Senior footballers hoping to stay on track in Leinster

Six of the eight provincial finalists in the 2017 GAA football All-Ireland championships have been decided and the list will be completed next weekend when Ulster and Leinster stage their second semi-finals.

It’s Cork v Kerry in the Munster final (July 2) and Galway v Roscommon (July 9) in Connacht. Kildare are through to the Leinster final (July 16) for the first time since 2009 and will be joined by the winners of next Sunday’s Dublin v Westmeath clash.

Tyrone have reached the Ulster final (July 16) and will play the winners of next Saturday’s Down v Monaghan semi-final.

Four All-Ireland qualifiers (1B) are also on next weekend’s programme.

SATURDAY

Ulster semi-final: Down v Monaghan, Athletic Grounds, 7.0

All-Ireland Qualifiers (1B): Limerick v Wexford, Gaelic Grounds, 3.0

SUNDAY

Leinster semi-final: Dublin v Westmeath, Croke Park 4.0

All-Ireland Qualifiers (1B): London v Carlow, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1.0, Armagh v Fermanagh, Athletic Grounds, 6.30, Offaly v Cavan, Bord na Móna O’Connor Park, Tullamore, 6.30

DUBLIN v WESTMEATH

They meet for a third successive year in what will be the 19th championship meeting between the counties with wins standing at 15-3 in Dublin’s favour from the previous 18 games. Westmeath’s last win over Dublin was in 2004. Their only other wins were in 1967 and 1931.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2016: Dublin 2-19 Westmeath 0-10 (Leinster final)

2015: Dublin 2-13 Westmeath 0-6 (Leinster final)

2013: Dublin 1-22 Westmeath 0-9 (Leinster quarter-final)

2009: Dublin 4-26 Westmeath 0-11 (Leinster semi-final)

2008: Dublin 0-13 Westmeath 1-8 (Leinster semi-final)

*Westmeath are bidding to reach the Leinster final for a third successive season, something they never previously achieved.

*Dublin are bidding to reach the Leinster final for a seventh successive year.

*Dublin beat Carlow (0-19 to 0-7) in the quarter-final. Westmeath drew with Offaly (0-10 each) and won the replay 3-17 to 0-15.

*Westmeath (1st Division 4) finished 23 places behind Dublin (1st Division) on this year’s Allianz Leagues tables.

*The winners will play Kildare in the Leinster final on July 16.

DID YOU KNOW?

Since the start of the 2005 season Dublin have won 36, drawn one (v Meath in 2007) and lost one (v Meath 2010) of 38 Leinster championship games.

DOWN v MONAGHAN

They meet for a second successive year, with Monaghan having won by 17 points in last year’s Ulster quarter-final. Conor McManus (0-8) and Kieran Hughes were Monaghan’s top scorers.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2016: Monaghan 2-22 Down 0-9 (Ulster quarter-final)

2012: Down 1-14 Monaghan 1-13 (Ulster semi-final)

2007: Monaghan 2-15 Down 1-15 (Ulster quarter-final)

2003: Down 1-12 Monaghan 0-13 (Ulster quarter-final)

1996: Down 0-14 Monaghan 0-9 (Ulster quarter-final)

*Monaghan beat Cavan by 1-15 to 0-15 in the Ulster quarter-final while Down beat Armagh by 0-15 to 2-7.

*Down last reached the Ulster final in 2012, losing to Donegal.

*Monaghan are bidding to reach the Ulster final for the fourth time in five seasons, having won in 2013 and 2015 and lost in 2014.

*Malachy O’Rourke is in his fifth season with Monaghan; Eamonn Burns is in his second with Down.

*The winners will play Tyrone in the Ulster final on July 16.

DID YOU KNOW?

Six counties - Armagh, Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Tyrone, Monaghan – have won the Ulster titles since Down were last successful in 1994.

ARMAGH v FERMANAGH

*They meet for the first time in the championship since 2010 when Armagh won a Round 2 qualifier tie by 0-11 to 0-7 in Enniskillen.

*Armagh lost this year’s Ulster quarter-final by 0-15 to 2-7 while Fermanagh lost to Donegal by 3-19 to 1-9.

*Fermanagh’s last championship win over Armagh was in the 2004 All-Ireland quarter-final.

*Armagh lost to Laois twice in last year’s qualifiers. Laois won the Round 1 game by 1-10 to 0-10 but a re-match was ordered after Laois played too many subs. Laois won the re-match by 1-11 to 1-10.

*Fermanagh beat Wexford and lost Mayo in last year’s qualifiers.

DID YOU KNOW?

This is Kieran McGeeney’s third season as Armagh manager. He has seen his side win only one championship game (v Wicklow in 2015 qualifiers) in that period.

LIMERICK v WEXFORD

*Limerick lost to Clare (1-13 to 1-12) in this year’s Munster quarter-final; Wexford lost to Carlow (2-17 to 2-13) in the Leinster first round.

*Limerick and Wexford last met in the championship in the 2011 All-Ireland qualifiers when the Shannonsiders won by 1-18 to 1-17 in Portlaoise.

*Their last competitive clash was in Round 1 of this year’s Division 4 Allianz League campaign, when Wexford won by 0-14 to 1-8 in Innovate Wexford Park. Wexford later went on to win promotion after finishing second to Westmeath on 10 points. Limerick finished fourth on eight points.

*Limerick beat Antrim and lost to Cork in last year’s qualifiers; Wexford lost to Fermanagh in the first round.

DID YOU KNOW?

Both counties have enjoyed big-time success in the qualifiers. Wexford reached the 2008 All-Ireland quarter-final when beating Down in a Round 4 qualifier. Wexford beat Armagh in the quarter-final before losing to Tyrone in the semi-final.

In 2011, Limerick beat Offaly, Waterford and Wexford in the qualifiers to reach the All-Ireland quarter-finals for the first time. They lost to Kerry in the quarter-final.

LONDON v CARLOW

*Carlow beat Wexford (2-17 to 2-13) and lost to Dublin (0-19 to 0-7) in this year’s Leinster championship; London lost to Leitrim by 3-10 to 0-16 in the Connacht championship.

*London beat Carlow in Netwatch Cullen Park by 2-15 to 0-16 in Round 2 of this year’s Division 4 Allianz League. It was London’s only win from seven League games. Carlow won four, drew one and lost two of their seven games.

*Carlow beat Wicklow (1-17 to 1-12) and lost to Cavan (2-13 to 0-12) in last year’s qualifiers. London lost to Offaly (0-17 to 1-7)

DID YOU KNOW?

*London have won only one qualifier game (v Fermanagh in 2011) since the new championship was introduced in 2001. Carlow have won five games.

OFFALY v CAVAN

*They meet in the championship for the first time since the 1969 All-Ireland semi-final which went to a replay. It finished Offaly 0-12 Cavan 1-9 before the Faithful county won the replay by 3-8 to 1-10.

*Offaly will be having their third outing of this year’s championship, having drawn with Westmeath 0-10 each in the Leinster quarter-final before losing the replay by 3-17 to 0-15.

*Cavan are having their second outing of the championship, having lost to Monaghan (1-15 to 0-15) in the Ulster quarter-final.

*Offaly have won eight of 23 qualifiers ties since 2001; Cavan have won 11 and drawn one of 27 games.

*Offaly beat London and lost to Kildare in last year’s qualifiers; Cavan beat Carlow and lost to Derry.

*Cavan finished 14 places ahead of Offaly in this year’s Allianz Football League. The Breffni men came in seventh (relegated) in Division 1 while Offaly were fifth in Division 3.

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, McGovern Park, 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: Galway v Roscommon.

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 v Westmeath, Croke Park. July 16: Final: Kildare v Dublin or Westmeath, 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, Páirc Uí Rinn.

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

July 2: Final: Kerry v Cork, 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 Park.

June 18: Semi-final: Tyrone 1-21 Donegal 1-12, Clones

June 25: Semi-final: Monaghan v Down, Athletic Grounds

July 16: Final: Tyrone v Monaghan or 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: Limerick v Wexford, Gaelic Grounds;

June 25: Qualifiers Round 1B: London v Carlow, McGovern Park, Ruislip; Armagh v Fermanagh, Athletic Grounds; Offaly v Cavan, Tullamore.

July 1: Qualifiers: Round 2A: Meath v Sligo; Mayo v Derry; Donegal v Longford; Laois v Clare. July 8: Qualifiers: Round 3A; 2B July 15: Qualifiers: Round 3B July 22: Qualifiers: Round 4A July 29/30: Qualifiers: Round 4B QUARTER-FINALS July 30: Connacht winners v 4A Winner; Munster winner v 4A winner August 5: Leinster winners v 4B Winner; Ulster winners 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