SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER
FOOTBALL
Connacht SFC semi-final
Corofin 0-16 Ballina Stephenites 0-12
SUNDAY 19 NOVEMBER
FOOTBALL
Connacht SFC semi-final
St Brigid's (Roscommon) v Mohill (Leitrim), Dr Hyde Park 1.30pm
Leinster SFC semi-finals
St Mary's (Louth) v Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin), Ardee, 1.30pm
St Loman's (Westmeath) v Naas (Kildare), TEG Cusack Park, 1.30pm
HURLING
Munster SHC semi-finals
Kiladangan (Tipperary) v Clonlara (Clare), Semple Stadium, 2pm
Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) v Ballygunner (Waterford), Gaelic Grounds, 4pm
Ulster SHC semi-final
Ruairí Óg, Cushendall (Antrim) v Portaferry (Down), Box-It Athletic Grounds, 4pm
TV
TG4 will broadcast both Munster hurling semi-finals, with Kiladangan v Clonlara throwing in at 2pm, followed at 4pm by the meeting of Na Piarsaigh and Ballygunner.
RADIO
Updates on RTÉ Radio 1's Sunday Sport
The Galway men will be watching on with interest the other side of the Connacht draw today where Roscommon heavyweights St Brigid's welcome Mohill to Dr Hyde Park.
The Leitrim champions will start as rank outsiders, but if the full-forward line of Ronan Kennedy, Keith Beirne, Jordan Reynolds can get enough possession - combined they scored all but two points of their overall tally of 2-10 in the Leitrim decider - they could cause problems for Brigid's.
Holders and overwhelming favourites Kilmacud Crokes make the journey to Ardee on Sunday where anything other than a win over St Mary's would be a huge upset.
The 1-12 to 0-4 victory over Carlow's Eire Óg - until Shane Walsh's injury-time goal they had knocked over just four second-half points - demonstrated a rather conservative approach despite dominating possession, but the firepower is clearly there if required.
Just a week after their county title success, St Loman's required a late goal from corner-back Eoghan Hogan to secure a win over Shelmaliers, and now they take on a Naas side who have progressed one step further than last year.
Crokes ended their interest at the quarter-final stage little over a year ago and the Leinster final a year previous, but they will feel the door is more ajar for another shot at silverware.
In hurling, it's semi-final action in Munster and Ulster.
While St Thomas’ are waiting patiently in an All-Ireland semi-final and Leinster’s top four will have another week to prepare for their matches, the main focus will be in Munster.
That is not to ignore Ulster of course, but there is only one semi-final down for decision there. Slaughnteil’s reward for landing an 11th consecutive Derry SHC title is a bye to the provincial decider.
Their manager Michael McShane has described the 77-day gap as "scandalous", especially given the fact that should they win it’s just two weeks out from an All-Ireland semi-final.
The Derry powerhouse will learn their opponents this weekend when Down’s Portaferry take on Antrim’s Ruairi Og, Cushendall.
Portaferry edged their latest joust with Ballycran – the sides have met in the last seven Down finals – with brothers Eoghan and Daithi Sands, along with corner-forward Tom McGrattan claiming 0-12 out of their total of 0-20.
Talisman Neil McManus will lead the charge for Cushendall, who made up for last year’s county final defeat with a one-point win over Loughgiel Shamrocks.
But for some wayward shooting they may have had a more comfortable finish, but defensively they look solid, with Paddy Burke a lynchpin in defence and midfielder Ryan McCambridge putting in a player of the match display.
Both Munster semi-finals will be televised on Sunday.
First up is action from FBD Semple Stadium where Kiladangan take on Clare champions Clonlara. For the Premier side, it will be a case of getting back to matters on the pitch.
Just a second ever county success, following a replay against Thurles Sarsfields, was somewhat overshadowed by captain Alan Flynn’s criticism of Tipperary manager Liam Cahill in a post-match interview.
The club had half a dozen representatives in the county panel in 2022, but last year that was whittled down to two in Cahill’s first year in charge, and Flynn didn’t hold back.
"We got thrown under the bus last year, not brought back in, and we were not happy about it at all. I think they disregarded us as a club," he said.
"It was absolutely ridiculous. You’re telling me there’s no one out there good enough to be on the Tipperary team? It’s absolutely madness."
Another win on Sunday would make an even stronger case to Cahill, but Clonlara are on the crest of a wave after a first Clare title in 15 years. John Conlon is the only player with two medals in the current squad, with three county final and six semi-final reverses in the intervening period.
The second semi-final throws in at the Gaelic Grounds and has a blockbuster feel to it.
Ten-in-a-row Waterford champions Ballygunner are aiming to become the first club to lift three successive Munster SHC crowns but to do so they must get past Limerick kingpins Na Piarsaigh, who beat them in the 2017 decider, a season on from their maiden All-Ireland title.
Ballygunner showed no signs of rustiness last time out, in their first competitive game since September, they 17 points to spare over Cork champions Sarsfields at Walsh Park.
Backboned by Shane Dowling in goals, brother Mike (captain) and Peter Casey, Will O’Donoghue and Kevin Downes, the Limerick side are battle hardened after a penalty shootout victory over Doon in the last four followed by a tough challenge against Patrickswell in the decider.
Twelve years since their first county senior title, Na Piarsaigh have an eight county title in the bag as they go in search of a fourth provincial crown.
