Kerry SFC quarter-finals
- Sunday: Dr Crokes v Templenoe, Fitzgerald Stadium, 2.30pm
THESE SIDES MET back in July in the group stage of the Kerry club championship and renew acquaintances as the county championship moves to the last eight. Dr Crokes won that encounter a month ago easier than expected – by 1-18 to 0-10 – and still left a handful of goal chances behind then.
Tony Brosnan did the damage that afternoon with 1-8, while David Shaw (0-5) and Michéal Burns (0-3) were also in good scoring form for the two-time All-Ireland champions.
But Burns was sent off in Crokes’ first round extra-time win over Austin Stacks last weekend and is suspended, while Shaw missed the game through injury. Also sidelined were Gavin White, Daithi Casey and Jordan Kiely – so Templenoe may smell blood this time around.
The 2019 Munster and Kerry intermediate champions were without county defender Tadhg Morley against Crokes last time out and they will also be hoping for big performances from Gavin Crowley, Adrian Spillane and Killian Spillane as they look to cause an upset.
Dublin SFC quarter-finals
- Saturday: Kilmacud Crokes v St Vincent’s, Parnell Park, 5.30pm
This mouth-watering tie pits the 2018 champions against the 2017 winners on Saturday evening. St Vincent’s are not the powerhouse of old and shipped five goals in the group stage against Ballyboden St Enda’s, yet they still pose a threat.
Diarmuid Connolly looked sharp from centre-forward in the recent win over Clontarf and they possess veterans such as Eamonn Fennell, Shane Carthy, Mossy Quinn and Ger Brennan, who made his comeback from retirement 10 days ago.
Kilmacud won all three group games and will need star forwards Paul Mannion, Shane Horan and Dan O’Brien to be firing on all cylinders if they’re to repeat their 2018 success.
Mayo SFC quarter-finals
- Saturday: Ballintubber v Knockmore, MacHale Park, 5.30pm
Ballintubber remain the favourites to land the Moclair Cup for a third year in succession but a quad injury to star forward Cillian O’Connor is of concern as they face Knockmore.
In Michael Plunkett, Jason Gibbons, Diarmuid O’Connor and Alan Dillon they’ve got plenty of inter-county experience in the absence of the Mayo captain.
Knockmore, last county champions in 1997, will have Kevin McLoughlin pulling the strings in the middle third.
Tyrone SFC quarter-finals
- Friday: Trillick v Killyclogher, Healy Park, 7.30pm
Tyrone stars Mattie Donnelly and Tiernan McCann will face-off tonight as Trillick meet Killyclogher in the quarter-final. Reigning champions Trillick have plenty of talent in Brennan brothers Lee and Rory.
They negotiated a tricky first round tie against intermediate champions Galbally and now face 2016 winners Killyclogher in a repeat of the 2015 final.
McCann grabbed a brace from wing-back in the opening round and his brother Conall was in good form at midfield. Their key forward is Mark Bradley, scorer of 1-8 against Carrickmore, who starred in the Red Hand side that reached the All-Ireland final in 2018.
Westmeath SFC quarter-finals
- Saturday: Rosemount v Athlone, Moate, 5pm
A standout tie in the Westmeath quarter-finals pits Roscommon legend Frankie Dolan up against Mayo great Liam McHale in an intriguing sideline battle.
Dolan was a player and McHale the coach when St Brigid’s lifted the All-Ireland club title in 2013 and the pair remain close to this day.
“Frankie and I have remained in contact since that All-Ireland achievement and it appears that his club management career is proving as fruitful as is playing days,” McHale told the Westmeath Advertiser this week.
“I obviously wish him well but am hoping to halt his championship progress on Saturday.”
Rosemount have county netminder Eoin Carberry and corner-back Boidu Sayeh, while Athlone’s star man is former AFL player Ray Connellan who returned home last year.
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