Quarter-Final places the bounty this weekend
Mike Finnerty | 12 June 2024
Will Cork be celebrating a weekend off and straight passage to the AISFC quarter-final after this weekend?
All to play for in Tullamore
There is a place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals up for grabs at O’Connor Park in Tullamore on Saturday afternoon so nobody will be holding back.
The winners will earn safe passage to the last eight while the losers are almost certain to be facing the prospect of an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final a week later, depending on the result of the Donegal v Clare game in the group.
Cork’s win over Donegal made everybody sit up and take notice, and John Cleary’s team are now in control of their own destiny.
Like Tyrone though, you can never be sure of what you’re going to get.
D-Day arrives for Derry
There is no team in the country right now under the same scrutiny as Derry.
Three successive defeats have left Mickey Harte’s team teetering on the brink of elimination from the All-Ireland championship, and nothing less than a win or a draw here will keep them in the race for the Sam Maguire.
The league champions are expected to get the result they need, but they will be taking nothing for granted against a Westmeath side who made life extremely difficult for both Armagh and Galway.
Neither of these teams have scored a goal yet in the group stages, and haven’t been shooting the lights out recently, but it’s now or never for both of them.
Cork can give a reality check
These are heady days for the Offaly hurling fraternity, between winning the All-Ireland Under-20 title and the Joe McDonagh Cup last weekend
But Cork will be hell-bent on giving Faithful County a reality check in Tullamore on Saturday as they eye up a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Dublin.
On paper there should only be one result here; the Rebels bounced back spectacularly after losing their opening two games in Munster to Waterford and Clare, and look to be finding their best form at the right time.
Offaly are in bonus territory after winning their ticket back to next year’s Leinster SHC, so they have very little to lose here.
Leinster derby should be close
Form will go out the window when these two Leinster neighbours meet in Sunday’s Tailteann Cup quarter-final in Tullamore.
Kildare have answered every question that has been asked of them so far, winning all three group games and putting their Leinster championship exit against Louth behind them.
Laois were more solid than spectacular in their group, drawing with Carlow and digging out a narrow win over Wicklow, but Justin McNulty’s charges are still standing.
It’s been seven years since these teams last crossed paths in championship football, and Glenn Ryan’s team should be good enough to take another step in the right direction this time around.
Monaghan look a better bet
The winner will take it all at Kingpsan Breffni in Cavan on Sunday afternoon.
Monaghan’s draw with Louth last time out means that Vinny Corey’s team would qualify for an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final with a win or another draw here.
However, nothing less than a victory will keep Meath in the championship.
Colm O’Rourke’s team lost their opening group games against Louth and Kerry by a combined total of 0-25 and only managed to score 0-9 in each of those matches.
So it’s easy to see why Monaghan are fancied to extend their stay in the championship for at least another week.