FOOTBALL: Galway Travel to Westmeath in Only Second Ever Championship Meeting

There’s a hectic weekend ahead in the GAA Football All-Ireland championship and the Tailteann Cup, with no fewer than sixteen games on the schedule across the two competitions.

It’s Round 2 in the All-Ireland championship groups and Round 3 in the Tailteann Cup. The top teams in the four Tailteann Cup groups will advance to the quarterfinals while second and third will qualify for the preliminary quarterfinals.

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ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY

• Group 1: Cork v Kerry, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 3.00pm

• Group 2: Westmeath v Galway, TEG Cusack Park, 5.0; Tyrone v Armagh, Omagh, 7.00pm

• Group 3: Kildare v Dublin, UPMC Nowlan Park, 5.00pm

SUNDAY

• Group 1: Mayo v Louth, Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, 2.00pm

• Group 3: Roscommon v Sligo, Dr. Hyde Park, 3.00pm

• Group 4: Monaghan v Clare, Clones, 2.00pm; Donegal v Derry, Ballybofey, 4.00pm

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WESTMEATH v GALWAY

Westmeath lost to Armagh in Round 1; Galway beat Tyrone. Westmeath and Galway share the maroon-and-white colours but they have shared a championship pitch only once before. That was back in 2006 when Westmeath won a Round 4 All-Ireland qualifier tie by 1-8 to 0-10 in Pearse Stadium. Their last competitive meeting was in the 2015 Allianz League when Galway won a Division 2 game by a point.

2023 CHAMPIONSHIP

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)

Top Scorers

1. Matthew Tierney………2-10 (0-1 free, 0-1 mark, 0-1 ‘45’)

2. Damien Comer…………..1-5

3. Shane Walsh……………….0-10 (0-8 frees)

WESTMEATH

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

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

Top Scorers

1. John Heslin….0-9 (0-5 frees)

2. Ronan O’Toole……2-2

3. Luke Loughlin……..0-5 (0-1 ‘45’)

– Rival managers, Padraic Joyce and Dessie Dolan were on the Galway and Westmeath teams that played in the first (and only up to now) championship clash between the counties in 2006. Dolan captained Westmeath in their one-point win.

– Galway are bidding to win for the ninth time in ten championship games. The only defeat in their last nine games came against Kerry in last year’s All-Ireland final. They beat Mayo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Armagh and Derry last year and Roscommon, Sligo and Tyrone this year.

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TYRONE v ARMAGH

Tyrone lost to Galway in Round 1; Armagh beat Westmeath. They meet for a second successive season in the championship, with Armagh having won a qualifier tie by six points last year.

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)

Top Scorers

1. Conor Turbitt………1-15 (0-5 frees, 0-1 mark)

2. Shane McPartlan……1-5

3. Rory Grugan………….0-10 (0-6 frees)

MONAGHAN

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

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

Top Scorers

1. Darragh Canavan…….1-7 (0-2 frees, 0-1 mark)

2. Darren McCurry……….0-12 (0-8 frees)

3. Mattie Donnelly……….0-4

– They have met 45 times in the championship, with Armagh winning 22 to Tyrone’s 17. There were five draws and one game was abandoned.

– Since being crowned All-Ireland champions in 2021, Tyrone have won only one of five championship games. They beat Fermanagh in the preliminary Ulster round last year before losing to Derry in the quarter-final and to Armagh in the All-Ireland qualifiers. They lost to Monaghan and Galway this year.

– Tyrone beat Armagh by 0-18 to 0-16 in this year’s Allianz League.

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MAYO v LOUTH

Mayo won their Round 1 game, beating Kerry; Louth lost to Cork. They meet in the championship for the first time since the 1950 All-Ireland final when Mayo won by 2-5 to 1-6. It’s the only championship game between the counties to date.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

MAYO

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

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

Top Scorers

1. Ryan O’Donoghue…..0-7 (0-4 frees)

2. Aidan O’Shea……………0-4

3. Matthew Ruane…………0-3

4. James Carr………………..0-3

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)

Top Scorers

1. Sam Mulroy…..1-28 (0-17 frees, 1-0 pen, 0-1 ‘45’)

2. Ciaran Downey…0-10

3. Liam Jackson……2-2

– Mayo’s 1-19 score against Kerry in Round 1 was their joint-highest yield from their ten Allianz League and Championship games this year. They scored 4-10 against Tyrone in the League.

– Louth manager, Mickey Harte came up against Mayo four times during his time as Tyrone boss, winning one and losing three. The win was in the 2008 All-Ireland qualifiers, the defeats in the 2004 All-Ireland quarter-final, the 2013 semi-final and 2016 quarter-final.

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CORK v KERRY

Cork beat Louth in the first round; Kerry lost to Mayo. They meet in the championship for a seventh successive year, with Kerry having won five of the previous six. They won last year’s Munster final by twelve points. Their only defeat was in the 2020 Munster semi-final. Prior to that Cork hadn’t beaten Kerry since 2012. It leaves Kerry leading 9-1 from their last ten championship meetings with Cork.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

CORK

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

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

Top Scorers

1. Steven Sherlock….0-11 (0-7 frees, 0-1 ‘45’)

2. Brian Hurley………. 0-8 (0-6 frees)

3. Brian O’Driscoll…….1-1

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)

Top Scorers

1. David Clifford……2-16 (0-9 frees)

2. Tony Brosnan……1-6

3. Sean O’Shea………0-12 (0-5 frees, 0-3 ‘45s’)

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

• 2022: Kerry 0-23 Cork 0-11 (Munster semi-final)

• 2021: Kerry 4-22 Cork 1-9 (Munster final)

• 2020: Cork 1-12 Kerry 0-13 aet (Munster semi-final)

• 2019: Kerry 1-19 Cork 3-10 (Munster final)

• 2018: Kerry 3-18 Cork 2-4 (Munster final)

– Cork v Kerry has been by far the busiest championship rivalry in football since 2000. They have met 33 times with Kerry winning 21 to Cork’s six while there were six draws.

– Cork’s win over Kerry in 2020 was their first over their great rivals in the championship since 2012. It ended the longest barren spell against Kerry since going from 1974 to 1983 without a win.

– Kerry beat Cork by twelve points in last year’s Munster championship and by 22 points a year earlier.

– Jack O’Connor has led Kerry against Cork in thirteen championship clashes. Results were as follows: Kerry wins 8; Cork wins 3; Draws 2.

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ROSCOMMON v SLIGO

Both have a point after their Round 1 games. Roscommon drew with Dublin in Croke Park; Sligo drew with Kildare in Markievicz Park. Roscommon beat Sligo by twelve points in last year’s Connacht championship.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

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)

Top Scorers

1. Ciaran Murtagh…..1-11 (0-5 frees)

2. Diarmuid Murtagh…0-9 (0-6 frees)

3. Enda Smith…………..1-2 (1-0 pen)

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)

Top Scorers

1. Niall Murphy…………0-17 (0-6 frees, 0-1 ‘45’)

2. Sean Carrabine……..1-12 (0-4 frees)

3. Patrick O’Connor…..2-4 (0-1 mark)

4. Pat Spillane…………….1-7

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

• 2022: Roscommon 0-23 Sligo 0-11 (Connacht semi-final)

• 2016: Roscommon 4-16 Sligo 2-13 (Connacht semi-final)

• 2015: Sligo 1-14 Roscommon 0-13 (Connacht semi-final)

• 2010: Roscommon 0-14 Sligo 0-13 (Connacht final)

• 2007: Sligo 0-13 Roscommon 2-5 (Connacht semi-final)

– Roscommon have won five, lost four and drawn one of their ten Allianz League (Div 1) and Championship games this season.

– Sligo have won nine and lost two of their eleven Allianz League (Div 4) and Championship games this year. They were 22 places behind Roscommon on the final League standings.

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DUBLIN v KILDARE

They both drew their Round 1 games, Dublin with Roscommon, Kildare with Sligo. They meet for the third time this year, with Dublin having won the first two. They had a point to spare in an Allianz League clash (1-11 to 0-13) and finished two points ahead (0-14 to 0- 12) in the Leinster semi-final.

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)

Top Scorers

1. Con O’Callaghan…..1-15 (0-3 frees, 0-3 marks)

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

3. Ciaran Kilkenny……..1-8

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)

Top Scorers

1. Paddy Woodgate…..1-10 (0-6 frees, 0-2 ‘45s’)

2. Jack Robinson………..0-7 (0-5 frees)

3. Darragh Kirwan………0-7

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

• 2023: Dublin 0-14 Kildare 0-12 (Leinster semi-final)

• 2022: Dublin 5-17 Kildare 1-15 (Leinster final)

• 2021: Dublin 0-21 Kildare 1-9 (Leinster final)

• 2019: Dublin 0-26 Kildare 0-11 (Leinster semi-final)

• 2017: Dublin 2-23 Kildare 1-17 (Leinster final)

– Kildare are seeking their first championship win over Dublin since the 2000 Leinster final replay. They have met ten times since then with Dublin winning them all.

– This will be the third meeting between them this year with Dublin winning a Division 2 League tie by 1-11 to 0-13 and the Leinster semi-final by 0-14 to 0-12.

– Kildare have scored only five goals in their last nine championship games against Dublin (2009-2023). They have conceded a total of 19 goals in those games. However, they have conceded no goals to Dublin in three of their last four championship games.

– Dublin and Kildare have met 58 times in the championship, with Dublin leading 40-13, while five were drawn.

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DONEGAL v DERRY

Donegal beat Clare in the first round; Derry drew with Monaghan. They last met in the championship in the 2022 Ulster final which Derry won by two points after extra-time.

CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

DONEGAL

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

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

Top Scorers

1. Ciaran Thompson….0-6 (0-1 free)

2. Oisin Gallen……0-5

3. Jason McGee……..1-1

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)

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

• 2022: Derry 1-16 Donegal 1-14 aet (Ulster final)

• 2021: Donegal 0-15 Derry 0-15 (Ulster quarter-final)

• 2018: Donegal 2-16 Derry 0-16 (Ulster quarter-final)

• 2015: Donegal 1-9 Derry 0-10 (Ulster semi-final)

• 2014: Donegal 1-11 Derry 0-11 (Ulster quarter-final)

– Derry’s win over Donegal in last year’s Ulster final was their first championship success against their neighbours since 2008.

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MONAGHAN v CLARE

Monaghan drew with Derry in Round 1; Clare lost to Donegal. They meet for the first time in the championship;

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)

Top Scorers

1. Eoin Cleary………….0-16 (0-10 frees)

2. Keelan Sexton……..1-11

3. Emmet McMahon…0-10 (0-3 frees)

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)

Top Scorers

1. Conor McManus…..0-12 (0-11 frees)

2. Conor McCarthy…..0-5 (0-1 free)

3. Michael Bannigan….0-5 (0-1 free)

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GAA FOOTBALL PROVINCIAL 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

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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: Cork v Kerry; Mayo v Louth • 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 /4: Tyrone v Armagh; Westmeath v Galway. • 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: Kildare v Dublin; Roscommon v Sligo. • 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 v Clare; Donegal v Derry. • June 17/18: Donegal v Monaghan; Clare v Derry

KNOCK-OUT STAGES

• June 24/25: Preliminary quarter-finals

• July 1/ 2: Quarter-finals

• July 15/16: Semi-finals

• July 30: Final