Armagh and Down meet in the Ulster SFC semi-final on Saturday.
Saturday, April 27
Ulster SFC semi-final
Down v Armagh, Clones, 5.15pm – GAAGO
When these teams met in last year’s Ulster semi-final Armagh came out on top thanks in no small part to the conversion of four goals. Preventing that sort of goal-rush will surely top Down’s priority list this time around.
Both teams look like they have improved 12 months on from last year’s championship encounter. Peter McGrane and Oisin Conaty emerged for Armagh in the League and Oisin O’Neill is back fit.
The talented Odhran Murdock is available for Down having missed this game last year due to his U20 commitments and Barry O’Hagan has returned.
Both teams also had strong League campaigns, with Armagh winning promotion to Division 1 and Down winning promotion to Division 2.
Armagh’s most recent form line is slightly more convincing, though. They were very impressive when dispatching Fermanagh in the Ulster quarter-final whereas Down laboured to victory over Antrim.
DOWN: John O'Hare; Peter Fegan, Ryan McEvoy, Ceilum Doherty; Miceal Rooney, Pierce Laverty, Shealan Johnston; Jonny Flynn, Odhran Murdock; Daniel Guinness, Liam Kerr, Ryan Johnston; Barry O Hagan, Pat Havern, Danny Magill. Subs: Kevin Anderson, Ryan Magill, Finn McElroy, James Guinness, Oisin Savage, Conor McCrickard, Shane Annett, Rory Mason, Gareth McKibben, Eamonn Brown, Paddy McCarthy
ARMAGH: Blaine Hughes; Paddy Burns, Aaron McKay, Peter McGrane; Joe McElroy, Ciaran Mackin, Aidan Forker; Rian O'Neill, Ben Crealey; Stefan Campbell, Rory Grugan, Oisin Conaty; Conor Turbitt, Andrew Murnin, Jarly Óg Burns. Subs: Ethan Rafferty, Barry McCambridge, Tiernan Kelly, Greg McCabe, Connaire Mackin, Darragh McMullan, Jason Duffy, Ross McQuillan, Aidan Nugent, Oisin O'Neill, Shane McPartlan
Sunday, April 28
Leinster SFC semi-finals
Dublin v Offaly, Croke Park, 4pm – GAAGO
Brian Fenton returns to a very strong looking Dublin team for Sunday’s Leinster SFC semi-final against Offaly.
The big midfielder comes in as an indirect replacement for Seán Bugler who drops to the bench with Brian Howard moving from midfield to wing-back.
Nor surprisingly, Offaly name the same team that enjoyed a very impressive win over Laois in the Leinster SFC Quarter-Final.
There was much to admire about the Offaly performance in that game. They moved the ball quickly and had clinical forwards in Keith O’Neill, Dylan Hyland, and Jack Bryant.
Their full-back line of David Dempsey, Declan Hogan, and Lee Pearson was also outstanding, and they’ll need to be at their very best again in this game to curb the considerable threat of Paul Mannion, Con O’Callaghan, and Colm Basquel.
Anything other than a convincing Dublin win would be a surprise. Offaly will hope for a creditable performance that will give them something to build on for a run at the Tailteann Cup.
DUBLIN: Stephen Cluxton; Seán MacMahon, Michael Fitzsimons, Eoin Murchan; Brian Howard, John Small, Cian Murphy; Brian Fenton, Tom Lahiff; Ross McGarry, Ciaran Kilkenny, Niall Scully; Paul Mannion, Con O'Callaghan, Colm Basquel. Subs: David O'Hanlon, Seán Bugler, Theo Clancy, Cormac Costello, James McCarthy, Killian McGinnis, Daire Newcombe, Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, Lorcan O'Dell, Killian O'Gara, Paddy Small
OFFALY: Ian Duffy; Lee Pearson, David Dempsey, John Furlong; Cormac Egan, Declan Hogan, Peter Cunningham; Eoin Carroll, Jack McEvoy; Dylan Hyland, Ruairi McNamee, Jordan Hayes; Nathan Poland, Keith O'Neill, Jack Bryant. Subs: Mikey Cunningham, Diarmuid Finneran, Jack O'Brien, Daire McDaid, Rory Egan, Cathal Flynn, Kevin McDermott, Dan Molloy, Nigel Dunne, Cian Farrell, Cathal Donoghue
Louth will hope to repeat their League victory over Kildare when they meet in the Leinster SFC semi-final on Sunday.
Kildare v Louth, Croke Park, 1.45pm – GAAGO
Kildare got their first competitive win of 2024 in the Leinster SFC quarter-final against Wicklow but it was hardly plain sailing as they needed a late Jack Sargent point to see off the plucky Garden County.
Kevin Flyn was red-carded in that match and is a loss for this one, but Kildare’s biggest problem is a lack of cohesion and self-belief that has dogged them all year.
An attack that includes players like Darragh Kirwan, Daniel Flynn, Kevin Feely and Niall Kelly looks very dangerous on paper, but Kildare just aren’t getting the best from them.
Louth, in contrast, are very much like a well-drilled team where every player knows their role, and after a slow start they eventually saw off Wexford with impressive ruthlessness in their provincial quarter-final.
They’ve been putting up big scores and in players like Sam Mulroy, Ciaran Downey, and Ryan Burn have lethal finishers.
If Tommy Durnin and Ciaran Murphy give the Wee County a platform in the middle of the field you’d fancy Ger Brennan’s team to edge this.
KILDARE: Mark Donnellan; Ryan Burke, Shea Ryan, Mick O'Grady; Jack Sargent, Eoin Doyle, Paddy McDermott; Aaron Masterson, Alex Beirne; Paddy Woodgate, Niall Kelly, Shane Farrell; Kevin Feely, Darragh Kirwan, Daniel Flynn. Subs: Didier Cordonnier, Tony Archbold, Brian Byrne, Barry Coffey, Ryan Houlihan, Barry Kelly, Luke Killian, Sam McCormack, Kevin O’Callaghan, Harry O'Neill, Shane O'Sullivan.
LOUTH: Niall McDonnell; Donal McKenny, Dermot Campbell, Peter Lynch; Conall Mc Keever, Anthony Williams, Leonard Grey; Tommy Durnin, Ciaran Murphy; Tom Jackson, Ciaran Keenan, Conor Grimes; Ryan Burns, Sam Mulroy, Ciaran Downey. Subs: Craig Lynch, Chris O'Neill, Peter Mc Stravick, Liam Jackson, Dan Corcoran, Bevan Duffy, Niall Sharkey, Wayne Campbell, Jay Hughes, Conor Early, Paul Mathews.
Ulster SFC semi-final
Donegal v Tyrone, Celtic Park, 2pm – BBC
Both teams make one change for this eagerly awaited Ulster SFC semi-final.
Donegal captain Patrick McBrearty comes into the starting XV after only being fit for a substitute’s role in the dramatic quarter-final win over Derry with Aaron Doherty dropping to the bench.
Joe Oguz comes into the Tyrone side that defeated Cavan after extra-time in their ferociously contested quarter-final in place of Liam Gray.
When you compare those two quarter-finals side by side, Donegal’s victory was the more impressive one, coming as it did via a tactical masterclass against recently crowned League champions Derry.
There was a real coherence about Donegal’s display whereas Tyrone blew hot and cold against Cavan and very nearly ended up losing a game they led by eight points 16 minutes into the second-half.
Donegal look that bit tighter defensively at the moment and have no shortage of firepower either with forwards like McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, and Daire Ó Baoill.
There won’t be much in this one and there’s always the chance Darragh Canavan will bend the game to his will, but Donegal’s form-line is a tad more convincing.
DONEGAL: Shaun Patton; Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Ciaran Moore; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan; Jason McGee, Michael Langan; Shane O'Donnell, Ciaran Thompson, Daire O Baoill; Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Niall O'Donnell. Subs: Gavin Mulreany, Kevin McGettigan, Stephen McMenamin, Odhran Doherty, Domhnall MacGiolla Bhride, Jeaic MacCeallbhuí, Hugh McFadden, Jamie Brennan, Aaron Doherty, John Ross Molloy, Cathal MacAonghása
TYRONE: Niall Morgan; Conal Devlin, Padraig Hampsey, Michael McKernan; Sean O’Donnell, Matthew Donnelly, Niall Devlin; Brian Kennedy, Aodhan Donaghy; Ciaran Daly, Kieran McGeary, Joe Oguz; Darren McCurry, Darragh Canavan, Ruari Canavan. Subs: Lorcan Quinn, Aidan Clarke, Ben Cullen, Conor Cush, Cormac Donnelly, Conn Kilpatrick, Nathan McCarron, Lorcan McGarrity, Cathal McShane, Michael O’Neill, Tiernan Quinn.