Football Championship weekend: All You Need to Know

SATURDAY, 21 JUNE

All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals

Kerry v Cavan, Fitzgerald Stadium, 3.30pm

Dublin v Cork, Croke Park, 6.15pm

SUNDAY, 22 JUNE

All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals

Down v Galway, Páirc Esler, 1.45pm

Donegal v Louth, Ballybofey, 4pm

Tailteann Cup semi-finals

Limerick v Wicklow, Croke Park, 2pm

Kildare v Fermanagh, Croke Park, 4pm

ONLINE

Live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app.

TV

Tailteann Cup semi-finals live on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player on Sunday. GAA+ will stream all four preliminary quarter-finals. Watch highlights on The Saturday Game at 9.15pm and The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.

RADIO

Live commentaries and updates on Saturday Sport & Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 - and Spórt an tSathairn and Spórt an Lae on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.

WEATHER

Saturday: A mix of cloud and sunny spells with a scattering of showers, and the chance of some heavy or thundery downpours feeding up from the south too. Highest temperatures of 19 to 23 degrees in light to moderate southerly or variable breezes.

Sunday: A mix of cloud and sunny spells with a few showers likely. A bit fresher with highest temperatures of 16 to 21 degrees in moderate westerly breezes. For more, go to met.ie.

Point in the race unfamiliar to some

Last weekend did see a surprise of sorts as Meath got the better Kerry, leaving the Kingdom with a game they did not envisage when embarking on their journey to reclaim the big prize. Being without Sean O'Shea, Paudie Clifford, Paul Geaney, Diarmuid O'Connor, Barry Dan O’Sullivan and Brian Ó Beaglaoich did not help their cause against the Royals, but the manner in which they fell to that nine-point defeat will be a concern for Jack O'Connor. Remember, Meath were also shorn a few of their regulars.

David Clifford pursued by Meath's Seán Rafferty

O'Shea, O'Connor and Ó Beaglaoich are fit to face the Breffni. Getting Clifford back (he is in the matchday squad ) will be key, for if Kerry take care of business against Cavan, as most suspect they will, then Armagh lie in wait for a quarter-final showdown a week further on.

Paul Geaney, injured in the win over Cork, hasn't recovered in time and will sit out his second game in succession.

"I've said before, it's Paudie Clifford that makes this team tick" - Peter Canavan analyses Kerry's performance in defeat to Meath #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/1tClZwVrQm — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 14, 2025

Of course if the Kingdom had gone the direct route to the quarters, there would be the possibility of a Donegal or Galway facing them. But in any event, the Munster champions require a full hand for when they arrive at Croker. O'Connor's reserves bench does lack a bit of depth.

Defeats to Donegal and Tyrone, where their score difference stood at -32, has plummeted Cavan into the depths of despair and now the long trek to Killarney. That said, if Donegal had kicked the ball out of play they'd be out.

*Of the 12 teams still remaining in the championship, Cavan had the highest concession rate in the 'Round Robin' series, giving away a total of 4-71 against Mayo, Donegal and Tyrone.

Kick-out mark 50m penalty scrapped in favour of on-the-spot free

A case of us against the world in Tír Chonaill?

Donegal, another side we thought would have a free weekend. But at least they have home comforts here against Louth ( a repeat pairing from the 2024 All-Ireland quarter-final), so Jim McGuiness won't be complaining about arduous trips to far-flung places like Roscommon. Jimmy also had a go at the refereeing for his side's narrow, but thrilling, win against Mayo. A glance through social media, and even a glance is not always advisable, show posts where there was little sympathy for the Donegal boss.

'They were ruthless and went for the jugular'

Jim McGuinness was delighted to see Donegal get the victory against Mayo

📺 @RTE2 & @RTEplayer

📱 Updates - https://t.co/y3r6wIE1Tu #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/jT5s6DeMd6 — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 15, 2025

Adopting a siege mentality can have its benefits, in that the team can push themselves that few percent more to achieve a desired result. And Donegal certainly showed that in the final play against Mayo, as Ciarán Moore bolted up the field to kick the winning point. An outcome that still left McGuinness' side second in their group, with Cavan taking the other qualifying berth at Mayo's expense.

*Louth are bidding to reach the quarter-final for the second time; Donegal are attempting to get there for the 14th time.

If the Louth hurdle is negotiated, Monaghan or Meath are the possible quarter-final opponents for Donegal. A case then of Croke Park here we come, as will the other participants on that weekend. No reason then for Jimmy to give us his grand tour of Ireland in advance.

WEEKEND TEAM NEWS

The Wee County, following that landmark Leinster title, have been up and down since. They came close to reeling Down in late on and then had to tough it out in shaking off Clare. It won't get any easier for them in Ballybofey.

Match of the round in Newry

After nearly exiting Championship 2025 at the hands of Derry on 1 June, Galway again teetered on the brink when trailing Armagh by eight at the break. Cue the second-half response. Goals from John Maher and the impressive Rob Finnerty eventually made for a tit-for-tat affair, with quality football to the fore. Shane Walsh's free, this after the hooter sounded, was kicked high and over.

John Maher found the net just after half-time against the All-Ireland champions

A draw would have been enough to send Galway through in any event but they took the win. A morale booster in what was a sticky enough group phase for the Tribes.

And now it's a trip to Newry to face a Down side who, like their predecessors, won't give a jot about tradition. For much of last Sunday's loss to Monaghan, they were well in the game and at one point in the second period looked liked they could push on. Pat Havern (below), as he has been for a few seasons now, led the line wonderfully. His penchant for two-pointers clearly evident.

That said, the Mournemen do leave the door open at the back and Monaghan were quick to exploit and should have bagged more than two goals. No doubt, Down fans are still perusing every angle on Jack McCarron's pick-up just before the ball found the net for Monaghan's second green flag.

*This will be the fifth championship meetings between them and the first since 1971. Galway won three of the four clashes, all of which were All-Ireland semi-finals.

Down's brittleness in defence could yield a profitable return for the Tribes, a spark that Joyce's side need. Such a spark was lit in the second half against Dublin last year. They'll need a repeat of that and more and the manager is only too aware that his side has yet to scale the heights he would like.

Lee Keegan: Galway's good fortune could be catalyst for a revival

"I still think we're not where we should be to be honest. We're struggling to get over the line to win games at times," Joyce told RTÉ Sport after the win over the All-Ireland champions.

"But I'm happy to still be in the last 12. Obviously, whoever gets us won't want to get us because of where we're coming from.

"But we'll just have to keep going, get the head down. The final is on in six weeks, so our aim is to still be there. But we've three tough games to get over the line to get there."

Can Cork raise another gallop and thwart the Dubs?

For Dublin, not going the straight route must also be strange. The defeat to Armagh required them to take care of business against Derry in Newry. That they did, in what was another contest that showcased football's new era.

With Ciarán Kilkenny superb and the returning Con O'Callaghan helping himself to five points, the first of which arrived after ten seconds, it was the Dubs' third quarter push which gave them the platform for victory.

Con O'Callaghan takes a selfie with a Derry supporter at Páirc Esler

And Dessie Farrell's side certainly were more composed when presented with chances, a marked contrast to the rushed efforts which blighted their performance against Armagh. O'Callaghan, just back from injury, will benefit from last Saturday's game. Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne and Killian McGinnis are forming a good midfield partnership and with Eoin Murchan, Paddy Small and John Small all back in action, the consensus is that the Dubs are shaping up nicely ahead of this knockout phase.

*Cork's last championship win in Croke Park was against Galway in a qualifier in July 2013. They have lost seven times at HQ since then, v Dublin 2013, v Mayo 2014, v Donegal 2016, v Dublin and Tyrone 2019, v Dublin 2022, v Derry 2023.

They are clearly not the side of old but who knows in this most open of championships where their journey will end. Leaving more of a two-point imprint on their scoring return would greatly aid their cause.

Cork are the visitors to Croker on Saturday evening. A win against the Rossies saw them progress to this point. The Rebels' campaign so far has produced a few highlights, most notably the effort against Kerry in the Munster semi-final. Fallow periods are easier to pick out, as are a lack of goals.

Goalkeeper Míchéal Aodh Martin celebrates with his dad An Taoiseach Míchéal Martin after Cork defeated Roscommon

Manager John Cleary was pleased by the manner in which his side saw overcame their Connacht rivals, telling RTÉ Sport: "We asked them not to die and that's what we wanted to do, we didn't die. This team was due a win like that because for too often, coming down the line, we have left games behind us."

They will now look to still be in the mix going down the stretch against the Dubs.

Tailteann's novel double-header

No noise this year. 12 months ago, there was an outcry of sorts from the hurling fraternity that the All-Ireland quarter-finals should take pride of place on a Sunday afternoon, with the Tailteann semis switching to the Saturday.

A Central Council meeting was called, where it was understood that a majority of delegates would vote in favour of the flip. Not enough, however. A 60% majority was needed and the final vote fell just short of that.

And so things stayed as they were, all this after then Sligo manager Tony McEntee came out strongly against any switch.

Saturday's hurling quarter-finals are scheduled to throw in at 4.00pm and 6.15pm, times more likely to satisfy the small-ball purists after much earlier starts last year because of RTÉ's commitment to broadcast Euro 2024 games.

And so to the action at Croker.

First up is Wicklow v Limerick. Two teams that began 2025 in Division 4, with the Treaty County subsequently gaining promotion and the Leinster side just missing out.

Jimmy Lee has certainly brought Limerick on, in this his second year at the helm. Silverware, in the shape of a divisional title and now a return trip to Croker, reinforces their progress. Edging out Westmeath by a point in the group stage and then comfortably accounting for Wexford in the quarters has them in good stead.

Dean Healy kicked the winning score that sent Wicklow to Croker

After losing their opener against Offaly, Oisín McConville's Wicklow responded brilliantly, nowhere more more so than coming from eight points down to edge out Westmeath last Sunday.

And McConville is having no truck with the line that his troops are now in bonus territory.

He told RTÉ Sport: "Bonus territory for us is winning the thing and that's the way we have to look at it, because if we don't look at it like that we'll never win anything."

Kildare v Fermanagh is what follows on Jones' Road.

The Lilies are the warm-order favourites to win the competition. They are certainly more focused on it this year after losing at the quarter-final stage in 2024. A hard-earned win against Offaly is good preparation to face a Fermanagh side, who rebounded well after losing their opening group clash with Carlow.

Forwards Garvan Jones and Conor Love were again to the fore as the Ernesiders accounted for Sligo to secure a return ticket to Croker after earlier defeating Wexford at the venue.

Prediction: Kildare and Limerick to contest the final.

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