Michael Murphy of Donegal in action against Peter Teague of Tyrone during the Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Donegal and Tyrone at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny, Donegal. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
Saturday, May 24
All-Ireland SFC Group Phase
Donegal v Tyrone, Ballyboffey, 7pm - GAA+
Donegal are boosted by the return to their panel of Eoghan Ban Gallagher who missed all four rounds of the Ulster SFC with a hamstring injury.
He’s named on a very impactful looking Donegal bench that includes the likes of Jamie Brennan, Conor O’Donnell, Niall O’Donnell, Caolan McColgan, and Odhran McFadden Ferry.
Shaun Patton has overcome ankle injury concerns to be named in goal, but on the flip side Jason McGee hasn’t recovered from a knock he picked up in the Ulster Final.
Tyrone have made three changes to the team that was beaten in the Ulster SFC semi-final as Mattie Donnelly, Peter Harte, and Aidan Clarke come into the starting XV.
The Red Hand County also have a strong looking bench with players like, Padraig Hampsey, Ruairí Canavan, Mark Bradley, and Conor Meyler ready and waiting to be called upon.
The return of Meyler is a big boost after he missed all of last season with knee and Achilles injuries.
This should be a ferociously fought contest, but you get the feeling Donegal’s inside forwards could have the measure of Tyrone’s full-back line.
DONEGAL: Shaun Patton; Finbarr Roarty, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Ciaran Moore; Hugh McFadden, Michael Langan; Dáire Ó Baoill, Ciaran Thompson, Shane O’Donnell; Patrick McBrearty, Michael Murphy, Oisin Gallen. Subs: Gavin Mulreany, Stephen McMenamin, Odhran McFadden Ferry, Caolan McColgan, Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Odhran Doherty, Aaron Doherty, Eoin McHugh, Jamie Brennan, Conor O’Donnell, Niall O’Donnell.
TYRONE: Niall Morgan; Aidan Clarke, Peter Teague, Niall Devlin; Michael McKernan, Rory Brennan, Kieran McGeary; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Aodhan Donaghy, Mattie Donnelly, Ciaran Daly; Darren McCurry, Peter Harte, Darragh Canavan. Subs: Oisin O’Kane, Cormac Quinn, Padraig Hampsey, Frank Burns, Ben McDonnell, Shea O’Hare, Conor Meyler, Mark Bradley, Seanie O’Donnell, Ruairí Canavan, Eoin McElholm.
Armagh v Derry, Box-It Athletic Grounds, 5pm
Armagh’s named team shows two changes to the side that was beaten in the Ulster Final two weeks ago by Donegal as Peter McGrane and Jason Duffy come into the starting XV for Callum O’Neill and Greg McCabe.
There’s no place in the match-day panel for Rian O’Neill, while another 2024 All-Star, Conor Turbitt, is named on an impactful looking bench that also includes Stefan Campbell and Niall Grimley.
It’s hard to know what to expect from a Derry side that hasn’t played since their exit from the Ulster Championship at the hands of Donegal seven weeks ago.
With Odhran Lynch still sidelined with injury, Ben McKinless has been named to start in goal in place of Neil McNicholl who played against Donegal in that Ulster SFC preliminary round game.
Ruairi Forbes, Niall Loughlin, and Conor Doherty also come into the starting XV while Anton Tohill has recovered sufficiently to be named on the subs list.
A Derry that has been waiting in the long grass will be dangerous opponents, but if Armagh can get close to the form they showed in the Ulster Final they should be too good for Paddy Tally’s team.
ARMAGH: Ethan Rafferty; Paddy Burns, Barry McCambridge, Peter McGrane; Ross McQuillan, Aidan Forker, Jarly Óg Burns; Jason Duffy, Ben Crealey; Darragh McMullan, Rory Grugan, Oisin Conaty; Tiernan Kelly, Andrew Murnin, Oisin O’Neill. Subs: Blaine Hughes, Tomas McCormack, Greg McCabe, Connaire Mackin, Cian McConville, Joe McElroy, Niall Grimley, Callum O’Neill, Stefan Campbell, Conor Turbitt, Shane McPartlan.
DERRY: Ben McKinless; Patrick McGurk, Eoin McEvoy, Diarmuid Baker; Ruair Forbes, Brendan Rogers, Padraig McGrogan; Conor Glass, Conor Doherty; Ciaran McFaul, Paul Cassidy, Ethan Doherty; Niall Loughlin, Shane McGuigan, Niall Toner. Subs: Louis Regan, Ryan Mulholland, Dan Higgins, Kevin Quinn, Anton Tohill, Tommy Rogers, Ben McCarron, Charlie Diamond, Cahir McMonagle, Caolan Devlin, Danny McDermott.
Louth v Monaghan, Cedral St Conleth's Park, 4.45pm - GAA+
Not surprisingly, Louth have named the same team that beat Meath in the Leinster SFC Final for this match.
Monaghan make just one change to the side that was beaten by Donegal in the Ulster SFC quarter-final with Jack McCarron coming in for Ryan McAnespie.
When these two teams met in the Allianz Football League Monaghan swept into a 17-point first-half lead before a stirring second-half Louth comeback had the game in the melting pot again coming down the home straight.
We’re unlikely to see such fluctuations on the scoreboard this time around, but the margins are likely to be fine again coming towards the business end of the match.
The big unknown is how Louth will react to winning the Leinster Championship. Will that emotional release of robbed them of some energy and ambition, or will it give them the self-belief that they can now mount a real challenge for the Sam Maguire Cup?
If Louth control possession like they did in the second half of the Leinster Final then they’ll be hard to beat, but if Monaghan at least break even in the middle third then you’d fancy they have a greater spread of natural score-getters than the Wee County do.
LOUTH: Niall McDonnell; Daire Nally, Dermot Campbell, Donal McKenny; Conal McKeever, Peter Lynch, Craig Lennon; Tommy Durnin, Andy McDonnell; Bevan Duffy, Ciaran Downey, Conor Grimes; Kieran McArdle, Sam Mulroy, Ryan Burns. Subs: Tiarnan Markey, Liam Jackson, Anthony Williams, Emmet Carolan, Ciaran Byrne, Dara McDonnell, Dan Corcoran, Conor Branigan, Ciaran Keenan, Dylan McKeown, Paul Matthews.
MONAGHAN: Rory Beggan; Ryan Wylie, Kieran Duffy, Dylan Byrne; Ryan O’Toole, Dessie Ward, Conor McCarthy; Mícheál McCarville, Gary Mohan; Stephen O’Hanlon, Mícheál Bannigan, Ciaran McNulty; David Garland, Andrew Woods, Jack McCarron. Subs: Kian Mulligan, Louis Kelly, Gavin McPhillips, Darren Hughes, Aaron Carey, Ryan McAnespie, Barry McBennett, Killian Lavelle, Jason Irwin, Stephen Mooney, Karl O’Connell.
Meath v Cork, Pairc Tailteann, 3pm
Meath make two changes to the team that was beaten by Louth in the Leinster SFC Final as Jordan Morris comes into the attack in place of Keith Curtis and Ronan Ryan replaces Brian O’Halloran at corner-back.
Cork make three changes to the team beaten by Kerry in an epic Munster SFC semi-final as Seán Meehan, Maurice Shanley, and Cathail O’Mahony come in for injured duo Brian Hurley and Tommy Walsh and the suspended Seán Brady.
Both teams look stronger offensively than defensively, so this could be a free-flowing, high-scoring game like it was when they met in the League.
When Meath got a run on Louth in the first half of the Leinster Final they looked very impressive, but they fell away badly in the second half because they struggled to win primary possession off kick-outs.
That’s a failing that reared its head during the League as well and it could be problematic here too because Cork look that bit stronger in the middle third where the partnership of Ian Maguire and Colm O’Callaghan give them a solid base.
MEATH: Billy Hogan; Seamus Lavin, Seán Rafferty, Ronan Ryan; Donal Keogan; Seán Coffey, Ciará Caulfield; Jack Flynn, Bryan Menton, Conor Duke, Ruairí Kinsella, Matthew Costello; Jordan Morris, James Conlon, Eoghan Frayne. Subs: Seán Brennan, Adam O’Neill, Brian O’Halloran, Cathal Hickey, Eoin Harkin, James McEntee, Cian McBride, Conor Gray, Shane Walsh, Keith Curtis, Aaron Lynch.
CORK: Michéal Aodh Martin; Sean Meehan, Daniel O’Mahony, Maurice Shanley; Brian O’Driscoll, Rory Maguire, Matty Taylor; Ian Maguire, Colm O’Callaghan; Paul Walsh, Seán Powter, Sean McDonnell; Mark Cronin, Cathail O’Mahony, Chris Óg Jones. Subs: Patrick Doyle, Brian Murphy, Neil Lordan, Daragh Cashman, Luke Fahy, Seán Walsh, Conor Cahalane, Eoghan McSweeney, Ruairí Dean, Eanna O’Hanlon, Hugh O’Connor.
