Senior football final: Ballyboden St Enda’s v Kilmacud Crokes, Parnell Park, 4pm.
Last year’s double-champions face off against this year’s double-chasers as Kilmacud and Ballyboden meet.
Reigning All-Ireland champions Crokes are chasing a first Dublin three-in-a-row but their title defence was almost ended at the semi-final stage when they were rocked by Raheny’s charge. An injury-time Luke Ward goal and a penalty shoot-out saved them.
They are still laden down with attacking jewels in Paul Mannion and Shane Walsh, who wore a face guard the last day when coming off the bench at half-time. Will he play the full hour on Sunday?
Ballyboden were last champions in 2019 and they are led by the Basquels, Colm and Ryan, up front and the midfield prowess of Michael Darragh MacAuley.
Clare
Senior hurling final: Clonlara v Crusheen, Cusack Park, 2pm.
An unlikely pairing in the Clare SHC final as Clonlara and Crusheen are both bidding for their third-ever Canon Hamilton Cup.
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Neither side had reached so much as a quarter-final since 2019 and Crusheen were even relegated to intermediate in 2021 only to gain reprieve on appeal. This year, their progress from the group stage under the GAA’s new score-difference rule survived an appeal by Sixmilebridge.
They are backboned by an older guard of former Clare hurlers in goalkeeper Donal Tuohy, full-back Cian Dillon, and club chairman Gerry O’Grady, who, at 40, put in a man-of-the-match display in the semi-final.
Clonlara have plenty of heroes of their own. A totemic performance from John Conlon, back at centre-forward for his club, helped them knock out last year’s runners-up Éire Óg Ennis and they also have the Galvins, Ian and Colm, in attack.
Donegal
Senior football final: Naomh Conaill v Gaoth Dobhair, Mac Cumhaill Park, 4pm.
A repeat of the tension-packed 2019 final trilogy, which required two replays to split these sides. Naomh Conaill won in the end, avenging their 2018 defeat, and the Glenties men have extended their streak to seven final appearances in a row since then. They will be favoured to win their fourth of that run.
It’s Gaoth Dobhair’s first time back since that 2018 clash when they were reigning Ulster champions. Full-back Neil McGee, recently installed as a selector under Jim McGuinness, will get a good feel for any up-and-coming attacking prospects looking to break in with Donegal. No doubt he’d love to tempt teammate Odhrán Mac Niallais, whose brother Ronan manages the team, back into the county ranks too.
If the Gweedore men win, they would go clear on top of the Donegal roll of honour on 16 titles, while Naomh Conaill are aiming for their seventh.
Kerry
Senior football semi-final: Mid Kerry v Dingle, Austin Stack Park, 5.30pm.
The two closest contenders to taking East Kerry’s crown meet in RTÉ’s televised Saturday match at Tralee. Dingle have established themselves as the county’s pre-eminent club side in a competition ruled by the divisional teams in recent years. If a divisional team wins again this year, it is Dingle who will represent Kerry in the Munster Championship.
They are powered by five Geaneys in attack, Conor, Paul, Dylan, Mikey, and Niall, while Tom O’Sullivan anchors their defence. A first county title since 1948 is their holy grail.
Mid Kerry were runners-up to the Clifford-powered Eastern division in 2020 and ’22 but crushed Na Gaeil in their quarter-final. They have added the impressive Cillian Burke to their attack and he, alongside Seán O’Brien and Keith Evans, will have been catching Jack O’Connor’s eye. Jack’s own son Éanna notched 1-4 from play against Na Gaeil and will lead their scoring efforts.
Roscommon
Senior football final: St Brigid’s v Boyle, Dr Hyde Park, 2.30pm
The competitiveness of this championship is underlined by the fact that champions Strokestown were relegated to intermediate this year.
Boyle, the second-largest town in the county, haven’t won a county title since 1927 but having lost to Strokestown by one point last year, they’re back for a second bite of the apple. Can Enda and Donie Smith, under the management of their older brother Cian, help get them to end that 96-year wait?
St Brigid’s scored 4-15 in their semi-final win over Roscommon Gaels, with Ben O’Carroll accounting for 2-3 of their total. The 2013 All-Ireland champions will hope their final pedigree can help them handle the big day better.
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5 key GAA club storylines to look out for this weekend
Dublin
Last year’s double-champions face off against this year’s double-chasers as Kilmacud and Ballyboden meet.
Reigning All-Ireland champions Crokes are chasing a first Dublin three-in-a-row but their title defence was almost ended at the semi-final stage when they were rocked by Raheny’s charge. An injury-time Luke Ward goal and a penalty shoot-out saved them.
They are still laden down with attacking jewels in Paul Mannion and Shane Walsh, who wore a face guard the last day when coming off the bench at half-time. Will he play the full hour on Sunday?
Ballyboden were last champions in 2019 and they are led by the Basquels, Colm and Ryan, up front and the midfield prowess of Michael Darragh MacAuley.
Clare
An unlikely pairing in the Clare SHC final as Clonlara and Crusheen are both bidding for their third-ever Canon Hamilton Cup.
Neither side had reached so much as a quarter-final since 2019 and Crusheen were even relegated to intermediate in 2021 only to gain reprieve on appeal. This year, their progress from the group stage under the GAA’s new score-difference rule survived an appeal by Sixmilebridge.
They are backboned by an older guard of former Clare hurlers in goalkeeper Donal Tuohy, full-back Cian Dillon, and club chairman Gerry O’Grady, who, at 40, put in a man-of-the-match display in the semi-final.
Clonlara have plenty of heroes of their own. A totemic performance from John Conlon, back at centre-forward for his club, helped them knock out last year’s runners-up Éire Óg Ennis and they also have the Galvins, Ian and Colm, in attack.
Donegal
A repeat of the tension-packed 2019 final trilogy, which required two replays to split these sides. Naomh Conaill won in the end, avenging their 2018 defeat, and the Glenties men have extended their streak to seven final appearances in a row since then. They will be favoured to win their fourth of that run.
It’s Gaoth Dobhair’s first time back since that 2018 clash when they were reigning Ulster champions. Full-back Neil McGee, recently installed as a selector under Jim McGuinness, will get a good feel for any up-and-coming attacking prospects looking to break in with Donegal. No doubt he’d love to tempt teammate Odhrán Mac Niallais, whose brother Ronan manages the team, back into the county ranks too.
If the Gweedore men win, they would go clear on top of the Donegal roll of honour on 16 titles, while Naomh Conaill are aiming for their seventh.
Kerry
The two closest contenders to taking East Kerry’s crown meet in RTÉ’s televised Saturday match at Tralee. Dingle have established themselves as the county’s pre-eminent club side in a competition ruled by the divisional teams in recent years. If a divisional team wins again this year, it is Dingle who will represent Kerry in the Munster Championship.
They are powered by five Geaneys in attack, Conor, Paul, Dylan, Mikey, and Niall, while Tom O’Sullivan anchors their defence. A first county title since 1948 is their holy grail.
Mid Kerry were runners-up to the Clifford-powered Eastern division in 2020 and ’22 but crushed Na Gaeil in their quarter-final. They have added the impressive Cillian Burke to their attack and he, alongside Seán O’Brien and Keith Evans, will have been catching Jack O’Connor’s eye. Jack’s own son Éanna notched 1-4 from play against Na Gaeil and will lead their scoring efforts.
Roscommon
The competitiveness of this championship is underlined by the fact that champions Strokestown were relegated to intermediate this year.
Boyle, the second-largest town in the county, haven’t won a county title since 1927 but having lost to Strokestown by one point last year, they’re back for a second bite of the apple. Can Enda and Donie Smith, under the management of their older brother Cian, help get them to end that 96-year wait?
St Brigid’s scored 4-15 in their semi-final win over Roscommon Gaels, with Ben O’Carroll accounting for 2-3 of their total. The 2013 All-Ireland champions will hope their final pedigree can help them handle the big day better.
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Club GAA County Finals