Fixtures
All-Ireland SFC semi-final: Louth 0-15 Mayo 3-23 (FT)
Tailteann Cup final: Down 2-16 Wicklow 1-21 (FT)
After an incredible second half, Wicklow battled back to win perhaps the greatest victory in their history, clinching the Tailteann Cup.
[Wicklow pull off stunning comeback against Down to win Tailteann Cup]
So, Mayo will be facing off against either Dublin or Mayo in the All-Ireland final. The last Mayo-Dublin final was back in 2017, the second year in a row that they met in the final. Meanwhile you have to go back to 2006 for the last Mayo-Kerry final, but that one was a hammering that hopefully would not be repeated 20 years on.
Denis has sent on his final update before his match report later tonight:
"Mayo are back in the All-Ireland final for the first time since 2021 after a performance of overwhelming class and authority. Leading by five points at the break, they put the game to bed in the third quarter when they out-scored Louth by 1-4 to 0-0.
During a period of utter dominance they cut the Louth defence to shreds and might have added three goals to the one that Conor Loftus scored. Louth were swamped on their own kick-outs and simply couldn’t get down the field.
By the time Louth got their first score of the second half in the 21st minute they were 13 points and the game was over."
Ryan O’Donoghue won man of the match with 1-11 scored today. Kobe McDonald was also excellent, who scored 0-4, was so crucial to so much of the Mayo attack and kickouts from both sides.
Here’s Conor Loftus’ goal that finished off the game as a contest.
Full-time: Louth 0-15 Mayo 3-23
Mayo are back in the final again, but it’s a new team really, so maybe all the hang-ups can be cast aside. They truly trounced Louth there, who did not show up in the same way they did no their other big days this year.
67 Mins: That’s a lovely score from Ciarán Downey to get Louth’s first two-pointer of the half. Then a good kick pass from Loftus finds Matthew Ruane who kicks over a good score. Louth 0-15 Mayo 3-21
65 Mins: Louth wide again, and it’s been a totally hearbtreaking day for the crowd who journeyed up. Then it’s another wide from Downey. Louth 0-13 Mayo 3-20
62 Mins: The kickout goes straight to Kobe, who plays a one-two and slots it over. Louth 0-13 Mayo 3-20
61 Mins: Louth have to go over and back a rake of times there, but eventualy it peters out after a ball into the full-forward line. McDonald races through then and makes it look so simple, winning a scorable free. O’Donoghue hits over for two-points. Louth 0-13 Mayo 3-19
59 Mins: O’Donoghue wins a soft free and points it. Louth 0-13 Mayo 3-17
57 Mins: Ciarán Downey gets Louth’s first of the second half finally. Then Mayo get a glorious score, with a high catch by McDonald, a great kick pass and a dummy solo and finish by McHale. Durnin manages to get another for Louth then. Louth 0-13 Mayo 3-16
55 Mins: The game is already basically in ‘garbage time’ as Americans would call it. Cian McHale misses a simple looking score there. Louth 0-11 Mayo 3-15
54 Mins: Louth are tyring to cobble together a goal chance but Mayo have enough men back to stifle them. The latest was a low ball in that could have been hit on the bounce, but after the lift Burns was swallowed by Mayo men. Louth 0-11 Mayo 3-15
52 Mins: A slow attack from Mayo and it comes out to O’Donoghue, who hits it for two. It’s well wide on the HawkEye replay. Louth 0-11 Mayo 3-15
50 Mins: Kobe gives away a free after a high ball contest. On the replay he had his eyes only on the ball and Mulroy got the knee in the chest. It might be a foul, but my word, what a leap. Mayo turn over the ball up front again and Cian McHale, only just on, scores. Louth 0-11 Mayo 3-14
49 Mins: GOAL for Mayo! That should it for Mayo. Kieran McArdle was caught sleeping and robbed in possession. The ball was hopefully fisted up in the air by Tommy Conroy and Loftus ran on and finished it. Louth 0-11 Mayo 3-14
47 Mins: Mayo press up on Louth, with Ryan O’Donoghue tearing the ball off Conor Grimes. He is then fouled, so Darragh Beirne has a two-point free, but it drops well short. Louth 0-11 Mayo 2-14
46 Mins: James Maguire comes off for Tommy Durnin. The kickout goes out for a sideline. O’Donoghue wants to go for it and Moran gives him the nod to have a go, but it’s a bad strike.
45 Mins: Great save from McDonnell in one-on-one with Tommy Conroy! He beat his man brilliantly there. Then another amazing save from McDonnell in the next play! That was a gorgeous move from Mayo, back to front in two kick passes from McDonald and Loftus. O’Donoghue won a mark there, so he gets a chance to pop it over after the save. Louth 0-11 Mayo 2-14
42 Mins: Mulroy is down getting treatment for his shoulder, but looks okay. Conor Loftus is on for Stephen Coen. Jordan Flynn takes a load of steps and gets away with it, and eventually McDonald gets it and slings it over. Louth 0-11 Mayo 2-13
41 Mins: A great bit of battling for the ball there and it ends with a superb kick on the spin from McDonald, really classy stuff. Louth 0-11 Mayo 2-12
40 Mins: Tadhg McDonnell has a go with the outside of the foot but it trails wide. Ciarán Keenan is off for Ciarán Byrne, who needs to have an instant impact. Louth 0-11 Mayo 2-11
38 Mins: There’s the first use of the breeze in the second half, as Jordan Flynn kicks over a two-pointer on the turn. Dara McDonnell hits a shot that looks like it curled in but HawkEye says níl. Louth 0-11 Mayo 2-11
36 Mins: So now it’s Mayo playing with the breeze. Tommy Conroy gets his first touch and skins his man, shooting on his left and hitting the bar! Kobe goes for a two-pointer and it’s well short. Louth 0-11 Mayo 2-9
Here’s the goal that gave Mayo a bit of breathing room before half-time, after some poor defending by Louth.
Denis Walsh is in Croker reporting after that great half by Mayo:
“Mayo lead by four at the end of a thunderous first half, 2-9 to 0-11. Darragh Beirne’s opportunistic goal two minutes before the break gives Mayo a useful cushion having played against a strong breeze in the first half.
Ryan O’Donoghue has been on fire, just as he was against Cork a fortnight ago, and he finished the first half with 1-5, all but a point which came from play. His goal after six minutes was Mayo’s first score.
Louth put huge pressure on the Mayo kick-out, but their outside shooting let them down. Of their six attempts at two pointers only two of them landed, and having briefly led at the end of the first quarter they couldn’t push on. "
34 Mins: A two-point free gives Louth a bit of a lifeline before half-time. It’s wide from Mulroy though.
Half-time: Louth 0-11 Mayo 2-9
32 Mins: A speculative two-point effort from Downey gifts Mayo the ball back. Louth have been so wasteful, while Mayo have made things count.
GOAL for Mayo! Darragh Beirne with the finish after some really poor defending under the dropping ball in. Louth 0-11 Mayo 2-9
30 Mins: Louth absolutely waste a golden chance there, after Keenan got caught dreaming of a goal and ignoring an obvious point. The eventual effort was never going over. Mayo work a great score then between McDonald, Beirne, O’Donoghue and eventually Towey, who finishes. Louth 0-11 Mayo 1-9
27 Mins: A really poor two-point miss from Ryan Burns after some great fielding by Dara McDonnell. McDonnell catches the next one though and Grimes goes for two successfully. Level game. Louth 0-11 Mayo 1-8
26 Mins: Jack Carney fields a ball perfectly from the Louth kickout, but the play results in a shot dropped short by Kobe McDonald. McDonnell gets his first touch since coming on, feeding Grimes for his second point. Louth 0-9 Mayo 1-8
24 Mins: This could be bad for Louth now, with Ciarán Downey being turned over by McBrien and then the Mayo man ends up on the ground. The replay shows that it’s accidental anyways, so no black card is the right option from Coldrick. Beirne sends it over. Louth 0-8 Mayo 1-8
23 Mins: Good to see Lennon walking off with some help anyways. Tadhg McDonnell is on for him now. Louth have to pull it together and build a lead before swapping ends at half-time you would imagine. Mulroy has a shot from about where his earlier free was and it falls about eight yards short. Mayo work it out brilliantly through Kobe McDonald and build their own attack. Louth 0-8 Mayo 1-7
22 Mins: Oh dear, Craig Lennon is down with a very, very bad injury. He took on Callinan and beat him, but when he tried to pull on the brakes he seemed to jar his knee. Coldrick stops play straight away for treatment and both teams have a bit of a break, with Devlin gathering his team to regroup. Louth 0-8 Mayo 1-7
21 Mins: Savage stuff from O’Donoghue who cracks the two-pointer over despite the wind. Then Mayo win it again and Kobe fists over a score. Louth are suffering on their kickouts badly, with McDonnell’s next one going out for a sideline. Louth 0-8 Mayo 1-7
19 Mins: Donal McKenny takes it on a run from his half, but it’s the wrong man and he drops his solo and Mayo have it back. At the other end, his man O’Donoghue gets another score and it’s level again. Mulroy is on the break from this kickout and feeds Ciarán Keenan for the score. Louth 0-8 Mayo 1-4
17 Mins: Free just outside the 14-yard-area after Mulroy tackles Ryan O’Donoghue high. Looks a little soft. The Mayo full-forward slots it. Louth 0-7 Mayo 1-3
16 Mins: Louth nearly get in behind, but the ball is fumbled by the onrushing Craig Lennon. Then Mulroy wins the ball back and Jordan Flynn fouls him. Yellow for Flynn and a huge kick for Mulroy, who slots it from about 50-55 metres out. Louth 0-7 Mayo 1-2
14 Mins: There’s a great run from deep, but Ciarán Downey ignores it and smacks over a two-pointer again. Superb play from him. Louth 0-5 Mayo 1-2
13 Mins: Louth work it up the pitch but Grimes takes way too many steps. Mayo work it to Kobe McDonald who goes for a two-pointer from outside the arc, but it’s just barely a níl on HawkEye. Louth 0-3 Mayo 1-2
11 Mins: Disappointing wide from O’Donoghue after a great move by Mayo. They look sharp up front and on the kickouts right now. Louth 0-3 Mayo 1-2
10 Mins: Enda Hession is caught having to wait on the ball to pass the arc from the kickout and Louth jump on him, turn it over and win a two-point free. Mulroy hits it off the floor and puts it wide. Livingstone goes long but straight to Conor Early. So far, Louth have been less direct than expected and McDonnell is blocked down when the shot comes. Louth 0-3 Mayo 1-2
8 Mins: Louth lose a short kickout and Darragh Beirne sends his man to the shops with a dummy solo, slotting it over after. Louth have to settle, and Conor Grimes slots over a lovley left-footed effort. Louth 0-2 Mayo 1-2
7 Mins: Ciarán Downey gets a really classy score on his right foot to bounce back from the goal. Livingstone gets his kickout off well and Ryan O’Donoghue gets a seemingly easy point, curling it over superbly. Louth 0-2 Mayo 1-1
5 Min: GOAL for Mayo! A God-awful kick pass gives Mayo back the ball and they play it up quickly, with a little flick on from Kobe to O’Donoghue, who slips it under McDonnell. Louth 0-1 Mayo 1-0
4 Mins: That breeze is catching Mayo already, with Beirne attempting a shot that would usually go over and dropping it short. Conor Grimes coughs up the abll too easily though and Mayo get in for chance, but Beirne hits it straight at McDonnell. Louth 0-1 Mayo 0-0
3 Mins: Louth work it out slowly, but a poor bit of handling from Dara McDonnell turns it over for Mayo. Darragh Beirne hooks in a long ball and McDonnell claims it. James Maguire and Dara McDonnell play a one-two and the centre-back strikes it over. Louth 0-1 Mayo 0-0
1 Min: After a speedy rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann, we’re off and running. Mayo win the throw-in and they are playing against the breeze and into Hill 16 in the first half. Jack Carney has a go from wide on the left and it’s well wide. Louth 0-1 Mayo 0-1
The teams are off on the parade now. Croke Park is stuffed full of red shirts right now, although there’s more than a fair share of them with green trim as well. What an atmosphere!
Denis Walsh is at Croke Park for this one:
"Follow that. Croke Park was still shaking from Wicklow’s monumental comeback in the Tailteann Cup final when Louth and Mayo took the field for the first All-Ireland semi-final of the weekend. On a sweltering afternoon there is a cooling breeze blowing towards the Canal End, which was clearly a factor in the first game.
Both teams make one change from their published line ups. Ciarán Keenan comes into the Louth starting 15 in place of Paul Mathews and Paul Towey starts for Mayo instead of Conor Loftus."
Here are the two teams for the semi-final. For Louth, there’s one change, as Paul Matthews starts on the bench and Ciarán Keenan comes in. Paul Towey starts in place of Conor Loftus for Mayo.
Louth: Niall McDonnell; Emmett Carolan, Donal McKenny, Daire Nally; Conall McKeever, Dara McDonnell, Craig Lennon; Ciarán Keenan, Conor Early; Conor Grimes, Sam Mulroy, James Maguire; Ryan Burns, Ciarán Downey, Kieran McArdle.
Mayo: Jack Livingstone; Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh, Eoin McGreal; Sam Callinan, David McBrien, Enda Hession; Jack Carney, Bob Tuohy; Stephen Coen, Paul Towey, Jordan Flynn; Darragh Beirne, Ryan O’Donoghue, Kobe McDonald.
Well, that is some act to follow, but it’s time to turn our attention away from the Tailteann Cup final. We have a cracker of a semi-final to come now in Mayo-Louth. Here is Malachy’s preview of this one; certainly a hard one to predict.
[Louth’s progress has been more impressive than Mayo’s but their All-Ireland dream may end here]
Such a lovely moment for Dean Healy, man of the match today, as he lifts the Tailteann Cup final with his daughter. He says he didn’t prepare a speech because he didn’t want to tempt fate, so now he has an even harder task than that game!
This incredible goal will live long in the memory of Wicklow fans. Dean Healy, take a bow.
Wicklow are now the first Division 4 team to win the Tailteann Cup, and what a wonderful journey it has been for that team. They proved everyone wrong today, especially after the terrible first half. As for Down, Conor Laverty’s men took a second half battering and they look totally dejected after that. What a game.
Full-time: Down 2-16 Wicklow 1-21
WICKLOW ARE TAILTEANN CUP CHAMPIONS! How the hell did that happen? Another major second half comeback from McConville’s men and this is a massive day for Wicklow football.
69 Mins: Down have it again, running right at Wicklow. Murdock takes it on again, but his right-footed effort tails wide from short range. He holds his hands to his head. A minute and fifteen left. Down win the kickout. McCormack hits the shot and it drops in, and everyone misses it and it’s a goal kick. 26 seconds now. Down 2-16 Wicklow 1-20
68 Mins: Big gaps in the Wicklow defence but Down panic in front of goal again, and Murdock’s fisted effort falls way short and Wicklow carry it out. Just two minutes left to hold on for them. Down 2-16 Wicklow 1-20
66 Mins: Down go for a slow attack to try and expose the missing defender. Annett drives through and has a goal chance, but tries to take the smart choice, only to hit the post for a point! Down 2-16 Wicklow 1-20
64 Mins: Here come Wicklow again and O’Toole tries to get through. He is crowded out, but Daniel Guinness jumps on the ball on the floor and it’s a handy one for Eoin Darcy. Wicklow lead for the first time. Down 2-16 Wicklow 1-20
63 Mins: Pat Havern totally rushes a point attempt and misses. Down win the kickout and it’s moved up after Dean Healy does not concede the required metres. No shot though, as Down hold the ball. Surely a goal now, but no! What a block on the line by Daragh Fee after a perfect ball across the square.
Black card for Wicklow. Tom Moran has been black carded now for a pull down. He made a silly decision to grab Pat Havern’s leg there and he will miss the rest of the game. The full-forward misses the free though, shockingly! Down 2-16 Wicklow 1-19
60 Mins: Wicklow are forcing Down to go long now, but they have it. They work it in and Eamon Brown has a great chance, but Stone pulls the ball away superbly. Wicklow come now but Prendergast skews it wide. Down 2-16 Wicklow 1-19
58 Mins: There’s a great score by Ruairi McCormack on his right foot. Wicklow take it up and win a free just outside the 45′, so this is a huge one for Mark Jackson, which should suit him. Let’s see. He slots it brilliantly. Mark Kenny is on for Gavin Fogarty. Down 2-16 Wicklow 1-19
57 Mins: Miceal Rooney gets a score all too easily to put Down back in front. This has been a hell of a second half. Down have it back now and look to slow it up. Down 2-15 Wicklow 1-17
55 Mins: Guinness beats a couple of men but lets off a terrible effort in the end on his left boot. Down win the kickout but there’s some incredible tackling by Carlin to win it back.
GOAL for Wicklow! Dean Healy makes a mazy run through the defence and buries it into the corner beyond Burns. Down 2-14 Wicklow 1-17
53 Mins: Dean Healy gets a great score after a blazing run through. Cian Deering is on for Eoin Murtagh. Down 2-14 Wicklow 0-17
52 Mins: Free in for Down for some careless tackling by Malachy Stone. McGeough is off for Ruairi O’Hare. Haven hits the free over. Down 2-14 Wicklow 0-16
51 Mins: That is a picture perfect two-pointer from Oisín McGraynor. What a strike on his left foot, curling it in. Jack Kirwan is off with a knock now, but Joe Prendergast is in. Down 2-13 Wicklow 0-16
49 Mins: Poor turnovers from both sides, and it gives Rooney a good chance for a point, but it strikes the post under pressure. Wicklow take it up and Kevin Quinn misses on his left foot for a point. Eamon Brown gets a score for Down, but it looks like he might have fouled his man off the ball there. Down 2-13 Wicklow 0-14
47 Mins: Down go for a slow attack and it looks like it has worked brilliantly, with Daniel Guinness having a clear shot, but it drops short. Wicklow work it up and Christopher O’Brien strikes it over from a mile out. That’s just four points in it now. Down 2-12 Wicklow 0-14
45 Mins: That’s a lovely move from Wicklow, and Eoin Darcy puts it over. Their supporters are back in voice again, and now it’s another goal chance, but another wide! Burns got out quickly and Quinn put it wide. They win the kickout again and O’Toole plays in Quinn, and this time he fists it over. Down 2-12 Wicklow 0-12
43 Mins: Pádraig O’Toole takes on the man again and gets it over. Then Down throw away possession and Johnny Carlin has a go at goal, drawing another save from Burns, but McGraynor mnages to get it over in the end. Down 2-12 Wicklow 0-10
41 Mins: Ceilium Doherty skins his man and puts the ball over under pressure for a great score. Down 2-12 Wicklow 0-8
40 Mins: That’s a super score for O’Toole, jinking his man and slotting it over on the left boot. Down 2-11 Wicklow 0-8
39 Mins: There’s a great two-pointer for Eoin Darcy, after Kevin Quinn did good work to hold onto the ball. That’s the first time Wicklow have scored twice in a row. A poor Doherty miss gives them the ball again now. Down 2-11 Wicklow 0-7
37 Mins: Pádraig O’Toole and Dean Healy combine to get the most straightforward Wicklow score of the day. That’s more like it from them. Down 2-11 Wicklow 0-5
36 Mins: Shane Annett gets the first score of the second half for Down. Down 2-11 Wicklow 0-4
Some great analysis on The Sunday Game by Niall Morgan on the performance of Ronan Burns in that first half. He says Burns kept his back studs on the line, but he was clearly off his line for the penalty. That being said, it could easily have not been given at all, with the replays showing it to be a pretty soft peno.
Here’s the second goal of the first half, with John McGeough touching it beyond Jackson.
34 Mins: Last attack of the half, and Wicklow force a goal attempt where they could have easily had a point.
Half-time: Down 2-10 Wicklow 0-4
32 Mins: Another Wicklow attack and another poor shot, this from Dean Healy. They win the break, but the next effort is blocked down. Down 2-10 Wicklow 0-4
30 Mins: Down’s press is working so well, making Wicklow keep the ball for about a minute before they finally break out of their half. Wicklow win a free just inside the arc on the right hand side, but McGraynor puts it wide. Down 2-10 Wicklow 0-4
28 Mins: GOAL for Down! Murdock lines the two-pointer up, but it drops short and Jackson can’t get to it before John McGeough. Caolan Mooney is on for Down. Down 2-10 Wicklow 0-4
27 Mins: Mark Jackson finally gets his first score from the 45′ after the penalty. At the other end, Daniel Guinness goes for a fisted point and shovels it wide. Down 1-10 Wicklow 0-4
26 Mins: Penalty for Wicklow! Pádraig O’Toole gets in behind after a strong Wicklow turnover, and he is tackled high by Guinness in the area. Eoin Darcy will take.
SAVE! Two great saves from Burns, covering the rebound brilliantly. Down 1-10 Wicklow 0-3
25 Mins: What a solo run from Quinn, beating two men and having a go at goal that’s tipped over by Burns. Wicklow can’t keep the ball up there though because of the quick Down kickouts. Down 1-10 Wicklow 0-3
23 Mins: Another aimless attack from Wicklow. Then Down scamper through the heart of the Wicklow defence, with Doherty slipping another over. Down 1-10 Wicklow 0-2
21 Mins: Ronan Burns gets his second two-pointer from a free. Down continue to be hard for Wicklow to break down, but eventually Kevin Quinn takes it on and curls over short range effort. Down 1-9 Wicklow 0-2
18 Mins: Mark Jackson trots up for his third effort, this a 45′, and he misses again. Not a good day for him so far. Down 1-7 Wicklow 0-1
17 Mins: Down set up a slow attack, and Murdock skins two men superbly and kicks it high, but maybe not over. HawkEye says no, that’s a bad miss for Murdock. Down 1-7 Wicklow 0-1
15 Mins: GOAL for Down! Mark Jackson was still trotting back from the kick, and Daniel Guinness decided to hoof it up. Jackson cannot find it in the air, and nor can his defenders, so it’s Pat Havern who palms it in. Down 1-7 Wicklow 0-1
14 Mins: God, Wicklow really need to get their nerves sorted, because their handling under no pressure has been dodgy. Down are hunting them in packs, but that leaves a gap and the Garden County nearly get in for a goal, but for a good tackle. Mark Jackson cannot emulate Burns from the 45′. Down 0-7 Wicklow 0-1
13 Mins: Another free for steps, and O’Toole chucks the ball away, so Ronan Burns is up to take a two-point free. A few steps back and he glides it straight over the black spot. Down 0-7 Wicklow 0-1
12 Mins: Wicklow back on it, but Down are doing a great job of keeping them from getting inside. Then some blind luck after a fumble gives Pádraig O’Toole a goal chance, but Down do well to win it back, before overcarrying. McGraynor taps that over and Wicklow are off and running. Down 0-5 Wicklow 0-1
9 Mins: A poor wide by Eamon Brown and a good kickout by Mark Jackson gives Wicklow some respite. This attack needs to be a lot more dangerous, but instead there’s an awful kick pass that presents it back to Down. Down 0-5 Wicklow 0-0
7 Mins: A really speculative effort from Kevin Quinn drops well short. At the other end Micheál Rooney looks like he was aiming for a long ball, but it floats all the way over for two. So the wind must be going towards the Canal End. Down 0-5 Wicklow 0-0
6 Mins: Down are winning the Wicklow kickout right now, and it results in another score for the Ulster men; Daniel Guinness on the scoreboard. Dean Healy sees yellow for a high tackle. Down 0-3 Wicklow 0-0
4 Mins: Down should have had a goal there from Pat Havern, but his effort is blazed over. That came from a terrible pick up and a quick solo and go. Bit of a nervy start for both teams, with Down coughing up the ball easily, and then Wicklow handing it right back, letting Ceilium Doherty get a score. Down 0-2 Wicklow 0-0
2 Mins: We’re off and running in the Tailteann Cup final. Down have the first attack, but Wicklow do well to win it back. Wicklow hold the ball for a while, but then overcarry and Down have it back. Nothing major so far. Down 0-0 Wicklow 0-0
One of the major things going for Wicklow though, is their manager Oisín McConville, who has a seriously impressive record in finals both as a player and manager. He told Ian O’Riordan that he’s been encouraging his charges to enjoy the occassion, without being distracted by it.
[Oisín McConville wants Wicklow to embrace Tailteann Cup final’s big-day atmosphere]
Okay, let’s focus in on the Tailteann Cup now, with only ten minutes til throw-in. Here’s my preview for the final now, as two teams in very different places meet, in Down and Wicklow. With Down in Division 2 next year, while Wicklow will start on the bottom rung, you’d have to think the Ulster side’s to lose today.
[Wicklow’s progress has been rapid, but Down challenge might be too soon in Tailteann Cup final]
It’s been a funny few years for Louth in managerial terms, with Mickey Harte, Ger Brennan and Gavin Devlin all being appointed in rapid succession, but somehow each has advanced the team to new heights. Malachy Clerkin charts that journey.
[Gavin Devlin’s long road from Mickey Harte’s lieutenant to Louth leader]
From just up the road in Monaghan, Conor McManus’s view is that Louth’s appearance in the last four of the All-Ireland should not be a shock to anyone. He documents their steady rise to reach their first semi in nearly 70 years.
[Conor McManus: Building steadily and tactically brave, Louth’s progress has been no shock]
Malachy Clerkin sets the scene for a wonderful weekend in GAA HQ. In one semi-final, the greatest rivalry in football is renewed, while in the other you have a true 50:50 contest.
[Malachy Clerkin: Heady times for football as Croke Park sells out for All-Ireland semi-finals]
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Tailteann Cup final and the first of football’s All-Ireland semi-finals. We’re right at the business end of things now and it’s going to be a huge day in a sold out Croke Park.
First off, we’ll have the Tailteann Cup final between Down and Wicklow. Down enter the game as big favourites, having already won this tournament in 2024, while Wicklow upset Offaly to reach the final. That one throws in in just under an hour, at 3.30pm.
Then it’s the big one, Louth’s first All-Ireland semi-final since 1957, as they take on a young and exciting Mayo side. While Louth appear to be peaking after several years of building up, Andy Moran’s side have reached this stage early on into their development. Neither side would have been expected to make it this far, so it’s a massive opportunity for both. Throw-in is at 6pm.
