Where would you be?
Mayo and Clare’s footballers meet for the first time in championship history this evening and it looks like Cusack Park is the place to be.
The teams are going through their last-minute preparations before we throw in at 5pm.
How do you see this one playing out?
Mayo are favourites, of course, but this is an intriguing match-up. Here’s how the sides will line up ,we’re told:
Banner boss, Colm Collins has been chatting to RTÉ: “It’s something you’d look forward to. This is the type of challenge we’ve been looking for.”
Stephen Rochford too has been asked about expectation: “Mayo are under pressure all the time. Mayo set high standards and going through the back door there’s certainly additional nerves but that’s the way is.”
As well as the Clare-Mayo clash in Ennis, Meath and Donegal will throw in an hour later, so we’ll keep you updated on that throughout.
And in Thurles, of course, at 5pm in the hurling qualifiers Dublin fans have travelled to face Tipp. Our GAA editor Fintan O’Toole is in situ and will have a report on the whistle and post-match reaction to that loser-leaves-town showdown.
Already today, Tipp’s footballers have fought back against Cavan to extend their summer.
Sunday Game civil war update: Pat Spillane is on the sideline and Dessie Dolan is safe for now in the gantry with Marty.
From Fintan at Semple Stadium:
‘Dublin just after running out onto the pitch here to muted applause. They’re not given much chance here, all focus on the overwhelming favourites Tipperary as to whether they can tap into their best form in front of their home support’
The hurling has throw in in Thurles while in Cusack Park the players are standing for the anthem but ‘there’s something wrong with the DVD’ according to Marty.
Mayo 0-1 Clare 0-0 We’re underway in Ennis and immediately Andy Moran kicks a nice point after work form Aidan O’Shea.
Black card! Donal Vaughan trots off after he drags down Gary Brennan who was heading goalwards.
Clare 0-1 Mayo 0-1 Busy enough start. Eoin Cleary lands a free for the hosts.
Stephen Coen is on for Vaughan.
In Thurles, Seamus Callanan has scored a goal and Tipp are 1-4 to 0-2 up after eight minutes or so.
Clare 0-2 Mayo 0-1 Clare go through plenty of possession and ultimately earn a free which David Tubridy nails.
Clare 0-3 Mayo 0-1 Some start from Clare. They’ve hit three unanswered points now, the latest a great effort from Gary Brennan.
In Thurles, Dublin have rallied to go within one score of Tipp – 1-4 to 0-4 now.
Clare 0-4 Mayo 0-1 ‘You would have to say that Clare have started this game at a much higher tempo than Mayo’ says Dizzle Dizzle in the RTE gantry as Tubridy slots another free.
Tipp 1-4 Dublin 1-4 Wow. Dublin have levelled it up at Semple; Cian O’Sullivna nets for the visitors.
Clare 0-5 Mayo 0-1 Some save from David Clarke. Jamie Malone steamed through but saw his effort stopped when he could have passed it square perhaps. Moments later Clarke scored a lovely point from an angle.
Mayo have kicked a fourth point and it’s 16 minutes since their single score.
Tipp 2-5 Dublin 1-5 John McGrath finds the net before the sides exchange points.
Clare 0-6 Mayo 0-1 Keelan Sexton from a 45
Tipp 3-5 Dublin 1-6 John McGrath scores a third goal for the Premier. It’s all go.
Clare 0-6 Mayo 0-3 Mayo are waking up. Kevin McLoughin points after a hand off from Aidan O’Shea. Moments later Diarmuid O’Connor points.
Clare 0-6 Mayo 0-4 Lee Keegan is on the end of great work from Andy Moran and the Connacht side are motoring at last.
Clare 0-7 Mayo 0-4 Sean Collins points from play for the Banner to get the scoreboard ticking over again. Impressive patience again from Colm Collins’ side.
Huge pressure from Clare who try to work a goal but Mayo get bodies in the way.
GOAL! Tipp 4-8 Dublin 1-8 Callanan raises his second green flag from a tight angle in Thurles.
Tipp 4-11 Dublin 1-9 David Treacy puts over another free for the Dubs.
Clare 0-8 Mayo 0-4 Clare point from play for the impressive Keelan Sexton. Brilliant stuff from the Banner.
Clare 0-8 Mayo 0-5 Andy Moran points after a beautiful ball in from Lee Keegan. One minute of additional time.
HALF-TIME: Tipperary 4-11 Dublin 1-10
Clare 0-8 Mayo 0-6 Andy Moran swings another point which narrows the gap to two in garbage time. Pearse Lillis is booked for something off the ball.
HALF-TIME Clare 0-8 Mayo 0-6
Here’s what Spillachi has to say:
As if there wasn’t enough to be doing already, Meath and Donegal get underway in 10 minutes in Navan. One change to the visitors’ side it seems.
GOAL! Tipp 5-11 Dublin 1-10 The hurling clash has just got underway again and Michael Breen has hit the Premier’s fifth goal of the day.
Mayo players were out early for a half-time warm-up. They could certainly do with upping the tempo in this second half.
Clare 0-8 Mayo 0-7 Kevin McLoughlin makes it a one-point game with a great score.
Some save from Joe Hayes. Mayo are looking a lot better in this period.
Black card for Clare’s Ciaran Russell. Mayo native Eoghan Collins is on for the Banner.
Tipp 5-18 Dublin 1-10 It’s safe to say, the Premier will be in the hat on Monday morning and this may be the last few minutes of Ger Cunningham’s time in charge of the Dubs. The hosts are racking up a serious scoreline.
GOAL! Clare 0-8 Mayo 1-7 Cillian O’Connor is left on his own inside and he punishes the mistake to get his first score of the game.
GOAL! Clare 0-8 Mayo 2-7 Diarmuid O’Connor is on the end of an excellent move from Mayo. Lovely finish.
Kevin McLoughlin and Diarmuid’s brother Cillian were all involved.
Meath 0-1 Donegal 0-1 They’ve got underway in Navan with the sides exchanging early points.
Clare 0-9 Mayo 2-7 David Tubridy scores a free and they needed that.
Clare 0-9 Mayo 2-8 Mayo are clicking up through the gears now; Keith Higgins scored a nice point on the run there.
Clare 0-9 Mayo 2-9 Straight forward point from free for Cillian O’Connor and there’s a bit of daylight between the sides.
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Andy Moran’s off for Jason Doherty while Dairmuid O’Connor’s been shown the yellow card.
Clare 0-9 Mayo 2-10 Another facile point for Cillian O’Connor from a free and the Connacht side’s class is showing.
Clare 0-10 Mayo 2-10 Eoin Cleary converts a free for the Banner. Seamus O’Shea is replaced by Tom Parson, who was said to be feeling ill before the game.
Clare 0-10 Mayo 2-11 Cillian O’Connor once again points
Meath 0-4 Donegal 0-3 It’s nip and tuck in Navan meanwhile.
Clare 0-10 Mayo 2-12 Aidan O’Shea bounces off a few lads and points.
Clare 0-10 Mayo 2-13 Cillian O’Connor adds to his tally and with five minutes to go the game is over as a contest.
Clare 0-11 Mayo 2-13 Great score from Gearóid O’Brien.
GOAL! Tipperary 6-26 Dublin 1-19 Seamus Callanan finds the net again in Thurles. Some scoring.
Aidan O’Shea enjoys a warm ovation and he heads off to be replaced by Alan Dillon.
FULL-TIME: Tipperary 6-26 Dublin 1-19
Clare 0-12 Mayo 2-13 Eoin Cleary scores another point for the hosts. And in the meantime, Dessie Dolan awards Aidan O’Shea the man-of-the-match award.
Meath 0-5 Donegal 0-7 The visitors have pulled ahead in Navan, Jason McGee with the latest score.
Clare 0-13 Mayo 2-13 Tubridy with a free to narrow the gap. There’s handbag stuff in front of the Mayo goal meanwhile. Waste of time a this stage.
Black cards for Kealan Sexton and Brendan Harrison and yellows for Colm Boyle and Martin McMahon after that scuffle.
Full-time: Mayo 2-14 Clare 0-13 The summer journey ends for the Banner while Stephen Rochford will plan for the next step in Mayo’s road back to Croke Park.
This battle will certainly stand to them. What did you make of that?
It’s half-time in Navan and the sides are tied seven points a piece.
The big hurling clash of the day – Waterford v Kilkenny – is about to throw in. Get that BBQ fired up and follow it here.
Meath 0-8 Donegal 0-8 Michael Murphy points a free and the sides are level yet again.
Meath 0-11 Donegal 0-11 Patrick McBrearty draws the sides level again. There’s not much between these sides so far is there.
Meath 0-12 Donegal 0-12 Again the sides exchange points, James McEntee on target for the Roylas.
Karl Lacey has been replaced by Martin O’Reilly meanwhile.
GOAL! Meath 1-12 Donegal 1-12 Cillian O’Sullivan finds the net for the hosts moments after Ryan McHugh raises a green flag. Level again.
Full-time: Donegal 1-15 Meath 1-14
