SFC previews: Mayo begin historic bid May 27, 2016





Ready for action at Ruislip Ready for action at Ruislip

Here we preview the four provincial senior football championship quarter-finals down for decision on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday, May 29th

Connacht SFC quarter-final

London v Mayo, Ruislip, 3pm

Champions Mayo head across the water this weekend to commence their bid for a record sixth consecutive Nestor Cup success. London have been cast as 16/1 outsiders to upset the visitors at Ruislip, where Stephen Rochford makes his managerial bow in the All-Ireland SFC.



The Ballinrobe man looks set to be without a few regulars for the trip to the English capital, with current 'Young Footballer of the Year' Diarmuid O'Connor and midfielders Tom Parsons and Seamus O'Shea all struggling to be fit. However, with artillery such as Aidan O'Shea and newly named captain Cillian O'Connor up front, the Westerners have plenty of options to shoot down Ciaran Deely's charges on Sunday afternoon.



The Exiles' league campaign didn't make for pleasant reading, losing six of their seven outings in Division Four, and they don't look a good bet to break that trend here. The winners of this one will take on Galway in the semi-finals on June 18th in Castlebar.

Verdict: Mayo



Munster SFC quarter-finals

Limerick v Clare, Gaelic Grounds, 2pm

Sunday is derby day in the Munster senior football championship and the early throw-in comes at the Gaelic Grounds, where Clare will bid to maintain their good form this season against neighbours Limerick. Colm Collins's team turned some heads last month, gaining promotion before they shocked Kildare in the Division Three final at Croke Park, where Eoin Cleary and David Tubridy ran the show for the underdogs. The Banner men's deadly duo will be looked to again on Sunday and could well end up being the difference for them.



The Shannonsiders' league trail saw them relegated to football's bottom tier in April and John Brudair is no doubt keen for a response from his players on home turf. The winners here advance to a semi-final meeting with Kerry on Sunday fortnight (June 12th) in Killarney.

Verdict: Clare



Waterford v Tipperary, Fraher Field, 3.30pm

This is the second meeting in as many years between these two sides, with Tipperary having won last year's clash in Thurles by an emphatic 22 points. That goes a long way in explaining why Liam Kearns's team are ranked as 1/5 favourites for Sunday's provincial quarter-final in Dungarvan. The Premier County have been victorious in their last five championship meetings with the Deise men, dating back to 1994, and that record looks set to be extended given the fact that the latter only managed two wins in Division Four this season. Michael Quinlivan and co should keep the scoreboard operator at Fraher Field fairly busy on Sunday, with the winners taking on Cork on home soil on June 12th.

Verdict: Tipperary



Ulster SFC quarter-final

Cavan v Armagh, Breffni Park, 3.30pm Live on RTE

A massive 17 points separated these two sides in their last meeting back in March but you can expect Sunday's showdown at Kingspan Breffni Park to be a much tighter affair, with plenty of spice added.



Cavan's well-earned promotion to Division One saw them competing in a National League final at Croke Park at the end of last month, while Armagh have been forced to wait in the wilderness since early April following their relegation from the second tier. This weekend is the third championship meeting in four years between these two counties, with the Orchard men having claimed a 1-12 to 0-9 win two years ago in what was a fiery encounter at the Athletic Grounds, where brawls broke out before and after the throw-in.



There will be pressure on both teams to get the win this Sunday, and going by form thus far this season it's hard to look past the Breffni men. New provincial favourites Tyrone await the victors here in the last four on June 19th.

Verdict: Cavan

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