It’s All-Ireland Semi-Final weekend in the football championship and first up is the battle of Mayo and Louth.

Both sides are chasing history. Mayo are still seeking that elusive All-Ireland title since their last Sam Maguire success in 1951. Meanwhile, Louth are competing in their first All-Ireland semi-final since 1957 after that famous win over Monaghan.

And now one of them will take another step towards ending a famine. The winners will face either Dublin or Kerry in the final on Sunday, 26 July. Throw-in at Croke Park is coming up at 6pm and we’ll be taking you through all the action.

Let us know if you’re at the game today or if you have any thoughts on how this will go. And of course, we’ll have the team line-ups for you in a few moments.

Stick around!

Both sides have made one change each to their starting teams.

Mayo are bringing Conor Loftus into their attack to replace Paul Towey. Fenton Kelly replaces Diarmuid Duffy among the subs after Duffy picked up an injury against Cork, while Paddy Durcan and Diarmuid O’Connor come in for John MacMonagle and Fergal Boland.

Mayo

1. Jack Livingstone (Breaffy)

2. Jack Coyne (Ballyhaunis – captain), 3. Donnacha McHugh (Castlebar Mitchels), 4. Eoin McGreal (Garrymore)

5. Sam Callinan (Ballina Stephenites), 6. David McBrien (Ballaghaderreen), 7. Enda Hession (Garrymore)

8. Bob Tuohy (Castlebar Mitchels), 9. Jack Carney (Kilmeena)

10. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore), 11. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina Deel Rovers), 12. Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)

13. Darragh Beirne (Claremorris), 14. Ryan O’Donoghue (Belmullet), 15. Kobe McDonald (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)

Subs:

• 16. Rob Hennelly (Raheny)
• 17. Fenton Kelly (Davitts)
• 18. Paddy Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)
• 19. Rory Brickenden (Westport)
• 20. Conal Dawson (Westport)
• 21. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)
• 22. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)
• 23. Paul Towey (Charlestown Sarsfields)
• 24. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber)
• 25. Tommy Conroy (The Neale)
• 26. Cian McHale (Moy Davitts)

Paul Matthews comes into the Louth midfield, replacing the suspended Seán Callaghan.

Conor Branigan and Sean Reynolds are added to the Louth replacements as Callaghan and Conor Mac Criosta drop out of the match-day squad.

Louth 

1. Niall McDonnell (St Fechins)

2. Emmet Carolan (Newtown Blues), 3. Donal McKenny (Ardee St Mary’s), 4. Daire Nally (Newtown Blues)

5. Conall McKeever (Clan na Gael), 6. Dara McDonnell (Naomh Máirtín), 7. Craig Lennon (St Mochtas)

8. Conor Early (Na Fianna), 9. Paul Matthews (St Fechins)

10. James Maguire (Carrickmacross), 11. Sam Mulroy (Naomh Máirtín – Captain), 12. Conor Grimes (Glen Emmets)

13. Kieran McArdle (St Brides), 14. Ciarán Downey (Newtown Blues), 15. Ryan Burns (Hunterstown Rovers)

Subs:

• 16. Tiernan Markey (Ardee St Marys)
• 17. Conor Branigan (Newtown Blues)
• 18. Ciaran Byrne (St Mochtas)
• 19. Tommy Durnin (Westerns)
• 20. Leonard Gray (St Patricks)
• 21. Ciaran Keenan (Ardee St Marys)
• 22. Conall McCaul (St Josephs)
• 23. Tadhg McDonnell (Ardee St Marys)
• 24. Seam Reynolds (Stabannon Parnells)
• 25. Padraic Tinnelly (Dundalk Gaels)
• 26. Anthony Williams (Dreadnots)

Just to catch you up, Wicklow have just been crowned Tailteann Cup champions after an incredible comeback from 12 points down against Down. More details here.

Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

Mayo change:

Paul Towey starts for Conor Loftus.

The atmosphere is really building now as the pre-match parade comes around.

It’s national anthem time now.

Throw-In! Mayo v Louth

1 min: Mayo 0-0 Louth 0-0

Mayo take the first shot at the posts through Jack Carney but it ends up being their first wide of the day.

2 mins: Mayo 0-0 Louth 0-0

Mayo win a free in their own half and work it out as far as Carney. He feeds Darragh Beirne who thumps a long delivery in. Louth goalkeeper Niall McDonnell fumbles the ball but controls it quickly and Louth come away with possession.

4 mins: Mayo 0-0 Louth 0-1

Dara McDonnell opens Louth’s account before Darragh Beirne drops his shot into the keeper’s hands from the next Mayo attack.

4 mins: Mayo 0-0 Louth 0-1

Paul Towey intercepts a Louth pass and the ball comes down to Kobe McDonald but his goal-bound shot is straight at McDonnell.

Mayo’s teenage sensations showing posing a big threat in the early stages.

GOAL! Mayo 1-0 Louth 0-1 (Ryan O’Donoghue ’5)

8 mins: Mayo 1-2 Louth 0-2

O’Donoghue with a brilliant finish along the ground to get Mayo up and running after a counter-attack.

He adds a point shortly after while Darragh Beirne also gets his first point of the day. Ciarán Downey kicks Louth’s second point.

9 mins: Mayo 1-2 Louth 0-3

Conor Grimes keeps the scoreboard ticking for Louth and they have a two-point free coming up.

10 mins: Mayo 1-2 Louth 0-3

Sam Mulroy misses the free with his first attempt at the posts but Louth quickly get on the ball again. They get blocked down though and Mayo come again.

13 mins: Mayo 1-2 Louth 0-3

Paul Towey penalised for overcarrying and Louth take the free quickly. Craig Lennon moves the ball up to Conor Grimes who is also pulled for taking too many steps.

13 mins: Mayo 1-2 Louth 0-3

Kobe has his first shot from outside the arc, but Hawk Eye is called into action for his sliced effort, and it’s a Níl.

Mayo’s third wide.

14 mins: Mayo 1-2 Louth 0-5

TWO-POINTER!

Louth get the first orange flag of the day, and it’s couresy of Ciarán Downey. That’s the equaliser.

14 mins: Mayo 1-2 Louth 0-5

Mayo getting the goals going early.

Ryan O'Donoughue showing off the frightening firepower of that Mayo Forward line with a cool Finish past Niall McDonnell.

Watch live on RTÉ 2 & RTÉ Player or listen live on RTÉ Radio 1. #SaturdayGame pic.twitter.com/wOwcIhknaQ

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 11, 2026

15 mins: Mayo 1-2 Louth 0-5

Some really patient Louth play eventually breaks down. Mayo attempt a quick counter, but Jordan Flynn drops the ball and commits the foul as Mulroy stoops down for the pick-up.

Yellow card for Flynn and Mulroy will go again with this free from outside the arc.

16 mins: Mayo 1-2 Louth 0-7

TWO-POINTER!

Mulroy’s strike is straight and true. Louth lead in Croke Park by two.

17 mins: Mayo 1-2 Louth 0-7

O’Donoghue wins a free in front of the posts and is down receiving some treatment.

17 mins: Mayo 1-3 Louth 0-7

O’Donoghue is back up and taps that over for Mayo’s first score since the eighth minute to cut the gap to one.

19 mins: Mayo 1-4 Louth 0-7

Daire Nally wins a free from the Louth kickout. Donal McKenny tries to carry the ball through the middle but is turned over and gives away a free.

Mayo get the ball up to O’Donoghue who levels the game with another point.

19 mins: Mayo 1-4 Louth 0-8

Mulroy gets the break from the Louth kickout and gives it to Ciarán Keenan, who started for Paul Matthews. He pops the ball over to give Louth the lead again.

22 mins: Mayo 1-7 Louth 0-8

TWO POINTER!

O’Donoghue is on fire as he drills his shot from distance, bringing his tally so far to 1-5. Kobe McDonald then palms the ball over to push Mayo into a two-point lead.

22 mins: Mayo 1-7 Louth 0-8

Craig Lennon is down with an injury and that could be a bad one. He went down as he tried to turn and looks to be in a lot of pain as he clutches his knee.

He would be a huge loss to Louth.

22 mins: Mayo 1-7 Louth 0-8

And Lennon is forced off with that injury. He will be replaced by Tadhg McDonnell.

25 mins: Mayo 1-8 Louth 0-8

McDonald carries the ball forward at speed for Mayo. They move the play across the field as Kobe has his shot blocked down.

Louth get a free out, but Downey gets bottled up and is punished for holding the ball for too long. Beirne takes the free and Mayo’s lead goes out to three.

26 mins: Mayo 1-8 Louth 0-9

Mayo win possession from a Louth kick-out and build up the passes before McDonald takes a shot on the loop. But he scuffs the shot and it’s too short.

Louth get moving and get the ball down to Grimes for his second of the half. Just two between them now.

29 mins: Mayo 1-8 Louth 0-11

TWO POINTER

Ryan Burns goes for it from outside the arc but his shot is high into the air and wide. Dara McDonnell then gets a fabulous mark on a Mayo kick-out.

Grimes then smashes a shot from outside the arc and his tally stands at 0-4. Brilliant response from Louth after losing Lennon.

All square in Croke Park.

30 mins: Mayo 1-8 Louth 0-11

Goal chance there for Ciarán Keenan. He gets caught in two minds, pops the ball to Kieran McArdle who tries to loop the ball over, but sends it wide.

32 mins: Mayo 1-9 Louth 0-11

Towey edges Mayo ahead after taking a pass from Beirne. Louth win the breaking ball from the kick-out and send it down to McArdle.

Downey then gets on the ball, but his long-distance effort is short and Mayo build again.

GOAL! Mayo 2-9 Louth 0-11 (Darragh Beirne ’32)

34 mins: Mayo 2-9 Louth 0-11

That’s a blow for Louth as they concede a second goal. Louth fail to clear the ball after the ball breaks in the square. Sam Callinan pounces and feeds Beirne who makes no mistake.

Sam Mulroy then misses a free just before half-time.

Half-Time! Mayo 2-9 Louth 0-11

Mayo 2-9 Louth 0-11

Mayo lead by four at the break thanks to goals from O’Donoghue and Beirne. Louth have battled well in the first half but some of their shooting has been poor with some of their shots landing in the keeper’s hands.

The loss of star defender Craig Lennon cannot be overstated either.

An aerial battle is won by Mayo and Sam Callinan lays one off to Darragh Beirne to emphatically finish.

Watch live on RTÉ 2 & RTÉ Player or listen live on RTÉ Radio 1. #SaturdayGame pic.twitter.com/1VAUz3G7LJ

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 11, 2026

Second Half: Mayo 2-9 Louth 0-11

We’re back underway in Croke Park.

35 mins: Mayo 2-9 Louth 0-11

Mayo sub: Tommy Conroy comes in to replace Paul Towey.

O’Donoghue takes the first shot of the second half. It’s a wide but referee David Coldrick is calling the play back for a free.

36 mins: Mayo 2-9 Louth 0-11

CROSSBAR!

Tommy Conroy makes his presence felt immediately after his introduction with a shot at goal that comes back off the crossbar.

Kobe then has a pop at the posts, but it’s short and Louth get their attack moving.

37 mins: Mayo 2-11 Louth 0-11

TWO POINTER!

Jordan Flynn shots on the turn and it’s another orange flag for Mayo to give them a six-point lead.

40 mins: Mayo 2-11 Louth 0-11

Dara McDonnell, who has been playing brilliantly for Louth, goes for a two-pointer but it’s chalked off by Hawk Eye.

Louth secure possession from the kick-out as Grimes carries it forward. It comes out to James Maguire and Tadhg McDonnell takes the kick but it’s wide.

Louth sub: Ciarán Keenan is replaced by Ciarán Byrne.

41 mins: Mayo 2-12 Louth 0-11

Brilliant defending from Louth to win the ball from Ryan O’Donoghue. The ball spills away and Mayo have it back.

It comes into Kobe who loops his shot over. And now, there’s seven between the sides.

42 mins: Mayo 2-12 Louth 0-11

Louth’s James Maguire is overturned, and Jordan Flynn wins a free while trying to break forward.

Mayo sub: Conor Loftus is on for Stephen Coen.

43 mins: Mayo 2-13 Louth 0-11

Great scrap for possession but all the breaks are coming to Mayo. Kobe McDonald kicks his third of the game and the Mayo fans are really finding their voice now.

46 mins: Mayo 2-14 Louth 0-11

SAVE!

Niall McDonnell does brilliantly to keep out a shot from Tommy Conroy. And then Beirne has his pocket picked before he can pull the trigger from the rebound.

Louth work an attack into the Mayo half of the field but lose possession.

Conor Loftus then sends in a super delivery to O’Donoghue who turns inside and tries to get his second goal but O’Donnell produces another excellent save.

The play is brought back for an advanced mark and O’Donoghue pops it over.

Louth sub: Tommy Durnin in for James Maguire.

47 mins: Mayo 2-14 Louth 0-11

Mayo are piling on the pressure here, but Niall McDonnll continues to stand in their way.

Watch live on RTÉ 2 & RTÉ Player or listen live on RTÉ Radio 1. #SaturdayGame pic.twitter.com/hcJSIa57aJ

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 11, 2026

48 mins: Mayo 2-14 Louth 0-11

O’Donoghue gets a turnover on Grimes and then wins a free which Beirne takes, but it’s short. The Claremorris star looks to be limping as well.

GOAL! Mayo 3-14 Louth 0-11 (Conor Loftus ’49)

49 mins: Mayo 3-14 Louth 0-11

Mayo are really in control here. They execute another turnover, counter at pace and Conroy comes powering through. He gets a bit caught up, and the ball is loose, but Loftus leaps up and buries it.

Is there any way back for Louth now?

50 mins: Mayo 3-15 Louth 0-11

Cian McHale, who came on for Beirne, makes an immediate impact.

51 mins: Mayo 3-15 Louth 0-11

Magic from Mayo

they win the ball in their own half and in a matter of seconds Conor Loftus has it in Louth's net to continue a dominant performance.

Watch live on RTÉ 2 & RTÉ Player or listen live on RTÉ Radio 1. #SaturdayGame pic.twitter.com/l3hU0TXA1W

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 11, 2026

53 mins: Mayo 3-15 Louth 0-11

Louth haven’t scored in the second half, but it just shows Mayo’s level of dominance in this game.

54 mins: Mayo 3-15 Louth 0-11

Ciarán Downey gets a block on Kobe and Louth try to get a score from the counter. But credit to Mayo’s backs, they’re alert to the danger and Louth will have to retreat again.

55 mins: Mayo 3-15 Louth 0-11

Bad miss from Cian McHale after Mayo dispossessed the ball as Louth were trying to build out from defence. 

Mayo sub: Eoin McGreal is replaced by Fenton Kelly.

57 mins: Mayo 3-16 Louth 0-12

Downey has never stopped working today. It’s fitting that he provides their first score of the second half.

Kobe then makes a tremendous fetch and sends it down to McHale who redeems himself for that previous miss with a lovely point.

58 mins: Mayo 3-16 Louth 0-13

Tommy Durnin gets Louth’s second of the half after losing his marker with some good footwork.

59 mins: Mayo 3-17 Louth 0-13

O’Donoghue wins a free and converts it. He’s been awesome today.

60 mins: Mayo 3-17 Louth 0-13

Louth are trying with all their might to break Mayo’s lines. Byrne slips past an opponent and tries to slice it over, but he doesn’t get the connection right.

His shot drops into the square where Kieran McArdle can’t control the ball, and Mayo break away.

Kobe presses the accelerator and his shot is wide, but the referee is bringing it back for a free.

62 mins: Mayo 3-20 Louth 0-13

TWO POINTER

O’Donoghue lands the free from outside the arc before Mayo win the Louth kick-out and Kobe gets another point.

65 mins: Mayo 3-20 Louth 0-13

Louth win a free out and Downey is back there again, trying to create something. It’s another wide though, and it’s just a question of waiting for the buzzer at this point.

67 mins: Mayo 3-20 Louth 0-15

TWO POINTER

Downey deserves that after refusing to give up the fight for Louth.

68 mins: Mayo 3-21 Louth 0-15

Substitute Matthew Ruane with a quick response for Mayo. Ciarán Byrne then tries for another Louth point, but he flashes his shot wide.

Full-Time! Mayo 3-23 Louth 0-15

Mayo 3-23 Louth 0-15

And, that’s that!

Mayo have secured the first place on offer in the 2026 All-Ireland final. And in ruthless fashion. Goals from Ryan O’Donoghue, Darragh Beirne and Conor Loftus sends them through while Kobe McDonald was among their other star performers.

It’s the end of the road for Louth, but it’s been a historic year for them, competing in their first All-Ireland semi-final since 1957.

Mayo 0-23 Louth 0-15

Well, that’s all from us folks. Before you go, have a read of Declan Bogue’s match report live from Croke Park here.

We hope you enjoyed the coverage today and look forward to having you with us again soon.

Until next time, good luck!