THERE could be a scramble for a spot in Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada on Sunday week after it was confirmed as the venue for Armagh’s meeting with Galway.
The game is set to be shown live on RTÉ, although television details are not expected to be confirmed until tomorrow.
Leitrim’s home patch was a slight surprise call when announced on Tuesday evening, given the expected interest in a repeat of last year’s dramatic All-Ireland quarter-final that the Tribesmen edged on a penalty shootout.
Capacity for the game is expected to be limited at between 9,500 and 10,000.
At full capacity, the Carrick-on-Shannon venue would hold around 17,000 but that has been significantly reduced in recent years due to health and safety.
When Mayo played their home games there in 2022, their final league outing against Kildare drew a crowd of just under 10,000 to the venue.
Galway will top Group Two with a draw or better, while Armagh – who are set to be without Rian O’Neill barring a successful appeal against his red card in the defeat by Tyrone – would only be eliminated if Westmeath were to beat Tyrone and the margins in the two games were enough to swing an eight-point difference that resides with the Orchard at the minute.
The 2021 All-Ireland champions could be eliminated if they lose to Westmeath, a game that will form part of a Kingspan Breffni double-header on the Sunday afternoon.
Any margin of defeat for Tyrone coupled with any positive result for Armagh would see Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher’s men knocked out. If Armagh are beaten, a Westmeath victory wouldn’t be enough unless they make up the gap in scoring difference.
That throws in at 4pm after the Group Three clash between Dublin and Sligo, which throws in at 1.45pm.
The fact that Dublin and Tyrone are both being accommodated for All-Ireland series games in a 25,000-capacity stadium is another sign of the sparse attendances there have been so far.
Dublin being put in Breffni Park will quell some of the noise around Croke Park having been nominated in the past as a neutral venue for games involving the men from the capital, although how much the decision is based on the sporting context and how much is a reflection of attendances, it’s hard to tell.
Donegal and Monaghan will meet in Omagh on the Saturday evening (June 17), with Derry and Clare meeting in Pearse Park at the same time.
If Monaghan match or better Derry’s result they will top Group Four ahead of the Ulster champions.
Clare are the only one of the 16 teams in the competition with nothing to play for this weekend.
Sunday afternoon will also see Mayo face Cork in Limerick and All-Ireland champions Kerry take on Louth in Portlaoise, both at 2pm.
The other game in Dublin’s group, Kildare v Roscommon, will take place in Tullamore at 1.45pm.
Throw-in times for the games are paired according to their groups so that nobody obtains an unfair advantage of starting their game knowing exactly what is required.
Fixtures
Saturday 17 June
Pearse Park, Longford, 6pm: Clare v Derry
Healy Park, 6pm: Donegal v Monaghan
Sunday 18 June
Group One
Portlaoise, 2pm: Kerry v Louth
Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, 2pm: Cork v Mayo
Group Two
Carrick-on-Shannon, 4pm: Armagh v Galway
Kingspan Breffni, 4pm: Westmeath v Tyrone
Group Three
Kingspan Breffni, 1.45pm: Dublin v Sligo
Tullamore, 1.45pm: Kildare v Roscommon
