SATURDAY'S RESULTS
Kerry 2-18 Tyrone 0-12
Armagh 0-14 Monaghan 0-14 AET (Monaghan win 9-8 on pens)
FIXTURES
Derry v Cork, Croke Park, 1.45pm
Dublin v Mayo, Croke Park, 4pm
ONLINE
Live blogs on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app. Highlights also available across the weekend.
TV
Derry v Cork and Dublin v Mayo from 1.15pm on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player. Highlights on The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on The Sunday Game, RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player.
RADIO
Live commentary and updates on RTÉ Radio 1's Sunday Sport - and on Ráidió na Gaeltachta's Spórt an Lae.
WEATHER
A breezy or blustery day with sunny spells and scattered showers. Highest temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees, coolest in the west and north and warmest in the southeast with moderate to fresh and gusty west to northwest winds. For more go to met.ie.
Croker will be busy
It is anticipated that an attendance of 80,000 will be present for today's games.
The GAA has urged spectators to get there early, with turnstiles open 90 minutes before throw-in, and in a statement said: "Supporters are reminded that tickets should only be sourced through official channels, and we'd ask all patrons to follow the direction of Gardaí and stewards and to be respectful of residential areas surrounding Croke Park".
Semi-final draw
After the wins for Kerry and Monaghan, we will have a draw. It will take place following the conclusion of the Dublin v Mayo game on RTÉ2.
An avoidance of repeat pairings from earlier in the championship will be the main determinant as to the semi-final line-ups.
Possible repeat pairings: Kerry v Cork, Kerry v Mayo, Cork v Mayo, Monaghan v Derry.
Rebels rising ahead of Derry test
Cork had a seven-week break between their defeat to Clare in Munster and facing Louth in the first of their round-robin games. It would seem now that it was time well spent. Aside from the notable wins over the Wee County, Mayo and Roscommon, along with the creditable showing ln losing narrowly to Kerry, the Rebels' fighting spirit in battling to the end of games is now clear to see.
It was particularly evident against Mayo and also when edging the Rossies last weekend, a game where there without Brian Hurley.
John Cleary's side are in the quarters on merit. And they are now back, says one Kerryman.
'They're after beating Mayo, they're after beating Roscommon, I think they have fully turned the corner' - Tomás Ó Sé formally declares that Cork are back
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 25, 2023
📺 Watch the #SundayGame live on @RTE2 & @RTEplayer: https://t.co/HbvpoI80tt #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/assDuIj6YG
Derry have ticked all the boxes they've wanted to tick so far: promotion to Division 1, retaining Ulster and topping their round-robin group. The defeat to Dublin in their league final and the below-par draw against Monaghan in the first of the All-Ireland group games would give some cause for concern, but subsequent wins over Donegal and Clare show that they are back on track following Rory Gallagher's departure.
The midfield battle, pitting Conor Glass and Brendan Rogers up against Colm O'Callaghan and Ian Maguire, will be one to watch. But the main question for Cork will be their ability to force turnovers against opposition who are bit more physically imposing. The Rebels like to play football, but may have to be a bit more pragmatic in trying to get the best from their men up front, notably Ruairi Deane and Steven Sherlock.
Teams
Chrissy McKaigue returns to the Derry full-back line after missing the win over Clare.
Kevin O'Donovan, who kicked the winning point against Roscommon after coming on a sub, is named to start on the half-back line for Cork. Luke Fahy, who sustained an ankle injury against Roscommon, makes way and is not even on the panel.
Derry and Cork meet in the championship for only the second time, having previously clashed in the 1993 All-Ireland final, which Derry won by 1-14 to 2-8 to take the title for the first and - so far - only time.
Derry: Odhran Lynch; Christopher McKaigue, Eoghan McEvoy, Conor McCluskey; Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Padraig McGrogan; Conor Glass, Brendan Rogers; Benny Heron, Paul Cassidy, Ethan Doherty; Ciaran McFaul, Shane McGuigan, Niall Loughlin.
Subs: Thomas Mallon, Declan Cassidy, Niall Toner, Shea Downey, Lachlan Murray, Ben McCarron, Paul McNeil, Padraig Cassidy, Conleth McGuckian, Mark Doherty, Diarmuid Baker
Cork: Míchéal Aodh Martin; Maurice Shanley, Rory Maguire, Tommy Walsh; Kevin O'Donovan, Daniel OMahony, Matty Taylor; Colm O'Callaghan, Ian Maguire; Brian O'Driscoll, Ruairi Deane, Killian O'Hanlon; Sean Powter, Steven Sherlock, Eoghan McSweeney.
Subs: Patrick Doyle, Cian Kiely, Tom Clancy, Darragh Cashman, Paul Walsh, Chris Óg Jones, Conor Corbett, John O'Rourke, Mark Cronin, Brian Hurley, Fionn Herlihy.
Football's latter day blockbuster pairing
And so Mayo and Galway had to collide last weekend, it perhaps was in the stars that the Connacht men would again be pitted against the Dubs.
Since 2012, the pair have met ten times in championship - Dublin winning six to Mayo's two while two were drawn.
Their last meeting was in 2021 at the semi-final stage - an evening of high drama in Croker as Mayo, after extra-time, ended a nine-year wait to beat the Dubs.
Dublin versus Mayo - the defining rivalry of today?
Mayo will head east on the back of ending Galway's championship aspirations for the year. That brings with it pleasant mood music for green and red fans but how much will that win have taken out of them? Or will it act as a springboard for them to kick on after they were derailed by Cork a fortnight ago?
A strong third quarter, where they struck 1-05 without reply, was ultimately where Mayo won the game in Salthill. In truth they should have won by more, given that Shane Walsh underperformed for the hosts, Seán Kelly not being at full capacity and the loss of Damien Comer.
An epic awaits us on Sunday as Dublin and Mayo mark the latest chapter in their enthralling rivalry
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 30, 2023
Watch all of Sunday's All-Ireland quarter-final action from 1.15pm on @RTE2 and @RTEPlayer and listen live on @RTERadio1 #RTEGAA #SundayGame pic.twitter.com/SgO8kQP0a7
As for Dublin, well it's hard to read too much into their round-robin series, given their easy wins over Kildare and Sligo and that 'strange' draw against Roscommon. Facing Mayo again will be just their second joust against Division 1 opposition this year. Would they have preferred a game last weekend? A more productive workout for what could finally kickstart their season.
In his latest column on these pages, Lee Keegan feels there are more questions than answers hanging over both teams. It's easy to see why; the Dubs not the force they were prior to 2020 and not having a proper test of their credentials so far.
On Dessie Farrell's side, he said: "Occasionally, they look like a slick machine of old. Then, at times they look ponderous and lacking in spark. No doubt the sight of a Mayo jersey will get their competitive juices flowing, particularly among the veterans of the 2010s games. It could be just what they needed to rise their energy levels. I doubt we'll see the standoffish team we did against Roscommon.
The biggest difference between the late era Dubs, 2021 onwards, and peak Dubs was the strength of their bench. Back in 2016-19, their bench was stacked with All-Stars, multiple All-Ireland winners, former Footballers of the Year.
"In the 2016-17 finals, we knew we were right there but their cavalry coming off the bench was too much. Cormac Costello came off the bench in the 2016 replay, kicked three points in the final quarter. Diarmuid Connolly was sprung at half-time in 2017, had a huge second half. Meanwhile, we were fatiguing in the last 10 minutes.
"By 2021, they didn't have the same weaponry to call upon late on. There was a lot of newbies. Decent players but not the same intimidation factor."
On his native county, the Westport man added: "Kevin McStay will have concerns, notably around kickouts.
If Dublin review that first half in Pearse Stadium, you wonder will they be inclined to put a huge press on. The Salthill wind was a big factor but either way, if Dublin push up, it'll really test Colm Reape. He's a superb keeper, player of the match in the league final, but his deliveries will have to be pinpoint the next day. It'll be a real test of the variety of kicks, can he go long, can he go short?
Team news
Jack McCaffrey has been named to start for Dublin, with management happy that he can take his place in the half-back line after recovering from a hamstring injury that has so far disrupted his season. Eoin Murchan drops to the bench.
Seán Bugler has gotten over his hamstring strain and starts while Dean Rock and Evan Comerford have to settle for a place on what is a strong Dubs bench.
Regular midfielder Matthew Ruane is recalled to the Mayo starting XV in place of Kevin McLoughlin with Pádraig O'Hora getting the nod this time out ahead of his club-mate Sam Callinan in the full-back line.
Aidan O'Shea will make his 84th championship appearance, which equals Andy Moran's Mayo record. It also places him joint sixth on all-time list behind Stephen Cluxton, Seán Cavanagh, Tomás Ó Sé, Marc Ó Sé and Colm Cooper.
Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Daire Newcombe, Michael Fitzsimons, Lee Gannon; James McCarthy, John Small, Jack McCaffrey; Brian Fenton, Brian Howard; Ciaran Kilkenny, Seán Bugler, Niall Scully; Paddy Small, Con O'Callaghan, Colm Basquel.
Subs: Evan Comerford, David Byrne, Cormac Costello, Craig Dias, Tom Lahiff, Seán MacMahon, Paul Mannion, Eoin Murchan, Cian Murphy, Lorcan O'Dell, Dean Rock
Mayo: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, David McBrien, Pádraig O'Hora; Paddy Durcan, Stephen Coen, Eoghan McLaughlin; Matthew Ruane, Diarmuid O’Connor; Jason Doherty, Jack Carney, Jordan Flynn; Aidan O'Shea, Tommy Conroy, Ryan O'Donoghue.
Subs: Rory Byrne, Sam Callinan, James Carr, Enda Hession, Conor Loftus, Fionn McDonagh, Darren McHale, Donnacha McHugh, Kevin McLoughlin, Cillian O’Connor, Bob Tuohy.
