SATURDAY 8 APRIL
Connacht SFC quarter-finals
London v Sligo, McGovern Park, 3pm
New York v Leitrim, Gaelic Park, 11pm (Irish time)
Ulster SFC preliminary round
Armagh v Antrim, Box-It Athletic Grounds, 5pm
SUNDAY 9 APRIL
Connacht SFC quarter-final
Mayo v Roscommon, Hastings MacHale Park, 4pm - RTÉ2
Leinster SFC preliminary round
Wicklow v Carlow, Aughrim, 2.30pm
Longford v Offaly, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 3pm
Laois v Wexford, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 3.30pm
Munster SFC quarter-finals
Clare v Cork, Cusack Park, Ennis, 2pm
Tipperary v Waterford, FBD Semple Stadium, 2pm
ONLINE
Live blog on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app.
RADIO
Live commentary and updates on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport. Also live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's Spórt an tSathairn and Spórt an Lae.
TV
Armagh v Antrim is live on BBC2 NI from 4.30pm on Saturday. The Sunday Game Live from 4.15pm on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player will be in Elverys MacHale Park for the Mayo v Roscommon clash. Highlights of all the weekend's action on The Sunday Game, RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player, from 9.30pm.
GAAGO will have live worldwide coverage of New York v Leitrim.
WEATHER
Saturday: Becoming generally cloudy with patchy rain and drizzle developing over the western half of the country. However, it will stay dry for most other areas. Highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees in light to moderate southeasterly winds.
Easter Sunday: A dull day with patchy rain and drizzle in the morning. More persistent rain will push into western areas in the afternoon, spreading eastwards across the country through the day. Highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees in moderate to fresh southerly winds. For more go to met.ie.
Provincial intent... or not
As was the case last year, the football championship has an Easter start. However in 2022, Christ's resurection was a week later, so we all had a week to breathe before we got down to business.
No such luxuries this year, with Mayo not getting a chance to celebrate the league silverware won last weekend.
The battle for provincial honours will be fought out over six weekends, not quite a weekend blitz, but all wrapped up in time for the group phase to begin in the both the All-Ireland championship and the second tier Tailteann Cup on the weekend of 20/21 May.
The provincial finalists will qualify for the Sam Maguire race, as do Westmeath, Tailteann Cup winners in 2022. Also guaranteed tickets are the next seven best-placed teams at the end of this year's Allianz League - that could be eight if Westmeath reach a Leinster final.
Prediction time!
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 2, 2023
With the #AllianzLeagues completed, here are Paul Flynn, Peter Canavan and David Tubridy's predictions for the All-Ireland and provincial football championships #RTEGAA #AllianzLeagueSunday pic.twitter.com/2Lk0xOe0rG
So being the last two standing in your province is still a prize worth fighting for if you want to dine at the top table from midsummer. In Connacht, one of New York, Leitrim, London or Sligo will have that chance. They'll be seeded two in All-Ireland group where the Munster champions will be top seeded.
Yet for many teams in Division 1 and the majority of those in Division 2, with the exception of Kildare of Meath, who could fall through the Tailteann Cup trap door, a provincial trek will only add to their workload when they are already assured of a spot in Sam Maguire.
In Connacht, Mayo and Roscommon will face three games if they are to reign supreme. For the likes of Armagh, the comparable prize in Ulster involves winning four matches. OK, you will be top-seeded in your respective All-Ireland group, but you're no further on than those who exited the provincial race early.
The draw for the Sam Maguire round-robin phase will take place on Tuesday 2 May, five days before the first of the provincial finals. Time then for the finalists to appraise the upcoming opposition and say 'I don't like the look of that' or 'that's a handy route for us to get to an All-Ireland quarter-final'.
While somewhat diluted, the provincial battles will still have a keen edge to them.
Mayo v Roscommon should attract a big crowd to MacHale Park. A Connacht final date for New York, London, Leitrim or Sligo will make their summer, even though many feel the Tailteann Cup is a better home for them.
Cavan, as Division 3 champions, are not guaranteed a spot in Sam Maguire; they will be going all out to reach the Ulster decider.
Yet the serious business, the cut and thrust, won't begin in earnest until the we reach the respective group phases in the third week in May.
Connacht duo seek foreign capital
McGoverrn Park in Ruislip is the venue for the first championship match of the year, with Sligo heading to the English capital.
And no doubt heading in good spirits after their league promotion and the capturing of silverware at Croke Park last weekend.
After a 2022 where Sligo showed signs of life after a few barren years, most notably against Cavan in the Tailteann Cup, promotion from Division 4 was the obvious first target this year. With that achieved, they will now look to reach a provincial final; they are favoured by most to achieve that.
After a slow start against Wicklow in the Division 4 decider, Tony McEntee's side eventually found their groove, with captain Niall Murphy leading the scoring charge. Sean Carrabine, Finnian Cawley, Pat Spillane and Paddy O'Connor add extra thrust to the attacking options, while Evan Lyons is tigerish in the tackle at the heart of their defence.
At the end of February, Sligo comfortably accounted for London in the league. Much improvement required then form the Exiles who only picked up one point from their seven Division 4 games.
At the start of year, boss Michael Maher was targeting a championship win. His side will have to rediscover the form that characterised their early league games in 2022 if they are to spring a surprise here.
Leitrim's comeback against Sligo in that do-or-die league clash a fortnight ago saw them fall just short. Disappointment then for Andy Moran's side, but no time to lick their wounds in this condensed season.
New York is calling; they will be wary of the close shave that Sligo had in the Bronx last year.
It's a hard to call, with New York not having a challenge match in advance.
The likes of Johnny Glynn (Galway), Mark Ellis (Cork), Niall Madine (Down) and Alan Campbell (Tipperary remain involved, while Bill Maher (Tipperary), Gavin O'Brien (Kerry) and Eoghan Kerin (Galway) add more inter-county experience to the New York ranks.
It's not surprising to read that Niall Madine feels New York are somewhat stronger now.
Speaking on the Long Hall Podcast, he said: "The team we had last year, you didn't have too many boys that hadn't played together before because Covid limited the amount of people who could come over.
"You've had a new crop of players who've come into New York, and it's been great to integrate them into the team."
Leitrim boss Andy Moran expects a tough examination from the hosts at Gaelic Park, and points to the last time the sides met in 2018
The Mayoman told RTÉ Sport: "Leitrim were here in 2018 and it went right to the wire. Noel Plunkett kicked the winner in extra-time.
"That New York team had Jamie Clarke, Neil Collins, Tom Cuniffe and a couple of other stars. And this team is no different.
"It is a real funny game because five years ago when that Leitrim team was here, Keith Beirne, Mark Plunkett, Donie Flynn, Shane Quinn all played that day. We've about 10 from that team. They know about the trip, they know what it means.
"They know there's a huge Leitrim following coming over from Ireland. But also here in America, there's a huge Leitrim following. I don't think I have to tell them much about the occasion.
"We wanted to be in a league final, unfortunately we didn't get there"
"They know this is going to be a right tough hard game. We were in London last year, a really tough game that went right down to the wire. We expect it to be the same on Saturday evening."
Orchard seek renewed harvest
The ultra competitive Ulster championship kicks off with Armagh hosting Antrim. It's 2008 since the Orchard County last lifted the Anglo Celt. Kieran McGeeney could do with winning a trophy and they are on the 'easier' side of the draw.
That said, a longer run through the championship would probably trump lifting a trophy in the middle of May.
Relegation to Division 2 was disappointing, more so when they had opportunities to win games against Kerry and Galway, victories that could have propelled them to a league final.
Rian O'Neill is still out injured and will not start. Jarly Óg Burns will be on the bench. Rory Grugan and Conor Turbitt will be the focal points in the Armagh attack in a contest where they will start as warm favourites.
Antrim's Division 3 campaign saw them lose a couple of games narrowly, but with a relegation scrap looming, they turned it on against Cavan to ensure their survival. A similar performance and more will be needed if they are to make it competitive here.
Connacht cracker?
Much satisfaction, with no little relief, was etched over the face of Kevin McStay in the moments after Mayo won the Division 1 crown last Sunday. It was a deserved success against Galway and if they get by the Rossies at MacHale Park, it no doubt will serve them well for another date with the Tribes in the Connacht semi.
McStay has given Mayo a new belief, with younger names answering the call to inter-county combat. He has built on the work that James Horan started.
Jack Coyne, David McBrien, Donnacha McHugh, Sam Callanan have stepped up in bolstering the defensive line, while Aidan O'Shea looks reborn in leading the attack alongside Ryan O'Donoghue and James Carr. Tommy Conroy is back. He won't start agains the Rossies and along with Cillian O'Connor, he's a super addition to call on.
Sixty-one years of live GAA coverage on RTÉ and counting. The Championship is back - and we'll be at the heart of the action. Watch Mayo v Roscommon this Sunday on @RTE2 and @RTEplayer from 3.15pm with live commentary on @sundaysport #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/Nj9cqilUAd
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 7, 2023
Davy Burke, in his first year in charge, has ticked a lot of boxes in keeping Roscommon competitive. They easily retained their Division 1 status and no doubt will have used the fortnight well since the league finished.
Ben O'Carroll in the full-forward line has excelled so far for a Roscommon side who no doubt will be aiming to reach an All-Ireland quarter-final.
Interestingly, Mayo subsequently came a cropper against Roscommon in Connacht following on from their league wins in 1970, 2001 and 2019.
Preliminary/quarter-final bouts
On paper, the Clare-Cork game in the Munster quarter-final is one to watch.
A Banner victory would leave the likes of Meath and Kildare sweating with regard to their Sam Maguire participation. Limerick would then stand in the way of Colm Collins' team (who are now in Division 3) making a provincial decider. Victory there and Meath in particular will know what they have to do.
Cork had a steady Division 2 campaign and were top scorers across the top three divisions in the league. On paper they have more of an attacking threat. It should be close at Cusack Park, though.
In Leinster, Wicklow will look to build on their recent promotion when they host Carlow. After a poor league, Longford will be looking for a lift at home to Offaly.
Laois, after the disappointment of just missing out on league promotion from the bottom tier, shouldn't expect anything easy when Wexford head to Portlaoise.
