FOOTBALL: Crucial Weekend in All-Ireland Championship

It’s decision time! The twelve counties who will contest the knock-out stages of the 2023 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship will be known by this Sunday evening when the four groups complete their ‘Round Robin’ schedule.

Galway, Mayo, Derry, Monaghan and Donegal are already through to the last twelve, with the other seven slots, plus the top four who will qualify directly for the quarterfinals, to emerge from the games on Saturday and Sunday. Clare are the only county in any of the groups who cannot make the knock-out stages.

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SATURDAY

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIP

• Group 4: Clare v Derry, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 6.00pm; Donegal v Monaghan, Omagh, 6.00pm.

SUNDAY

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIP

• Group 1: Kerry v Louth, Laois Hire O’Moore Park, 2.00pm; Cork v Mayo, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 2.00pm.

• Group 2: Armagh v Galway, Carrick-on-Shannon, 4.00pm; Westmeath v Tyrone, Kingspan Breffni , 4.00pm

• Group 3: Dublin v Sligo, Kingspan Breffni, 1.45pm; Kildare v Roscommon, Glenisk O’Connor Park, 1.45pm.

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ARMAGH v GALWAY

Galway lead the way on the table with four points, with Armagh on two points. Galway have a scoring difference of 11+ while Armagh are on -1.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

ARMAGH

• Armagh 0-20 Antrim 1-8 (Preliminary round)

• Armagh 1-14 Cavan 0-12 (quarter-final)

• Armagh 4-10 Down 0-12 (semi-final)

• Derry 1-15 Armagh 0-18 aet: Derry win 3-1 on penalties (Ulster final)

• Armagh 1-13 Westmeath 1-12 (All-Ireland Group 2)

• Tyrone 0-13 Armagh 0-11 (All-Ireland Group 2)

Top Scorers

1. Conor Turbitt 1-17 (0-7 frees, 0-1 mark)

2. Rian O’Neill 1-11 (0-6 frees, 0-1 ‘45’)

3. Rory Grugan 0-14 (0-8 frees)

4. Andrew Murnin 1-6

5. Shane McPartlan 1-5

GALWAY

• Galway 1-13 Roscommon 1-9 (Connacht semi-final)

• Galway 2-20 Sligo 0-12 (Connacht final)

• Galway 0-16 Tyrone 0-13 (All-Ireland Group 2)

• Galway 0-20 Westmeath 0-12 (All-Ireland Group 2)

Top Scorers

1. Matthew Tierney 2-11 (0-1 free, 0-1 mark, 0-2 ‘45’)

2. Shane Walsh 0-14 (0-11 frees)

3. Damien Comer 1-8

4. Peter Cooke 0-7

5. Johnny Heaney 0-6 (0-1 mark)

PREVIOUS CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

• 2022: Galway 2-21 Armagh 3-18 aet (Galway won 4-1 on penalties)

• 2015: Galway 1-12 Armagh 0-12 (qualifier)

• 2013: Galway 1-11 Armagh 0-9 (qualifier)

• 2001: Galway 0-13 Armagh 0-12 (qualifier)

* They meet for only the fifth time in the championship, with Galway having won the previous four. Their most recent clash was in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final which Galway won on penalties after extra-time failed to separate them.

* Galway beat Armagh by 1-8 to 1-6 in Round 6 of this year’s Division 1 campaign.

* Galway have conceded only one goal in their last five championship games (four this year, plus last year’s All-Ireland final)

* This will be Armagh’s seventh game in this year’s championship, having already had four in Ulster and two in the ‘round robin’ series.

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TYRONE v WESTMEATH

Tyrone are on two points and with a scoring difference of -1. Westmeath have lost their first two games and have a points difference of -9. Dessie Dolan’s men need to win to have any chance of reaching the preliminary quarter-finals.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

WESTMEATH

• Louth 2-10 Westmeath 1-11 (Leinster quarter-final)

• Armagh 1-13 Westmeath 1-12 (All-Ireland Group 3)

• Galway 0-20 Westmeath 0-12 (All-Ireland Group 3)

Top Scorers

1. John Heslin 0-11 (0-6 frees)

2. Ronan O’Toole 2-4

3. Luke Loughlin 0-7 (0-1 ‘45’)

TYRONE

• Monaghan 2-17 Tyrone 1-18 (Ulster quarter-final)

• Galway 0-16 Tyrone 0-13 (All-Ireland Group 2)

• Tyrone 0-13 Armagh 0-11 (All-Ireland Group 2)

Top Scorers

1. Darren McCurry 0-18 (0-9 frees)

2. Darragh Canavan 1-10 (0-2 frees, 0-1 mark)

3. Mattie Donnelly 0-5

* They have met only once before in the championship, with Tyrone winning an All-Ireland qualifier by 0-14 to 1-7 in Omagh in July 2008. They later went on to win the All-Ireland title. Tyrone joint- manager, Brian Dooher and Westmeath manager, Dessie Dolan captained their sides in th3 2008 clash in Omagh. Dolan scored 0-3 while Dooher scored 0-2.

* Tyrone have scored only one goal in their last four games (three championship, one Allianz League).

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CORK v MAYO

Mayo have maximum points from two games; Cork are on two points. Mayo have a 6+ scoring difference while Cork are on 0.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

CORK

• Clare 0-14 Cork 0-13 (Munster quarter-final)

• Cork 1-19 Louth 1-17 (All-Ireland Group 1)

• Kerry 1-14 Cork 0-15 (All-Ireland Group 1)

Top Scorers

1. Brian Hurley 0-14 (0-11 frees, 0-1 mark)

2. Steven Sherlock 0-13 (0-7 frees, 0-1 ‘45’)

3. Brian O’Driscoll 1-2

4. Sean Powter 0-4

MAYO

• Roscommon 2-8 Mayo 0-10 (Connacht quarter-final)

• Mayo 1-19 Kerry 0-17 (All-Ireland Group 1)

• Mayo 0-14 Louth 1-10 (All-Ireland Group 1)

Top Scorers

1. Ryan O’Donoghue 0-10 (0-6 frees)

2. Aidan O’Shea 0-8 (0-4 frees)

3. Matthew Ruane 0-4

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

• 2017: Mayo 0-27 Cork 2-20 aet (All-Ireland qualifier)

• 2014: Mayo 1-19 Cork 2-15 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

• 2011: Mayo 1-13 Cork 2-6 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

• 2002: Cork 0-16 Mayo 1-10 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

• 1999: Cork 2-12 Mayo 0-12 (All-Ireland semi-final)

* They meet in the championship for the 13th time with Cork leading 7-5 from their previous twelve meetings. Their last championship clash was in the 2017 qualifiers when Mayo won by a point in extra-time.

* Both have had three championship games so far, scoring only one goal each.

* Mayo beat Cork by a point in their last two championship games in 2017 and 2014.

* Mayo have beaten Cork in their last three championship games.

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KERRY v LOUTH

Kerry have won one and lost one of their first two games; Louth have lost both of their games.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

KERRY

• Kerry 0-25 Tipperary 0-5 (Munster quarter-final)

• Kerry 5-14 Clare 0-15 (Munster final)

• Mayo 1-19 Kerry 0-17 (All-Ireland Group 1)

• Kerry 1-14 Cork 0-15 (All-Ireland Group 1)

Top Scorers

1. David Clifford 3-21 (0-10 frees, 1-0 pen)

2. Sean O’Shea 0-17 (0-9 frees, 0-3 ‘45s’)

3. Tony Brosnan 1-6

4. Paul Geaney 0-6

5. Dara Moynihan 1-3

6. Tom O’Sullivan 0-6

7. Paudie Clifford 1-3

LOUTH

• Louth 2-10 Westmeath 1-11 (Leinster quarter-final)

• Louth 0-27 Offaly 2-15 aet (Leinster semi-final)

• Dublin 5-21 Louth 0-15 (Leinster final)

• Cork 1-19 Louth 1-17 (All-Ireland Group 1)

• Mayo 0-14 Louth 1-10 (All-Ireland Group 2)

Top Scorers

1. Sam Mulroy 1-31 (0-20 frees, 1-0 pen, 0-1 ‘45’)

2. Ciaran Downey 0-12 (0-1 mark)

3. Conor Grimes 0-9

4. Liam Jackson 2-2

5. Conor Early 0-6

* This will be their first championship meeting since the 1953 All-Ireland semi-final when Kerry won by 3-6 to 0-10.

* Louth manager Mickey Harte led Tyrone into six championship games against Kerry, winning the 2005 and 2008 All-Ireland finals and the 2003 semi-final and losing in 2012 (qualifier), 2015 and 2019 All-Ireland semi-finals.

* Kerry have conceded only one goal in their last five championship games (four this year, plus last year’s All-Ireland final)

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KILDARE v ROSCOMMON

Roscommon are on three points and have a score difference of +10. Kildare are on one point and a score difference of -9.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

KILDARE

• Kildare 1-17 Wicklow 0-10 (Leinster quarter-final)

• Dublin 0-14 Kildare 0-12 (Leinster semi-final)

• Kildare 0-14 Sligo 0-14 (All-Ireland Group 3)

• Dublin 0-22 Kildare 0-13 (All-Ireland Group 3)

Top Scorers

1. Paddy Woodgate 1-11 (0-7 frees, 0-2 ‘45s’)

2. Darragh Kirwan 0-8

3. Jack Robinson 0-7 (0-5 frees)

4. Neil Flynn 0-7 (0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘45’)

5. Ben McCormack 0-7

ROSCOMMON

• Roscommon 2-8 Mayo 0-10 (Connacht quarter-final)

• Galway 1-13 Roscommon 1-9 (Connacht semi-final)

• Roscommon 0-14 Dublin 1-11 (All-Ireland Group 3)

• Roscommon 1-21 Sligo 1-11 (All-Ireland Group 3)

Top Scorers

1. Ciaran Murtagh 1-13 (0-6 frees)

2. Diarmuid Murtagh 0-15 (0-10 frees)

3. Enda Smith 1-7 (1-0 pen)

4. Cian McKeon 0-5

* They meet for only the third time in the championship. Kildare won a qualifier by three points in 2007; Roscommon won a qualifier by two points in extra-time in 2003.

* Kildare have scored only one goal in four championship games this year. They have averaged 0-13 in their three most recent games against Dublin (twice) and Sligo.

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DUBLIN v SLIGO

Dublin are on three points and have a scoring difference of 9+ points. Sligo have one point and a score difference of -10 points.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

DUBLIN

• Dublin 4-30 Laois 2-9 (Leinster quarter-final)

• Dublin 0-14 Kildare 0-12 (Leinster semi-final)

• Dublin 5-21 Louth 0-15 (Leinster final)

• Dublin 1-11 Roscommon 0-14 (All-Ireland Group 3)

• Dublin 0-22 Kildare 0-13 (All-Ireland Group 3)

Top Scorers

1. Con O’Callaghan 1-19 (0-3 frees, 0-3 marks)

2. Colm Basquel 2-11

3. Cormac Costello 0-13 (0-6 frees, 0-2 ‘45s’)

4. Sean Bugler 1-10

5. Paul Mannion 1-9 (0-2 frees)

SLIGO

• Sligo 2-20 London 0-12 (Connacht quarter-final)

• Sligo 2-16 New York 0-6 (Connacht semi-final)

• Galway 2-20 Sligo 0-12 (Connacht final)

• Sligo 0-14 Kildare 0-14 (All-Ireland Group 3)

• Roscommon 1-21 Sligo 1-11 (All-Ireland Group 3)

Top Scorers

1. Niall Murphy 0-21 (0-9 frees, 0-1 ‘45’)

2. Sean Carrabine 1-15 (0-5 frees)

3. Pat Spillane 1-8

4. Patrick O’Connor 2-4 (0-1 mark)

5. Alan Reilly 1-4

* They meet for only the second time in championship history, with Dublin winning their first clash by 3-17 to 0-12 in a qualifier in Croke Park in 2001.

* The last competitive clash between the counties was in October 1997 when Sligo won an Allianz League game by 2-7 to 0-12 in Markievicz Park.

* Over the last fifty years, Dublin have won 18, drew four and lost three of their 25 championship games with Connacht opposition. They beat Mayo seven times, Galway and Roscommon four times each, Leitrim twice and Sligo once. The draws were against Mayo in 2016-2015-1985 and against Roscommon this year. The three defeats all came against Mayo in 2021-2012-2006.

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CLARE v DERRY

Derry are guaranteed a place in the knock-out stages after winning one and drawing one of their opening two games. They have a points difference of 5+. Clare are out of contention, having lost their first two games and with other results going against them, they cannot qualify.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

CLARE

• Clare 0-14 Cork 0-13 (Munster quarter-final)

• Clare 2-16 Limerick 1-16 (Munster semi-final)

• Kerry 5-14 Clare 0-15 (Munster final)

• Donegal 0-14 Clare 0-9 (All-Ireland Group 4)

• Monaghan 1-23 Clare 1-18 (All-Ireland Group 4)

Top Scorers

1. Eoin Cleary 0-16 (0-10 frees)

2. Keelan Sexton 1-14 (0-1 free)

3. Emmet McMahon 0-16 (0-8 frees)

DERRY

• Derry 3-17 Fermanagh 2-8 (Ulster quarter-final)

• Derry 1-21 Monaghan 2-10 (Ulster semi-final)

• Derry 1-15 Armagh 0-18 aet (Derry win 3-1 on penalties) (Ulster final)

• Derry 0-14 Monaghan 0-14 (All-Ireland Group 4)

• Derry 3-14 Donegal 1-15 (All-Ireland Group 4)

* They meet in the championship for a second successive season, with Derry having won last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final by 5-13 to 2-8.

* Derry have scored a total of 8-81 (average 21 pts) in their five championship games so far this year.

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DONEGAL v MONAGHAN

Both teams have qualified for the knock-out stages. Monaghan have three points on the board and a scoring difference of 5+. Donegal have two points and a scoring difference of 0.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

DONEGAL

• Down 2-13 Donegal 1-11 (Ulster quarter-final)

• Donegal 0-14 Clare 0-9 (All-Ireland Group 4)

• Derry 3-14 Donegal 1-15 (All-Ireland Group 4)

Top Scorers

1. Oisin Gallen 0-14 (0-4 frees, 0-2 marks)

2. Ciaran Thompson 0-8 (0-2 frees)

3. Jason McGee 1-1

4. Conor O’Donnell 0-4

5. Rory O’Donnell 1-1

MONAGHAN

• Monaghan 2-17 Tyrone 1-18 (Ulster quarter-final)

• Derry 1-21 Monaghan 2-10 (Ulster semi-final)

• Monaghan 0-14 Derry 0-14 (All-Ireland Group 4)

• Monaghan 1-23 Clare 1-18 (All-Ireland Group 4)

Top Scorers

1. Conor McManus 0-14 (0-12 frees)

2. Jack McCarron 0-11 (0-2 frees)

3. Conor McCarthy 1-7 (0-1 free)

4. Michael Bannigan 0-8 (0-2 frees)

5. Karl O’Connell 1-3

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

• 2016: Donegal 0-17 Monaghan 2-10 (Ulster semi-final) Replay

• 2016: Donegal 1-11 Monaghan 0-14 (Ulster semi-final) Draw

• 2015: Monaghan 0-11 Donegal 0-10 (Ulster final)

• 2014: Donegal 0-15 Monaghan 1-9 (Ulster final)

• 2013: Monaghan 0-13 Donegal 0-7 (Ulster final)

*Monaghan beat Donegal by 1-20 to 0-15 in this year’s Allianz League.

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GAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023

CONNACHT

• Quarter-finals: April 8: Sligo 2-20 London 0-12, McGovern Park Ruislip; New York 0-15 Leitrim 0-15 (New York win 2-0 on penalties), Gaelic Park; April 9: Roscommon 2-8 Mayo 0-10, Mac Hale Park.

• Semi-finals: April 22: Sligo 2-16 New York 0-6; April 23: Galway 1-13 Roscommon 1-9, Dr. Hyde Park.

• Final: May 7: Galway 2-20 Sligo 0-12, Castlebar.

LEINSTER

• First Round: April 9: Wicklow 2-12 Carlow 0-10, Aughrim; Offaly 1-12 Longford 1-11 Pearse Park; Laois 2-17 Wexford 2-13, O’Moore Park.

• Quarter-finals: April 23: Kildare 1-17 Wicklow 0-10, Netwatch Cullen Park; Dublin 4-30 Laois 2-9, Portlaoise; Offaly 1-11 Meath 0-10, O’Connor Park; Louth 2-10 Westmeath 1- 11, Pairc Tailteann.

• Semi-finals: April 30: Louth 0-27 Offaly 2-15 (aet), Croke Park; Dublin 0-14 Kildare 0-12, Croke Park.

• Final: May 14: Dublin 5-21 Louth 0-15, Croke Park.

MUNSTER

• Quarter-finals: April 9: Tipperary 3-9 Waterford 1-11, Semple Stadium; Clare 0-14 Cork 0-13, Ennis.

• Semi-finals: April 22: Kerry 0-25 Tipperary 0-5, Fitzgerald Stadium; Clare 1-16 Limerick 0- 16, TUS Gaelic Grounds.

• Final: May 7: Kerry 5-14 Clare 0-15, TUS Gaelic Grounds.

ULSTER

• Preliminary Round: April 8: Armagh 0-20 Antrim 1-8, Athletic Grounds.

• Quarter-finals: April 15: Derry 3-17 Fermanagh 2-8, Brewster Park; April 16: Monaghan 2- 17 Tyrone 1-18, Omagh; April 22: Armagh 1-14 Cavan 0-12; April 23: Down 2-13 Donegal 1-11, Newry.

• Semi-finals: April 29: Derry 1-21 Monaghan 2-10, Omagh; April 30: Armagh 4-10 Down 0-12, Clones.

• Final: May 14: Derry 1-15 Armagh 0-18 aet (Derry win 3-1 on penalties), Clones

All-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

Group 1

• May 20: Mayo 1-19 Kerry 0-17, Fitzgerald Stadium; May 27: Cork 1-19 Louth 1-17, Pairc Tailteann.

• June 3 /4: Kerry 1-14 Cork 0-15; Mayo 0-14 Louth 1-10

• June 17/18: Kerry v Louth; Cork v Mayo

Group 2

• May 20: Galway 0-16 Tyrone 0-13, Pearse Stadium; May 27: Armagh 1-13 Westmeath 1- 12, Box-IT Athletic Grounds

• June 3: Tyrone 0-13 Armagh 0-11; Galway 0-20 Westmeath 0-12.

• June 17/18: Armagh v Galway; Tyrone v Westmeath.

Group 3

• May 21: Sligo 0-14 Kildare 0-14, Markievicz Park; May 28: Dublin 1-11 Roscommon 0-14, Croke Park.

• June 3 /4: Dublin 0-22 Kildare 0-13; Roscommon 1-21 Sligo 1-11.

• June 17/18: Dublin v Sligo; Kildare v Roscommon.

Group 4

• May 20: Donegal 0-14 Clare 0-9, Ennis; May 27: Derry 0-14 Monaghan 0-14, Celtic Park.

• June 3 /4: Monaghan 1-23 Clare 1-18; Derry 3-14 Donegal 1-15.

• June 17/18: Donegal v Monaghan; Clare v Derry

KNOCK-OUT STAGES

• June 24/25: Preliminary quarter-finals

• July 1/ 2: Quarter-finals: First-placed in the four groups play the preliminary quarter-final winners, subject in the first instance to the avoidance of repeat provincial final pairings and, where possible, repeat pairings from Round 1.

• July 15/16: Semi-finals: The four quarter-final winners will be paired against each other by draw, subject to the avoidance of repeat pairings from the championship, where possible.

• July 30: Final