Preview: Weekend's provincial football finals action
David Clifford, Kerry, and Daniel O' Mahony, Cork, in All-Ireland SFC action last year. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Sunday May 10
Munster Senior Football Championship Final
Kerry v Cork, Fitzgerald Stadium, 1.45pm, RTE
A first Munster SFC Final meeting between the long time foes since 2021 is attracting significant attention.
Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney provides the backdrop as Cork, making progress under John Cleary, are keen to examine themselves against the standard bearers down south.
Cork's last win over Kerry in a Munster decider was back in 2008, but they have enjoyed goal laden triumphs over Limerick and Tipperary recently.
Kerry did what was required against Clare in Ennis with David Clifford mining 1-7 and Diarmuid O'Connor illustrating his value to the cause.
Injuries, though, have disturbed the All-Ireland champions throughout 2026 with Tom O'Sullivan, Joe O'Connor, and Seán O'Shea ruled out for Sunday.
Nonetheless, there is still plenty of attacking class available for Jack O'Connor with the promising Keith Evans named to start alongside David Clifford and Paul Geaney in a potent full forward line.
Cork's defensive unit will be tested, but it is a battle the competitive Maurice Shanley, Daniel O'Mahony, and Seán Meehan should relish.
At the opposite end of the field Cork will need good scoring contributions from Mark Cronin, Chris Óg Jones, and Steven Sherlock.
Having attained promotion to Division One of the Allianz Football League, these are encouraging times for Cork.
An away match against Kerry, though, will be revealing ahead of fascinating matches in Round One of the All-Ireland series.
Enda Smith, Roscommon, and Dylan McHugh, Galway, in Allianz Football League action earlier this year. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Connacht Senior Football Championship Final
Roscommon v Galway, King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park, 4.15pm, RTE
Roscommon haven't beaten Galway in Championship fare since the 2019 western decider, but the home team enter this encounter loaded with hope and expectation.
A brilliant display in Castlebar, prompted by the excellent Diarmuid Murtagh, ensured Roscommon took Mayo's scalp.
Now, Mark Dowd's outfit will be eager to glean silverware at the Hyde, but Galway have won the last four Connacht titles.
Leitrim posed stern questions, but Galway survived a tricky assignment with Shane Walsh and Damien making important cameos in the closing stages of that match.
Walsh is named to start against Roscommon, adding another scoring threat in an attack that features Rob Finnerty, who continues to impress.
There is depth to the Roscommon panel also, illustrated by the fact that accomplished players such as Ruaidhrí Fallon, Brian Stack, and Daire Cregg are listed among the replacements.
Galway's consistency under Padraic Joyce's stewardship is worthy of the utmost respect and it is why they will make the short trip to Roscommon heartened.
A number of players who were unavailable due to injury in recent months are returning to action which is a boost ahead of a defining spell in the footballing year.
This promises to be an exciting tussle with the Heneghan's development and the enduring class of Enda Smith and Murtagh relevant for Roscommon.
Galway aren't short on talent either with Seán Kelly, Dylan McHugh, Paul Conroy, John Maher, and the aforementioned forwards proven operators at the highest level.
