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Connacht & Munster SFC finals: All you need to know

Updated / Saturday, 6 May 2023 11:29
Pat Spillane, Damien Comer, David Clifford and Keelan Sexton will all be in action fo their respective counties on Sunday
Pat Spillane, Damien Comer, David Clifford and Keelan Sexton will all be in action fo their respective counties on Sunday

SUNDAY 7 MAY

Connacht SFC final
Sligo v Galway, Hastings MacHale Park, 1.45pm

Munster SFC final
Clare v Kerry, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 4pm

ONLINE
Live blog on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app.

RADIO
Live commentary and updates on RTÉ Radio 1's Sunday Sport from 2pm - and on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's Spórt an Lae.

TV
Both finals on The Sunday Game Live, RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player, from 1.15pm. Also available to watch worldwide on GAAGO

Highlights and analysis of all the weekend's action on The Sunday Game, RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player, from 9.30pm. Watch extended highlights here.

WEATHER
Sunny spells and scattered light showers are expected during the morning and early afternoon, followed later by cloudier skies as rain and drizzle gradually extends countrywide, last to arrive to the east. Highest temperatures will range 14 to 19 degrees Celsius, warmest in the east, in moderate south to southwest winds. For more go to met.ie.

Silverware will be presented but there's also an eye on what's ahead

And so we arrive at the first weekend in May and the Connacht and Munster cups will be handed out. It still takes a bit of getting used to, but the days are getting that bit warmer, so there is a championship feel out there. Maybe 'Championship Man', if he is still out there, is feeling it more than most.

Irrespective of how theses deciders go, it will be back to action for some in a fortnight's time, playing in the inaugural round-robin series that comprises 16 teams, made up of four groups of four. As I've already stated on these pages, we will not be referring to it as the 'Super 16s'.

So, the winners of the Munster final will be top seeds in Group 1. Second seed here will be the loser of the Leinster final. You'll get long odds on Kerry and Dublin being in the same group, but much shorter odds on the Kingdom facing Mayo in their opening round-robin game.

If it is defeat for Clare on Shannonside, then they'll be heading for Group 4 and an opening date with the Ulster champions, either Armagh/Derry, in three weeks' time. It's a case of look north for Colm Collins's side, with Monaghan and Donegal to come after that.

As for the duo out west, well the Connacht kingpin will head up Group 2, and will face the loser of Armagh/Derry, Tyrone and Westmeath. Some crunch ties there and we expect that's where Galway will end up

Sligo, if the game goes to form in Salthill will be bound for Group 3, and will open up at home to Kildare. An away date with Roscommon follows, before they finish up at a neutral venue against the Leinster champions.

Sligo's rising put to the test

It's fair to say that Sligo would have targeted an appearances in the western decider once the draw was made last October.

The Yeats County certainly made progress under Tony McEntee in 2022. They narrowly missed out on promotion from Division 4 and performed well in their defeat to Cavan in the Tailteann Cup semi-final. After an early no-show against Laois, promotion to the third tier was secured this spring. They then, on the basis of being on the 'softer side' of the draw in Connacht, had to beat London and New York to get this far.

Seán Carrabine has had a good season so far in the Sligo attack

Sligo have done what they've had to do. They are here on merit. But this is a big step up for them, but one that they seem to be relishing. Pundits like Eamonn Fitzmauice and Enda McGinley, all well meaning in their opinions, feel that the Yeats County may be better of in the Tailteann Cup. There is some merit to that; Tony McEntee's side would probably give the Tailteann a good crack.

After the win over New York, McEntee wants his charges to be more ruthless and feels he is working with a group that have some "qualities" that top-tier sides have.

He told RTÉ Sport: "We believe we're in reasonable condition and we've good pace within the team, we believe we've a number of qualities Division 1 teams have, but we'll test it out and we'll see.

"We won't be anxious going into these games. We'll try our best and do what we have to do and we'll prepare properly for it and look forward to the games.

Tony McEntee: "We'll not be worried and wondering are we inferior to everybody else. That's not the mindset we'll have"

"We'll not be worried and wondering are we inferior to everybody else. That's not the mindset we'll have."

"We believe we're in reasonable condition and we've good pace within the team, we believe we've a number of qualities Division 1 teams have, but we'll test it out and we'll see.

"We won't be anxious going into these games. We'll try our best and do what we have to do and we'll prepare properly for it and look forward to the games.

"We'll not be worried and wondering are we inferior to everybody else. That's not the mindset we'll have."

Sligo, going forward, are good to watch. Players like Paddy O'Connor, Seán Carrabine, Pat Spillane and Niall Murphy can finish moves off with scores.

Their defence will be tested, that goes without saying, and they will look to keep things tight for as long as possible. Johnny Heaney, Peter Cooke, Ian Burke, Damien Comer, and Shane Walsh are a formidable unit at the top end of the field for Galway. Comer was outstanding against Roscommon, even though he wasn't named player of the match by Sunday Game brains trust. Hats off also to the returning Burke.

Seán Kelly is well supported in the full-back line by Johnny McGrath and Jack Glynn.

Galway are the warm favourites to add to their provincial haul. Sligo, in a year where so far they've won more U-20 silverware, will see this as another game in their development - in their quest to progress in the league and be really competitive against the Galways and Mayos of this world.

Stat check

Galway are seeking a 49th Connacht title, their most recent coming last year. Sligo are bidding for their fourth title, their previous three coming in 1928-1975-2007. *Sligo last reached the Connacht final in 2015 when they lost to Mayo by 6-25 to 2-11.

Sligo and Galway meet for the tenth time in Connacht finals, with Galway winning seven to Sligo's two while one was drawn. Sligo’s win in 1922 didn’t count as a replay was ordered after an objection and Galway won the second game. It leaves 2007 as Sligo’s only official Connacht final win over Galway.

Galway are in the final for an eighth successive year, having won 2016 (replay), 2018- 2022. They lost in 2017-2019-2020-2021. They last time they reached eight finals in a row was in 1956-63. They went on to reach 11 successive finals over the next three years.

Sligo’s three Connacht final wins were recorded by one-point margins. They beat Mayo in 1928 by 1-4 to 0-6; Mayo (replay) by 2-10 to 0-15 in 1975; Galway by 1-10 to 0-12 in 2007.

Banner where they want to be after spring disappointment

Similar to Sligo, Clare would have also felt that they could be in the last two standing in their province. After a frustrating league, where they easily could have had six points more, Colm Collins' side ended up being relegated to Division 3. That was a setback but there was no time for tears, a crucial Munster clash against Cork was imminent.

Ronan Lannigan and Darren O'Neill celebrate the win over Limeick

A ding-dong Easter Sunday battle ended up going the way of Clare, with Cillian Rouine hitting the winning score in the fourth minute of added time.

A fortnight later, Limerick were kept at bay going down the stretch and Clare were back in a first Munster final since 2012.

As expected, Kerry had a facile win over Tipperary in the semi-final. Not a lot to be learned there.

Kerry manager Jack O'Connor admitted he'd have preferred a "more testing game" after his side's 20-point victory at Fitzgerald Stadium.

"Comprehensive enough win by our fellas, we kicked 25 points," he remarked to RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport afterwards.

"Maybe a bit disappointed we didn't hit the net a couple of times but that's OK. We obviously had a chance in the first half and missed it from the penalty.

"I suppose we would have preferred a more testing game or whatever. But at the end of the day, we were trying to reach our own targets and we achieved that.

Clare should be more of a test for Jack O'Connor's side

"I was happy enough with the way the forwards gelled. Tony Brosnan had a good day, kicked five points from play, that's great shooting. Tom O'Sullivan came up from corner back and kicked three. Look, happy enough but well aware there's bigger tests ahead."

Yeah, bigger tests ahead, something a lot of managers are saying in this championship.

Dylan Casey will make his championship bow for Kerry at the Gaelic Grounds. The Austin Stacks clubman comes in for the absent Paul Murphy, who is not even in the matchday squad of 26.

Other than that it's largely the same starting XV that lined out against Tipp save, with Graham O’Sullivan making the switch to the half-back line to facilitate Casey’s inclusion on the full-back line.

Stat check

Clare's last championship win over Kerry was in the 1992 Munster final. Prior to that, they hadn’t beaten the Kingdom since 1949. The counties have met 12 times in Munster finals, with Kerry winning 11 to Clare’s one.

Kerry haven’t lost a Munster final since being beaten by Cork in 2008. The Banner are in the Munster final for the first time since 2012 when they lost to Cork.

Jack O’Connor leads Kerry into the Munster final for the ninth time. Of the previous eight, the Kingdom won five (2004-2005-2010-2011-2022), drew two (2004-2006) and lost one (2006). He also led Kildare into the 2021 Leinster final where they lost to Dublin.

Kerry have beaten Clare by an average of 12.4 points in their last five championship games.

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