SATURDAY 13 JULY
Armagh v Kerry, Croke Park, 5.30pm
SUNDAY 14 JULY
Donegal v Galway, Croke Park, 4pm
ONLINE
Live blogs on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app. Highlights also available across the weekend.
TV
Coverage on The Saturday Game Live from 2.45pm and The Sunday Game Live from 3.15pm, RTÉ 2 and the RTÉ Player; Also on BBC2 NI from 5pm on Saturday and 3.40pm on Sunday. Also live on GAAGO. Highlights of both semi-finals on The Sunday Game, RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player, from 9.30pm.
RADIO
Live commentary on Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport, RTÉ Radio 1 and on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's Spórt an tSathairn and Spórt an Lae.
WEATHER
Saturday: A cloudy start with outbreaks of light patchy rain and drizzle spreading southwards over the country. Sunny spells will develop through the day with further scattered showers developing also. Highest temperatures of 15 to 19 degrees in a light northerly or variable breeze.
Sunday: A dry start for many with sunny spells. Scattered showers will develop through the morning and afternoon. Turning cloudier in the south and west later with rain and drizzle moving into the southwest during the evening. Some coastal mist or fog also. Highest temperatures of 16 to 20 degrees in light to moderate southerly or variable winds. For more go to met.ie.
The fab four
In a championship where excitement has come at us in fits and starts, semi-final weekend has the potential to stir the emotions that bit more, or will be it case that semis 'are there to be won'? Most likely, it will be the latter, though Kerry-Derry last year was a welcome surprise, not the war of attrition that many expected.
An analysis of the quartet still standing a year on offers a mish-mash when it comes to form: Kerry still primed to deliver something big; Armagh, based on their showing against Derry, have that ruthless streak; Galway toppling the Dubs with much aggression, something we haven't seen for a while; and Donegal, now kicking scores for fun, though a test of how far they've really come under Jimmy Part 2, awaits on Sunday afternoon.
In 2006, Kerry cut loose at the quarter-final stage against Armagh, the last championship meeting between the sides. A case, perhaps, of the Kingdom wanting to right the wrongs of the 2002 final defeat. Kieran Donaghy's second-half goal paved the way for that victory 18 years ago and the Green and Gold would go on, without too much fuss, to land another All-Ireland. 'Star' is now in the Armagh camp, assisting Kieran McGeeney, together plotting a course to take the county to a first final appearance in 21 years.
The Orchardmen were far from eye-catching against Roscommon the last day. It wasn't until Conor Turbitt's goal on 52 mins that they finally shook off the 14-man Rossies. As the Cork hurlers proved last weekend, a quarter-final and the round before was just about doing enough, they were primed for a big performance when it was required. Armagh will also look to deliver something a whole lot bigger in their semi-final.
Kerry's five-point win over Derry only served to reinforce the need for Jim Gavin and co to come up with something meaningful in their quest to make the game more watchable.
"It was sleep-walking football with not a glove being laid on anybody. The infamous Fr Ted over-75 soccer match had more movement and tempo,' said Pat Spillane in his Sunday World column.
For Kingdom boss, Jack O'Connor, it was a case of biding one's time as they sought to chip holes in Kerry's structured defence.
"It took a pile of patience and nerve," he told RTÉ Sport. "We needed to hold our nerve. We went a point down early in the second half.
"It would be easy enough to panic and go away from the structure but we stuck at it.
"For the most part I thought we did well. We obviously turned the ball over but we're delighted to get out of here. We knew this was going to be a huge battle, regardless of what people were saying."
A battle that no doubt should serve them well against more Ulster opposition, with McGeeney's side also boasting a strong defensive shield, though, unlike Derry, are more decisive when turning the ball over.
Galway and Donegal brings together college friends Pádraic Joyce and Jim McGuinness. In October 2020, Joyce asked his old IT Tralee team-mate to take a session as Galway prepared for the Covid championship. McGuinness was back in the game for one day.
There were other days where the Glenties man offered insight elsewhere, all before he came back to rescue a Donegal ship that was floundering. As is Jimmy's way, he got the ship sailing on calmer waters. He was back winning matches; silverware was won. Reaching an All-Ireland decider in his first year back, well that would surpass expectations, given where Donegal were at.
Lee Keegan: Can star-studded Galway cope with Donegal's energy?
Galway's injury crisis in 2024 is well documented. Even as Joyce's side were getting a grip of things against Dublin, Seán Kelly, Rob Finnerty and Shane Walsh all had to leave the fray; the latter hit 0-07 in another stirring display for his county. Setbacks, however, that are not derailing the Tribes' march, with Sligo coming close to knocking them out of Connacht and Westmeath proving tricky opponents in the round-robin. Mayo should have closed out the deal in the provincial final, but their fierce rivals found something extra in the dying embers. It's a long time since Galway celebrated a Nestor Cup win with much gusto.
A draw with Armagh and a humdrum preliminary quarter-final win over Monaghan only raised doubts as to whether the side were genuine All-Ireland contenders.
And then that second-half surge against the Dubs. It was "a super, super performance from the lads", said Pádraic Joyce afterwards, adding "that here's always a question mark over Galway, I get that, and it will remain until we win an All-Ireland, it’s as simple as that".
Five years in the job and Joyce expects; a county expects. There is certainly much more to admire about Galway now, than was the case in '22, when they fell just short in their quest for the big prize.
Calling it
Is it a case of David Clifford saving his best for the business end? There were moments against Derry when the footballer of the year was in full flight, but yet only kicked three points in total. Clifford, along with his brother Paudie and Seánie O'Shea, you suspect will be more involved against Armagh. Elsewhere the Kingdom have been somewhat goal-shy in 2024, while the Ulster side have raised eight green flags so far in the championship.
The first score of the game is some David Clifford magic
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 30, 2024
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Can Armagh take it down the stretch with the game up for grabs? If so, they have firepower off the bench, namely Stefan Campbell and Jarly Óg Burns, to set up a grandstand finish. That said, Kerry appear to have better options across the park, and won't mid winning ugly again if that's what they have to do.
Teams:
Kerry: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Tom O'Sullivan; Brian Ó Beaglaioch, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White; Diarmuid O'Connor, Joe O’Connor; Tony Brosnan, Paudie Clifford, Dara Moynihan; David Clifford, Sean O’Shea, Paul Geaney.
Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Peter McGrane, Aaron McKay, Paddy Burns; Barry McCambridge, Tiernan Kelly, Aidan Forker; Niall Grimley, Ben Crealey; Oisin Conaty, Rian O'Neill, Joe McElroy; Rory Grugan, Andrew Murnin, Conor Turbitt.
Seán Kelly and Shane Walsh both down to start in an unchanged Galway side despite being withdrawn with apparent injuries the last day. If the pair are fully fit and Damien Comer is more influential, then that's definitely a boost for the Connacht men.
Cian Hernon, introduced in the closing stages of the victory over Dublin, is ruled out through injury. Cathal Sweeney, returning from injury himself, takes his place on the bench, as does 2022 All-Star centre-back John Daly.
Paul Flynn's All-Ireland SFC semi-final predictions
Cien Darcy, Johnny Heaney and Tomo Culhane excelled when sprung from the bench against Dublin, proof that Joyce's options are greater.
Donegal show once change from the win over Louth, with Jeaic Mac Ceallabhui handed a first championship start. He's named at wing-forward in place of Conor O'Donnell, who drops out of the matchday squad.
Both units are defensively strong; Galway, perhaps, are stronger down the middle. It's question then of how each can curb the opposing opposition threat. A tentative vote goes to Galway reaching a second final in three years.
Teams:
Donegal: Shaun Patton; Ciaran Moore, Brendan McCole, Eoghan Ban Gallagher; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan; Ciaran Thompson, Michael Langan; Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí, Shane O'Donnell, Daire Ó Baoill; Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Niall O'Donnell.
Galway: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Sean Fitzgerald, Johnny Glynn; Dylan McHugh, Liam Silke, Seán Mulkerrin; Paul Conroy, Seán Kelly; Matthew Tierney, John Maher, Cillian McDaid; Rob Finnerty, Damien Comer, Shane Walsh.
