4pm — Mayo football semi-final: Castlebar Mitchels v Breaffy – Charlestown
In the year that Mayo’s 75-year wait for Sam Maguire was finally quenched, could Breaffy’s odyssey for a first county title be achieved?
They have suffered five final defeats since 2013, including two against their nearby Castlebar rivals, but last year’s quarter-final loss to Westport after leading by nine points ranked among the most painful.
They gained their revenge in this year’s quarter-finals, led by All-Ireland medallists in goalkeeper Jack Livingstone, who has booted 12 points in four games, Matthew Ruane, and Aidan O’Shea.
Castlebar haven’t been back to a final since completing their three-in-a-row in 2017, but retain their share of senior panellists in Donnacha McHugh, Bob Tuohy, Paddy Durcan, John MacMonagle, and Seán Morahan. They shook off defeat against Garrymore to surge past Aghamore.
***
Sunday 4 October
2pm — Monaghan football semi-final: Scotstown v Inniskeen – St Tiernach’s Park
TG4’s early offering is a repeat of the 2025 Monaghan SFC final, where Scotstown were brought to extra-time before gritting out a 0-22 to 0-17 victory over Inniskeen.
The three-in-a-row champions were without Ryan O’Toole and Conor McCarthy for much of last year, but they both made key impacts off the bench and went on to star in their Ulster SFC breakthrough.
This year has been smoother sailing with an average winning margin of 16 points per game in the group stage.
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With Rory Beggan, Darren and Kieran Hughes, and Jack McCarron other leading lights, Scotstown will be determined to deliver a 25th county title, and fourth in a row.
John McEntee’s Inniskeen have their own history in mind, with a 77-year gap since the Grattans’ last title in 1948, and five final defeats in the intervening years, including two against Scotstown. However, injury concerns surround captain Conor and Seán Jones.
Glen Rovers are back in the Cork hurling semi-finals for the first time since 2021, when they finished runners-up to Midleton on county final day.
It has been a tumultuous few years since with relegation in 2023 quickly put right the following season, while they again lost to the East Cork town in a 2025 quarter-final which ended 2-19 to 2-17.
Conor Lehane’s injury derailed Midleton’s title bid last year as they suffered a second final defeat in three seasons, but their star man was back to help them capture the semi-final bye.
That gift hasn’t been translated into a county title in the previous six editions of the new Cork structure, so the Glen can take some momentum from their quarter-final victory over Charleville, which featured 1-12 for Patrick Horgan. Eoin and Robert Downey are strong defensive options to put on Lehane watch.
***
4pm — Dublin football semi-final: Ballyboden St Enda’s v Cuala – Parnell Park
Two front-runners for not just the Dublin SFC, but potentially All-Ireland honours, meet in an all-southside semi-final clash.
The Con O’Callaghan-inspired Cuala won their maiden Clerys Cup in 2024 and carried that momentum all the way to Croke Park to claim national honours the following January.
Their title defence ran aground against Ballyboden, despite leading by seven points with five minutes remaining until a closing 2-3 rally caught them off guard in a 3-21 to 2-22 thriller. Ballyboden went on to claim the title and came within seconds of an All-Ireland final before losing to Dingle.
Captain O’Callaghan has 35 points across four games this season. Behind him, Cuala’s defensive spine is impressive between full-back Michael Fitzsimons, half-backs Charlie McMorrow and Eoin Kennedy, who each kicked 0-3 against Skerries last time out, and Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne at midfield, who will be going up against Galway’s Céin D’Arcy.
Ballyboden’s experience told when seeing off Clontarf late on with braces from Ryan O’Dwyer and Ross McGarry, while Colm Basquel and Daire Sweeney provide a healthy scoring spread.
***
6pm — Armagh football semi-final: Crossmaglen Rangers v Clann Éireann – Box-it Athletic Grounds
Take your pick of big-name Ulster club semi-finals this weekend. We’ve already covered Scotstown v Inniskeen. Then, there’s the second part of TG4’s double-header between Naomh Conaill and Glenswilly in Donegal. On Sunday evening, breakthrough Tyrone champions Loughmacrory defend their title against their predecessors Errigal Ciarán.
Over in Armagh, meanwhile, Crossmaglen Rangers bid to make it back to the top step continues as they take on Clann Éireann.
Cross are closing in on their 50th county title, but it’s been two years since they banked number 47 and the semi-finals have been their undoing since.
They lost back-to-back games in the group stage, but boosted by Oisín and Rían O’Neill returning to start, they blitzed 5-27 past Clan na Gael in the preliminary quarter-final. That duo combined for 0-13, while Cian McConville and Aaron O’Neill added two goals each. Oisín O’Neill then racked up 2-10 against Culloville Blues in the quarters. Their running total is 7-48 in the last two outings.
Clann Éireann ended their 58-year wait for the Gerry Fagan Cup against Cross in 2021 and also eliminated them en route to the ‘24 title. They have already taken down defending champions Madden, led by the likes of Barry McCambridge, Tiernan Kelly, and Conor Turbitt.
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All-Ireland contenders meet, Ulster crackers, resurgent giants - the weekend's key GAA club games
Saturday 3 October
In the year that Mayo’s 75-year wait for Sam Maguire was finally quenched, could Breaffy’s odyssey for a first county title be achieved?
They have suffered five final defeats since 2013, including two against their nearby Castlebar rivals, but last year’s quarter-final loss to Westport after leading by nine points ranked among the most painful.
They gained their revenge in this year’s quarter-finals, led by All-Ireland medallists in goalkeeper Jack Livingstone, who has booted 12 points in four games, Matthew Ruane, and Aidan O’Shea.
Castlebar haven’t been back to a final since completing their three-in-a-row in 2017, but retain their share of senior panellists in Donnacha McHugh, Bob Tuohy, Paddy Durcan, John MacMonagle, and Seán Morahan. They shook off defeat against Garrymore to surge past Aghamore.
***
Sunday 4 October
TG4’s early offering is a repeat of the 2025 Monaghan SFC final, where Scotstown were brought to extra-time before gritting out a 0-22 to 0-17 victory over Inniskeen.
The three-in-a-row champions were without Ryan O’Toole and Conor McCarthy for much of last year, but they both made key impacts off the bench and went on to star in their Ulster SFC breakthrough.
This year has been smoother sailing with an average winning margin of 16 points per game in the group stage.
With Rory Beggan, Darren and Kieran Hughes, and Jack McCarron other leading lights, Scotstown will be determined to deliver a 25th county title, and fourth in a row.
John McEntee’s Inniskeen have their own history in mind, with a 77-year gap since the Grattans’ last title in 1948, and five final defeats in the intervening years, including two against Scotstown. However, injury concerns surround captain Conor and Seán Jones.
***
Glen Rovers are back in the Cork hurling semi-finals for the first time since 2021, when they finished runners-up to Midleton on county final day.
It has been a tumultuous few years since with relegation in 2023 quickly put right the following season, while they again lost to the East Cork town in a 2025 quarter-final which ended 2-19 to 2-17.
Conor Lehane’s injury derailed Midleton’s title bid last year as they suffered a second final defeat in three seasons, but their star man was back to help them capture the semi-final bye.
That gift hasn’t been translated into a county title in the previous six editions of the new Cork structure, so the Glen can take some momentum from their quarter-final victory over Charleville, which featured 1-12 for Patrick Horgan. Eoin and Robert Downey are strong defensive options to put on Lehane watch.
***
Two front-runners for not just the Dublin SFC, but potentially All-Ireland honours, meet in an all-southside semi-final clash.
The Con O’Callaghan-inspired Cuala won their maiden Clerys Cup in 2024 and carried that momentum all the way to Croke Park to claim national honours the following January.
Their title defence ran aground against Ballyboden, despite leading by seven points with five minutes remaining until a closing 2-3 rally caught them off guard in a 3-21 to 2-22 thriller. Ballyboden went on to claim the title and came within seconds of an All-Ireland final before losing to Dingle.
Captain O’Callaghan has 35 points across four games this season. Behind him, Cuala’s defensive spine is impressive between full-back Michael Fitzsimons, half-backs Charlie McMorrow and Eoin Kennedy, who each kicked 0-3 against Skerries last time out, and Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne at midfield, who will be going up against Galway’s Céin D’Arcy.
Ballyboden’s experience told when seeing off Clontarf late on with braces from Ryan O’Dwyer and Ross McGarry, while Colm Basquel and Daire Sweeney provide a healthy scoring spread.
***
Take your pick of big-name Ulster club semi-finals this weekend. We’ve already covered Scotstown v Inniskeen. Then, there’s the second part of TG4’s double-header between Naomh Conaill and Glenswilly in Donegal. On Sunday evening, breakthrough Tyrone champions Loughmacrory defend their title against their predecessors Errigal Ciarán.
Over in Armagh, meanwhile, Crossmaglen Rangers bid to make it back to the top step continues as they take on Clann Éireann.
Cross are closing in on their 50th county title, but it’s been two years since they banked number 47 and the semi-finals have been their undoing since.
They lost back-to-back games in the group stage, but boosted by Oisín and Rían O’Neill returning to start, they blitzed 5-27 past Clan na Gael in the preliminary quarter-final. That duo combined for 0-13, while Cian McConville and Aaron O’Neill added two goals each. Oisín O’Neill then racked up 2-10 against Culloville Blues in the quarters. Their running total is 7-48 in the last two outings.
Clann Éireann ended their 58-year wait for the Gerry Fagan Cup against Cross in 2021 and also eliminated them en route to the ‘24 title. They have already taken down defending champions Madden, led by the likes of Barry McCambridge, Tiernan Kelly, and Conor Turbitt.
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