Munster SHC:

First round

Kerry v Cork, Killarney, 7.30, Saturday

Cork's All-Ireland defence gets under way with a phoney war of sorts. As Kerry county secretary Tony O'Keeffe remarked during the week, the value of this type of exercise is lost if there isn't an element of competitiveness involved. At present Kerry aren't competitive and Cork won't find out too much about their current form this evening. There are straws in the wind concerning possible changes to last year's successful team which went all four matches without being changed. Derek Barrett finds himself in the hard-luck position of there being no place available despite a fine league campaign at half back. Pat Ryan's return to form and Mark Landers's dip has implications for the centrefield which at times struggled last year. Ryan comes in today with Landers injured but the change may be more permanent. Up front, Ben O'Connor's brother Jerry was thought a likely starter but, as with Barrett, the furniture couldn't be rearranged to suit the switch. For resolution of these issues, we await next weekend. For today, the hope for Kerry is that their younger players can pick up something for the future.

SUBSTITUTES: Cork - B Rochford, P Mulcahy, D Barrett, J O'Connor, A Browne, K Murray, M Landers, J Sheehan, B Coleman. Kerry - B Harris, S Morris, D Slattery, A Begley, B Shanahan, A Healy, S Harty, W O'Leary, M O'Regan.

Leinster SHC:

Preliminary pool round-robin

Dublin v Laois, Nowlan Park, 3.30, Sunday

Leinster's largely successful preliminary pool concludes with this deciding match. Dublin actually had a better league campaign than Laois but their stock has declined since the start of the championship whereas the midlanders, under new management, look to be timing their run right. Complacency may have played a part in Dublin's struggle to defeat Carlow but the hurling was also poor. Even though they picked it up against Westmeath, Michael O'Grady's team go into this as underdogs. Laois have been more impressive. Their major players are back on board and performances are improving. Their advantages lie in a better-quality selection of players than Dublin and their more even distribution throughout the team. In operational terms, Laois's forwards have been more accurate than Dublin's and when this economy is added to the solid platform at halfback where Niall Rigney has returned, it looks too much for Dublin. John O'Sullivan awaits a fitness test before being passed for cornerback duty in the Laois defence.

SUBSTITUTES: Not announced.

Ulster SFC:

First round

Antrim v Down, Casement Park, 3.30, Sunday

Some year Antrim are going to break out of the oppressive statistical grip which has seen them fail to win a championship match for 18 years. In ways this represents the two extremes of football in the province during the 1990s, twice All-Ireland winners versus perennial losers. Yet there is a feeling that Antrim are close to a breakthrough. Winners of the All-Ireland B title, they have been a more competitive championship presence than their dismal run suggests. Down's capacity seems to recede every year. Although a number of survivors remain from the great days, the team as a unit has only posted one decent championship performance since 1994. Injuries weaken the team further and if morale drops, Antrim are in with a shout. The home side have their own problems and although top scorer Kevin Madden's absence is a setback, it doesn't represent a knockout blow to their chances of causing an upset. It is Antrim's best chance in a long while but - without wanting to hedge bets - that probably won't be quite enough.

SUBSTITUTES: Down - P Travers, C O'Hare, A Molloy, A O'Prey, M McGill, P Sloane, J McCartan, P Matthews, B Coulter, A Devlin, M Shiels.

Antrim - not announced.