Saturday June 10

Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-finals

Offaly v Wexford, Glenisk O'Connor Park, 4pm

Referee: David Murnane (Cork)

This promises to be a lively encounter in Tullamore between two counties eager to make progress.

Offaly went well in this competition last year, but they will know all about the threat a pumped up Wexford carries.

John Hegarty has quietly, but effectively stitched a decent sequence of results together with Wexford, who edged out Leitrim at Parnell Park.

Darragh Brooks' goalkeeping has impressed throughout 2023, while Ben Brosnan struck the decisive goal at the Donnycarney venue.

A lot has happened in Offaly with the tragic passing of Liam Kearns, but the team has still delivered strong displays.

The defeat to Cavan was a setback, but Cian Farrell and Anton Sullivan have the ability to cause Wexford problems.

Offaly: Ian Duffy; Lee Pearson, Declan Hogan, David Dempsey; Cian Donohoe, Peter Cunningham, Ciarán Donnelly; Conor McNamee, Aaron Leavy; Jordan Hayes, Ruairí McNamee, Anton Sullivan; Cian Farrell, Joe Maher, Nigel Dunne.

Subs: Corey White, Bernard Allen, Jamie Evans, Morgan Tynan, Cormac Delaney, Jack O'Brien, Nigel Bracken, Aaron Brazil, Mark Abbott, Luke Egan, Shane Tierney.

Wexford: Darragh Brooks; Brian Cushe, Dylan Furlong, Michael Furlong; Eoin Porter, Glen Malone, Páraic Hughes; Liam Coleman, Niall Hughes; Alan Tobin, Eoghan Nolan, Kevin O'Grady; Robbie Brooks, Mark Rossiter, Ben Brosnan.

Subs: Anto Larkin, Conor Carty, Cian Hughes, Conor Kinsella, Darragh Lyons, Brian Molloy, Liam O'Connor, Dean O'Toole, John Tubritt, Cathal Walsh, Richard Waters.

Carlow v New York, Netwatch Cullen Park, 5pm, GAAGO

Referee: Seán Lonergan (Tipperary)

It has been a rewarding Tailteann Cup campaign for Carlow.

Niall Carew's outfit, prompted by the enduring excellence of Darragh Foley, have made encouraging progress in recent weeks.

For New York, though, this will be a third Championship fixture in 2023 which is hugely significant.

The Gaelic Park victory over Leitrim hinted at their potential, but Sligo were too crafty in the Connacht SFC Semi-Final.

Valuable lessons were learned during that loss by Johnny McGeeney's charges, who will be striving to cause another surprise.

Carlow: Johnny Furey; Shane Buggy, Mikey Bambrick, Mark Furey; Niall Hickey, Shane Clarke, Ciarán Moran; Conor Doyle, Jordan Morrissey; Conor Crowley, Josh Moore, Ross Dunphy; Colm Hulton, Darragh Foley, Jamie Clarke.

Subs: Ciaran Cunningham, Liam Roberts, Liam Brennan, Jonah Dunne, Aaron Amond, Eric Molloy, Padraic Deering, Finbarr Kavanagh, Paddy Regan, Seanie Bambrick, Bryan McMahon.

New York: Brendan Cole; Jamie Boyle, Alan Campbell, Shane Bolger; Robert Wharton, Mark Ellis, Bill Maher; Johnny Glynn, Liam Kearney; Daniel O'Sullivan, Shane Brosnan, Shane Carthy; Jack Reilly, Gavin O'Brien, Adam Loughlin Stones.

Subs: Tiernan Mathers, Luke Kelly, Connell Ahearne, Mikey Brosnan, Matthew Queenan, Killian Butler, Peter Fox, Colin Keane, James Breen, Padraig Studdard.

Fermanagh v Laois, Brewster Park, 6pm

Referee: Barry Judge (Sligo)

A late Antrim flurry defeated Fermanagh at the Athletic Grounds so Kieran Donnelly will be demanding a response.

During Fermanagh's promotion winning campaign from Division Three of the Allianz Football League they defeated Laois by six points.

Ultan Kelm is enjoying an impressive spell for Fermanagh, clipping three points against Antrim to underline his value to the team.

At the opposite end of the field Paul Kingston has been prominent throughout the year for Laois.

In the Tailteann Cup Laois drew with Offaly and London, but were beaten by an in-form Cavan outfit.

Fermanagh: Seán McNally; Luke Flanagan, Ché Cullen, Lee Cullen; Shane McGullion, Jonathan Cassidy, Cian McManus; Ryan Jones, Brandon Horan; Conor McShea, Ryan Lyons, Ronan McCaffrey; Ultan Kelm, Darragh McGurn, Seán Quigley.

Subs: Jack Kelly, Garrett Cavanagh, Josh Largo Ellis, Declan McCusker, Aidan Breen, Oisín Smyth, Garvan Jones, Tommy McCaffrey, Conor McGee, Conal Jones, Ciarán Corrigan.

Laois: Killian Roche; Seán Greene, Trevor Collins, Robert Pigott; Pádraig Kirwan, Mark Timmons, Patrick O'Sullivan; Kieran Lillis, Damon Larkin; Colm Murphy, Paul Kingston, James Finn; Mark Barry, Evan O'Carroll, Eoin Lowry.

Subs: Scott Osborne, Séamus Lacey, Alex Mohan, Seán O'Flynn, Kevin Swayne, Ciarán Burke, Dylan Kavanagh, Damien O'Connor, Niall Corbet, Brian Daly, Cathal Doyle.

Down v Longford, Páirc Esler, 7pm, GAAGO

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)

Hope and a sense of optimism is returning to the Down senior football team.

Even from an early stage in the year in the Dr McKenna Cup it was apparent that Conor Laverty wanted to forge a real connection between players and supporters.

A Group One defeat to Meath means Down, featuring the effective Odhran Murdock and Pat Havern, now face a preliminary quarter-final fixture.

Despite suffering a couple of losses Longford advanced from a tricky group following a demanding Allianz Football League campaign.

Paddy Christie knows that a tough test awaits in Newry, but Joe Hagan, Dylan Farrell, and Oran Kenny are forwards capable of landing scores.

Down: Niall Kane; Anthony Doherty, Pierce Laverty, Patrick McCarthy; Gerard Collins, Ryan Magill, Daniel Guinness; Shane Annett, Odhran Murdock; Ceilum Doherty, Donach McAleenan, Liam Kerr; Andrew Gilmore, Pat Havern, Eugene Branagan.

Subs: John O'Hare, Miceal Rooney, Conor Francis, Ryan McEvoy, Danny Magill, Ross Carr, Jerome Johnston, Conor Fitzpatrick, Patrick Branagan, Eamon Brown, Rory Mason.

Longford: Patrick Collum; Patrick Fox, Andrew Farrell, Bryan Masterson; Iarla O'Sullivan, Michael Quinn, Peter Lynn; Ryan Moffett, Darren Gallagher; Joe Hagan, Dessie Reynolds, Aaron Farrell; Keelin McGann, Dylan Farrell, Oran Kenny.

Subs: Mícheál Hughes, Peter Foy, Fergal Sheridan, Daire O'Brien, Ciarán Scanlon, James Kiernan, Barry O'Farrell, Ruairí Harkin, Matt Duffy, Tadhg McNevin, Darragh Doherty.