Dáire McConnon of Louth is tackled by Paddy Small of Dublin during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Dublin and Louth at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Sunday 14 May
Leinster SFC final
Dublin v Louth, Croke Park, 1.45pm (RTE2)
Ref: Conor Lane (Cork)
A Dublin team gunning for a 13th Leinster title on the trot come into this match as warm favourites, but don’t be surprised if Louth push them all the way.
Under the watchful eye of Mickey Harte the Wee county have become an extremely well drilled team.
They defend tenaciously in numbers, and counter-attack with great pace. Tommy Durnin and Conor Early give them terrific energy in the middle of the pitch, and forwards like Sam Mulroy, Ciaran Downey and Conor Grimes can both win hard ball and finish clinically.
There’s every chance that Louth supporters will outnumber Dublin’s in Croke Park on Sunday, and the energy they’ll transmit to their players could be a factor too.
From a Louth point of view, they’ll need to get off to a good start and avoid a Dublin blitz in the opening quarter. If they do, then their self-belief will grow and we’ll have a game on our hands.
A Dublin team that includes Stephen Cluxton in goal will surely have learned a lot from their disappointing performance against Kildare in the Leinster semi-final.
That day they played too laterally, so expect them to target inside-forwards Con O’Callaghan, Paul Mannion, and Cormac Costello more directly this time around.
They key battle will be in midfield. Durnin and Early excelled for Louth in their semi-final win over Offaly, scoring two points each, but now come up against two all-time greats in the shape of Brian Fenton and James McCarthy.
At the very least, Louth need to break even in this battle to have any hope of pulling off a shock.
DUBLIN: Stephen Cluxton; Daire Newcombe, David Byrne, Cian Murphy; Lee Gannon, John Small, Tom Lahiff; Brian Fenton, James McCarthy; Colm Basquel, Seán Bugler, Ciaran Kilkenny; Paul Mannion, Con O'Callaghan, Cormac Costello. Subs: David O'Hanlon, Craig Dias, Brian Howard, Seán MacMahon, Jack McCaffrey, Greg McEneaney, Ross McGarry, Lorcan O'Dell, Dean Rock, Niall Scully, Paddy Small
LOUTH: James Califf; Dan Corcoran, Peter Lynch, Donal Mckenny; Leonard Grey, Niall Sharkey, Ciaran Murphy; Tommy Durnin, Conor Early; Conall Mckeever, Sam Mulroy, Conor Grimes; Daire Mcconnon, Ciaran Downey, Liam Jackson. Subs: Peter Mcstravick, Ryan Burns, Dermot Campbell, Bevan Duffy, Ciaran Keenan, Craig Lennon, Conall Mccaul, Oisin Mcguinness, Dylan Mckeown, Paul Mathews, Anthony Williams
Derry are bidding for back to back Ulster SFC titles.
Ulster SFC final
Derry v Armagh, Clones, 4pm (RTE2/BBC NI)
Ref: David Gough (Meath)
This Ulster Senior Football Final has all the ingredients to be a cracker.
Both teams play a high-octane brand of football with players who can attack from all over the pitch, so there’s every reason to believe it will be an end to end battle.
Derry won the Ulster Championship last year with a game-plan that was based on defensive solidity first and foremost, but this year they’ve been more attacking and have gotten great results from a bolder approach.
They push really high up the field off opposition kick-outs, and their ability to then win possession or turn the ball over in the other half of the field consistently produces scoring opportunities.
It’ll be a fascinating tactical battle, because after experimenting with a more cautious approach in the League, Armagh have reverted to the attacking approach that brought them as far as last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final.
Will they stick with that or twist in order to counteract what Derry bring to the table, time will tell.
Derry look like the more well rounded team through defence, midfield, and attack, but Armagh have a puncher’s chance thanks to their ability to do damage with a direct approach.
Rian O’Neil is an imposing target-man and Derry looked vulnerable to long-balls in their quarter-final win over Fermanagh, so this could well be a fruitful approach for Armagh.
In a contest of fine margins the influence both goalkeepers may yet be decisive.
Derry’s Odhran Lynch and Armagh’s Ethan Rafferty can both do serious damage in open play when they joint their team’s attack, and whoever has the bigger moments on Sunday could hand their team an advantage.
ARMAGH: Ethan Rafferty; Conor O'Neill, Aaron McKay, Aidan Forker; Ciaran Mackin, Greg McCabe, Jarly Óg Burns; Ben Crealey, Shane McPartlan; Jason Duffy, Stefan Campbell, Rory Grugan; Andrew Murnin, Rian O'Neill, Conor Turbitt. Subs: Shea Magill, James Morgan, Barry McCambridge, Ross McQuillan, Callum Cumiskey, Ciaran Higgins, Connaire Mackin, Stephen Sheridan, Aidan Nugent, Oisin Conaty, Cian McConville
DERRY: Odhran Lynch; Christopher McKaigue, Eoghan McEvoy, Conor McCluskey; Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Padraig McGrogan; Conor Glass, Brendan Rogers; Padraig Cassidy, Paul Cassidy, Ethan Doherty; Niall Toner, Shane McGuigan, Niall Loughlin. Subs: Ryan Scullion, Declan Cassidy, Ciaran McFaul, Shea Downey, Lachlan Murray, Ben McCarron, Paul McNeil, Benny Heron, Conleth McGuckian, Mark Doherty, Niall O'Donnell
