Sunday, June 14
All-Ireland SFC Round 2A
Louth v Armagh, Páirc Grattan, Inniskeen, 1pm – RTÉ
Armagh have named the same team that defeated Derry two weeks ago for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC Round 2A clash with Louth.
Andrew Murnin was forced off in that game with a hamstring strain but, in what’s a big boost for the Orchard County, has been passed fit to play in this game and is named at midfield.
Louth have made one change to the team that defeated Dublin in their last outing with Paul Matthews coming in to replace Seán Callaghan who drops to the bench.
Armagh have arguably been the best team in the country so far this year with five championship wins in a row, most of them of the very convincing variety.
You’d wonder though if the fact they’ve had to play two more games than Louth to get to this stage will have taken a physical and mental toll? Is there a chance that Louth’s greater freshness will be a big asset?
The Wee County did much better on their own and the opposition kick-outs two weeks ago against Dublin than they did against the same opponents in the Leinster semi-final, and that will be the key battle-ground here.
If Louth are to pull off an upset then they need to dominate the middle third because Armagh’s greater firepower (they’ve scored an average of five points more per game in normal time than Louth) should see them come out on top if they break even or better in the battle for possession.
LOUTH: Niall McDonnell; Emmett Carolan, Donal McKenny, Daire Nally; Conall McKeever, Dara McDonnell, Craig Lennon; Conor Early, James Maguire; Paul Mathews, Sam Mulroy, Conor Grimes; Kieran McArdle, Ciarán Downey, Conall McCaul. Subs: Tiernan Markey, Ryan Burns, Ciarán Byrne, Seán Callaghan, Tommy Durnin, Leonard Gray, Conor Mac Criosta, Tadhg McDonnell, Cormac McKeown, Seán Reynolds, Anthony Williams.
ARMAGH: Blaine Hughes; Peter McGrane, Aaron McKay, Gareth Murphy; Joe McElroy, Tiernan Kelly, Greg McCabe; Jarly Óg Burns, Andrew Murnin; Cian McConville, Darragh McMullan, Tomás McCormack; Conor Turbitt, Jason Duffy, Oisin Conaty. Subs: Ethan Rafferty, Paddy Burns, Aidan Forker, Barry McCambridge, Ross McQuillan, Ryan Duffy, Daniel Magee, Oisin O’Neill, Callum O’Neill, Rory Grugan, Aaron O’Neill.
Galway v Westmeath, Pearse Stadium, 2pm – GAA+
Shane McGrath will make his first championship start for Galway on Sunday in what’s the only change to the team that beat Kildare last time out with Ciaran Mulhern dropping out of the squad.
Fionn McDonagh and Jack Mullen are both named on the bench for the first time in this year’s championship while Finnian Ó Laoi also comes into the match-day squad.
Westmeath have named the same team that started their All-Ireland SFC Round 1 win over Cavan for Sunday’s clash with Galway.
There are a couple of interesting additions to the subs bench though as Boidu Sayeh returns to the panel after injury and Shane Ormsby also makes the cut after missing out against Cavan.
Westmeath have been one of the stories of the summer and will bring a lot of belief and momentum to Pearse Stadium as well as a huge following of supporters.
But this will be undoubtedly the biggest test they have faced yet this year against a Galway team that looked like it was timing its run to form perfectly when they dismantled Kildare two weeks ago.
If Ray Connellan, Brían Cooney, and Sam McCartan can dominate Paul Conroy, John Maher, and Cein Darcy in the middle third then the Lake County are in with a chance.
But if Galway come out on top in that war-zone and their increasingly fluent attack gets a good supply of ball, then the Westerners are the more likely winners.
GALWAY: Connor Gleeson; Jack Glynn, Cian Hernon, Liam Silke; Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Sean Kelly; Paul Conroy, John Maher; Cein Darcy, Shane McGrath, Cillian McDaid; Robert Finnerty, Matthew Tierney, Shane Walsh. Subs: Conor Flaherty, Johnny McGrath, Séan Mulkerrin, Brian Cogger, Kieran Molloy, Shay McGlinchey, Fionn McDonagh, Daniel Ó Flaherty, Finnian Ó Laoi, Jack Mullen, Damien Comer.
WESTMEATH: Jason Daly; Daniel Scahill, Charlie Drumm, Tadhg Baker; Ronan Wallace, Shane Allen, Matthew Whittaker; Brían Cooney, Ray Connellan; Kevin O’Sullivan, Sam McCartan, Conor Dillon; Shane Corcoran, Senan Baker, Brandon Kelly. Subs: James Mitchell, Adam Treanor, Boidu Sayeh, Robbie Forde, Ian Martin, Harry Niall, Shane Ormsby, Stephen McGonagle, Eoghan McCabe, Jack Duncan, John Heslin.
Tyrone v Mayo, O’Neill’s Healy Park, 3.30pm – RTÉ
Tyrone have named the same team that defeated Roscommon last time out for this clash with Mayo.
There is the notable inclusion of Darragh Canavan on their list of stand-by players though. He missed the Roscommon game with a hip injury and it’ll be interesting to see if he may yet be drafted into the match-day panel.
Mayo have made one change to the team that had a narrow win over Monaghan in Round 1 as Bob Tuohy comes in for Stephen Coen.
The Connacht side played some great attacking football at times in that victory over Monaghan, but they looked really vulnerable defensively at others.
Tyrone look a bit more solid at the back, and that could be enough to see them get the job done.
Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Cormac Quinn, Peter Teague, Joey Clarke; Michael McKernan, Niall Devlin, Kieran McGeary; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Seanie O’Donnell, Ronan Cassidy, Ciaran Daly; Eoin McElholm, Mattie Donnelly, Ethan Jordan. Subs: Oisin O’Kane, Michael Rafferty, Aidan Clarke, Ben Cullen, Frank Burns, Ruairi McHugh, Oisin McCann, Conor O’Neill, Ciaran Bogue, Lorcan McGarrity, Darren McCurry.
Mayo: Jack Livingstone; Jack Coyne (C), Donnacha McHugh, Enda Hession; Sam Callinan, David McBrien, Diarmuid Duffy; Bob Tuohy, Jack Carney; Hugh O’Loughlin, Conor Loftus, Jordan Flynn; Darragh Beirne, Ryan O’Donoghue, Kobe McDonald. Subs: Rob Hennelly, Fenton Kelly, Paddy Durcan, Eoin McGreal, Conal Dawson, Aidan O’Shea, Stephen Coen, Paul Towey, Diarmuid O’Connor, Tommy Conroy, Cian McHale.
All-Ireland SFC Round 2B
Cavan v Dublin, Kingspan Breffni, 2pm
Dublin have recalled goalkeeper Evan Comerford for Sunday’s clash with Cavan in place of Hugh O’Sullivan who stood between the posts for their defeat to Louth two weeks ago.
Theo Clancy comes in for the injured Killian McGinnis while Colm Basquel, Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, and Ross McGarry are included in a strong looking bench.
Cavan have made two changes to the team that was beaten after extra-time by Westmeath in Round 1 as Ryan Tobin and Dara McVeety are both rewarded for the impact they made as subs in that game with starting jersies this time around.
Conor Casey and Evan Crowe are both ruled out with injuries which is a blow for the Breffni County.
Dublin struggled on their own and the opposition’s kick-outs in that defeat to Louth. If they can improve in that regard the undoubted quality in their attack should shoot them to victory.
