Armagh v Tyrone the pick of the Championship draw

An Ulster quarter-final meeting between old rivals Armagh and Tyrone was the pick of the ties at the draw for the 2012 Football Championship last night.

Both sides have endured something of a decline in recent seasons, but sparks are still likely to fly when they come together in the last eight up north, with the winner potentially meeting reigning Ulster champions Donegal in the semi-final.

Jim McGuinness’ side will have to do it the hard way if they are going to defend the Anglo-Celt Cup. The Tír Chonaill men have been handed a preliminary tie against Cavan and if they can get over that task, they will meet Derry in the quarter-final.

2010 All-Ireland finalists Down seem to have landed the easiest draw in the province and will qualify for the Ulster decider if they can overcome Fermanagh in the quarter-final and the winner of the Antrim/Monaghan quarter-final in the last four.

In Leinster, reigning All-Ireland Champions Dublin’s first championship outing will be in the quarter-finals against the winners of a preliminary clash between Westmeath and Louth. The most appetising tie in the province is the potential meeting of Meath and Kildare for the third year in succession, providing that the Royals can overcome either Wicklow or Carlow and Kildare can get past Offaly in the quarter-finals.

Down south in Munster, age-old rivals Cork and Kerry will not contest a Munster Final next summer and are due to meet in the last four if Kerry can get by Tipperary in the quarter-final. On the other side of the draw, Limerick will fancy their chances of making the Munster decider, with traditional minnows Waterford and Clare standing in their way.

In Connacht, Mayo seem to have a fairly comfortable route to what would be their second Connacht Final in succession, having only to beat the winners of London v Leitrim to get there, while the pick of the draw is the clash of Galway and Roscommon in the quarter-finals.

GAA Football Championship Draw 2012

Leinster:

Preliminary Round: Westmeath v Louth; Longford v Laois; Meath v Wicklow?
Quarter-finals: Westmeath/Louth v Dublin; Longford/Laois v Wexford; Meath/Wicklow v Carlow; Offaly v Kildare?
Semi-finals: Westmeath/Louth/Dublin v Longford/Laois/Wexford; Meath/Wicklow/Carlow v Offaly/Kildare

Connacht:

Quarter-finals: New York v Sligo; London v Leitrim; Galway v Roscommon?
Semi-finals: New York/Sligo v Galway/Roscommon; Mayo v London/Leitrim

Ulster:

Preliminary Round: Cavan v Donegal
Quarter-finals: Cavan/Donegal v Derry; Fermanagh v Down; Monaghan v Antrim; Armagh v Tyrone?
Semi-finals: Fermanagh/Down v Monaghan/Antrim, Armagh/Tyrone v Derry/Cavan/Donegal

Munster:
Quarter-finals: Waterford v Limerick; Kerry v Tipperary?
Semi-finals: Clare v Waterford/Limerick; Cork v Kerry/Tipperary

As far as the little ball is concerned, reigning Champions Kilkenny will meet Dublin at the last four in Leinster in a repeat of last year’s Leinster decider.

Galway look favourites to make it to that stage from the other side of the draw, having been paired with the winner of Westmeath v Antrim in the quarter-final and the winner of Offaly v Wexford in the last four if they can get over the first hurdle.

In Munster, Tipperary have been handed a dangerous route back to the Munster Final and must get by a vastly improving Limerick and Cork to make it to the final two. On the other side of the draw it is a straight shoot out between what is likely to be a Davy Fitzgerald-managed Clare side and his former charges Waterford to see who makes the final cut.

GAA Hurling Championship Draw 2012

Leinster:
First Round: Westmeath v Antrim; Laois v Carlow?
Quarter-finals: Laois/Carlow v Dublin; Offaly v Wexford; Galway v Westmeath/Antrim?
Semi-finals: Galway/Westmeath/Antrim v Offaly/Wexford; Laois/Carlow/Dublin v Kilkenny

Munster:

Quarter-final: Limerick v Tipperary?
Semi-finals: Clare v Waterford; Cork v Limerick/Tipperary