Weekend previews

All-Ireland JFC semi-finals:

Ballinasloe (Galway) v An Port Mór (Armagh), Kingspan Breffni Park 2.0; Castleknock (Dublin) v Kenmare Shamrocks (Kerry), Mitchelstown, 2.0 – Two evenly balanced semi-finals with Ciarán Kilkenny’s return from Australia and availability for Castleknock dominating the news.

If defences look likely to hold sway in the Ballinasloe-Port Mór match with just one goal conceded between them in the provincial championships, attacks look more influential in the other with Castleknock averaging three goals a match and Kenmare having twice hit 20 points or more.

All-Ireland IHC semi-finals:

Killimordaly (Galway) v St Gabriel’s (London), Birr, 1.0; Silvermines (Tipperary) v Clara (Kilkenny), Portlaoise, 2.0 – Killimordaly won’t take this too lightly having lost to London opposition six years ago but they can avenge that defeat . The other semi-final however points strongly to Clara who rampaged through Leinster and who take on Silvermines after a more demanding provincial campaign in Munster.

All-Ireland JHC semi-finals: Bredagh (Down) v Fullen Gaels (London), Parnells GAA Club, Coolock, 1.0; Kildorrery (Cork) v Thomastown (Kilkenny), Cashel, 2.0 – Another London club, Fullen Gaels, have reached the junior semi-finals and might just have the edge on free-scoring Bredagh whereas Thomastown are the latest Kilkenny club to tilt at this title and they are strongly favoured to beat Kildorrery.

Connacht FBD League (SF) final

Sligo v Leitrim, Markievicz Park, 2.0 – Leitrim’s reward for group wins over both Roscommon and Mayo is a first appearance in the pre-season decider where they take on Sligo for the first time in a senior provincial final.

Kevin Walsh’s team are coming off a good win themselves, having repeated the championship dose they gave Galway last summer and managed to hold them scoreless for nearly 45 minutes in the process.

Home advantage can help prevail.

Walsh Cup (Leinster SH) quarter-final

Wexford v Offaly, Blackwater, 2.0 – Last week’s opening match against DIT was a bit of a struggle for Wexford and tomorrow’s match against the side that put them out of the Leinster championship won’t be easy.

Carlow v Galway, Carlow, 2.0 – Back on the road the Leinster champions can make it a successful debut against a Carlow side that had an encouraging win over Antrim last week.

Waterford Crystal (Munster SH) quarter-finals

Tipperary v Limerick, MacDonaghPark, Nenagh, 2.0 – Two strong selections reprise the championship meeting last May. Limerick have already won a match, beating Mary I last week but Eamon O’Shea will hope to get his stewardship off to a positive start.

Clare v University of Limerick, Sixmilebridge, 2.0 – Clare begin their season with the visit of a UL team, including Clare men Conor Ryan and Darach Honan, which had a good win over Waterford.