Galway SFC
The last four teams in the race for the Frank Fox Cup have plenty experience of challenging at this level with Corofin (6), Killererin (4) and Salthill-Knocknacarra (1) having claimed 11 of the last 13 titles while Tuam Stars, without a crown since 1994, have 25 championship wins to their name.
The first semi-final of tomorrow afternoon’s double-header at Tuam Stadium at 2.30pm sees Tuam Stars meet Corofin in a repeat of last year’s final which Corofin triumphed in by 0-16 to 1-6. County stars Kieran McGrath, Gary Sice, Damien Burke and Greg Higgins (all Corofin) and Gary O’Donnell and Conor Doherty (both Tuam Stars) will have a major influence on the clash.
The second semi-final at 4.15pm at the same venue sees Killererin meet Salthill-Knocknacarra in a repeat of the 2004 county final which Killererin succeeded in by 1-10 to 0-10. Killererin will look to Padraic Joyce and Tomas Fahy to inspire them against a Salthill-Knocknacarra team with Sean Armstrong and Finian Hanley on board.
Sligo SFC
The first of this year’s semi-finals sees Coolera-Strandhill face St Mary’s this evening in Markievicz Park at 6pm. Coolera-Strandhill lost the decider last season while St Mary’s last reached a final in 2004. Reigning champions Tourlestrane play Curry in the other semi-final tomorrow evening in Kilcoyne Park at 4pm. Tourlestrane have won three of the last five titles while Curry last lifted the Sligo senior title in 2006.
Cavan SFC
With Cavan Gaels, the winners of four of the last five titles in the Breffni County, having exited at the quarter-final stage, the race for this year’s Cavan SFC is wide open ahead of this weekend’s semi-final ties.
First up is the meeting of Castlerahan, last year’s finalists and a club who have never won this competition, and Kingscourt Stars, title winners in 2010, in Kingspan Breffni Park at 8pm. Castlerahan will be spearheaded by attacker Oisin O’Connell and county senior Ronan Flanagan while Barry Reilly, Joe Dillon and Ryan McCormack are to the fore for Kingscourt Stars.
On Sunday afternoon in Kingspan Breffni Park at 4pm, the second semi-final will be contested by Mullahoran and Killygarry, who shocked Cavan Gaels at the last round. Mullahoran, title winners in 2006, will be backboned by Eddie Reilly, Seanie Smith and Dermot Sheridan while Killygarry’s challenge will be bolstered by Donal Thomas, Brendan Murray and Eoin Smith.
Monaghan SFC
Reigning champions Latton will put their title on the lines in Clones tomorrow evening at 5pm at the semi-final stage against Ballybay. Latton, who have Owen Lennon and Hugh McElroy as their leading lights, have won three of the last seven titles while opponents Ballybay, whose star man is Paul Finlay, last reached the final in 1987.
The curtain-raiser tomorrow in Clones at 3.30pm will be contested between Clontibret, who have won four of the last six titles, and Castleblayney Faughs, the competition specialists with 37 crowns who last won in 2003. There is a wealth of inter-county talent on view with Clontibret fielding Conor McManus, Dessie and JP Mone, and Vincent Corey while Castleblayney call upon Ciaran Hanratty, Martin McElroy, Dermot Malone and Darren Daly.
