Preview: Weekend's All-Ireland SFC semi-finals

All-Ireland SFC Semi-Finals

Saturday, July 12

Kerry v Tyrone, Croke Park, 5pm, RTE/BBC

A remarkable treble of All-Ireland football title successes beckons for Tyrone.

The Red Hand County has already claimed the Electric Ireland minor and Dalata Hotel Group U-20 titles and is just two more wins away now at the senior grade from a clean sweep.

The last county to do that was Kerry, 50 years ago, just another little reason why the Kingdom will be pushing hard to end Tyrone's interest in the race for Sam.

Ultra experienced Kerry manager Jack O'Connor has been involved in so many great battles with Tyrone teams down the years.

Tyrone scored a series of landmark wins over his teams in the 2000s though Kerry defeated them most recently, when they met in Division 1 last February. David Clifford scored 3-3 for Kerry that day and is currently enjoying his most prolific Championship in scoring terms, averaging out at just under 10 points a match from seven outings so far.

Kerry came alive in a scintillating 15-minute spell in the second-half of their quarter-final win over Armagh, kicking 0-14 without response.

Paudie Clifford was central to the onslaught when he came on at half-time that day but has been retained as a sub for this one. Michael Burns, who also came on against Armagh, does start up front this time. As does Mike Breen in defence, replacing the injured Tom O'Sullivan.

Tyrone have named their 2021 All-Ireland winning midfield again, Conn Kilpatrick and Brian Kennedy, and the battle there with Kerry's in-form Joe O'Connor and Sean O'Brien will be crucial.

The expectation is that Tyrone, who have named an unchanged lineup, will detail Padraig Hampsey to track David Clifford while Kerry have their own defensive match-ups to sort out regarding who goes after Darragh Canavan and Darren McCurry.

Both goalkeepers, Shane Ryan and Niall Morgan, should have a major influence on the game as well, between trying to beat the opposition press from kick-outs, to long-range frees and even outfield play in Morgan's case.

Kerry's bench options are impressive and both Paudie Clifford and Paul Geaney will expect to see game time. Tyrone are boosted by Michael McKernan's availability as a sub after a shoulder injury. Peter Teague and Rory Brennan have overcome knocks to start again.

Kerry: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Brian O Beaglaoich, Mike Breen, Gavin White; Sean O'Brien, Joe O'Connor; Micheal Burns, Sean O'Shea, Graham O'Sullivan; David Clifford, Conor Geaney, Dylan Geaney.

Subs: Shane Murphy, Killian Spillane, Evan Looney, Armin Heinrich, Tom Leo O'Sullivan, Paudie Clifford, Mark O'Shea, Tomas Kennedy, Tadhg Morley, Paul Geaney, Tony Brosnan.

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Cormac Quinn, Padraig Hampsey, Niall Devlin; Peter Teague, Rory Brennan, Kieran McGeary; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Sean O'Donnell, Peter Harte, Ciaran Daly; Darren McCurry, Mattie Donnelly, Darragh Canavan.

Subs: Oisin O'Kane, Aidan Clarke, Michael Rafferty, Frank Burns, Michael McKernan, Ben McDonnell, Michael O'Neill, Conor Meyler, Eoin McElholm, Mark Bradley, Ruairi Canavan.

Sunday, July 13

Meath v Donegal, Croke Park, 4pm, RTE/BBC

The sense of deja vu around Donegal is strong.

Jim McGuinnness' second stint as senior manager is panning out upon eerily similar lines to his first.

After initially taking over for 2011, he guided Donegal to an Ulster title straight away, and weeks later an All-Ireland semi-final. Which was exactly how the start of his second term as manager, in 2024, also played out.

He famously took things to another level in 2012, retaining the Ulster title, as Donegal have already done in 2025, before masterminding a landmark All-Ireland win.

That's the part that still has to materialise in 2025 - the All-Ireland success. But Donegal are many people's favourites to win back Sam.

Enter Meath, the giant-slayer of this year's Championship who have already dashed Galway's dreams and who have recorded unlikely wins over Dublin and Kerry. They've also taken the scalps of Cork, Offaly and Carlow, and drawn with Roscommon.

This is their first All-Ireland semi-final since 2009 and they are desperate to keep going and to qualify for a first final since 2001.

The expectation is that they will detail their in-form full-back Sean Rafferty to mark Michael Murphy, who is as influential as ever. At the other end, who will pick up Meath's dangerman forward Jordan Morris? Brendan McCole perhaps. Finbarr Roarty could be fancied either.

The likely midfield battle between Bryan Menton and Michael Langan is a sumptuous one too.

Donegal's hard running and power from deep, in the shape of Ciaran Moore, Peadar Mogan and Ryan McHugh is a big factor. As is the creativity and the clever lines of attack being run by Shane and Conor O'Donnell. Those two were a big factor in Donegal eventually overwhelming Monaghan in their quarter-final tie.

There is Oisin Gallen's point poaching too and the strength of their bench where Patrick McBrearty has been named again. Caolan McGonagle is back available as a sub for Donegal after injury as well. Both teams have named unchanged lineups.

Donegal are rightfully favourites to win this and fatigue shouldn't be an issue for their 10th Championship game, not with silverware now in sight.

But they will have to see off a Meath side with serious two-point potential, inside forwards that love to grab goals and a miserly defence that has been buttressed by Rafferty, Donal Kegoan and Ciaran Caulfield.

It should be a cracker.

Meath: Billy Hogan; Seamus Lavin, Sean Rafferty, Ronan Ryan; Donal Keogan, Sean Coffey, Ciaran Caulfield; Bryan Menton, Adam O'Neill; Conor Duke, Ruairi Kinsella, Keith Curtis; Jordan Morris, Mathew Costello, Eoghan Frayne.

Subs: Sean Brennan, Brian O'Halloran, Eoin Harkin, James McEntee, Cian McBride, Conor Gray, Aaron Lynch, Daithi McGowan, Shane Walsh, Diarmuid Moriarty, Cathal Hickey.

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Finnbarr Roarty, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan; Ryan McHugh, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Caolan McColgan; Hugh McFadden, Michael Langan; Shane O'Donnell, Ciaran Thompson, Ciaran Moore; Conor O'Donnell, Michael Murphy, Oisin Gallen.

Subs: Gavin Mulreany, Stephen McMenamin, Odhran McFadden Ferry, Eoin McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Odhran Doherty, Patrick McBrearty, Jamie Brennan, Niall O'Donnell, Daire O Baoill, Jason McGee.