Time to put the dates in the diary folks…
The GAA have today confirmed details for Qualifying Round 4B of the Football Championship and the quarter-finals, which will take place over the first two weekends of next month.
Following defeat to the Dubs yesterday, Meath will return to Croke Park on Saturday week to try and get their Championship campaign back on track against an Armagh side building solid momentum following their victory over Roscommon on Saturday evening; the winner of that clash will probably go on to face Donegal in the last eight.
Later that evening, Monaghan will take on Kildare with the winner likely to have the ominous task of trying to dethrone reigning All-Ireland Champions Dublin in the quarter-finals.
On Sunday week, meanwhile, provincial champions Mayo and Kerry will be in action against the winners of the games in Round 4B of the qualifiers this weekend, when Cork and Sligo and Galway and Tipperary do battle to claim a place in the last eight.
If Cork or Galway (or both) manage to get through to the last eight there will be no need for a quarter-final draw as Kerry cannot meet Cork and Mayo cannot meet Galway again at this stage; if Sligo and Tipperary emerge victorious then a draw will be required to take place.
The same applies to Round 4B as if either Monaghan or Meath (or both) come through their respective encounters, then the pairings will be set for the quarter-finals without the need for a draw, which will only be required if both Armagh and Kildare come out on top.
We hope that all makes sense and if it doesn’t, we’ve included the GAA’s official wording of the explanation with all the rest of the details for the fixtures below.
Football Championship fixtures:
Saturday, July 26
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Round 4A Qualifiers
Cork v Sligo, O’Connor Park, Tullamore, 5pm – Live on Sky Sports
Galway v Tipperary, O’Connor Park, Tullamore, 7pm – Live on Sky Sports
Saturday, August 2
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Round 4B Qualifiers
Meath v Armagh, Croke Park, 5pm - Live on Sky Sports
Kildare v Monaghan, Croke Park, 7pm - Live on Sky Sports
Sunday, August 3
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Finals
Kerry v Round 4A Winner, Croke Park, 2pm* - Live on RTÉ
Mayo v Round 4A Winner, Croke Park, 4pm*- Live on RTÉ
*If either/both Galway or Cork win their Rd 4a games, there will not require to be a quarter final draw as Kerry cannot meet Cork again at this stage and Mayo cannot meet Galway. If neither win, there will be a draw to determine which of the Rd 4a winners (Sligo, Tipperary) play which of the Provincial Champions in the All Ireland Quarter Finals.
Saturday, August 9
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Finals
Donegal v Round 4B Winner, Croke Park, 4pm* - Live on Sky Sports
Dublin v Round 4B Winner, Croke Park, 6pm* - Live on Sky Sports
*If either/both Meath or Monaghan win their Rd 4b games, there will not require to be a quarter final draw as Donegal cannot meet Monaghan again at this stage and Dublin cannot meet Meath. If neither win, there will be a draw to determine which of the Rd 4b winners (Armagh, Kildare) play which of the Provincial Champions in the All Ireland Quarter Finals.
