THE PLACE TO be on the first weekend of the Allianz League of 2025 is undoubtedly Pearse Stadium, Salthill, where a repeat of the All-Ireland football final between Galway and Armagh is scheduled for a 5.15pm Saturday evening slot.
The GAA have published their master fixture list for the leagues and with interest in football sure to be much higher than recent years due to the suite of incoming rule changes, attendances could be set for a boost.
Not only that, but the general public will be ravenous to see a bit of a ball game with the abolishment of the pre-season competitions.
That very same Saturday, there is another couple of mouth-watering games in store. 21 years after he helped coach Tyrone to their first All-Ireland triumph, Paddy Tally will be bringing Derry to Healy Park where they face Tyrone, under new management themselves with Malachy O’Rourke in the hotseat, that game throwing in at 6pm.
Later again, the recent rivalry of Dublin and Mayo will square off in Croke Park, with a 7.30pm start.
In hurling, All-Ireland champions Clare will surely have the backing of a large attendance in Cusack Park, Ennis, for the visit of Kilkenny on Sunday, 26 January.
Beaten finalists, Cork, start their campaign a day earlier with a trip to face Wexford in Wexford Park.
The full list of fixtures is available here.
That’s some first round of fixtures on the Saturday for Division 1.
Might be a stupid question, but will Teams define the 3 players that have to remain in the opposition half? Or can it be any 3 players at any given time?