THERE’S A WHOPPING 28 games on the inter-county GAA agenda this weekend.
Across the four provinces the pre-season competitions are cranking into action.
On the Gaelic football front, the games continue in the FBD League, the O’Byrne Cup, the McGrath Cup and the Dr McKenna Cup.
While the 2014 hurling season throws in with games pencilled in for the Walsh Cup and the Waterford Crystal Cup.
(All games 2pm unless stated)
Connacht
Beaten All-Ireland finalists Mayo make their seasonal debut tonight with a tie at home to NUI Galway while there are four games scheduled for Sunday afternoon in the FBD League.
FBD League
Friday
Section A
Mayo v NUI Galway, Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar, 7.30pm, (Ref: Michael Duffy, Sligo).
Sunday
Section A
Roscommon v NUI Galway, Ballyforan, (Ref: James Molloy, Galway).
Mayo v IT Sligo, Charlestown, (Ref: Raymond McBrien, Leitrim)
Section B
Galway v Leitrim, Duggan Park, Ballinasloe, (Ref: Jerome Henry, Mayo).
Sligo v GMIT, Cloone, (Ref: Shane Hehir, Galway).
Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Leinster
The Walsh Cup starts tomorrow with a tie in Tullamore with a further three opening round games on Sunday. In the O’Byrne Cup the final round of the group matches are on Sunday.
All four teams in Group A are still in the hunt for a semi-final place while Kildare are almost certain to qualify from Group B. Watch out for the head-to-head battles in Baltinglass and Parnell Park which will decide who claims the semi-final berths from Group C and Group D.
Saturday
Walsh Cup first round
Offaly v Antrim, Tullamore, (Ref: Paud O’Dwyer, Carlow).
Sunday
O’Byrne Cup
Group A
Laois v UCD, Portarlington, (Ref: Damien Maher, Westmeath).
Offaly v Wexford, Tullamore, (Ref: Derek Fahy, Longford).
Group B
Longford v Athlone IT, Ballymahon, (Ref: Stephen Murphy, Louth).
Kildare v Carlow, Newbridge, (Ref: Fergal Kelly, Longford).
Group C
Dublin IT v Carlow IT, St Margaret’s GAA grounds, (Ref: Noel McKenna, Kildare).
Wicklow v Meath, Baltinglass, (Ref: Eddie Kinsella, Laois).
Group D
Dublin v DCU, Parnell Park, (Ref: David Gough, Meath).
Louth v Westmeath, Drogheda, (Ref: Maurice Deegan, Laois).
Walsh Cup first round
Laois v NUI Galway, Rathdowney, (Ref: David Hughes, Carlow).
Carlow v UCD, Carlow, (Ref: Sean Cleere, Kilkenny).
Westmeath v Dublin IT, Mullingar, (Ref: Tony Carroll, Offaly).
The Laois and Offaly footballers face off this weekend
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Munster
In Munster the semi-finals of the McGrath Cup are on Sunday afternoon with Kerry and Cork taking on the students of CIT and UL respectively.
The hurlers of Limerick, Waterford and Tipperary are also all in action this Sunday in the Waterford Crystal Cup.
Friday
Waterford Crystal Cup preliminary round
Limerick v IT Tralee, Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale, 7.30pm, (Ref: Fergal Horgan, Tipperary).
Sunday
McGrath Cup semi-finals
Kerry v CIT, John Mitchels GAA grounds, Tralee, (Ref: Richard Moloney, Limerick).
Cork v UL, Mallow, (Ref: Rory Hickey, Clare).
Waterford Crystal Cup preliminary round
Waterford v UL, WIT GAA Grounds, Carriganore, (Ref: Cathal McAllister, Cork)
Tipperary v Limerick IT, MacDonagh Park, Nenagh, (Ref: Diarmuid Kirwan, Cork).
Waterford play UL on Sunday
Pic: INPHO/Ken Sutton
Ulster
Finally in Ulster on Sunday, it’s round 2 of the Dr McKenna Cup with six games scheduled.
Sunday
Power NI Dr McKenna Cup
Section A
Tyrone v Queen’s University, Healy Park, Omagh, (Ref: M McNally, Monaghan).
Armagh v Donegal, Athletic Grounds, (Ref: E McHugh, Tyrone).
Section B
Monaghan v St Mary’s, Clones, (Ref: N Cullen, Fermanagh).
Derry v Fermanagh, Owenbeg, (Ref: S McLaughlin, Donegal).
Section C
Antrim v UUJ, Creggan, (Ref: K Trainor, Down).
Cavan v Down, Kingscourt, (Ref: S Hurson, Tyrone).
Tyrone boss Mickey Harte
Pic: INPHO/Presseye/Donna McBride