Byrne relishing SFC quarter-finals

Tue, 9th July 2019

The All-Ireland SFC picks up pace this weekend with the first round of games in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

The Dubs are in Group 2 along with Cork, Roscommon and Tyrone - the Rossies and Tyrone were also in Dublin's grouping last summer. Group 1 consists of Kerry, Donegal, Mayo and Meath - so there are two counties from each province remaining in the race.

This Saturday night Jim Gavin's men face a resurgent Cork in Croke Park (7.0) - it will be the 16th year in succession that Dublin have competed at the quarter-final stage while for Cork it's their first time since 2014.

Dublin defender David Byrne is relishing the prospect of the upcoming quick sequence of games.

“We've been lucky enough that we've had a great run of success since I have joined," says the Nh Olaf clubman.

"I'm just lucky to be born at the time I was and joined the panel at the time I did.

“I came into the panel in 2013, I was pretty young, straight after minor.

"Straightaway I got a sense of how seriously everyone takes it, how much of an honour it is to be playing with these lads everyday,” adds the Dublin minor All-Ireland winning captain of 2012.

“You are guaranteed three games, three games in quick succession. I'm going to enjoy it, make the most out of it, just delighted to be playing.

“It is where you want to be at this time of the year. To know you have three guaranteed games is great. We are just looking forward to playing them.”

ALL-IRELAND QUARTER-FINALS GROUPINGS

Group 1: Kerry (Munster champions), Donegal (Ulster champions), Mayo, Meath.

Group 2: Dublin (Leinster champions), Roscommon (Connacht champions), Cork, Tyrone

ALL-IRELAND SFC QUARTER-FINALS

GROUP 1: Phase 1

SUNDAY, JULY 14

Mac Cumhaill Park, Ballybofey: Donegal v Meath, 2.0

Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney: Kerry v Mayo, 4.0

GROUP 1: Phase 2

SUNDAY, JULY 21