Preview: Tailteann Cup semi-finals
Wicklow manager Oisín McConville. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Sunday, June 22
Tailteann Cup, semi-finals
Wicklow v Limerick, Croke Park, 2pm, RTE
The fact that these two teams are clashing means that we will definitely have a Division 4 team in this season's final.
Limerick gained promotion from the Allianz League's bottom tier earlier in the year though, significantly, didn't beat Wicklow when they met, drawing 3-15 to 1-21 in Aughrim.
Wicklow got the three goals on that occasion and may need as many again as Limerick put four on the board against Wexford in an impressive quarter-final win.
Kevin Quinn has been brought back into the Wicklow full-forward line, the team's only alteration.
Limerick, along with Kildare, are the only unbeaten teams left in the competition and have in-form attackers in Danny Neville, who netted twice against Wexford last weekend, and the prolific James Naughton.
The latter scored 0-9 against Wexford and went one better with 0-10 against Wicklow in that league meeting. Don't forget Naughton's staggering 4-12 against Waterford in the league either.
Iain Corbett continues to provide vital experience for Jimmy Lee's side at the back and Emmett Rigter made the 2024 Tailteann Cup Team of the Year. All of them are retained in an unchanged team.
Limerick's threats are clear but so are Wicklow's. Goalkeeper Mark Jackson can slot two-pointers from anywhere within the 65m line almost and has 0-19 in the competition so far while veteran Dean Healy is having another fine season, lording it in the middle third.
Beating 2022 winners Westmeath last weekend proved not that just that Aughrim continues to be Wicklow's fortress but that Oisin McConville's crew are genuine title contenders.
WICKLOW: Mark Jackson; Tom Moran, Matt Nolan, Malachy Stone; Joe Prendergast, Patrick O'Keane, Darragh Fee; Dean Healy, Padraig O'Toole; Christopher O'Brien, Eoin Darcy, Cathal Baker; Oisin McGraynor, Kevin Quinn, Mark Kenny.
Subs: Cathal Fitzgerald, Jaques McCall, Jack Hardy, Liam O'Neill, Conor Fee, Paidi Kavanagh, Craig Maguire, Jack Kirwan, John Paul Nolan, Cian Deering, Gavin Fogarty.
LIMERICK: Josh Ryan; Jason Hassett, Darren O'Doherty, Mark McCarthy; Paul Maher, Iain Corbett, Tony McCarthy; Tommie Childs, Darragh O'Hagan; James Naughton, Emmett Rigter, Cillian Fahy; Peter Nash, Danny Neville, Killian Ryan.
Subs: Jeffrey Alfred, Ruadhan O'Connor, Tadgh O Siochru, Conall O Duinn, Barry Coleman, Sean Clancy, Diarmuid Buckley, Darragh Murray, Rory O'Brien, Andrew Meade, Rob Childs.
In-form Kildare forward Alex Beirne. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Kildare v Fermanagh, Croke Park, 4pm, RTE
This is new ground for both counties who are through to the last four of the Tailteann Cup for the first time.
Kildare entered the competition for the first time last year and lost to Laois at the quarter-final stage while Fermanagh previously lost a preliminary quarter-final (2023) and two quarter-finals (2022 and 2024).
Kildare were installed as tournament favourites when they beat Offaly last weekend, gaining revenge for two previous losses to Offaly this season, including the Division 3 league final.
Alex Beirne struck seven points against the Faithful, adding to his previous 0-12, 1-5 and 1-6 tallies. Daniel Flynn, with 2-4 and 2-3 against Tipperary and Sligo, could potentially cut loose again too. As could the fit again Darragh Kirwan or the increasingly influential Ryan Sinkey, one of a number of Kildare's 2023 All-Ireland U-20 winners.
It's an unchanged Kildare starting team meaning that Jimmy Hyland misses out again through injury, as do Ben McCormack and Ryan Houlihan, though Callum Bolton is an option again on the bench.
Fermanagh, who are also unchanged, topped Group 4 and had an impressive 0-21 to 1-16 win over 2024 semi-finalists Sligo last weekend.
Their physicality, strength throughout the middle third where Joe McDade and Darragh McGurn have excelled, and their sheer scoring power in the shape of Conor Love and Garvan Jones have stood out.
Fermanagh, crucially, gave a brilliant display at Croke Park earlier this month when seeing off Wexford so should be comfortable on that stage while Kildare have lost their last five league and Championship games at GAA HQ.
KILDARE: Cian Burke; Harry O'Neill, Mark Dempsey, Ryan Burke; Brian Byrne, David Hyland, James McGrath; Kevin Feely, Brendan Gibbons; Tommy Gill, Alex Beirne, Colm Dalton; Ryan Sinkey, Darragh Kirwan, Daniel Flynn.
Subs: Didier Cordonnier, Jack McKevitt, Mick O'Grady, Kevin Flynn, Callum Bolton, Aaron Masterson, Paddy McDermott, Darragh Swords, Brian McLoughlin, Niall Kelly, Eoin Cully.
FERMANAGH: Sean McNally; Luke Flanagan, Lee Cullen, Oisin Smyth; Shane McGullion, Declan McCusker, Jonathan Cassidy; Joe McDade, Darragh McGurn; Fionan O'Brien, Ryan Lyons, Ronan McCaffrey; Josh Largo Ellis, Garvan Jones, Conor Love.
Subs: Ross Bogue, Che Cullen, Sean Cassidy, Diarmuid Owens, Glenn Treacy, Aogan Kelm, Jack Largo Ellis, Oisin Murphy, Conor McGee, Brandon Horan, Paul Breen.
