Our selections for Saturday's GAA action include victory for Galway over Dublin and a high-scoring game when Down visit Clare.
The All-Ireland series begins this weekend as the race to lift the Sam Maguire Cup begins in earnest following a provincial campaign that has served to whet the appetite.
The rules changes brought in by the Football Review Committee (FRC) have brought a welcome upturn in entertainment and public approval is widespread.
Kerry survived a Munster scare against Cork, while Galway took care of Mayo in Connacht and Donegal once more edged out Armagh in an Ulster thriller. Topping it off, Louth won a first Leinster title in 68 years after Dublin’s 14-year grip on the Delaney Cup was ended by Meath.
It all means there is plenty of anticipation as the All-Ireland Football Championship group stages begin.
Selections
Galway to beat Dublin 4/6
Over 2.5 Goals in Clare vs Down 11/10
Tribesmen to prevail in Salthill showdown
There’s no doubting the ‘group of death’ in this All-Ireland series, with Galway joining Dublin, Armagh and Derry in a fiercely competitive section that will make for great entertainment.
Padraic Joyce may not agree, but the Galway boss will know that an opening day win over Dublin in Salthill will be key.
The Dubs lost a Leinster Championship contest for the first time since 2010 as Meath stunned them in the last-four.
Dessie Farrell’s side had to contend with windy conditions that allowed the Royals to build a huge advantage, but when they turned around Dublin weren’t as efficient in their shooting and they turned the ball over too many times.
They also have the scar tissues of Galway’s dramatic Croke Park fightback in the All-Ireland quarter-finals last year. The Dubs were six-point winners in an Allianz League clash in March Seán Bugler scored both their goals and is missing from the matchday squad for Saturday.
The hosts, meanwhile, have been boosted in naming marquee forward Shane Walsh as a starter after he missed the Connacht final.
Add in the menacing quartet of Rob Finnerty, Matthew Tierney, Paul Conroy and Cillian McDaid and this Galway side appears to pose more threats to Dublin than the visitors do to them and that looks like being decisive in Pearse Stadium.
Down should bring entertainment factor to Ennis
Beaten Ulster semi-finalists Down head south to Ennis to face Clare, losers in the Munster decider against Kerry, on Sunday.
These sides are in along with Monaghan and Louth in a very open Group 3. Both Clare and Down will sense opportunity knocking in front of them in Cusack Park.
Conor Laverty’s Mourne men are favourites to win but they look short. Last year’s Tailteann Cup winners had to get themselves out of a real jam against Fermanagh in last month’s Ulster quarter-final.
They gave Donegal a good workout in Clones afterwards, but the eventual Ulster champions always appeared to have things covered.
Down in recent seasons have been goal-hunters. Laverty lamented after their six-point Ulster semi-final loss to Donegal that they didn’t take more of their goal chances.
Clare were blown away by Kerry in the Munster decider as David Clifford and company ran riot and rendered the contest over by half-time.
Mark McInerney and Emmet McMahon are excellent attacking threats, as are Keelan Sexton and Eoin Cleary – both back in the Banner mix after opting out in 2024. Goals is the safest play in this one.
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