SATURDAY 25 MAY
All-Ireland SFC Group 1
Armagh v Westmeath, BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, 6pm
All-Ireland SFC Group 2
Dublin v Roscommon, Croke Park, 5pm
All-Ireland SFC Group 3
Donegal v Tyrone, Ballybofey, 7.15pm
All-Ireland SFC Group 4
Louth v Meath, Inniskeen, 5.30pm
ONLINE
Live blogs on the day's action on RTÉ Sport Online and RTÉ News app.
TV
Dublin-Roscommon and Donegal-Tyrone live on GAAGO. Highlights of all the weekend's action on The Sunday Game, RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player from 9.30pm.
RADIO
Live commentaries and updates on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's Spórt an tSathairn.
WEATHER
Dry at first tomorrow on Saturday turning cloudy from the southwest. Through the morning, some rain and drizzle will move into Munster, turning more persistent in the afternoon, and slowly tracking northeastwards. Highest temperatures of 12 to 16 degrees, mildest in north Leinster and Ulster, with the best of the sunny spells and where it will stay largely dry until later in the day. Southeasterly winds will increase moderate, occasionally fresh. For more go to met.ie.
Ulster heavyweights face off again
Four weeks is not a long time in championship football, but a lot to change in the interim. Donegal and Tyrone served up a gripping tussle in the Ulster semi-final on 28 April. In the end, McGuinness' men prevailed after extra-time. In truth, the Red Hand looked the likely winners for a lot of the contest.
The sides were level on nine occasions, before Tír Chonaill produced a strong finish.
Paddy McBrearty returned to the action after being substituted to kick two crucial scores to break the hearts of Tyrone supporters.
Jason McGee's towering performance in the latter stages of the game helped his side get on top of a Red Hand side that had to go to extra-time for the second time in a week, and in the end it proved too much.
A fortnight later, Donegal went on to claim the Ulster title, more extra-time and then penalties was needed as Armagh suffered more spot kick agony.
Jimmy's side are back winning matches and silverware, but it's a quick reset for them to take on opposition who will feel that they left a provincial final place behind them at Celtic Park.
Donegal were certainly on a high after beating Derry first time out, but only had a week to prepare for the Red Hand assignment. Such is the way of the condensed championship but we won't go down that road!
Paul Flynn's All-Ireland Football Championship predictions
McGuinness' men didn't quite hit the same heights against Tyrone; a case of digging it out. It was something similar against Armagh. The Orchard County will look back on the loss with bitter regrets that they were unable to hold on to a four-point lead with 15 minutes of normal time remaining.
Here is the magical moment Donegal supporters!
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 12, 2024
Shaun Patton denied Shane McPartlan at Clones in sudden death penalties #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/KGYq9BTB6o
Donegal eventually found a way to force extra-time and then late points from Daire O'Baoill and Odhran Doherty brought us to penalties. The green and gold were flawless from the spot.
Five members of Tyrone's All-Ireland Under-20 winning team have been invited to join the senior squad.
Goalkeeper Conor McAneney, defenders Michael Rafferty and Shea O’Hare, along with attackers Eoin McElholm and Ronan Cassidy, are all set to make an immediate step up to the senior ranks.
It’s understood McElholm, who scored seven points from play in the victory over Kerry at Portlaoise, and U20 team captain Rafferty have accepted the invitation, and the others are currently considering the offer.
Donegal or Tyrone will be expected to top their group, and so avoid an extra game in this All-Ireland series. A month after the drama of Celtic Park, another tight contest is in the offing, this time played out over 70 minutes plus injury-time and no more.
Dubs welcome Rossies for their home game
During the week the GAA confirmed that none of upcoming neutral games in the All-Ireland series will be played at Croke Park. This after Mayo's request that their designated neutral game against Dublin not be played at HQ.
Last year, Dublin's neutral game against Sligo was played at Kingspan Breffni, and there was nothing to suggest that Dubs would playing the Green and Red on Jones' Road in mid June. A bit of a non story, really.
Back to matters on the pitch, Dublin, as expected, prevailed in Leinster again, though not before Louth asked them a question or two a fortnight ago.
Roscommon fell at the Connacht semi-final hurdle against Mayo, though they missed numerous chances in the second half to really make a game of it.
Exactly a year ago, these sides met at the same stage of the championship, a game mainly remembered for the Rossies holding on to possession for what felt like a week during a period in the second half.
It's now 44 years since the Connacht county won a match at Croke Park. They had chances to end that sequence 12 months ago, as they lead the Dubs for much of that encounter. Stoppage-time points from substitute Conor Cox and Donie Smith eventually earned Roscommon parity.
Davy Burke's side have had five weeks to prepare, enough time to fine-tune their accuracy in front of the posts.
"Our performance wasn't too bad, our conversion rate probably hurt us in the end, our execution of our chances wouldn't be good enough at this level but we created them, so it's not too bad.
"We dropped four or five short uncharacteristically and we kicked some bad wides. Mayo were good enough defensively but I thought offensively we just didn't execute well enough.
"I wouldn't be that worried about our attack play but I might hand out a couple of bags of balls to them during the week.
"We created a huge amount of opportunities so it's far from doom and gloom."
Burke promised that his side will get better and will no doubt have looked at Louth's performance in the Leinster final as a way of making hay against the Dubs. Like the Wee County, Roscommon's defensive structure and their options in attack can ensure that they are again competitive against Dessie Farrell's men.
Armagh back on the horse
Dust yourselves down Armagh, no time for self-pity after losing a successive Ulster final to those dreaded penalties and to think it was an Armagh man that came up with the penalty idea in the first place!
The hard truth is that Kieran McGenney's men were looking good to win a first provincial title in 16 years during regulation time; four points up early in the second half but they couldn't push on. Failure to seal the deal with the wind in their sails is now becoming a bit of a habit for McGeeney's men.
As for Westmeath, it's seven weeks since they last kicked a ball in anger. It was Wicklow who sent them packing early doors in Leinster. Five game in as many weeks for the midlanders, with manager Dessie Dolan cursing the schedule in advance of their championship bow.
Things don't get any easier for Westmeath in this the toughest of the All-Ireland groups, with games against Galway and Derry to come. A big ask then for Westmeath to advance.
Armagh and Westmeath did meet in the round-robin last year, with the Ulster side prevailing by a point.
This will be only the fourth time the counties meet in the in the championship, the previous three having been won by Armagh.
Wee men look to kick on after worrying the Dubs
No home venue for Louth against Meath, with Inniskeen playing host to this derby. Thirteen days on from giving an excellent account of themselves in the Leinster final, Ger Brennan's side will be keen to start the round-robin with a victory. While Kerry are expected to top the section,
Louth, on paper, look well placed to finish in second spot. Monaghan are also involved, and were well beaten by the Kingdom last weekend.
As Tailteann Cup winners from last July, Meath had their Sam Maguire ticket booked before anybody else. Their league form in Division 2 was mixed; they were never in the promotion hunt. After defeating Longford in their Leinster opener, conceding too many goals for Colm O'Rourke's liking, they then tried gamely to tame the Dubs, but were swept away by a second-half onslaught.
Like Louth, the Royals with the likes of Eoghan Freyne, Matthew Costello and Jordan Morris, are well served in attack, but perhaps aren't as defensively sound as their neighbours.
Louth's two goals against Dublin came via Ciarán Keenan and Craig Lennon, and their goal threat was a hallmark of a manager who subscribes to the philosophy that attack is the best form of defence.
"If it comes off, great. If it doesn't, at least the ball's up there and we've enough time to get our defence set up."
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