WEEKEND GAA BOOTROOM
TODAY ALL-IRELAND SFC QUALIFIERS Round 3B TIPPERARY v ARMAGH, Semple Stadium, 5pm Tipperary’s Micheal Quinlivan bagged a second-half hat-trick against Armagh to secure promotion from Division 3 at the Orchard County’s expense back in April, and the Clonmel Commercials man made a surprise return from injury to rescue his side from the jaws of defeat against Cavan last week. An injury-ravaged Premier outscored Cavan by 1-7 to 0-1 in the opening 21 minutes of that second-half comeback, and will feel fully capable of repeating their heroics against an Armagh side that just scraped past a hurting Westmeath team. Quinlivan’s fitness could be key — he was visibly limping against Cavan — while Armagh welcome back Jamie Clarke after his early black card against the Lake County. VERDICT: Tipperary Key stat: Tipperary are bidding to reach Round 4 of the qualifiers for the third time in four seasons
TV: LIVE on Sky Sports 5 from 4pm Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon) CARLOW v MONAGHAN, Netwatch Dr Cullen Park, 7pm Monaghan certainly wouldn’t have anticipated finding themselves in the qualifiers on Ulster final weekend, but the manner in which they breezed past Wexford last week was proof that they have already shaken off that surprise Ulster Championship defeat to Down. They had 14 different scorers as they racked up 3-23 in Wexford, and are unsurprisingly expected to enjoy a similarly comfortable evening in Dr Cullen Park. Carlow have been one of the surprise packages this summer, beating Wexford in impressive fashion before making life difficult for the AllIreland champions for a large portion of their defeat to Dublin. They welcome back Brendan Murphy after suspension kept him out of their win over Leitrim. VERDICT: Monaghan. Key stat: Carlow, the only Division 4 team still in the Championship, are in Round 3 of the All-Ireland qualifiers for the first time. TV: LIVE on Sky Sports 5 from 4pm Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath) TOMORROW LEINSTER SFC FINAL DUBLIN v KILDARE, Croke Park, 4pm There isn’t likely to be any shock result here, but Kildare at least look well equipped to provide Dublin with a sterner test than they have become accustomed to in the province in recent years. The Lilywhites have impressed so far this year, winning promotion to Division 1 before dominant, high-scoring wins against both Laois and Meath as Cian O’Neill starts to see real progress in his second year in charge. Still, they need to lift their performance up to a whole other level against Dublin, and O’Neill looks set to implement a more defensive game-plan in order to contain Jim Gavin’s All-Ireland champions, who arrive at another Leinster final without any meaningful Championship test under their belt, overcoming a stubborn Carlow before completely blowing Westmeath out of the water. There is only one result anticipated, Dublin having claimed 11 of the last 12 Leinster titles while Kildare are dreaming of ending a 17year drought. But if O’Neill’s men get their gameplan right, this has the potential to be one of the most competitive Leinster finals in recent memory.
VERDICT: Dublin. Last three C’ship meetings: June 2015: Dublin 5-18 Kildare 0-14 (Leinster semi-final) June 2013: Dublin 4-16 Kildare 19 (Leinster semi-final) June 2011: Dublin 1-12 Kildare 1-11 (Leinster semi-final)
Key stat: Dublin out-scored Kildare by an aggregate score of 9-34 to 1-23 in their last two Championship meetings in 2015 and 2013. TV: LIVE on RTÉ 2 from 1.30pm
Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow) ULSTER SFC FINAL DOWN v TYRONE, Clones, 2pm Down have become one of the stand-out stories of the summer, injecting life into what was an unusually flat Ulster Championship. Having battled past Armagh before that incredible upset against Monaghan, the Mourne men will have absolutely no fear going into this decider, despite facing the one Ulster team that are seen as being able to potentially challenge the big guns come August. Still, with that early-season element of surprise now gone Down will arrive in Clones as massive underdogs — it was only in February that they ended a disastrous 22month losing streak — and they are tasked with taking on a Tyrone team they have failed to beat in Championship football since 2008. Mickey Harte’s men had little trouble seeing of Derry and Donegal on their path to this final, and while Down will be their most testing opposition yet, they offer more around the park than anything the Mourne men have faced yet and will fully expect to collect another Anglo-Celt Cup in what will be Sean Cavanagh’s last Ulster final.
VERDICT: Tyrone Last three C’ship meetings: May 2014: Tyrone 3-11 Down 012 (Ulster 1st round) Replay May 2014: Tyrone 2-11 Down 3-8 (Ulster 1st round) Draw June 2010: Tyrone 0-14 Down 010 (Ulster quarter-final)
Key stat: Down have appeared in five Ulster football finals since last winning the title in 1994, losing four and drawing one. TV: LIVE on RTÉ 2 from 1.30pm Referee: Joe McQuillan