skip to main content

All you need to know about the Football Qualifiers Round 3

Updated / Monday, 2 Jul 2018 14:09
For the second time in three seasons Kildare and Mayo meet in the qualifiers
For the second time in three seasons Kildare and Mayo meet in the qualifiers

After a week that began with a stand-off between Kildare and the GAA, the dust eventually settled, and all is ready for the four scheduled games.

Remember all games must be decided on the day: if teams are level after 70 minutes there will be two periods of ten minutes extra-time, followed by two more of five if necessary, and, finally, a free-taking competition. 

THROW-INS

SATURDAY 30 JUNE 
Leitrim v Monaghan, Páirc Seán MacDiarmada, 2.30pm
Armagh v Clare, Athletic Grounds, 3pm
Cavan v Tyrone, Brewster Park, 5pm
Kildare v Mayo, St Conleth's Park, 7pm

ONLINE
Live blog on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News Now App from 2pm.

RADIO
Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 will have live updates on Leitrim v Monaghan from Siobhan Madigan, with live commentary on Armagh v Clare from Pauric Lodge and Marty Clarke, Cavan v Tyrone from Martin Kiely and John Casey and Kildare v Mayo from Brian Carthy, John Heslin and Michael Meehan.

TV
Live coverage of Cavan v Tyrone and Kildare v Mayo on Sky Sports from 4.30pm. Highlights of all the weekend's action on The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2. 

Lilies eyes another momentous victory

 

We teetered on the brink this week. Kildare in Newbridge, Mayo in Croke Park, all stemming from the decision to deny the Lilywhites home advantage after their name was pulled out of the hat first on Monday morning.

Cian O'Neill was not for turning as he went on the national airwaves saying that it was "Newbridge or nowhere" and soon there was groundswell of support behind him. In the end it was the GAA who relented, their scheduling of a Croke Park double-header would now not take place.

Health and safety, ticket arrangements and adequate Garda presence would all be at a level of satisfaction to ensure that St Conleth's Park gets its first championship action this summer. That said, Mayo fans are set to outnumber the hosts two to one, with 3,500 season ticket holders and another 1,500 tickets distributed to clubs making up a contingent of 5,000, who will travel east. The capacity in Conleth's Park is capped at 8,200.  

Can Kildare now win the battle on the pitch?

This week's 'victory' over the Croke Park power-brokers will have lifted spirits further following wins over Derry and Longford. It wasn’t until the 69th minute that the Lilywhites earned their first lead of the game at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park and then Chris Healy's goal in added time put the seal on a hard-fought success.

In truth, Kildare were more impressive in dispatching Derry a fortnight earlier, but it's two wins on the bounce for a side who reached their own nadir when falling to Carlow in Leinster. 

Reaching the Super 8s would have been one of Kildare's goal at the start of the year. Seeing off the Green and Red would leave them well placed to achieve that and would bat away some of the pressure on manager O'Neill.

There is also the view that having this qualifier in Newbridge gives the Lilywhites the best chance of progression. Whether there is much truth in that is a matter of opinion, perhaps more telling is that a number of key Kildare players are returning from injury and O'Neill's use of the bench no doubt helped things swing in their direction last weekend.

As for Mayo, Seamus O'Shea's loss is another huge blow on their latest summer trek. On the flip side, scoring 1-08 without reply following on from James Durcan's 'flukey' goal, was a positive in wearing down the challenge of Tipperary. 

With Mayo now short of their first-choice midfielders, Aidan O'Shea will now be expected to be more of a threat around the middle where Kevin McLoughlin and Jason Doherty must also share responsibility in setting up those forward thrusts. Rochford's men would have preferred Croke Park as a place to perfect their running game, but they've been on the road a while and will tailor accordingly.

In the physical stakes, Kildare will be a match and the Leinster county will be a targeting a full-back line that was less than assured last weekend.

On last week's Sunday Game, both Ciaran Whelan and Tomás Ó Sé referenced Mayo's last line of defence as a weakness, adding that the current side may not have the staying power to go very deep in this championship.

DID YOU KNOW
The counties meet for the only the third time in the championship, their previous clashes being in the 1935 AllI-reland semi-final, which Kildare won by 2-6 to 0-7 in Croke Park and in the 2016 All-Ireland qualifiers (Round 3) where the westerners triumphed on a 2-17 to 0-14 scoreline in Castlebar.

Mayo are bidding to reach Round 4 of the qualifiers for a third successive year while Kildare are trying to make it that far for a second year running.

Erneside clash for Ulster rivals

Both Cavan and Tyrone would have been happy to sort this tussle out at GAA HQ, but I can't imagine they'll be too many complaining that it's Brewster Park.

The Breffni County were at the Enniskillen venue last weekend where they prevailed in a fiesty encounter against Down  

A fortuitous 54th minute goal from Gearoid McKiernan proved crucial as Cavan came from behind to snatch victory.

The Mourne men recovered from losing key attackers Connaire Harrison and Kevin McKernan to black cards (both in the 30th minute) as well as seeing Caolan Mooney limp off and Ryan Johnston pick up a straight red to edge into a four-point lead with 20 minutes to go.

However, Cavan overhauled them with points from Niall Murray, Ciaran Brady, Oisin Kiernan and McKiernan to seal their place in this round.

There was more drama at the death, too, as a melee erupted in front of the stand and referee Cormac Reilly showed red cards to Cavan’s Dara McVeety and Conor Moynagh and Down’s Anthony Doherty.

However, following Cavan's appeal to the Central Hearings Committee, both McVeety and Moynagh had their red cards rescinded.

Cavan have not been spoken about in terms of a surprise inclusion in the Super 8 mix. They would have expected to beat Down more comfortably and their recent record against Tyrone is not good. It's 1983 since they last beat the Red Hand.

Mickey Harte's side recovered from a slow start to put Carlow to the sword with relative ease by the banks of the Barrow last weekend. Goals from Niall Sludden, Richie Donnelly and Peter Harte and a five-point haul from the in-form Connor McAliskey 

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES
2016 Tyrone 5-18 Cavan 2-17 (Ulster semi-final) Replay
2016: Cavan 0-16 Tyrone 3-7 (Ulster semi-final) Draw
2005: Tyrone 3-19 Cavan 0-7 (Ulster semi-final) Replay
2005: Tyrone 0-10 Cavan 1-7 (Ulster semi-final) Draw
2001: Tyrone 1-13 Cavan 1-11 (Ulster final)

Cavan last beat Tyrone in the championship in 1983. Since then, they have met seven times with Tyrone winning five while there were two draws. The last competitive clash between the counties was in the 2017 Allianz League (Div 1) when Tyrone won by seven points.

A note for those travelling to the game

 

 

Armagh look to home comforts against Clare

Kieran McGeeney's Armagh have already accounted for two Division 3 sides in Westmeath and Sligo and now face tier-two opposition in the shape of Clare at the Athletic Grounds. 

It's hard to say whether the Orchardmen are now starting to find their groove following on from their limp showing in Ulster against Fermanagh. However, they will see a date with the Banner on their home patch as a hurdle they can negotiate as they seek to make the last eight in the All-Ireland race for a consecutive year. 

Skipper Rory Grugan looks back to his best form, but McGeeney must still plan without Stephen Sheridan, Ethan Rafferty and Paul Hughes.

After a mauling by Kerry in the Munster semi, Clare had to dig deep to edge out Paul Rouse's Offaly on Sunday last. Jamie Malone and Eoin Cleary were to the fore as they got out of Tullamore by the skin of their teeth.

It's a first championship between these sides.

Expect a packed house in Carrick

Okay, Louth have had a poor year and didn't help themselves with some indiscipline before the break, but Leitrim's dismantling of the Wee County on Saturday evening last was nevertheless impressive. The Connacht side scored 25 points en route to what was a second championship win this summer. What's rare is wonderful. 

Leitrim-born Colm O'Rourke was also singing their praises live on RTÉ television.

Monaghan would have looked on at last Sunday's Ulster final knowing that it could have and should have been them against Donegal. 24 hours earlier they were in Fraher Field making light work of Watertford.  

Leitrim, in front of a vocal crowd at Páirc Seán MacDiarmada, should offer a slightly tougher challenge in a game where Malachy O'Rourke may again run the rule over his squad or he may not.  

DID YOU KNOW
Leitrim are attempting to reach Round 4 of the qualifiers for the first time.    

WEATHER
Saturday will be mainly dry and sunny, but a few showers may affect western areas. It will continue warm or hot with top temperatures in the mid to high 20's and winds will be light to moderate easterly with some sea breezes developing in the afternoon. For more go to met.ie

More stories on

Read Next