Armagh take on Roscommon followed by Dublin’s meeting with Galway on Saturday, while Donegal face Louth ahead of Kerry’s game against Derry on Sunday
Kerry captain Paudie Clifford will lead his team out against Derry in next Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final at Croke Park. Photo by Sportsfile
Kerry have been handed the second slot of a Sunday double-header for their All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Derry. The GAA have announced the dates and times for all four quarter-finals, with Kerry’s game against Derry the last of the four to be played. The game will throw in at 3.15pm next Sunday, June 30. David Coldrick will be on refereeing duties, and – as with all four quarter-finals – extra-time will be played if required and there will be a winner on the day.
Kerry versus Derry will be preceded on Sunday by the game between Donegal and Louth, with a 1.15pm start, and Joe McQuillan from Cavan on the whistle. Both of Sunday’s matches will be broadcast live on RTE.
The quarter-finals weekend gets underway with the meeting of Armagh and Roscommon on Saturday, with that game throwing in at 4pm. Martin McNally from Monaghan is the referee in charge. That game will be followed by the meeting of reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin against Galway, with a 6.15pm start. Tyrone referee Sean Hurson will officiate that match. Both of Saturday’s matches will be shown on the streaming service GAAGO.
The meeting of Kerry and Derry will be a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, which Kerry won by 1-17 to 1-15.
The Munster champions will face a Derry team that had lost three Championship games – one in Ulster and two in the All-Ireland Group Phase – but got themselves back on track with a Group 1 win over Westmeath to qualify them in third place in that group, and Derry backed up that win last Saturday with an All-Ireland Preliminary Quarter-final win over Mayo. That game, in Castlebar, went to a penalty shoot-out, which the Oak Leaf county won, and the reigning National League champions are certain to present an extremely tough proposition for Kerry.
A year ago Derry – who were then managed by Ciaran Meenagh after Rory Gallagher had stepped down from the job – ran Kerry to two points in the All-Ireland semi-final, with the Ulster county left to rue several missed goal chances. Mickey Harte was subsequently appointed the Derry manager, and next weekend’s All-Ireland quarter-final will be another sideline battle between Harte and Jack O’Connor. Harte was the Louth team manager when the counties met in last year’s All-Ireland SFC Group Phase, a game Kerry won by 28 points.
The caveats built in to Monday morning’s All-Ireland quarter-final draw meant Kerry could only play Derry, Galway or Roscommon on the last eight, as a repeat fixture against Louth – who Kerry played in the Group Phase – was not permitted.
Armagh were drawn first to face Roscommon, followed by the pairing of Dublin against Galway. That meant Kerry had to play Derry, with the remaining quarter-final between Louth and the Ulster champions Donegal.
The quarter-finals will be played in Croke Park, two next Saturday and two on Sunday. The GAA’s CCCC will arrange the days and throw-in times for all four quarter-finals later on Monday.
The All-Ireland semi-finals will take place a fortnight after the quarter-finals, on the weekend of July 13 and 14, and if a draw is required it will take place on RTÉ’s The Sunday Game evening show next weekend straight after Kerry’s quarter-final against Derry.
The semi-finals will carry the caveat of avoiding repeat meetings from earlier in the Championship, including the provincial championships. If Kerry beat Derry the only team they would be precluded from meeting in the last four would be Louth, were the Wee county to beat Donegal next weekend. If repeat pairings are unavoidable in the semi-finals then a simple open draw will take place.
All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals
Armagh v Roscommon
Dublin v Galway
Donegal v Louth
Kerry v Derry
