop in Division Two but they have since won the delayed O’Byrne Cup final with a 4-13 to 1-13 win over neighbours Westmeath.

Odds: H: 5/2 D: 15/2 A: 4/9

Verdict: Longford

Dublin v Wicklow

(tomorrow, O’Moore Park, 4pm)

WICKLOW were left very disappointed when they weren’t given home advantage for this game. Dublin would win wherever it was played, but that is even more certain now that the match is in Portlaoise rather than Aughrim. This is Dublin’s opening fixture in their pursuit of four successive All-Ireland titles for the first ever time and anything less than a double-digit victory would be a major shock.

Odds: Dublin: 1/500 D: 100/1 Wicklow: 33/1

Verdict: Dublin

Munster Senior Football Championship semi-final

Tipperary v Cork

(tonight, Semple Stadium, 7pm)

TIPPERARY are back in action just a week after easing past Waterford and manager Liam Kearns has said that the quick turnaround has left his squad stretched. Conor Sweeney, who sat out the Waterford match, is the main doubt as they try to secure a spot in the Munster final. Cork have named a strong team for the Thurles clash but the fact that they are underdogs perhaps speaks volume of their sliding reputation in the game.

Odds: H: 10/11 D: 15/2 A: 6/5

Verdict: Cork

HURLING

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship round three

Offaly v Wexford

(tonight, Bord na Mona O’Connor Park, 7pm)

OFFALY have shown glimpses of class in their two Leinster Championship games to date and if they can play well for a longer period rather than just in patches, they’ll have a good chance of running Wexford close. Davy Fitzgerald’s Model side struggled against Dublin last time out before a late flourish saw them home. They might get it tight here again, but they should make it two wins from three.

Odds: H: 11/2 D: 14/1 A: 1/7

Verdict: Wexford

Galway v Kilkenny

(tomorrow, Pearse Stadium, 4pm)

HISTORY will be made in Salthill as Galway prepare for their first Leinster home game since joining the province in 2009. It’s not a bad one to start with either as the All-Ireland champions attempt to further show that they have moved ahead of Kilkenny in the pecking order. Brian Cody’s side needed an injury-time goal to beat Dublin and a strong final quarter to shake off a resilient Offaly. They aren’t playing particularly well and the Tribesmen should punish them.

Odds: H: 8/15 D: 9/1 A: 2/1

Verdict: Galway

Munster Senior Hurling Championship round two

Tipperary v Cork

(tomorrow, Semple Stadium, 2pm)

TIPPERARY have been in the spotlight all week as Michael Ryan’s decision to avoid the media, and his subsequent reversal, stole many of the headlines. That took some of the focus off their poor showing against Limerick last week, and they really must respond here. Cork had a good opening win against Clare. They have, however, been hit with the news that Alan Cadogan’s knee injury is worse than originally feared and he could miss the rest of the season.

Odds: H: 8/13 D: 10/1 A: 13/8

Verdict: Tipperary

Clare v Waterford

(tomorrow, Cusack Park, 3.30pm)

THE pressure is immediately on Clare after they suffered a five-point loss to Cork in round one and another defeat here would really leave them in a precarious position. The Banner management are expected to make changes with Jamie Shanahan set to come into the team. Injury rules Austin Gleeson and Pauric Mahony out for Waterford as they prepare for their first Championship outing having had a bye last weekend.

Odds: H: 4/6 D: 8/1 A: 13/8

Verdict:

Lory Meagher Cup round two

Cavan v Lancashire

(today, Ballyconnell, 1pm)

CAVAN and Fermanagh played out a thriller in their opening fixture which still gives both hopes of making the final. Lancashire surprisingly lost out to Sligo in their first game, but they should be more than comfortable here.

Verdict: Lancashire

Sligo v Fermanagh

(today, Tourlestrane, 3pm)

SLIGO’S win over Lancashire in Manchester last weekend has left them in pole position for a top-two spot. They should ease past the Erne county this afternoon.

Verdict: Sligo