All-Ireland qualifiers: Weekend football and hurling previews

Gratitude to Limerick for bringing some excitement into what has been a lack-lustre football qualifier series has perhaps exaggerated their chances going into this match. Whereas they have taken on Westmeath's mantle as the surprise team of the series to date, Liam Kearns' side have more to do to justify the comparison, writes Seán Moran

Football: Saturday: Mayo v Limerick, Hyde Park, 4.0

That task is complicated by news that John Galvin may not be fit for this evening's match against Mayo. This is worrying given his immensely influential contributions to the team's dominance at centrefield in their matches so far.

Nonetheless Mayo don't appear to be the side they were last year either when, with a National League under their belt and a missionary sense of grievance from the Connacht final defeat, they looked stiffer opposition for Westmeath than they appear to pose now.

If Galvin is fit, Mayo will have to resign themselves to struggling for aerial ball and start to concentrate on what Offaly set out to do, run the ball at Limerick. In David Tiernan, they have an able exponent of this approach although it remains to be seen who partners him.

One theory is that David Heaney will slot in, coming up from full back with Tom Nallen being "un-dropped" back into the vacancy.

Mayo's defence will be a major factor in the likely outcome of this match. Limerick have scored well in the qualifiers but Mayo's is the best unit they have come up against this championship.

Although Roscommon weren't particularly impressive opposition in the last qualifier round - neither of course were a listless Offaly - the scoring of the Mayo forwards would have come as some relief to the beleaguered Pat Holmes who faces a career championship CV blighted by Sligo, Westmeath and Limerick in successive years.

In all probability, however, he can look forward to replacing Limerick with a more traditional name.

LIMERICK: S O'Donnell; M O'Riordan, D Sheehy, T Stack; S Lavin, S Lucey, D Reidy; J Quane, J Galvin; A N Other, C Fitzgerald, C Mullane; S Kelly, S Stokes, M Reidy.

MAYO: P Burke; R Connelly, D Heaney, G Ruane; A Roche, J Nallen, A Higgins; D Tiernan, AN Other; J Gill, M Moyles, T Mortimer; C Mortimer, B Maloney, J Horan.

Hurling: Saturday: Tipperary v Offaly, O'Moore Park, 6.15

Offaly was probably the one county that Tipp would have opted for in the aftermath of their Munster final destruction by Waterford. But in a way the All-Ireland champions are a popular draw for Offaly as well.

With a team in transition, the Leinster semi-finalists were always going to find it tough no matter which of the five available teams they drew and at least this evening's pairing gives them a long-awaited first championship crack at their neighbours.

Manager Tom Fogarty's comments about how useful the experience will be to his developing side are a realistic guide to what Offaly expect from the match but they will play without inhibition and with an abandon that is unlikely to be the hallmark of Tipp's approach.

Most disturbing for the champions was the way Waterford targeted not alone their perceived weaknesses but their perceived strength at half back. Manager Nicky English holds his nerve today and makes minimal alterations despite the sacking of a fortnight ago.

There will be some renewed puzzlement that whereas Donnacha Fahey is dropped to make way for Paul Ormonde, it was Tom Costelloe who was taken off during the match. And also that some alternative at centre back isn't being tried given David Kennedy's troubled season. But the only other change sees Mark O'Leary return in place of Lar Corbett.

Offaly stick with a change that was ostentatiously not made during the Leinster semi-final defeat by Kilkenny. Brian Whelahan who, carrying an injury, had possibly his worst championship match that day in Thurles stays in the familiar wing back slot with Joe Brady remaining at centre back - a switch made for the qualifier win over Meath.

Johnny Dooley is missing again and is a major loss against this class of opposition. Tipperary have much rehabilitating to do. Offaly should ensure that the rehabilitation is meaningful but not that it fails.

OFFALY: S Byrne; M O'Hara, J Errity, JP O'Meara; Brian Whelahan, J Brady, N Claffey; Barry Whelahan, R Hanniffy; G Hanniffy, K Martin, B Murphy; B Carroll, S Browne, S Whelahan.

TIPPERARY: B Cummins; T Costelloe, P Maher, P Ormonde; E Corcoran, D Kennedy, P Kelly; T Dunne, N Morris; B Dunne, C Gleeson, B O'Meara; E Kelly, J Carroll, M O'Leary.

Hurling: Sunday: Cork v Galway, Semple Stadium, 4.30

Galway's complaints that they are disadvantaged by the qualifier structures can be substantiated by this fixture. Cork, two hammer-and-tongs matches under their belt, take on Galway who haven't had a serious match since last September's All-Ireland final.

This acts like a handicap given that on paper Galway look too strong for their opponents. As has been seen in the past with teams defeated in the championship, Cork have learned from the experience and line out in their strongest looking configuration.

John Gardiner's move to centre back is a tribute to the obvious. While the position was causing so much trouble, few thought that putting last year's minor in such a pivotal position made sense. But in the second half against Limerick, Gardiner dismissed such concerns with a convincing performance.

John Browne's reversion to left corner back is to his best position and he will need to be at his best given the chirpy form of Damian Hayes - if the latter isn't switched to full forward in a move to separate Eugene Cloonan and Diarmuid O'Sullivan given their history together.

On the left wing of the attack, Jerry O'Connor comes back having comprehensively refuted his omission from the last starting line-out with his energy and shooting.

Galway's selection is encrypted with neither midfielder likely to start there. Declan O'Brien will revert to wing back with speculation that Cathal Moore will be tried at centrefield. Moore has little experience of the position but hasn't been going well at wing back - to the extent that his selection in the first 15 raised a few eyebrows. Richie Murray should also start at centrefield with David Tierney moving to the half forwards.

Even with Cork's defence looking more settled it looks as if Galway still pose a serious scoring threat. On the basis that it will yield more than Cork will manage, last year's runners-up get the vote to progress.

CORK: D Cusack; W Sherlock, D O'Sullivan, J Browne; S Ó hAilpÍn, J Gardiner, F Ryan; A Cummins, N Ronan; T McCarthy, A Browne, J O'Connor; B O'Connor, E Collins, J Deane.

GALWAY: M Crimmins; G Kennedy, D Cloonan, O Canning; D Hardiman, L Hodgins, C Moore; D O'Brien, D Tierney; M Kerins, R Murray, K Broderick; D Hayes, E Cloonan, F Healy.

Hurling: Sunday: Clare v Wexford, O'Moore Park, 6.25

Hard to know what exactly Wexford have been thinking of this week. Instead of concentrating on the task in hand, tomorrow's stiff qualifier against Clare, a great deal of focus has been burned up complaining about a fixture that - apart from a two-day brainstorm - had been arranged for today six months ago.

Instead of harnessing the momentum of last week's near-defeat of Kilkenny, there has been distraction. Manager Tony Dempsey undoubtedly has problems with the loss of two experienced players, Adrian Fenlon - almost certainly out with an injured hamstring - and Liam Dunne.

Fenlon's ability to move the ball quickly and early would have tested Seán McMahon on the 40. Dunne's experience will also be missed and his suspension is frustrating given that he was playing very well until the reckless pull on Martin Comerford. Speculation has Ken Furlong coming in for Dunne but other permutations are available.

These aren't the only conundrums facing Dempsey. The sluggish display of the attack will also come under scrutiny before the team is named. Larry O'Gorman was deeply uncomfortable at full forward and if he is to be accommodated anywhere it can't credibly be on the edge of the square - where Brian Lohan would hardly be any more obliging than Noel Hickey.

There is one school of thought that young Rory Jacob should get his chance there but that would leave a very slight full-forward line with Mitch Jordan and Barry Lambert in the corners.

Clare's forwards clicked into top gear against Dublin but against Wexford's defence will be more severely tested. Tony Griffin's six points against David Kennedy in the Tipperary match have been contextualised by the subsequent Munster final and Declan Ruth's display on Henry Shefflin a week ago promises a trickier afternoon. While both sides may struggle for scores against good defences, the suspicion is - particularly in the absence of Fenlon - Wexford will struggle more.

CLARE: D Fitzgerald; B Quinn, B Lohan, F Lohan; D Hoey, S McMahon, G Quinn; J Reddan, C Lynch; J O'Connor, T Griffin, N Gilligan; D Forde, A Markham, C Earlie.

WEXFORD: To be announced