NINE SENIOR FOOTBALL showdowns across the four provinces are on the agenda this weekend as part of a packed championship schedule.

With six games on Saturday evening and three on Sunday afternoon, it’s a key couple of days in the football championship, particularly in the context of the new format this year that features a new national structure with the advent of the Tailteann Cup.

There is plenty at stake.

Sam Maguire Cup race

We already know there are 16 counties guaranteed to be in the All-Ireland senior football race in 2022, this year’s Division 1 participants, the top six in the Division 2 league and the pair promoted from Division 3 (Louth and Limerick).

Last Sunday’s results confirmed the first two sides that will contest the All-Ireland qualifiers, Armagh and Mayo needing to recover after their respective Ulster and Connacht losses.

Ten teams that are in provincial action this weekend, know a defeat will send them towards those qualifiers. Three games involve six of those sides with Clare playing Limerick in Saturday’s Munster quarter-final, All-Ireland champions Tyrone taking on Derry in Sunday’s Ulster quarter-final, and Kildare face Louth in Sunday’s Leinster quarter-final.

Also on Saturday, Roscommon face a Connacht semi-final, Dublin feature in a Leinster quarter-final and Monaghan partake in an Ulster quarter-final. Then on Sunday, Meath have a Leinster quarter-final assignment.

Dublin manager Dessie Farrell. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Round 1 of the All-Ireland football qualifiers is scheduled for the weekend of 4-5 June, with a preliminary round the weekend before if required.

Eight teams will feature in the Round 1 games, with the first team drawn having home venue for the four fixtures.

Tailteann Cup

The novelty in this year’s football championship lies in the introduction of the Tailteann Cup. How the new competition will be received will critical to determining its’ future progress. The promotion of it will be key with live TV coverage confirmed for the semi-finals and final, while the GAA are also fine-tuning the details of an All-Star scheme for it.

17 counties are eligible to participate – New York, the eight who competed in Division 4 of the league this year, the teams ranked 3rd to 8th in Division 3, and the pair relegated from Division 2 – Down and Offaly.

All those teams do have an opportunity to avoid it. If they qualify for their provincial championship final, that will allow them a path into the main All-Ireland series.

Seven counties are already confirmed to contest the Tailteann Cup after losing their opening provincial round ties – Fermanagh, London, New York, Antrim, Offaly, Laois and Carlow.

Another eight counties need to win their games this weekend if they are to avoid playing in the Tailteann Cup. On Saturday, Waterford and Tipperary play each other in Munster, while Westmeath take on Longford in Leinster. Sligo, Wexford and Down also have provincial ties. For Sligo, facing a semi-final in Connacht, a win over Roscommon will ensure an All-Ireland qualifier spot.

On Sunday, Wicklow are in Leinster quarter-final action, with the remaining two counties eligible for the Tailteann Cup (Leitrim and Cavan) playing on Sunday 8 May.

Cavan boss Mickey Graham. John McVitty / INPHO John McVitty / INPHO / INPHO

We’ll have a clearer picture by the close of this weekend as to the Tailteann Cup participants. If required there will be a preliminary round on 21-22 May, with Round One on 28-29 May and then the quarter-finals, the stage where New York will join the action, on 4-5 June.

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