SUNDAY 14 MAY
Leinster SFC final
Dublin v Louth, Croke Park, 1.45pm
Ulster SFC final
Derry v Armagh, Clones, 4pm
Tailteann Cup round 1
Antrim v Leitrim, Corrigan Park, 1pm
Fermanagh v Wexford, Brewster Park, 1pm
Offaly v London, Glenisk O'Connor Park, 2pm
Wicklow v Carlow, Aughrim, 4pm
ONLINE
Live blogs on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app. Highlights also available across the weekend.
RADIO
Live commentary and updates on RTÉ Radio 1's Sunday Sport. Also live updates on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's Spórt an Lae.
TV
The Leinster and Ulster finals on The Sunday Game Live, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, from 1.15pm. Ulster decider also live on BBC2 NI from 3.30pm. Cavan v Laois in the Tailteann Cup live on GAAGO.
WEATHER
Rain and drizzle in the east will be replaced by sunny spells and isolated showers from the west this afternoon. Highest temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees in moderate, occasionally fresh, northwest winds.. For more go to met.ie.
Final round-robin pieces to be put in place
And so this short, sharp provincial championship, played out over six weekends, is to end with with games in Croke Park and a sell-out St Tiernach's Park in Clones. The general consensus is both finals will be a bit tighter than last Sunday's fare in Castlebar and Limerick, with the Ulster decider set to be the closest of the lot.
So then a look at how the outcomes will complete the complete picture in the four All-Ireland groups.
The winner of Dublin/Louth will be the top seed in Group 3, a section that that already contains Sligo, Roscommon and Kildare, and will be at home to the Rossies in their first game on the weekend of 27/28 May.
The vanquished on Jones' Road will be second seed in Group 1 and will have Kerry, Mayo and Cork for company. A home date with the Rebels in a fortnight's time will get their All-Ireland quest under way.
Armagh and Derry will also be back in action on the last weekend in May. Whoever claims the Anglo Celt will head up Group 4, where Clare, Monaghan and Donegal will provide the oppostion. Hosting the Farney will be first up.
The Ulster loser head for Group 2 and know that Westmeath will be the visitors for their opening game. Games against Galway and Tyrone to come thereafter.
The Wee continuing to make big noises
So from Division 4 to Division 2 and then being just 70 minutes away from gracing the top tier. And now the Wee County are in a Leinster final. It was Dublin who ended their quest to make Division 1 at the end of March and it's Dessie Farrell's side who again will be the opposition as Louth strive to end a 66-year wait for a provincial crown.
With work on Louth's new GAA stadium in Dundalk ongoing - it's due for completion in 2024 - there is certainly a feel-good factor in the county. Mickey Harte, along with his trusted lieutenant Gavin Devlin, have certainly lifted interest levels in a side that were stuck in a bit of a rut before their arrival in November 2020.
Louth can be a tough nut to crack; they don't concede that much, though Offaly did put 2-15 on them in the semi-final. In truth Harte's men should never have allowed that contest go to extra-time, despite the spirited effort from the midlanders. Louth eventually won by six points, outscoring their opponents 0-10 to 0-01 in the additional 20 minutes.
In the quarter-final, it was a case of coming from eight points down at the break in overcoming Westmeath. It's a good sign when a team finds a few different ways to win.
Sam Mulroy flourishing in 'the best of times' for Louth ahead of Leinster decider
Sam Mulroy remains Louth's scorer-in-chief. He did miss a chunk of the league campaign because of a hamstring injury, an absence that did not derail the side's momentum as they finished third in Division 2. He returned for the Westmeath game, converting from the penalty spot in the Wee County's second-half turnaround.
Tommy Durnin, Niall Sharkey and Ciarán Downey are others driving the new-found belief, while Conall McCaul, who stands at 6ft 6in, and Craig Lennon are able names to call on from the bench.
Louth will have watched Kildare go toe-to-toe with Dublin and will feel that they can match that effort. If they fall short, a round-robin series awaits where they will feel that they can something from their opening tie at home to Cork.
As for Dublin, well it looked for a lot of their semi-final that their long unbeaten run in Leinster, which stretches back to 2010, was about to end.
That Kildare didn't quite get there was largely due to scoring just one point after Jack Robinson’s free put them three in front after 47 minutes, but there have been instances in the past where Dublin might capitalise on that and rack up a run of scores.
Instead, Kildare’s defensive integrity held up, and supporters witnessed that most unusual of sights, poor shot selection and decision making from shooters in light blue jerseys.
The expectation is that the Dubs will improve and will still be standing tall at the business end of things. That may very well be the case, with the Dubs nowe hoping to put in a run of consistent performances. Losing to Louth would be unthinkable and would land them in a round-robin group with Kerry and Mayo. Victory would ensure a more smoother run of things against Roscommon, Kildare and Sligo.
Stephen Cuxton's return between the posts was the main talking point in advance of the semi. The veteran netminder was an assured presence against the Lilies and the former Dubs star and now RTÉ pundit Ciarán Whelan expects the 41-year-old to keep his place for the rest of the championship.
"You can't leave that quality on the bench..." - Ciaran Whelan believes Stephen Cluxton will remain in goal for Dublin for the championship. pic.twitter.com/h1Kr7JXV14
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 30, 2023
"He brings that calmness," was Whelan's overall reaction, when speaking on The Sunday Game.
"We know what Stephen brings to the game. It's tough on David O'Hanlon, who hadn't really put a foot wrong. There's definitely a vibe within Dublin that there is one big push left.
"Stephen is part of that plan. I know Dessie said he was only giving him one game to give him game-time. He was solid as a rock and I'd say he's proably there for the year. You can't leave that quality on the bench."
Cluxton starts again against Louth. John Small and Tom Lahiff, who came in for Jack McCaffrey and Sean MacMahon the last day, are down on the starting XV as Dublin look to win a 13th consecutive Leinster title.
Expect a good battle around the middle, with Dublin's efforts at curbing the threat of Ciarán Downey and Sam Mulroy, who between them scored half of Louth's total against Offaly, also an interesting subplot to what will hopefully be a competitive decider.
Dublin: S Cluxton; D Newcombe, D Byrne, C Murphy; L Gannon, J Small, T Lahiff; B Fenton, J McCarthy; C Basquel, S Bugler, C Kilkenny; P Mannion, C O'Callaghan, C Costello.
Louth: J Califf; D Corcoran, P Lynch, D McKenny; L Grey, N Sharkey, C Murphy; T Durnin, C Early; C McKeever, S Mulroy, C Grimes; D McConnon, C Downey, L Jackson.
Stats check
This will be the 57th Dublin-Louth championship game, having met for the first time in 1889.
Dublin have won 37 to Louth's 13 and six draws in the previous 56.
The Wee County are seeking their first championship win over Dublin since 1973 when they won a Leinster second round replay by 1-8 to 0-9 in Páirc Tailteann. Twelve of the 17 Dublin players who featured that day were on the team that won the All-Ireland title a year later
Louth were last in the Leinster final in 2010 when they lost to Meath. Dublin’s last defeat in the Leinster final was in 2001 when they lost to Meath. They have been in 18 finals since then (missing out in 2003-04-10) winning all 18.
Ulster cracker? Hopefully!!
Armagh, as expected, got through their half of the draw to make a first Anglo Celt decider in 15 years - that's the last time the Orchard reigned supreme in the province. After an indifferent league where they got relegated, McGeeney's side have, at times, been very good through their Ulster run so far.
They were particularly eye-catching in the first half of their win over Cavan. Goals were the order of the day as Down were put to the sword in the semi-final. Andrew Murnin was the standout performer for an Armagh side who were physically stronger their opponents, a point emphasised by the manner in Shane McPartlan burst through for his goal.
In talking about physicality, Derry are also well set up in that regard, but Armagh have the personnel to match them. We're expecting a tight game and it could come down to who gives away less frees.
Conor McCluskey, Chrissy McKaigue and Eoin McEvoy are teak-tough defenders and will be tasked with keeping the likes of Rian O'Neill, Rory Grugan, Andrew Murnin and Conor Turbitt quiet.
Restarts will also be crucial, with the deliveries from Derry keeper setting up many of their scores.
The Oakleafers were relatively comfortable in their semi-final win over Monaghan.
Shane McGuigan led the way with a nine points haul, one of ten different players on target. And that could be the difference here, with the defending champions having a greater spread of scorers.
Monaghan protected the 'D', but the accuracy of their opponents from distance neutralised the defensive efforts of Vinny Corey's men.
Paul Flynn's football previews: Tailteann Cup is as vital as its hurling equivalents
Former Dublin star and RTÉ pundit Paul Flynn is going for an Armagh win, going against the views of most experts you would say.
Speaking on Morning Ireland, he said: "Derry have been in sensational form, showing a consistency with their innovative gameplan and a win-at-all-costs mentality that's been underpinning it.
"Armagh, on the other hand, are progressing with purpose since an experimental league campaign that didn't end too well.
"The questions are, can Armagh's rejuvenated attack with [Conor] Turbitt and [Rían] O’Neill leading the way punch enough holes in the Derry defence, which is led by Chrissy McKaigue, or will Glass and Rogers dominate the young gun McPartlan and Crealey in midfield for Armagh?
"Finally, will the schintillating attacking system Derry have shown be stopped by Armagh’s new-look compact unit? It’s a close one. I’m going to go against the champions of 2022 and I’m going to tip Armagh to upset Derry and win their first since 2008.
Derry: O Lynch; C McKaigue, E McEvoy, C McCluskey; C Doherty, G McKinless, P McGrogan; C Glass, B Rogers; Pádraig Cassidy, Paul Cassidy, E Doherty; N Toner, S McGuigan, N Loughlin.
Armagh: E Rafferty; C O'Neill, A McKay, A Forker; C Mackin, G McCabe, J Óg Burns; B Crealey, S McPartlin; J Duffy, S Campbell, R Grugan; A Murnin, R O’Neill, C Turbitt.
Stats check
Derry are bidding to win successive Ulster titles for the first time since 1975-76. Armagh last won the title in 2008, which was also the last time they reached the final.
Armagh have won the Ulster title 14 times; Derry have eight titles.
Derry averaged 2-19 in their wins over Fermanagh and Monaghan. Armagh averaged 2-14 in their wins over Antrim, Cavan and Down.
Tailteann openers
After victories yesterday for Meath, Limerick, Down and Cavan, Offaly and Wicklow will today be expected to make home comforts count against London and Carlow respectively.
Group 4 could be termed the group of death, with Antrim v Leitrim likely to be the most competitive game of the weekend. Fermanagh welcome Wexford to Enniskillen; you'd expect the Ernesiders to begin with a win.
