EVERY WEEKEND, OUR Friday football preview will give you the who, the what, the why, the when and the where ahead of the weekend’s GAA championship action, as well as statistics from analyst Christy O’Connor.
Here are the three games you can look forward to this weekend. For a chance to win Senior Championship game tickets courtesy of eir, click here.
Tyrone v Armagh
All-Ireland SFC Quarter-final
When? Saturday, 4pm
Where? Croke Park
TV? Sky Sports Arena
These two great Ulster rivals played out a number of epic battles during the first half of the noughties. Mickey Harte’s side defeated Armagh en route to their All-Ireland titles in both 2003 and 2005 to confirm their supremacy.
After an Ulster quarter-final defeat to Down, an early summer exit was anticipated for Kieran McGeaney’s team, but they’ve built up some good momentum through the backdoor. Jamie Clarke is playing some of his best football in the orange jersey, but the Tyrone rearguard will look to swallow him up at every opportunity tomorrow evening.
Tyrone fell at this hurdle 12 months ago. Time to prove they’re serious All-Ireland contenders.
Christy O’Connor says: In his 15 years as Tyrone manager, Mickey Harte has been involved in 11 All-Ireland quarter-finals, winning six and losing five. However, a Harte Tyrone team has never lost to Ulster opposition in a quarter-final. Against Kildare last weekend, Armagh nailed 18 scores from 29 scoring attempts. Jamie Clarke was their top points scorer from play, with four scores from five shots.
The42′s verdict: Tyrone
Dublin v Monaghan
All-Ireland SFC Quarter-final
When? Saturday, 6pm
Where? Croke Park
TV? Sky Sports Arena
Dublin’s three-in-a-row bid will ramp up another notch when they take on Monaghan in Saturday’s main event. Predictably, the Dubs have faced little resistance as they breezed through Leinster for a seventh year in succession.
Paul Mannion, Ciaran Kilkenny and Con O’Callaghan have been lighting up Jim Gavin’s attack, but they’ll face a stern test against a packed Farney defence. The internal competition for places should mean they hit the ground running against Malachy O’Rourke’s outfit, who have blown hot and cold during the summer.
Monaghan have pushed Dublin hard in the league twice in recent times, losing by a point in their 2016 league meeting and by three points in the same competition last April.
Christy O’Connor says: Stephen Cluxton will break the record for the most championship appearances on Saturday with 89. It’s a phenomenal record but Dublin goalkeepers have had a history for longevity over the last 50 years, with just three men largely occupying that spot over five decades; Paddy Cullen, John O’Leary and Cluxton. Davy Byrne did take over from O’Leary in 1998, playing for four seasons until Cluxton arrived. Cullen first played championship for the Dubs in 1967, and kept the No 1 jersey for 13 seasons until his retirement in 1979. O’Leary immediately took over and played 70 consecutive championship matches until retiring in 1997. Cluxton though, has surpassed them both. And everyone else too. Against Down last weekend, the Hughes brothers from Monaghan, Darren and Kieran, made a combined 49 plays, nailing five scores from play, and having six scoring assists over the 70 minutes.
The42′s verdict: Dublin
Mayo v Roscommon
All-Ireland SFC Quarter-final replay
When? Monday, 2pm
Where? Croke Park
TV? RTÉ
Did Roscommon blow their chance last weekend? Is this great Mayo team on its last legs? Two of the many questions that’ll be answered on Sunday.
Now the entire Roscommon side have experienced playing in Croke Park, it should stand to them. Mayo are struggling to put teams away this summer, and three of their last four games have been level at the final whistle.
The match-ups in this game will be intriguing. Lee Keegan had Enda Smith’s number the last day, but is far too good a footballer to waste in the full-back line.
Christy O’Connor says: The wet conditions and slippy pitch were an obvious factor but there were 56 turnovers in the Mayo-Roscommon drawn All-Ireland quarter-final last weekend. Of Mayo’s last 11 championship games in Croke Park, dating back to the 2013 All-Ireland final against Dublin, eight of those 11 games have either been drawn or decided by one point.
The42′s verdict: Mayo
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