Dubs and Kildare to meet for 17th time in Leinster SFC final

Fourteen counties remain in contention for the 2017 GAA football All-Ireland title, heading for a weekend where the main attractions are the Leinster and Ulster finals. Two Round 3B All-Ireland qualifiers are also on the programme.

The counties still in the All-Ireland race are: Dublin, Kildare, Carlow, Down, Tyrone, Donegal, Monaghan, Armagh, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Cork, Tipperary.

Next weekend’s programme is as follows:

SATURDAY

Round 3B qualifiers

Tipperary v Armagh, Semple Stadium, Thurles, 5.0

Carlow v Monaghan, Netwatch Cullen Park, 7.0

SUNDAY

Ulster SF final: Down v Tyrone, Clones 2.0

Leinster SF final: Dublin v Kildare, Croke Park, 4.0

DUBLIN v KILDARE

Dublin are bidding to create history by becoming the first county to win the Leinster title for seven successive years. Kildare are bidding to win the title for the first time since 2000.

PATHS TO THE FINAL

Dublin 0-19 Carlow 0-7

Dublin 4-29 Westmeath 0-10

Top Scorers

Dean Rock............1-11 (0-9 frees, 0-2 ‘45s’)

Ciaran Kilkenny....1-6

Paul Mannion........0-9

Kildare 1-21 Laois 1-7

Kildare 2-16 Meath 0-13

Top Scorers

Daniel Flynn........2-7

Cathal McNally...1-6

Kevin Feely........0-7 (0-5 frees)

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2015: Dublin 5-18 Kildare 0-14 (Leinster semi-final)

2013: Dublin 4-16 Kildare 1-9 (Leinster semi-final)

2011: Dublin 1-12 Kildare 1-11 (Leinster semi-final)

2009: Dublin 2-15 Kildare 0-18 (Leinster final)

2002: Dublin 2-13 Kildare 2-11 (Leinster final)

PREVIOUS DUBLIN v KILDARE LEINSTER FINALS

They have met in 16 Leinster finals with Dublin winning 10 to Kildare’s four, with two draws.

2009: Dublin 2-15 Kildare 0-18

2002: Dublin 2-13 Kildare 2-11

2000: Kildare 2-11 Dublin 0-12 (Replay)

2000: Kildare 0-14 Dublin 0-14 (Draw)

1993: Dublin 0-11 Kildare 0-7

1992: Dublin 1-13 Kildare 0-10

1978: Dublin 1-17 Kildare 1-6

1975: Dublin 3-13 Kildare 0-8

1928: Kildare 0-10 Dublin 1-6

1927: Kildare 0-5 Dublin 0-3

1921: Dublin 3-3 Kildare 1-2 (Replay)

1921: Dublin 0-6 Kildare 1-3 (Draw)

1920: Dublin 1-3 Kildare 0-3

1919: Kildare 1-3 Dublin 1-2

1908: Dublin 1-7 Kildare 0-3

1906: Dublin 1-9 Kildare 0-8

PREVIOUS LEINSTER TITLE WINS

DUBLIN 55: (1891-92-94-96-97-98-99-1901-02-04-06-07-08-20-21-22-23-24-32-33-34-41-42-55-58-59-62-63-65-74-75-76-77-78-79-83-84-85-89-92-93-94-95-2002-05-06-07-08-09-11-12-13-14-15-16).

KILDARE 13: (1903-05-19-26-27-28-29-30-31-35-56-98-2000)

*Kildare’s last win over Dublin in the championship was in the 2000 Leinster final replay.

*Dublin out-scored Kildare by an aggregate score of 9-34 to 1-23 in their last two championship meetings in 2015 and 2013.

*High scorers...Dublin scored a total of 4-48 in their Leinster quarter and semi-final wins over Carlow and Westmeath while Kildare accumulated 3-37 in the wins over Laois and Meath.

*Dublin have not conceded a goal in their last four Leinster SFC games against Westmeath this year and the 2016 Leinster final, Carlow this year and Meath in last year’s semi-final. Stephen Attride (Laois) was the last to score a goal against Dublin in the Leinster campaign (2016 Leinster quarter-final).

DOWN v TYRONE

They meet in the Ulster final for the first time since 2003 when Tyrone won a replay.

PATHS TO THE FINAL

Down 0-15 Armagh 2-7

Down 1-14 Monaghan 0-15

Top Scorers

Darragh O’Hanlon....1-9 (0-7 frees, 1-0 pen)

Connaire Harrison.....0-5

Tyrone 0-22 Derry 0-11

Tyrone 1-21 Donegal 1-12

Top Scorers

Sean Cavanagh.......0-8 (0-7 frees)

Tiernan McCann.....1-1

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2014: Tyrone 3-11 Down 0-12 (Ulster 1st round) Replay

2014: Tyrone 2-11 Down 3-8 (Ulster 1st round) Draw

2010: Tyrone 0-14 Down 0-10 (Ulster quarter-final)

2008: Down 1-19 Tyrone 0-21 Replay - after extra-time (Ulster quarter-final)

2008: Down 2-8 Tyrone 2-8 Draw (Ulster quarter-final)

PREVIOUS DOWN v TYRONE ULSTER FINAL CLASHES

This is the seventh Ulster final between the counties. Tyrone won four to Down’s one, with one draw, in the previous six.

2003: Tyrone 0-23 Down 1-5 (Replay)

2003: Tyrone 1-17 Down 4-8 (Draw)

1996: Tyrone 1-9 Down 0-9

1994: Down 1-17 Tyrone 1-11

1986: Tyrone 1-11 Down 0-10

1973: Tyrone 3-13 Down 1-11

PREVIOUS ULSTER TITLE WINS

DOWN 12 (1959-60-61-63-65-66-68-71-78-81-91-94)

TYRONE 14 (1956-57-73-84-86-89-95-96-2001-03-07-09-10-16)

*Tyrone are bidding to complete an Ulster championship double for the fourth time, having previously achieved it in 1956-57, 1995-96, 2009-2010.

*Down have appeared in five Ulster finals since last winning the title in 1994, losing four and drawing one. They lost to Donegal in 2012, drew with and lost to Tyrone in 2003, lost to Armagh in 1996 and to Tyrone in 1996.

*Mickey Harte is leading Tyrone into the Ulster final for the ninth time. His record reads: Won 5 (v Down 2003, Monaghan 2007 and 2010, Antrim 2009, Donegal 2016); Drew 2 (v Down 2003, Armagh 2005), Lost 1 (v Armagh 2005).

CARLOW v MONAGHAN

They meet in the championship for the first time.

2017 CHAMPIONSHIP

Carlow 2-17 Wexford 2-13 (Leinster 1st round)

Dublin 0-19 Carlow 0-7 (Leinster quarter-final)

Carlow 0-13 London 0-12 (Round 1 Qualifier)

Carlow 2-14 Leitrim 0-13 (Round 2 Qualifier)

Monaghan 1-15 Cavan 0-15 (Ulster quarter-final)

Down 1-14 Monaghan 0-15 (Ulster semi-final)

Monaghan 3-23 Wexford 1-11 (Round 2 Qualifier)

*Carlow, the only Division 4 team still in the championship, are in Round 3 of the All-Ireland qualifiers for the first time.

*Monaghan (4th in Div 1) finished 23 places ahead of Carlow (3rd in Div 4) in this year’s Allianz League.

TIPPERARY v ARMAGH

They meet in the championship for the first time.

2017 CHAMPIONSHIP

Down 0-15 Armagh 2-7 (Ulster quarter-final)

Armagh 0-20 Fermanagh 0-11 (Round 1 Qualifier)

Armagh 1-12 Westmeath 1-7 (Round 2 Qualifier) after extra-time

Cork 1-10 Tipperary 1-9 (Munster semi-final)

Tipperary 2-15 Cavan 0-18 Round 2 Qualifier)

*The last competitive clash between the counties was in the final round of the Allianz League (Division 3) last April when Tipperary staged a great recovery to win by 3-8 to 0-16 in the Athletic Grounds. Michael Quinlivan scored 3-1 from open play, helping Tipperary to a victory which secured promotion while Armagh just missed out.

*Tipperary are bidding to reach Round 4 of the qualifiers for the third time in four seasons, having previously got there in 2014 and 2016.

*Armagh last qualified for Round 4 of the qualifiers in 2014.

GAA FOOTBALL ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIP 2017: FIXTURES & RESULTS

CONNACHT

May 7: Preliminary Round: Sligo 1-21 New York 1-13, Gaelic Park. May 21: Quarter-final: Mayo 2-14 Sligo 0-11, Elverys MacHale Park. May 28: Leitrim 3-10 London 0-16, Ruislip June 11: Semi-final: Galway 0-15 Mayo 1-11, Pearse Stadium. June 18: Semi-final: Roscommon 2-23 Leitrim 1-9, Dr Hyde Park. July 9: Final: Roscommon 2-15 Galway 0-12, Pearse Stadium.

LEINSTER

May 21: First Round: Carlow 2-17 Wexford 2-13, Netwatch Cullen Park; Laois 4-15 Longford 0-16, O’Moore Park; Louth 1-19 Wicklow 1-14, Parnell Park June 3: Quarter-final: Dublin 0-19 Carlow 0-7, O’Moore Park. June 4: Quarter-finals: Kildare 1-21 Laois 1-7, Bord na Móna O’Connor Park; Meath 0-27 Louth 3-9, Parnell Park. June 11: Quarter-final: Offaly 0-10 Westmeath 0-10, Bord na Móna O’Connor Park. June 17: Quarter-final replay: Westmeath 3-17 Offaly 0-15, TEG Cusack Park; Semi-final: Kildare 2-16 Meath 0-13, Bord na Móna O’Connor Park; June 25: Semi-final: Dublin 4-29 Westmeath 0-10, Croke Park. July 16: Final: Dublin v Kildare, Croke Park.

MUNSTER

May 27: Quarter-final: Cork 1-12 Waterford 1-11, Fraher Field, Dungarvan; May 28: Quarter-final: Clare 1-13 Limerick 1-12, Cusack Park.

June 10: Semi-final: Cork 1-10 Tipperary 1-9, Pairc Ui Rinn.

June 11: Semi-final: Kerry 1-18 Clare 1-12, Ennis.

July 2: Final: Kerry 1-23 Cork 0-15, Killarney.

ULSTER

May 20: Preliminary Round: Monaghan 1-20 Fermanagh 1-11, Clones. May 21: Quarter-final: Donegal 3-19 Antrim 1-9, Ballybofey May 28: Quarter -final: Tyrone 0-22 Derry 0-11, Celtic Park June 4: Quarter-final: Down 0-15 Armagh 2-7, Newry. June 11: Quarter-final: Monaghan 1-15 Cavan 0-15, Kingspan Breffni. June 18: Semi-final: Tyrone 1-21 Donegal 1-12, Clones. June 25: Semi-final: Down 1-14 Monahan 0-15, Athletic Grounds. July 16: Final: Tyrone v Down, Clones.

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 17: Qualifiers: Round 1A: Derry 1-17 Waterford 0-13, Fraher Field, Dungarvan; Longford 2-15 Louth 1-10, Drogheda; Laois 2-16 Wicklow 3-10, Joule Park Aughrim; Sligo 0-22 Antrim 3-7, Markievicz Park. June 24: Qualifiers: Round 1B: Wexford 0-12 Limerick 0-11, Gaelic Grounds;

June 25: Qualifiers Round 1B: Carlow 0-13 London 0-12, McGovern Park, Ruislip; Armagh 0-20 Fermanagh 0-11, Athletic Grounds; Cavan 1-17 Offaly 0-16, Tullamore. July 1: Qualifiers: Round 2A: Meath 0-14 Sligo 1-9, Navan; Mayo 2-21 Derry 1-13 (aet), Castlebar; Donegal 0-12 Longford 0-7, Ballybofey; Clare 2-18 Laois 0-14, Portlaoise. July 8: Qualifiers: Round 3A: Mayo 2-14 Clare 0-13, Ennis; Donegal 1-15 Meath 1-14, Navan; 2B: Tipperary 2-15 Cavan 0-18, Kingspan Breffni Park; Carlow 2-14 Leitrim 0-13, Netwatch Cullen Park; Monaghan 3-23 Wexford 1-11, Innovate Wexford Park; Westmeath v Armagh, TEG Cusack Park. July 15: Qualifiers: Round 3B: Carlow v Monaghan, Netwatch Cullen Park; Tipperary v Armagh, Thurles. July 22: Qualifiers: Round 4A: Cork v Mayo, Gaelic Grounds; Galway v Donegal, Markievicz Park.

July 29/30: Qualifiers: Round 4B (Two 3B winners v losers of Ulster and Leinster finals, subject to avoiding re-matches from the provincial series)

QUARTER-FINALS July 30: Roscommon v 4A Winner; Kerry v 4A winner August 5: Dublin or Kildare v 4B Winner; Down or Tyrone v 4B winner

SEMI-FINALS August 20: Connacht champions* v Munster champions* August 27: Leinster champions* v Ulster champions* *Or quarter-final winners

FINAL September 17: Final