Weekend previews

A look at the weekend matches in gaelic games

All-Ireland SHC Qualifier

Dublin v Cork, Today

3.30pm, Parnell Park, RTÉ 2

Being first up for Cork after all that has happened is not a fate many would have wanted. Dublin have no choice, but are further challenged by injuries and the unavailability of their best 15.

Optimistic or pessimistic souls will argue that it's better to have the full complement available for the winnable matches, but Dublin will need to step up on the performance against Wexford in the Leinster semi-final.

Even though that result went to the wire, Dublin were too well beaten in terms of possession, territory and scoring chances to stand a chance against a grimly intent Cork.

Gerald McCarthy's men have their own injury concerns with established centre forward Niall McCarthy - particularly in light of Ronan Fallon's form - and centrefielder Tom Kenny missing, which will put a dent in the team's A game. But with Dónal Cusack, Diarmuid O'Sullivan and Seán Ó hAilpín back in harness, the visitors will be too strong and uncontainable.

All-Ireland SHC Qualifier

Tipperary v Offaly, Today

3pm, Semple Stadium

If this was going ahead in Tullamore it would be set up as Offaly's best chance to break their qualifier duck against a top eight team for the first time in four years. Even in Semple Stadium it probably still is.

Coming off a high-scoring challenge win over Clare, John McIntyre's team are getting Tipp at the right time, less than a week after the morale-sapping loss of the Limerick saga.

Michael 'Babs' Keating won't even name until before throw-in, but there doesn't appear to be much injury relief with Paul Kelly still out and Paul Curran looking unlikely to recover in time.

Buoyed by the under-21 success, Offaly are looking a livelier prospect than for a while, but remain fragile.

Tipp should be pretty leaden on their fourth weekend in a row, but they'll also have the tightness that comes from that sort of suffocating competition.

Offaly will threaten, but Tipp should survive.

OFFALY: B Mullins; C Hernon, P Cleary, D Franks; K Brady,  D Kenny, G Oakley; R Hanniffy  (capt), B Murphy; G Hanniffy, D Molloy, B Carroll; S Ryan, J Bergin, D Murray.

All-Ireland SHC Qualifier

Antrim v Clare, Today,

2.30pm, Casement Park

If there is intended to be an element of handicapping in the qualifier system this is the match. Antrim have home advantage whereas Clare are without their best forwards due to Barry Nugent's suspension and Tony Griffin's nearly completed sabbatical.

The home side are also a bit caught by injury, especially in defence and there are also concerns that Karl McKeegan may not be fully fit to take his place at centrefield.

The usual arguments about experience and championship exposure govern this. The rout of Down wasn't even a useful run-out, as the monsoon conditions made the Ulster final a perfect replica of a league match in February rather than the (literally) dry run a team might expect in June. Antrim could well beat the handicap of seven, but it'd be pushing things to see them taking two points.

All-Ireland SHC Qualifier

Laois v Galway, Today,

7pm, O'Moore Park

Laois have been the most disappointing performers in the qualifier groups. Galway's complaint that their group isn't competitive enough finds its firmest grounding in the experience against Laois. In each of the past two seasons Galway have beaten the midlanders by an average of over 20 points.

Whether this is any more competitive is anyone's guess, although the loss of Darren Rooney to the footballers' semi-final tomorrow is a blow for Laois in what's likely to be the hardest of their group matches.

Ger Loughnane is packing a fat portfolio of injury problems, but his back-up is well strong enough to take care of business this evening.