Preview: Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-finals:
Saturday 8th June
Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-finals
Leitrim v Wicklow in Glennon Bros Pearse Park at 7pm (GAAGO)
This should be a match of fine margins.
Leitrim showed the slightly better form in the group phase with wins over Waterford and Longford and they also gave Kildare a good run of their money.
But Wicklow have been very competitive too, finishing the group phase on a high by beating Carlow and they were perhaps unlucky not to also get the better of Laois.
If the O’Rourke brothers, Ryan and Riordan, get a decent supply, Leitrim could nick it.
LEITRIM: Nevin O’Donnell; Cathal McHugh, Mark Diffley, Aidan Flynn; James Rooney, Radek Oberwan, Tom Prior; Donal Wrynn, Barry McNulty; Jack Foley, Mark Plunkett, Ryan O Rourke; Riordan O Rourke, Darragh Rooney, Jack Flynn. Subs: Kilian Gaffey, Adam Reynolds, Kieran Clancy, Conor Reynolds, Shane Quinn, Evan Sweeney, Jack Gilheany, Jamie McGreal, Ben Guckian, Darren Cox, Arek Oberwan
WICKLOW: Mark Jackson; Tom Moran, Malachy Stone, Patrick O Keane; Matt Nolan, Eoin Murtagh, Gavin Fogarty; Dean Healy, Craig Maguire; Darragh Fee, Oisin McGraynor, Jack Kirwan; Jonathan Carlin, Kevin Quinn, John Paul Nolan. Subs: Shane Doyle, Cathal Baker, Cillian Mc Donald, Gearoid Murphy, Joe Prendergast, Adam Arslan, Eoin Darcy, Padraig O’Toole, Christopher O’Brien, Jack Treacy, Jaques Mc Call
Limerick v Tipperary in Rathkeale at 4pm
Tipperary raised themselves from the dead in the final match of the group phase by recording a win over Wexford few saw coming and should get a bounce from that.
Limerick have also used the Tailteann Cup to rejuvenate a previously listless season with impressive wins over Offaly and London.
The Shannonsiders have a more settled look about them than a Tipp team in transition.
LIMERICK: Josh Ryan; Cormac Woulfe, Sean O’Dea, Paul Maher; Barry Coleman, Cillian Fahy, Tony McCarthy; Tommy Childs, Iain Corbett; Emmett Rigter, James Naughton, Cathal Downes; Danny Neville, Rob Childs, Peter Nash. Subs: Jeffrey Alfred, Darren O’Doherty, Jim Liston, Tommy Griffin, Ruadhan O’Connor, Colm McSweeney, Bryan Nix, Brian Ahern, Shane Costelloe, Andrew Meade, Aaron Neville.
TIPPERARY: Evan Comerford; Emmet Moloney, Jimmy Feehan, James Morris; Mark Stokes, Paudie Feehan, Stephen Grogan; Steven O’Brien, Stephen Quirke; Conall Kennedy, Jack Kennedy, Kieran Costello; Peter McGarry, Sean O’Connor, Eoghan Power. Subs: Jack Rodgers, Luke Boland, Darragh Brennan, Conor Cadell, Tadhg Condon, Teddy Doyle, Jack Kennedy, Manus McFadden, Shane O’Connell, Riain Quigley, Mark Russell
Sunday 9th June
Antrim v London in Corrigan Park at 2pm
London started the Tailteann Cup with a bang by beating Offaly but their form has tailed off since then with successive heavy defeats to Down and Limerick.
Antrim’s form has been more consistent. They defeated Tipperary and Wexford and drew with Sligo, and were only denied top spot in their group by scoring difference.
Their rising form graph suggests they’ll be too good for the exiles.
ANTRIM: Michael Byrne; Declan Lynch, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; Niall Burns, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese; Patrick McAleer, Cathal Hynds; Colm McLarnon, Patrick McBride, Ruairí McCann; Ryan McQuillan, Ruairi McCann, Marc Jordan. Subs: Luke Mulholland, Calum Higgins, Conhuir Johnston, Conor Hand, Daniel McNicholl, Dominic McEnhill, Eoin Hynds, James McDonnell, Oran Downey, Pat Shivers, Peter Healy.
LONDON: Andrew Walsh; Daire Rooney, Eoin Walsh, Nathan McElwaine; Oran Kerr, Cahir Healy, Aidan McLoughlin; Stephen Dornan, Liam Gallagher; Ciaran McKeon, Michael Carroll, Ciaran Diver; Joshua Obahor, Daniel Clarke, Shay Rafter. Subs: Conor Cox, Michael Miller, Joseph McGill, Tighe Barry, Sean Tucker, DJ O Flaherty, Ruairi Rafferty, Sean McMonagle, Matt Moynihan, Matthew Walsh, Fiontan Eastwood.
Laois v New York in Laois Hire O’Moore Park at 12.30pm (GAAGO)
It’s nine weeks since New York played their only match of the season, a heavy defeat to Mayo in the Connacht SFC quarter-final.
That lack of competitive action puts them at a disadvantage against a Laois team that hasn’t yet caught fire in the Tailteann Cup, but has forwards of real quality in Evan O’Carroll, Paul Kingston, and Mark Barry.
NEW YORK: Joseph Grace; Shane Bolger, Noel Hatton, Jamie Boyle; Shane Brosnan, Cian O’Dea, Robert Wharton; Liam Kearney, Emmet O’Connghaile; Tiernan Mathers, Mikey Brosnan, Eoghan McElligot; Killian Butler, Jack Reilly, Bobby O’Regan. Subs: Ryan Corrigan, Michael Boyle, Israel Ilunga, Caolain Mathers, Kevin Rafferty, Niall McCarthy, Adam Loughlin Stones, Danny Corridan, Sean Reilly, Oisin Mathers, James Walsh
LAOIS: Killian Roche; Dylan Kavanagh, Kieran Lillis, Mark Timmons; Seamus Lacey, Brian Byrne, Simon Fingleton; Damon Larkin, Conor Heffernan; Mark Barry, Eoin Lowry, Kevin Swayne; Rioghan Murphy, Evan O’Carroll, Paul Kingston. Subs: Conor Brown, Eoin Buggie, Ciaran Burke, Niall Corbett, Brian Daly, Mikie Dempsey, Niall Dunne, Shaun Fitzpatrick, Fionn Holland, Jack Lacey, Aaron McEvoy.