SATURDAY 14 JUNE
All-Ireland SFC Round 3
Group 2
Kerry v Meath, Glenisk O'Connor Park, 4.15pm
Roscommon v Cork, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 4.15pm
Group 4
Galway v Armagh, Kingspan Breffni. 6.30pm
Dublin v Derry, Páirc Esler, 6.30pm
Tailteann Cup quarter-finals
Fermanagh v Sligo, Brewster Park, 5pm
Kildare v Offaly, Cedral St Conleth's Park, 6.30pm
SUNDAY 15 JUNE
All-Ireland SFC Round 3
Group 3
Louth v Clare, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 2pm
Monaghan v Down, Box-IT Athletic Grounds, 2pm
Group 1
Donegal v Mayo, King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park, 4pm
Tyrone v Cavan, Brewster Park, 4pm
Tailteann Cup quarter-finals
Wicklow v Westmeath, Aughrim, 1.15pm
Limerick v Wexford, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 3.45pm
ONLINE
Live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app.
TV
Live coverage of Monaghan v Down and Donegal v Mayo on The Sunday Game, RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player from 1.30pm. GAA+ will screen Roscommon v Cork, Armagh v Galway and Dublin v Derry on Sunday, along with Wicklow v Westmeath and Limerick v Wexford in the Tailteann Cup on Sunday.
Highlights on The Saturday Game and The Sunday Game, both from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
RADIO
Live commentaries and updates on Saturday Sport & Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 - and Spórt an tSathairn and Spórt an Lae on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.
WEATHER
Saturday: A showery day with some heavy showers and potential for further thunderstorms. Highest temperatures of 15 to 19 degrees in light to moderate northwesterly or variable winds.
Sunday: More in the way of dry weather on Sunday with some sunny spells and well scattered showers. Highest temperatures of 14 to 19 degrees in moderate westerly winds. For more go to met.ie.
A perfect-storm ending
What a way for the group-stage phase to take its leave with so much at stake. Armagh, the only side sure of where they stand ahead of these final series of games. That leaves 15 others not knowing which position they'll occupy come the conclusion of it all. I'm not sure how many on X are lamenting the end of football's 'round-robin' but there's no doubt their voices will rise up if much zig-zagging of teams is the way of it across the two days.
We've already had notable voices like Kieran McGeeney and Peter Canavan being critical of the somewhat hasty decision to dispense with the current format.
Next year, we'll have the 'qualifier-style series', which will involve less games overall, one less round to put it simply. Because of that, we are promised an extra week off between the conclusion of the league and the start of the championship. That, no doubt will help to quell the noise we hear just as the clocks go forward.
But back to the format from 2026. Trying to explain it first time out is likely to prompt confused looks, similar to explaining how the date of Easter Sunday is determined and its connection to the spring equinox. We won't go there!
So 16 teams start out, namely the eight provincial finalists and the next seven teams as per league ranking, along with the Tailteann Cup winners.
The eight provincial finalists would be drawn at home against one of the other eight in round 1A.
The eight winners progress to round 2A, where they would be drawn against each other, producing four winners that would progress to the All-Ireland quarter-finals. Still with us?
16 becomes 12: All-Ireland SFC Round 3 permutations
The eight losers in round 1A are then paired off in round 2B. The four winners there will then face the four losers from round 2A in round 3. And from the latter round we will get the four other teams to make up the quarter-final line-up. Not too difficult!
The draws would be subject to avoidance of provincial final pairings and ties from previous rounds, where possible.
Such a format ensures there are no dead-rubber games, which stoked much fear amongst the GAA's top brass, hence the three emerging from the group of four that we currently have.
And yet such fears have given rise to what could be a fascinating couple of days, and with it the chance that some 'big guns' could exit the championship at this stage.
So long then to the 'group of death' and all that.
Saturday evening fever in Cavan and Newry
"You're gonna need a bigger boat," said Chief Brody in Jaws, well there's nothing expansive enough that will save one from Dublin, Galway and Derry from exiting the competition at this stage. As was the fate of Robert Shaw's Quint in the Steven Spielberg's blockbuster, one such party is in danger of being swallowed up.
We suspected it would be Derry, who haven't been quite themselves since winning last year's league. Signs of rediscovering their mojo were evident late on against Armagh and more so against Galway the last day. At one stage they led by eight at Celtic Park, only for the Tribes to stir themselves late on. It took a Conor Doherty point right at the death to ensure for parity for the hosts. At the end of it all, Derry will feel they let it slip, a chance missed to ensure their progression beyond this weekend.
But speaking to RTÉ Sport recently, former Derry star Chrissy McKaigue put a different spin on it, when saying: "Even the most ardent, passionate Galway supporter, would say that Galway robbed that draw. It was the manner of Derry's performance, it was the fight, the intensity, the physicality and the togetherness that they brought. Celtic Park was rocking.
"It been a while since Derry supporters had that level of voice behind their team. This Derry team on their day are more than capable of beating anybody but they need to bring that level of performance again. A welcome addition because it has been a difficult number of months in Derry."
And that is the question, can Paddy Tally's men summon up a similar showing at Páirc Esler against a Dublin team who kicked so many wides against Armagh? Seventeen in total. That said, while the Dubs were creating chances, you never got the sense they would reel the Orchard County in. Con O'Callaghan's absence was notable, but the game also showed that Dublin are a little bit behind those in the front rank with regard to chasing Sam. I would stress only a little bit.
GAA team news: Con O'Callaghan in Dublin panel for crucial Derry clash
A boost for Dessie Farrell's is that O'Callaghan has been named in the matchday squad.
As for Kieran McGeeney's men, they'll be back at Croke Park at the end of the month for their date in the last eight. How they'll approach another meeting with Galway, this time at Kingspan Breffni, will be interesting. It will be the fifth time the counties have met in the championship in the last four seasons.
Will McGeeney field a strong team, knowing that even a draw could knock another contender for Sam out of the way? Well, he has, though Rory Grugan is not included in the matchday squad
And what of Galway? It's fair to say they have not been quite at it in this series. Dublin bullied them to a degree in Salthill, while Derry's pace and intensity had them floundering on occasions a fortnight ago. Shane Walsh and Paul Conroy were subbed off during the second half at Celtic Park. Damien Comer did see some action but Pádraic Joyce's men need all their main purring at the same time if they are to kick on.
Comer is on the Galway bench, with Seán Fitzgerald (full-back) and Céin D'Arcy (corner forward) named to start.
Once more into the breach for Mayo
We should never have doubted them. After being so off-colour against Cavan, Mayo snapped back like a wounded animal to leave Tyrone reeling.
They were full value for their seven points win over a Red Hand side that showed only glimpses of the battling qualities that had seen them take full points from their visit to Donegal's fortress Ballybofey a week earlier.
Watch highlights of Tyrone v Mayo
With Kevin McStay still recuperating, Stephen Rochford remains in charge as they now come up against Jim McGuinness' side at the Hyde. Rochford, having served as part of the Declan Bonner's backroom team, has a bit of an insight into the Donegal mindset. But the Ulster county have pushed on a level or two now that Jimmy is back and Mayo, we were told prior to that win in Omagh, were showing signs of slippage.
The Connacht outfit put pay to any immediate questions as to their demise with that showing at Healy Park. Getting to Croke Park and a quarter-final would now exceed expectations. A scenario where they beat Donegal and Tyrone-Cavan draw in Brewster Park would see them top the group. The odds of that happening, somewhat long you would have to say.
Donegal showed their teeth in blowing Cavan away on 1 June. And even if they account for the Green and Red, there's no guarantee Jimmy's men will top the group, given that Tyrone will be fancied to beat Cavan for the second time in this year's championship. A set of results that would see the Red Hand lead the way, followed by Donegal and Cavan. Mayo's interest would be ended.
A bit more cut and dry
In Group 2, All-Ireland favourites Kerry and Meath will be progressing from the group, with only the order to be decided.
The Kingdom turned it on in the second period to again see off neighbours Cork in this year's championship. Jack O'Connor’s men hit three two-pointers during a 0-08 run in nine minutes after the break.
The fitness of Mark O’Shea and Dylan Geaney will be a concern after the pair went off injured in the first half.
Meath, in second spot in the group, could be overtaken, this in the event of losing to Kerry and Roscommon beating Cork by 14 points.
The clash of the Rossies and the Rebels in Portlaoise sees the latter in last-chance saloon territory. They simply have to win. A draw will be enough for Davy Burke's side to reach a preliminary quarter-final.
And finally to Group 3.
Down and Monaghan face off in the Athletic Grounds for the right to top the section. A draw will be enough for the Mournemen given their scoring difference.
Louth and Clare, both pointless, meet in Portlaoise, with third spot up for grabs. Parity would see the Leinster champions advance given their vastly superior scoring return.
Tailteann fancies still involved
The top in each of the respective groups have made the quarter-finals. The only surprise being that Offaly and Westmeath did not head their sections and had to see off New York and Laois respectively in the preliminary last weekend.
Kildare-Offaly, on paper, is the tie of the round. A meeting of the sides who came up from Division 3 and subsequently graced Croke Park in the divisional final, with the Faithful prevailing by two points. Weeks earlier, Offaly accounted for the same opposition in the regulation phase. Can they now complete a hat-trick?
League familiarity will also be in play at the TUS Gaelic Grounds, where Limerick host Wexford. This clash is a repeat of a Division 4 final between the sides at Croker on 29 March, an evening where the Treaty's route to goal earned them a winning dividend.
Elsewhere, Fermanagh welcome Sligo to Brewster Park. Their league clash in March finished level, this after the hosts were five points down going into injury time.
In Aughrim, Wicklow welcome Westmeath. Can the Garden County repeat that performance which saw them shock the midlanders in the 2024 Leinster championship?
Looking ahead
The draws for the All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals and the Tailteann Cup semi-finals will take place next Monday morning on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland after the 8.30am news.
In the Sam Maguire competition, the four second-placed teams from the group stages will be drawn to play at home against the four third-placed teams, subject in the first instance to the avoidance of repeat provincial final pairings and, where possible, repeat pairings from the group stage.
The last-four draw for the Tailteann Cup will be subject to the avoidance of repeat pairings from the championship.
Fixture details will be finalised by the CCCC later on Monday, and the games will take place over the weekend of 21/22 June.
