Gaelic games previews

Compiled by SEAN MORANand IAN O'RIORDAN

TODAY

Connacht SF League

Sligo v IT Sligo, Ballinode, 7.0– A predictably experimental Sligo gave an encouraging display against Galway and will get another test from the county's solid Sigerson contenders.

Mayo v GMIT, Castlebar, 7.0 –James Horan starts his first season in charge with Andy Moran captaining the team and starting at full forward. Former Mayo team-mate and All Star Pat Fallon is in charge of the visitors.

Walsh Cup (Leinster SH) first round

Offaly v NUIG, Banagher, 2.0– Joe Dooley's experimental Offaly line-up will have it tough against a highly rated NUI Galway.

Dr McKenna Cup SF – Section A Donegal v UUJ, MacCumhaill Park, 7.0– New Donegal manager Jim McGuinness reportedly had only had 17 players fit for last weekend's McKenna Cup opener against Tyrone which fell victim to the weather. A combination of injuries and illness had seriously depleted his panel, although a week later he is a lot better off. The students of Jordanstown will be no pushover as they gear up for the Sigerson Cup.

Section B: Monaghan v QUB, Clones, 2.0 –This game has been brought forward from Sunday, and sees Eamonn McEnaney, the former Louth manager, make his debut in charge of Monaghan. He's already talking up a rebuilding year for Monaghan football, and has brought in several new players onto the panel. Queens should provide a good test in Clones.

Cavan v Derry, Kingspan Breffni Park, 7.0– This should be interesting. Like a lot of new managers, John Brennan has been waiting several months to get into action, having been appointed last September to succeed Damien Cassidy. It's also his first county managerial slot, having previously has had spells in charge of Lavey, Loup, Slaughtneil, Cargin and Carrickmore. Val Andrews and Terry Hyland are also out for the first time as new Cavan joint managers, and between illness and injury, are down several first choice players such as last year's captain Martin Cahill, John McCutcheon and Dermot Sheridan.

Section C: Down v Armagh, Páirc Esler, 7.0 –So Billy Joe Padden of Mayo is now Billy Joe Padden of Armagh, and having completed a transfer from Belmullet to Carrickcuppen last Monday, has been training with Paddy O'Rourke's squad this week, and is named on the bench for this game. It's quite a strong Armagh team that includes Kevin Dyas and Charlie Vernon.

Beaten All-Ireland finalists Down will relish the challenge as they prepare for life in Division One of the NFL.

Antrim v St. Mary's, Casement Park, 7.0– Manager Liam Bradley starts into what probably will be his last season in charge of Antrim, and he'll want to get off to a winning start. It was announced this week that top player James Loughrey has opted out for the season, a loss Bradley could have done without.

The St Mary’s of Belfast team is largely dominated by Tyrone players such as Peter Harte and Gavin Teague, and managed by Down trainer Paddy Tally, they will fancy taking down Antrim.

Waterford Crystal Cup SH preliminary round

Kerry v CIT, Austin Stack Park, 2.0 –The ever enthusiastic John Meyler has gone about something a clearout of players in a effort to rebuild Kerry hurling, dropping such seasoned players as John Mike Dooley, but it remains to be seen what sort of hurling talent is coming through. The students of Cork IT will prove a tough test.

O’Byrne Shield (Leinster SFC): Meath v Kilkenny, Páirc Tailteann, 2.0; Kehoe Cup first round: Louth v Roscommon, Drogheda, 2.0; All-Ireland IHC club quarter-final: Kilburn Gaels v Dicksboro, Ruislip, 1.30.

TOMORROW

O’Byrne Cup (Leinster SF) quarter-finals

Westmeath v DIT, Páirc Chiaráin Athlone, 2.0– A last-gasp but deserved win over Dublin sets Westmeath up for a crack at the Dublin college, who boast an impressive array of familiar inter-county talent such as Gareth Bradshaw, Aidan O'Shea and Emmet Bolton and are expected give the Sigerson a good rattle.

Kildare v DCU, Newbridge, 2.0 –All Star Peter Kelly's knee injury is a blow but tomorrow Kieran McGeeney makes just one change to the experimental side that beat Longford. DCU are Sigerson front-runners with Bryan Cullen back on board joining his Dublin colleagues Paul Flynn, Philip McMahon and James McCarthy as well as Roscommon's Donie Shine.

Carlow v UCD, Carlow, 2.0– UCD lost their captain, Kildare's Peter Kelly, to a cruciate injury in the late, late win over Meath last Tuesday. They remain a useful outfit. Dublin's Mick Fitzsimons takes over the captaincy although they are currently short Rob Kelly and Donie Kingston. Carlow's inside forwards got some good target practice against Kilkenny, amassing 5-7 from play.

Louth v Wicklow, Drogheda, 2.0 (Live TG4)– Mick O'Dwyer rested some of his more experienced players for the win over Laois whereas his counterpart Peter Fitzpatrick started the process of replacing players lost to emigration and tightening the defence and got off to a good start with a big win against Athlone IT.

O’Byrne Cup Shield: Dublin v Wexford, Parnell Park, 2.0; Longford v Offaly, Longford, 2.0; Laois v Athlone IT, Portarlington, 2.0.

FBD Connacht football league

NUIG v Galway, Dangan, 2.0– Seán Armstrong fired a strong recovery by Galway against Sligo last week and in the battle of the same counties' colleges NUIG, under the watchful eye of alumnus John Maughan, also squeezed past Sligo IT.

Roscommon v Leitrim, Elphin, 2.0– Both sides are understrength between injuries and college commitments in this, their first outing of the competition after last week's postponements.

Walsh Cup (Leinster SH) first round

Westmeath v Antrim, St Loman's, 2.0 –An experimental Antrim forward line travels to the midlands where they'll be well stress tested.

Carlow v DIT, Carlow, 2.30– Hit by retirements but looking to build on an encouraging championship last year Carlow host the students for the prize of a second round tilt against Galway.

Laois v UCD, Rathdowney, 2.0– Ballyhale's Brendan Fennelly gets his tenure in Laois under way against a decent UCD outfit with Fitzgibbon ambitions despite a 'group of death' draw with Waterford IT and Limerick IT.

Kehoe Cup first round: Fingal v Wicklow, Fingal, 2.0; Carlow IT v Armagh, Carlow IT, 2.0.

McGrath Cup SF quarter-finals

Limerick v Cork, Newcastlewest, 2.0– Limerick won't have forgotten how close they came to beating All-Ireland champions Cork, eventually losing out in the qualifiers after extra time. With former Limerick player and selector and Mayo native Maurice Horan now in charge, it should be a smooth transition. And he's named six members of the team that fell so narrowly to Cork last July. Cork only returned from their team holiday in South Africa yesterday, and will field an experimental team just like they did in the convincing first round win over Waterford IT last Sunday.

Kerry v Limerick IT, Austin Stack Park, 2.0– Kerry's narrow win over Tralee IT last weekend was notable for a couple of things, such as the unearthing of the talented Paul Geaney, and the positioning of Darran O'Sullivan in defence, as the nifty forward lined-out at wing-back. Manager Jack O'Connor's experimental line-up should still have more than enough to overcome the students.

Waterford v Tipperary, Walsh Park, 2.0– Tipperary manager John Evans mixes things up with four personnel changes, as Cathal Dillon, Brian Jones, Peter Acheson and James Egan come into the side. Waterford continued to make small steps of progress last summer and manager John Owens will try out several fresh faces.

Clare v Cork IT, Cooraclare, 2.0– Clare just about got past UCC last weekend thanks to a goal from Timmy Ryan and face similar opposition in Cooraclare tomorrow when the students of Cork IT visit. Clare manager Michael McDermott, the Cavan native heading into his second term in charge, believes he has strengthened his panel for the season ahead. Time will tell.

Waterford Crystal Cup SH preliminary round

Clare v IT Tralee, Sixmilebridge, 2.0– Former captain Brian O'Connell has departed again for Australia, this time for the foreseeable future. One of the big leaders of the Clare team, he won't be easily replaced. Pat Vaughan has assumed the Clare captaincy for the coming season in his absence.

Tipperary v Waterford IT, Clonmel, 2.0 –The All-Ireland champions' manager Declan Ryan has had just one training session this week to prepare, and not surprisingly has named a very experimental team that includes just one starter from the All-Ireland winning 15 – Conor O'Mahony – as Darren Gleeson gets his chance in goal, as do Dara Egan and Pa Burke up front.

All-Ireland SFC club quarter-final

Neasden Gaels (London) v Crossmaglen Rangers (Armagh), Ruislip, 1.30– Cross get back on the road for another All-Ireland campaign. Former Galway player Paul Geraghty is the driving force behind Neasden.

Other club fixtures – All-Ireland JFC club quarter-final: St Peter’s (Lancashire) v Parke (Mayo), Old Bedlian’s, Manchester, 1.30; Leinster IFC final: Ballymore (Kildare) v Nobber (Meath), Ballymore, 2.0; Leinster JFC final: St Andrew’s (Carlow) v Ballinabrackey (Meath), Carlow, 1.0; Leinster JHC final: Drumcullen (Offaly) v John Lockes (Kilkenny), Rath, 2.0.