Senior footballers hope to reach seventh semi-final ina-row

With Kerry and Tipperary, the latter for the first time in 81 years, through to the GAA football All-Ireland semi-finals, the battle to join them will take place before a sell-out crowd in Croke Park this Saturday.

Ulster champions, Tyrone face Mayo at 4.0, followed by defending All-Ireland champions, Dublin against Donegal at 6.0.

The winners of the first game will play Tipperary in the semi-final on August 21 while the Dublin-Donegal winners will take on Kerry on August 28.

DONEGAL v DUBLIN

They meet for the sixth time in the championship with each side having won twice while there was one draw from the previous five meetings. Their last meeting was in 2014 when Donegal won the semi-final by six points.

Dublin are bidding to reach the semi-final for a seventh successive year while Donegal are trying to reach the last four for the fourth time in six seasons, having missed out in 2013 and last year.

PATHS TO THE QUARTER-FINAL

Dublin 2-21 Laois 2-10 (Leinster quarter-final)

Dublin 0-21 Meath 0-11 (Leinster semi-final)

Dublin 2-19 Westmeath 0-10 (Leinster final)

Top Scorers

Dean Rock…… …….1-28 (0-23f)

Diarmuid Connolly… ...1-9

Bernard Brogan………1-7

Kevin McManamon…..1-3

***

Donegal 2-12 Fermanagh 0-11 (Ulster quarter-final)

Monaghan 0-14 Donegal 1-11 (Ulster semi-final)

Donegal 0-17 Monaghan 2-10 (Ulster semi-final) Replay

Tyrone 0-13 Donegal 0-11 (Ulster final)

Donegal 0-21 Cork 1-15 (All-Ireland Qualifier – Round 4)

TOP SCORERS

Paddy McBrearty......0-26 (0-13 frees)

Michael Murphy........0-13 (0-9 frees, 0-1 ‘45’)

Odran MacNiallais....3-4

Ryan McHugh............0-6

PREVIOUS CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2014: Donegal 3-14 Dublin 0-17 (All-Ireland semi-final)

2011: Dublin 0-8 Donegal 0-6 (All-Ireland semi-final)

2002: Dublin 1-14 Donegal 0-7 (All-Ireland quarter-final replay)

2002: Dublin 2-8 Donegal 0-14 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

1992: Donegal 0-18 Dublin 0-14 (All-Ireland final)

PREVIOUS ALL-IRELAND QUARTER-FINAL APPEARANCES

DUBLIN

They have played in 17 quarter-finals, winning nine, drawing three and losing five. The only year they didn’t qualify for the quarter-finals (introduced in 2001) was in 2003 when they lost to Armagh in the qualifiers.

2015: Dublin 2-23 Fermanagh 2-15

2014: Dublin 2-22 Monaghan 0-11

2013: Dublin 1-16 Cork 0-12

2012: Dublin 1-12 Laois 0-12

2011: Dublin 0-22 Tyrone 0-15

2010: Dublin 1-15 Tyrone 0-13

2009: Kerry 1-24 Dublin 1-7

2008: Tyrone 3-14 Dublin 1-8

2007: Dublin 0-18 Derry 0-15

2006: Dublin 1-12 Westmeath 0-5

2005: Tyrone 2-18 Dublin 1-14 (replay)

2005: Dublin 1-14 Tyrone 1-14 (draw)

2004: Kerry 1-15 Dublin 1-8

2002: Dublin 1-14 Donegal 0-7 (replay)

2002: Dublin 2-8 Donegal 0-14(draw)

2001: Kerry 2-12 Dublin 1-12 (replay)

2001: Dublin 2-11 Kerry 1-14 (draw)

***

DONEGAL

They have played in eleven quarter-finals, winning four, drawing two and losing five.

2015: Mayo 2-13 Donegal 0-11

2014: Donegal 1-12 Armagh 1-11

2013: Mayo 4-17 Donegal 1-10 2012: Donegal 1-12 Kerry 1-10

2011: Donegal 1-12 Kildare 0-14 (after extra-time)

2009: Cork 1-27 Donegal 2-10

2006: Cork 1-11 Donegal 1-10

2003: Donegal 0-14 Galway 0-11 (Replay)

2003: Donegal 0-14 Galway 1-11 (Draw)

2002: Dublin 1-14 Donegal 0-7 (Replay)

2002: Dublin 2-8 Donegal 0-14 (Draw)

LAST CHAMPIONSHIP CLASH

DONEGAL 3-14 DUBLIN 0-17 (2014 All-Ireland semi-final)

Dublin led by five points in the first half but a Donegal revival took them into a one point lead at half-time (1-8 to 0-10). Further goals by Colm McFadden and Ryan McHugh in the second half saw Donegal through at the expense of the defending All-Ireland champions.

Donegal: P Durcan; E McGee, N McGee, P McGrath; A Thompson, K Lacey (0-1), F McGlynn (0-1), N Gallagher, O MacNiallais (0-1), R Kavanagh (0-1), L McLoone, R McHugh (2-2), David Walsh, M Murphy (0-3, 0-2 frees), C McFadden (1-3, 0-2 frees). Subs: C Toye for David Walsh, P McBrearty (0-2) for McLoone, Declan Walsh for N McGee, M McElhinney for Kavanagh, D O’Connor for McFadden, M O’Reilly for MacNiallais.

Dublin: S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, R O'Carroll, P McMahon (0-1), J McCarthy, J Cooper, J McCaffrey; MD Macauley, C O'Sullivan; P Flynn (0-4), A Brogan (0-2), D Connolly (0-5, 0-1free), C Costello, E O'Gara, B Brogan (0-3, 0-1free) Subs: N Devereux for McCaffrey, K McManamon for Costello, D Rock for O’Gara, P Andrews (0-2) for A Brogan, D Daly for Cooper, P Mannion for O’Sullivan

LAST COMPETITIVE CLASH

Dublin 1-10 Donegal 0-7 (2016 Allianz League, Croke Park, March 26)

Donegal led by a point early in the second half (0-6 to 0-5) but scored just one more point, while Dublin added 1-5, the goal coming from Philly McMahon.

MAYO v TYRONE

This will be the fifth championship clash between the counties, with Mayo winning three to Tyrone’s one of the previous four. They last met in the championship in 2013 when Mayo won the All-Ireland semi-final by six points.

Mayo are seeking to reach the All-Ireland semi-final for a sixth successive year while Tyrone have been in two of the last four semi-finals. They are back in the quarter-final as Ulster champions for the first time since 2010. Mayo last reached the quarter-finals via the qualifiers in 2005.

PATHS TO THE QUARTER-FINAL

Mayo 2-16 London 0-9 (Connacht quarter-final)

Galway 1-12 Mayo 0-12 (Connacht semi-final)

Mayo 2-14 Fermanagh 1-12 (All-Ireland qualifier – Round 2)

Mayo 2-17 Kildare 0-14 (All-Ireland qualifier – Round 3)

Mayo 3-15 Westmeath 1-14 (All-Ireland qualifier – Round 4)

Top Scorers

Cillian O’Connor......2-18 (0-12 frees, 2-0 pen, 0-2 ‘45s)

Evan Regan...............1-16 (0-10 frees)

Jason Doherty...........2-4

Diarmuid O’Connor...1-7

****

Tyrone 3-14 Derry 0-12 (Ulster quarter-final)

Tyrone 3-7 Cavan 0-16 (Ulster semi-final)

Tyrone 5-18 Cavan 2-17 (Ulster semi-final replay)

Tyrone 0-13 Donegal 0-11 (Ulster final)

Top scorers

Peter Harte...............3-7 (0-1frees)

Ronan O’Neill..........2-7 (0-4 frees)

Conor McAliskey…...1-6 (0-2 frees)

Sean Cavanagh……….0-7

PREVIOUS CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2013: Mayo 1-16 Tyrone 0-13 (All-Ireland semi-final)

2008: Tyrone 0-13 Mayo 1-9 (All-Ireland qualifiers)

2004: Mayo 0-16 Tyrone 1-9 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

1989: Mayo 0-12 Tyrone 1-6 (All-Ireland semi-final)

PREVIOUS ALL-IRELAND QUARTER-FINAL APPEARANCES

Mayo are heading for their 12th quarter-final, having won seven, drawn one and lost three of their previous eleven. They have won quarter-finals in each of the last five years, beating Donegal (twice), Cork (twice) and Down.

2015: Mayo 2-13 Donegal 0-11

2014: Mayo 1-19 Cork 2-15

2013: Mayo 4-17 Donegal 1-10

2012: Mayo 3-18 Down 2-9

2011: Mayo 1-13 Cork 2-6

2009: Meath 2-15 Mayo 1-15

2006: Mayo 0-14 Laois 0-11 (replay)

2006: Mayo 0-15 Laois 0-15 (draw)

2005: Kerry 2-15 Mayo 0-18

2004: Mayo 0-16 Tyrone 1-9

2002: Cork 0-16 Mayo 1-10

***

Tyrone have played in twelve quarter-finals, winning six, losing five and drawing one.

2015: Tyrone 0-18 Monaghan 0-14

2013: Tyrone 0-14 Monaghan 0-12

2011: Dublin 0-22 Tyrone 0-15

2010: Dublin 1-15 Tyrone 0-13

2009: Tyrone 0-16 Kildare 1-11

2008: Tyrone 3-14 Dublin 1-8

2007: Meath 1-13 Tyrone 2-8

2005: Tyrone 2-18 Dublin 1-14 (replay)

2005: Tyrone 1-14 Dublin 1-14 (draw)

2004: Mayo 0-16 Tyrone 1-9

2003: Tyrone 1-21 Fermanagh 0-5

2001: Derry 1-9 Tyrone 0-7

2016 GAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

CONNACHT

May 1: Preliminary Round: Roscommon 1-15 New York 0-17, Gaelic Park.

May 22: Quarter-final: Roscommon 1-21 Leitrim 0-11, Carrick-on-Shannon.

May 29: Quarter-final: Mayo 2-16 London 0-9, Ruislip

June 12: Semi-final: Roscommon 4-16 Sligo 2-13, Dr.Hyde Park.

June 18: Semi-final: Galway 1-12 Mayo 0-12, Elverys MacHale Park.

July 10: Final: Galway 0-13 Roscommon 1-10, Pearse Stadium

July 17: Final (Replay): Galway 3-16 Roscommon 0-14, Elverys MacHale Park

LEINSTER

May 14: First Round: Louth 2-24 Carlow 3-11, O’Moore Park; Laois 3-16 Wicklow 0-18 O’Moore Park.

May 15: First Round: Offaly 2-21 Longford 2-13, O’Connor Park, Tullamore.

May 21: Quarter-final: Kildare 0-9 Wexford 0-8, Croke Park.

June 4: Quarter-final: Dublin 2-21 Laois 2-10, Nowlan Park.

June 12: Quarter-final: Meath 0-20 Louth 1-13, Parnell Park; Westmeath 0-13 Offaly 0-12, TEG Cusack Park.

June 26: Semi-finals: Dublin 0-21 Meath 0-11; Westmeath 1-12 Kildare 1-11, Croke Park.

July17: Final: Dublin 2-19 Westmeath 0-10, Croke Park.

MUNSTER

May 29: Quarter-finals: Tipperary 1-15 Waterford 1-7 Fraher Field, Dungarvan; Clare 0-16 Limerick 0-13, Gaelic Grounds

June 12: Semi-finals: Tipperary 3-15 Cork 2-16, Semple Stadium; Kerry 2-23 Clare 0-17, Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney

July 3: Final: Kerry 3-17 Tipperary 2-10, Killarney

ULSTER

May 15: Preliminary Round: Fermanagh 1-12 Antrim 0-9, Brewster Park.

May 22: Quarter-final: Tyrone 3-14 Derry 0-12, Celtic Park

May 29: Quarter-final: Cavan 2-16 Armagh 0-14, Kingspan Breffni Park.

June 5: Quarter-final: Monaghan 2-22 Down 0-9, Clones

June 12: Quarter-final: Donegal 2-12 Fermanagh 0-11, Ballybofey

June 19: Semi-final: Tyrone 0-16 Cavan 3-7, Clones

June 25: Semi-final: Monaghan 0-14 Donegal 1-11, Kingspan Breffni Park.

July 2: Semi-final replay: Donegal 0-17 Monaghan 2-10, Kingspan Park.

July 3: Semi-final replay: Tyrone 5-18 Cavan 2-17, Clones

July 17: Final: Clones: Tyrone 0-13 Donegal 0-11, Clones.

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 18: Qualifiers – Round 1A: Derry 1-18 Louth 2-10, Owenbeg; *Laois 1-10 Armagh 0-10, Portlaoise (Re-fixture arranged); Carlow 1-17 Wicklow 1-12, Netwatch Cullen Park; June 19: Leitrim 0-12 Waterford 0-8, Carrick-on-Shannon; July 2: Re-fixture: Laois 1-11 Armagh 1-10, Portlaoise.

June 25: Qualifiers – Round 1B: Offaly 0-17 London 1-7, Tullamore;

Fermanagh 0-19 Wexford 1-11, Innovate Wexford Park; Limerick 2-6 Antrim 0-9, Corrigan Park, Belfast; Longford 2-24 Down 3-17, Newry (after extra-time:

July 2: Qualifiers – Round 2A: Sligo 2-15 Leitrim 0-10, Markievicz Park;

July 9: Qualifiers - Round 2A: Cavan 2-13 Carlow 0-12, Kingspan Breffni Park;

Derry 1-14 Meath 1-11, Owenbeg; 2B: Mayo 2-14 Fermanagh 1-12, Elverys MacHale Park; Kildare 1-22 Offaly 2-14, Newbridge; Cork 2-12 Limerick 0-10, Thurles; Longford 2-13 Monaghan 1-13, Clones.

July 10: Qualifier: 2A: Clare 0-14 Laois 1-10, Ennis

July 16: Qualifiers – Round 3A: Clare 2-17 Sligo 1-13, Markievicz Park; Derry 1-17 Cavan 0-18, Kingspan Breffni Park; Round 3B: Mayo 2-17 Kildare 0-14, Elverys MacHale Park; Cork 2-9 Longford 1-6, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

July 23: Qualifiers – Round 4A: Clare 2-12 Roscommon 1-9, Pearse Stadium; Tipperary 1-21 Derry 2-17, Kingspan Breffni Park

July 30: Qualifiers – Round 4B: Cork 0-21 Donegal 1-15, Croke Park; Mayo 3-15 Westmeath 1-14, Croke Park

QUARTER-FINALS

July 31: Tipperary 3-13 Galway 1-10; Kerry 2-16 Clare 0-11, Croke Park.

August 6: Tyrone v Mayo; Dublin v Donegal, Croke Park

SEMI-FINALS

August 21: Tipperary v Tyrone or Mayo, Croke Park

August 28: Dublin or Donegal v Kerry, Croke Park

FINAL

September 18: Croke Park