Compiled by Jackie Cahill
THE 2024 TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship line-up will be confirmed on Sunday.
There are four key games down for decision, which will determine who joins already-qualified Armagh, Kerry, Cork and Mayo in the last eight.
Following next Sunday’s Meath-Tipperary clash at Páirc Tailteann, the quarter-final draw will be conducted live on TG4.
All four of Sunday’s Senior ties will be available to view live. The Spórt TG4 YouTube channel will provide coverage of the Galway v Laois and Kildare v Dublin fixtures, with Waterford v Donegal and Meath v Tipperary scheduled for linear coverage on TG4.
In addition, the pivotal Junior Group A between Carlow and Fermanagh from Netwatch Cullen Park will be live on the LGFA Facebook Page and YouTube channel.
London and Sligo get the weekend’s action underway on Saturday evening when they meet in Ruislip, also in Group A of the Junior Championship.
Saturday June 22
TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship
Group A
London v Sligo; McGovern Park, Ruislip, 7pm
A crucial tie for both sides as they aim to keep alive their hopes of a semi-final place.
With just the top two slots on offer for the knockout phase, Sligo and London are already playing catch-up.
Both teams are pointless after playing two games each and they trail pace-setters Carlow, who have a 100 per cent record, by nine points.
However, both Sligo and Carlow are just three points behind Derry and Fermanagh ahead of this Ruislip clash.
London: A Farrell; A Spain, A Ryan, M Jordan; C Flanagan, L Harrold, A Sexton; E Alcorn (capt.), M Adegbamiye; L Sheehy, A O’Neill, C McMenamin; E Clarke, A McLoughlin, D Doherty.
Sligo: M Burke; C King, C Dunne (capt.), S Curley; N McDonagh, A Morrisroe, J Creegan; S Cunney, T Breheny; E Lavin, C Gilligan, C Gorman; R O’Brien, S Regan, M McCormack.
Sunday June 23
TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship
Group 1 – Meath v Tipperary; Páirc Tailteann, Navan, 3.30pm – Live on TG4
Tipperary make the trip to Navan knowing that if they avoid defeat, they’ll join Armagh in the quarter-finals from Group 1.
Meath simply have to win to make it into the last eight and it’s all very much on the line for Sunday’s opponents ahead of this live TG4 clash at Páirc Tailteann.
On what we’ve seen to date, very little will separate these teams as Meath lost out to Armagh by just a point, while Tipp claimed a draw against the Orchard County.
The winners of this game will secure a quarter-final away from home, with Armagh already guaranteed top spot.
Tipp are unchanged after claiming what could be a vital point against Armagh, as Meath make two changes to the team that narrowly lost out to the Orchard County.
Ciara Lawlor and Lisa Young are handed starts, with Sarah Wall and Kerrie Cole dropping out.
Meath: M McGuirk (capt.); C Lawlor, M.K. Lynch, N Troy; N Gallogly, L Young, K Newe; M O’Shaughnessy, A Cleary; M Thynne, S Melia, C Smyth; M Byrne, M Farrelly, E Duggan.
Tipperary: L Fitzpatrick; E Kelly, L Spillane, E Cronin; C O’Dwyer, M Curley (capt.), S English; L Morrissey, A.R. Kennedy; C English, A Moloney, E Morrissey; M Creedon, A McGuigan, E McCarthy.
Group 2 – Waterford v Donegal; Walsh Park, 1.30pm – Live on TG4
It’s a very similar situation in Group 2 as Waterford and Donegal prepare for this massive Walsh Park fixture.
Donegal make the trip South knowing that avoiding defeat will see them through to the last eight.
Waterford must win after losing out heavily to Kerry last weekend but they’ll take motivation from a first appearance at Walsh Park in 21 years.
There’s a sense of history in the air for the Déise but they’ll need rapid improvement after falling heavily to the Kingdom in Killarney.
Donegal, in contrast, claimed a draw against the 2022 and 2023 All-Ireland finalists in their first group game, on the back of what was an encouraging display.
The winners of this game will finish second in Group 2 – and will be faced with a quarter-final away from home.
Waterford boss Pat Sullivan has handed a vote of confidence to the starting 15 that lined out against Kerry, as Donegal make just one change, with Jenny McGettigan coming in at midfield for Niamh Carr.
Waterford: E O’Brien; C Murray, H Power, K McGrath; A Murray, A McNulty, E Murray; K Hogan (capt.), K Murray; C Carroll, A Fitzgerald, M Comerford; E Fitzgerald, L McGregor, M O’Brien.
Donegal: C Friel; S McLaughlin, A Temple Asokuh, E McGinley; K Dowds, N Boyle, T Hegarty; R Rodgers, J McGettigan; C Keon, N McLaughlin (capt.), A Boyle Carr; S White, K Herron, K Long.
Group 3 – Galway v Laois; Duggan Park, Ballinasloe, 2pm – Live on Spórt TG4 YouTube
Both sides have suffered defeats to Cork, who are through to the quarter-finals as group winners.
Now, Galway and Laois will battle it out for second spot in Group 3, and a place in the last eight.
Should this game end in a draw, the team that progresses will be the team that registers the most points (scores converted over the bar).
If they still can’t be separated, overall score difference will come into play, with Galway in pole position in this regard (-2 compared to -23 for Laois).
Galway are unchanged after showing some positive signs in the Cork game, as Laois opt for three changes in personnel.
Naomi Luttrell gets the nod ahead of Eimear Barry between the sticks, with Ciara Malone and Orla Hennessy coming in for Clodagh Dunne and Aishling Fitzpatrick further out the field.
Galway: D Gower; M Jordan, S Ní Loingsigh, E Gavin; K Geraghty, N Ward, A Ni Cheallaigh; M Glynn, A Davoren (capt.); O Divilly, L Ward, N Divilly; E Reaney, L Coen, R Leonard.
Laois: N Luttrell; C Malone, S Farrelly, G Lalor; A Gorman, A Moore, L Kearney; O Hennessy, A Moran (capt.); K Donoghue, K Jacob, G Moran; M Nerney, E Lacey, M Cotter.
Group 4 – Kildare v Dublin; Manguard Park, 2pm – Live on Spórt TG4 YouTube
Reigning champions Dublin make the trip to Manguard Park knowing that a win or a draw will see them through to the last eight as group winners.
Mayo will hope that Kildare can spring a massive surprise, which could see the green and red through as table-toppers.
The odds are stacked against Kildare ahead of this one, however, as Dublin ran out 4-15 to 2-4 winners when the sides met in the Leinster Championship.
Kildare also lost out on their visit to Mayo last weekend but the Lilywhites will aim to be competitive against the Sky Blues.
Should this game end in a draw, Dublin will go through on top, with Mayo second.
To book a place in the last eight, Kildare need to win and win big as their scoring difference is currently -16, compared to Mayo and Dublin’s +8.
Kildare are unchanged following the Mayo game, as Dublin make two changes to the team that lined out against the Connacht side, with Niamh Crowley and Nicole Owens coming in for Niamh Donlon and Grace Kós.
Kildare: A Dunlea; F Troute, A Clifford, A Reynolds; L Gilbert, R Sargent, L Murtagh; G Clifford (capt.), C Sullivan; T Duggan, N Dooley, L Doran; E Dowling, A Rattigan, R Byrne.
Dublin: A Shiels; L Caffrey, O Carey, N Crowley; L Magee, M Byrne, S Goldrick; J Dunne, O Nolan; C O’Connor, C Rowe (capt.), N Owens; H Tyrrell, N Hetherton, K Sullivan.
TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship
Group A
Carlow v Fermanagh; Netwatch Cullen Park, 2pm
Carlow welcome Fermanagh to Netwatch Cullen Park knowing that a win or a draw will see them through to the semi-finals.
This is Carlow’s fourth and final game of the group stages, as Fermanagh prepare for their second outing, and on the back of victory over Sligo last weekend.
Fermanagh will look to make up ground on Carlow, who are sitting pretty on nine points and with a 100 per cent record, and a win for the visitors would make life interesting in Group A.
A Fermanagh success would see them move onto six points, three adrift of Carlow and with two games to play.
Derry, who have a ‘bye’ weekend, will also be watching on with interest, as they’re also currently on three points, and with two games played, while they also have to play Fermanagh.
Carlow: N Hanley; A Carroll, A Roche, S McCullagh; R Bermingham (capt.), N Murphy, N Forde; E Hayden, R Bailey; B Nolan, R Sawyer, S Doyle; E Molloy, E Coogan, C Ní Shé.
Fermanagh: M Maguire; C Clarke, M McGloin, E Keenan; S McQuade (capt.), C Murphy, L Maguire; B Bannon, C Bogue; D Maguire, J Doonan, A McCabe; B Bogue, E Smyth, B Smyth.
