Our selections for the weekend's GAA action include victory for Sligo against Carlow in Tubbercurry.
The All-Ireland series takes a breather this weekend leaving the Tailteann Cup to fill the football breach for GAA aficionados.
It’s the preliminary quarter-finals this weekend in the second tier, with two games on Saturday as Offaly and New York lock horns before Westmeath face Laois and then, on Sunday, Wexford entertain Antrim and Sligo host Carlow.
Selections
Sligo -6 5/6
Antrim 13/8
Sligo to start better
Sligo almost staged the most remarkable of turnarounds last weekend but, in the end, Kildare had enough in their tank to see the game over the line in Dr Hyde Park.
At one stage the Lilywhites led by 15 and with just 15 minutes remaining the gap was still 11 and Sligo had yet to kick a two-pointer from play.
Then three doubles in the space of five minutes, two from the boot of Pat Spillane, gave Sligo a chance as Cian Lally and Canice Mulligan really started to win the midfield battle against an often flaky Kildare outfit.
The gap was down to two points with five minutes left but Sligo were punished for a three-man-up breach and the wind was gone from their sails.
Tony McEntee would have seen enough from his side to believe they are Tailteann Cup contenders if they can put everything together on their day and now back at home in Tubbercurry they should ease by a Carlow side that have failed to build on last month’s shock win over Fermanagh in Brewster Park.
Antrim to cause a shock
Antrim won their ‘Corrigan Park or nowhere’ battle with Ulster Council and duly hosted All-Ireland champions Armagh in April. The Saffrons were beaten by 11 points in the end but they kicked a solid tally of 1-23 on the day.
A hefty loss against Westmeath wasn’t the start they wanted in the Tailteann Cup and they were in trouble when Limerick had their measure in Belfast in round two.
Andy McEntee and his side took care of business with an eight-point win against London in Newry to keep their season running. On the same afternoon, Wexford were well beaten by Fermanagh in Croke Park
John Hegarty will be pleased to have home advantage in Chadwick’s Park on Sunday but Wexford look like shaky favourites.
McEntee’s side boasted nine scorers in the win over London, with Ryan McQuillan and Dominic McEnhill amongst their standout performers.
Following last month’s defeat against Limerick, McEntee suggested a ‘serious sit down’ was required for his squad and they responded against London.
This is going to require another step up, but if Antrim are able to find the sort of levels they showed against Armagh in the Ulster Championship, they can defy their underdog status.
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