This weekend’s Ladies football championship at a glance

Compiled by Jackie Cahill

QUARTER-Final slots in the 2023 TG4 All-Ireland Senior and Intermediate Championships are up for grabs on Sunday – with nine games down for decision.

There are four key games in store in the Senior Championship, including two fixtures live on TG4, with five Intermediate ties on the agenda.

The live TV action gets underway at 1.30pm from Fraher Field in Dungarvan, as Waterford entertain TG4 All-Ireland Senior champions Meath, before the meeting of Armagh and Mayo at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds at 3.30pm.

All games at 2pm unless stated

Sunday June 25

TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship

Group 1
Armagh v Mayo; Athletic Grounds, 3.30pm – Live on TG4

Armagh welcome Mayo to the Athletic Grounds looking to book a place in the last eight.

A win against Mayo would also guarantee a home quarter-final for the Orchard County, who defeated Laois last weekend in Round 1.

Sunday’s tie will be a first competitive outing for Mayo since May 7, when they landed the TG4 Connacht Senior crown in impressive fashion with victory over Galway.

Mayo made it to the semi-finals of the All-Ireland series last year and in a wide-open race for the Brendan Martin Cup, they’ll fancy their chances of another good run.

Two sides who harbour genuine All-Ireland hopes meet here in what promises to be a cracking TV clash.

Armagh: A Carr; S Grey, C McCambridge, L Kenny; G Ferguson, L McConville, C Towe; N Coleman, E Lavery; B Mackin, A Mackin, E Druse; N Marley, K Mallon (capt.), A McCoy.

Mayo: L Brennan; É Ronayne, R Flynn, D Caldwell; C Needham, F McHale, K Sullivan (capt.); A Geraghty, S Cafferky; S Howley, R Kearns, M Cannon; L Cafferky, D Doherty, S Walsh.

Group 2

Waterford v Meath; Fraher Field, 1.30pm – Live on TG4

Meath, looking for a third successive title, begin their campaign in the All-Ireland series with a trip to Dungarvan.

For hosts Waterford, this is a must-win encounter after losing out to Donegal last weekend.

A victory for Meath here would ensure progress to the last eight for the holders and Donegal ahead of the final round of matches.

Meath have Jenny Rispin preparing for her first game in charge as interim manager, following the departure of Davy Nelson.

Waterford will look to make home advantage count and this has makings of a super tie on TG4.

Waterford: E O’Brien; C Murray, L Mulcahy, A Murray; E Power, E Murray, Karen McGrath (capt.); A O’Neill, B McMaugh; K Hogan, A Fitzgerald, A Waring; K Murray, Kate McGrath, L McGregor.

Meath: M McGuirk; Á Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, K Newe; M Byrne, S Ennis (capt.), E Duggan; M O’Shaughnessy, A Minogue; M Thynne, V Wall, N Gallogly; O Lally, S Grimes, N O’Sullivan.

Group 3

Cavan v Dublin; Kingspan Breffni

Dublin showed enough in defeat to Kerry at Parnell Park last weekend to suggest that they’ll have a say in the All-Ireland race.

But to put themselves in the frame for a knockout place, they simply have to win against Cavan at Kingspan Breffni.

Dublin were very comfortable winners when the counties met in the group phase last year and they’ll be expected to claim victory again.

But Cavan will be aiming for a big showing after a disappointing Ulster campaign saw them battle gamely against Donegal, before losing heavily to Armagh.

It’s a big ask for Cavan, who also have Kerry to face in this group.

Cavan: Róisín O’Reilly; G Faulkner, S Lynch, C Charters; Z Fay, C Brady, Rebecca O’Reilly; N Byrd (capt.), A Cahill; A Walls, A Sheridan, A Halton; G Smith, G Sheridan, A Gilsenan.

DublIn: A Shiels; N Crowley, G Fitzsimons, N Donlon; F O’Connell-Bell, A Kane, O Nolan; J Dunne, N Hetherton; A Timothy, D Lawless, C Rowe (capt.); H Tyrrell, S Wylde, K Sullivan.

Group 4

Tipperary v Galway; Templetuohy

A Galway win in Templetuohy will put the Connacht champions safely through to the quarter-finals – and as table-toppers.

Tipp played three games in the Munster Senior Championship and while they lost them all, the margins were tight.

Tipp lost by three points to Cork, by two against Waterford and six points separated them from Kerry.

Tipp, with home advantage, will aim to be ultra-competitive against a Galway side that really impressed against Cork last weekend.

Any worries that Galway would be scarred from losing the Lidl NFL Division 1 and Connacht Finals were dispelled as the Westerners came flying out of the traps in the All-Ireland series.

Tipperary: L Fitzpatrick; E Kelly, L Spillane, E Cronin; M Curley (capt.), L Morrissey, C O’Dwyer; E Morrissey, N Towey; S English, M Murphy, C English; A McGuigan, N Martin, A Moloney.

Galway: K Connolly; K Geraghty, S Ní Loingsigh (capt.), A Ní Cheallaigh; A Molloy, L Ward, S Brennan; N Ward, H Noone; O Divilly, L Coen, L Noone; T Leonard, A Davoren, R Leonard.

TG4 All Ireland Intermediate Championship

Group 1

Kildare v Louth; Manguard Plus Hawkfield COE, 1.30pm

Kildare and Louth will battle it out for a quarter-final slot at the Manguard Plus Hawkfield Centre of Excellence.

A win for Kildare will see them finish on top Group 1, with Leitrim also progressing to the last eight.

A Louth victory, however, would throw the cat among the pigeons and see all three teams locked together on three points.

Then, the top two will be decided by scoring difference, with Kildare (+5) currently ahead of Leitrim (-3) and Louth (-2).

Group 2

Clare v Tyrone; Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford

Clare and Tyrone are both safely through to the last eight already.

This fixture will decide who claims a home quarter-final, however, so that’s a big prize at stake.

Clare have been the more prolific scorers thus far but Tyrone have been no slouches in front of the posts either. With the shackles off, this could be a brilliant game between two of the leading contenders.

Wicklow v Offaly; Baltinglass

Offaly and Wicklow are both battling now to stay alive in the Intermediate grade.

The bottom-placed team in each group will be plunged into relegation play-offs, with two teams to drop down from the Intermediate grade this year.

In their two games to date, Offaly have been scoring more freely than Wicklow, while also conceding less. But everything points to a really close game here.

Group 3

Monaghan v Roscommon; Smithborough

Wexford, runners-up for the last two years, are safely through to the quarter-finals from Group 3 after two wins.

Sunday’s game between Monaghan and Roscommon is now a straight shoot-out to see who joins them.

Roscommon lost by just a point to Wexford, who defeated Monaghan by five, and this final group fixture could go right to the wire.

If Monaghan and Roscommon draw, the team that finishes higher in the group will be the team that registers the highest number of points (scores converted over the bar) during Sunday’s game.

If they can’t be separated after that, it’s down to scoring difference, and Roscommon have the edge before play commences.

Group 4

Antrim v Longford; Erin’s Own, Cargin

The conclusion of Group 4 has thrown up a crucial game as Antrim welcome Longford to Cargin.

Following Alan Mullen’s departure, Longford have named Sean Meenaghan as manager and this looks like an uphill task for the Midlanders.

Longford lost by 17 points against Westmeath last weekend, and Antrim managed to get the better of Westmeath in their opening game.

An Antrim win will see them through to the last eight as table-toppers, with Westmeath joining them, while it will boil down to scoring difference should Longford spring a surprise.