Steven Poacher gives his reasons for why back-to-back Ulster champions Derry can win the All-Ireland this year.
WHO WILL JOIN ARMAGH, DERRY, DUBLIN, KERRY IN THE QUARTER-FINALS?
Itโs Preliminary All-Ireland Quarterfinal weekend, with four very interesting games
featuring three Connacht, three Ulster, one Leinster and one Munster county.
The winners will play Armagh, Derry, Dublin and Kerry in the quarterfinals next weekend.
Thereโs also Tailteann Cup action in Croke Park on Sunday, where Meath will take on
Antrim and Down will play Laois, with all teams looking to book their spots in the Tailteann Cup final.
The Preliminary Quarterfinals line up is as follows:
SATURDAY
Cork v Roscommon, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 2.00pm
Kildare v Monaghan, Glenisk OโConnor Park, 4.45pm
Donegal v Tyrone, Ballybofey, 7.00pm
SUNDAY
Galway v Mayo, Pearse Stadium, 3.00pm
TAILTEANN CUP SEMI-FINALS
SUNDAY
Antrim v Meath, Croke Park, 2.00pm
Down v Laois, Croke Park, 4.00pm
TAILTEANN CUP SEMI-FINALS
ANTRIM v MEATH
Meath topped their group with wins over Tipperary, Waterford and Down before beating Wexford in the quarterfinal.
Antrim won their group with wins over Leitrim, Wexford, Fermanagh and went on to beat Carlow in the quarterfinal.
Antrim and Meath last met in a championship game in 2005 when the Royals won an All-Ireland qualifier by 5-12 to 0-13 in Casement Park. Their only other championship meeting was in the 1951 All-Ireland semi-final which Meath won by 2-6 to 1-7.
DOWN v LAOIS
Their last championship meeting was in the 2009 All-Ireland qualifiers when Down won by eight points in Newry.
They also met in the 2008 qualifiers when Down won by two points.
Laois qualified for the knock-out stages of the Tailteann Cup after draws with Offaly and London and a defeat by Cavan.
They beat Fermanagh in the preliminary quarterfinal and Limerick in the quarterfinal.
Down beat Waterford and Tipperary and lost to Meath in their group before beating
Longford in the preliminary quarterfinal and Cavan in the quarterfinal.
