Philip Quirke will be a key figure for the Tipperary minor footballers tomorrow. INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
Underage
Minor championship title races start to heat up
There are two provincial titles up for grabs in the Electric Ireland minor championships tomorrow as well as a Leinster semi-final tie tonight in Mullingar.
Leinster MFC semi-final: Westmeath v Meath, Cusack Park, Mullingar, 7pm, Ref: Stephen Johnson (Louth)
Meath are without centre-back Shane McEntee due to injury with Conor Carton coming in as a replacement while Shane Gallagher comes in for Niall Kane in defence and Jason Daly starts in attack after impressing in the quarter-final win over Offaly. That success over the Faithful county was impressively achieved with Meath having nine points to spare at the final whistle after earlier in the campaign defeating Longford. Westmeath managed by Tommy Carr, who was previously at the helm of the Dublin, Cavan and Roscommon senior sides, have recovered from an early loss to Louth to prevail against Carlow and Wicklow.
Verdict: Meath
WESTMEATH: Brendan Doyle; Eoghan O’Reilly, Robbie Gorman, Brian O’Donoghue; Killian Daly, Luke Corless, Ryan Caffrey; David Gaye, Aaron Curley; Theo Watts, Ger Leech, T J Fox; Luke Loughlin, Lorcan Dolan, Dylan McDermott.
MEATH: Jack Hannigan; Shane Gallagher, Brian Power, James O’Malley; Declan Smyth, Conor Carton, Ruairi O’Coileain; Pauric Harnan, Adam Flanagan; Cillian O’Sullivan, Jason Daly, James McEntee; Barry Dardis, Paddy Kennelly, Fiachra Ward.
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Sunday
Munster MFC final: Tipperary v Kerry, Gaelic Grounds, 12pm, Ref: Conor Lane (Cork)
After the euphoria of last summer’s triumph in this competition, Tipperary now attempt to retain their title. Their aspirations are aided by the fact that they retain six of the team that started in that provincial decider victory over Cork while goalkeeper Evan Comerford subsequently came into the team for the All-Ireland series. Their progression this year has been notable with victories away to both Kerry and Cork.
But John McGrath is a significant loss through injury while Kerry should have improved from that April meeting when they lost by eight points, with a dangerous full-forward line of Gavin O’Shea, Niall Sheehy and Conor Keane in their ranks. But the power that Tipperary possess around the middle in Dylan Fitzelle, Steven O’Brien and Ian Fahey, plus the scoring prowess of Philip Quirke and Colman Kennedy can carry them home.
Verdict: Tipperary
TIPPERARY: Evan Comerford; Darren Cass, James Feehan, Lorcan Egan; Kevin Fahey, Dylan Fitzelle, Bill Maher; Steven O’Brien, Ian Fahey; Jason Lonergan, John Martin, Greg Henry; Colman Kennedy, Philip Quirke, Tom Kirwan.
KERRY: Gavin Curran; Cathal Ó Lúing, Gavin Crowley, Shane O’Connor; Brian Crowley, Jack Barry, Greg Horan; Eanna Ó Contour, Kieran Murphy; David Foran, Jack Savage, Cillian Fitzgerald; Gavin O’Shea, Niall Sheehy, Conor Keane.
Leinster MHC final: Dublin v Wexford, Croke Park, 2pm, Ref: Gavin Quilty (Kilkenny)
The portents are good for this clash after the cracking tie that took place between the teams in early May when Wexford prevailed after extra-time in Parnell Park by 0-22 to 1-17. The free-taking prowess of Tony French, he struck 13 points from placed balls as well as two from play, was instrumental in the victory for a Wexford team managed by 1996 All-Ireland winning senior captain Martin Storey. Conor McDonald is another attacker that Dublin will need to be wary of.
The capital side bounced back well from the that disappointment to fell a fancied Kilkenny team at the semi-final stage. They are short on survivors from the side that contested last year’s All-Ireland finalists but Cormac Costello is a quality hurler while Eric Lowndes and Paul Winters are important figures at opposite ends of the pitch who have shaken off injury problems.
Verdict: Dublin
DUBLIN: Cian Mac Gabhann; Shane Barrett, Cian O’’Callaghan, Eric Lowndes; Eoghan O’Donnell, Robert Murphy, Sean McClelland; Cormac Costello, Colm Cronin; Conor McHugh, Sean Treacy, Caolan Conway; Oisín O’Rorke, Cian Boland, Paul Winters.
WEXFORD: Oliver O’Leary; Sean Doyle, Sean Murphy, Eoin Conroy; Liam Ryan, Andrew Kenny, Anthony Roche; Colm Heffernan, Conor Devitt; Kevin Foley, Sean Kenny, Jack O’Connor; Jordan Broaders, Conor McDonald, Tony French.
Minor championship title races start to heat up
Saturday
Leinster MFC semi-final: Westmeath v Meath, Cusack Park, Mullingar, 7pm, Ref: Stephen Johnson (Louth)
Meath are without centre-back Shane McEntee due to injury with Conor Carton coming in as a replacement while Shane Gallagher comes in for Niall Kane in defence and Jason Daly starts in attack after impressing in the quarter-final win over Offaly. That success over the Faithful county was impressively achieved with Meath having nine points to spare at the final whistle after earlier in the campaign defeating Longford. Westmeath managed by Tommy Carr, who was previously at the helm of the Dublin, Cavan and Roscommon senior sides, have recovered from an early loss to Louth to prevail against Carlow and Wicklow.
Verdict: Meath
Sunday
Munster MFC final: Tipperary v Kerry, Gaelic Grounds, 12pm, Ref: Conor Lane (Cork)
After the euphoria of last summer’s triumph in this competition, Tipperary now attempt to retain their title. Their aspirations are aided by the fact that they retain six of the team that started in that provincial decider victory over Cork while goalkeeper Evan Comerford subsequently came into the team for the All-Ireland series. Their progression this year has been notable with victories away to both Kerry and Cork.
But John McGrath is a significant loss through injury while Kerry should have improved from that April meeting when they lost by eight points, with a dangerous full-forward line of Gavin O’Shea, Niall Sheehy and Conor Keane in their ranks. But the power that Tipperary possess around the middle in Dylan Fitzelle, Steven O’Brien and Ian Fahey, plus the scoring prowess of Philip Quirke and Colman Kennedy can carry them home.
Verdict: Tipperary
Leinster MHC final: Dublin v Wexford, Croke Park, 2pm, Ref: Gavin Quilty (Kilkenny)
The portents are good for this clash after the cracking tie that took place between the teams in early May when Wexford prevailed after extra-time in Parnell Park by 0-22 to 1-17. The free-taking prowess of Tony French, he struck 13 points from placed balls as well as two from play, was instrumental in the victory for a Wexford team managed by 1996 All-Ireland winning senior captain Martin Storey. Conor McDonald is another attacker that Dublin will need to be wary of.
The capital side bounced back well from the that disappointment to fell a fancied Kilkenny team at the semi-final stage. They are short on survivors from the side that contested last year’s All-Ireland finalists but Cormac Costello is a quality hurler while Eric Lowndes and Paul Winters are important figures at opposite ends of the pitch who have shaken off injury problems.
Verdict: Dublin
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Dublin GAA Kerry GAA Leinster MFC Leinster MHC Meath GAA Munster MFC Tipperary GAA Underage Westmeath GAA Wexford GAA