We look ahead to the opening weekend of the All-Ireland senior football champions group series, and see how the teams are shaping up.
EAGERLY AWAITED NEW CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT LIFTS OFF THIS WEEKEND
A historic weekend beckons for the GAA Football All-Ireland championship, with games in all four groups of the new-look format to decide who reaches the quarter-finals.
SATURDAY: Clare v Donegal, Ennis, 2.00PM; Kerry v Mayo, Fitzgerald Stadium, 3.00PM; Galway v Tyrone, Pearse Stadium, 5.15PM
SUNDAY: Sligo v Kildare, Markievicz Park, 2.30PM
GALWAY v TYRONE (GROUP 2)
They meet in the championship for the first time since 2004 when Tyrone won an All-Ireland qualifier by 1-16 to 0-11 in Croke Park.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS SO FAR
Galway 1-13 Roscommon 1-9 (Connacht semi-final)
Galway 2-20 Sligo 0-12 (Connacht final)
Top Scorers
1. Matthew Tierney………2-9 (0-1 free, 0-1 mark, 0-1 ‘45’)
2. Damien Comer…………..1-4
3. Shane Walsh……………….0-4 (4 frees)
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS SO FAR
Monaghan 2-17 Tyrone 1-18 (Ulster quarter-final)
Top Scorers
1. Darragh Canavan…….1-5 ((0-1 mark)
2. Darren McCurry……….0-5 (0-3 frees)
3. Mattie Donnelly……….0-3
PREVIOUS CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS
This will be only the fifth championship meeting between the counties, with Tyrone winning three to Galway’s one of the previous four. Galway’s only win was in 1956.
• 2004: Tyrone 1-16 Galway 0-11 (All-Ireland qualifier)
• 1995: Tyrone 1-13 Galway 0-13 (All-Ireland semi-final)
• 1986: Tyrone 1-12 Galway 1-9 (All-Ireland semi-final)
• 1956: Galway 0-8 Tyrone 0-6 (All-Ireland semi-final)
*Galway beat Tyrone by 0-16 to 0-13 in this year’s Allianz League clash in Tuam.
*Since being crowned All-Ireland champions in 2021, Tyrone have won only one of four championship games.
They beat Fermanagh in the preliminary Ulster round last year before losing to Derry in the quarter-final and to Armagh in the All-Ireland qualifiers.
They lost to Monaghan in this year’s Ulster quarter-final.
*Galway are bidding to win for the eighth time in nine championship games. The only defeat in their last eight games came against Kerry in last year’s All-Ireland final.
They beat Mayo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Armagh and Derry last year and Roscommon and Sligo this year.
*Galway manager Padraic Joyce was their top scorer (0-4) in their last championship clash with Tyrone in 2004. Tyrone joint-manager, Brian Dooher captained his side that day.
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