GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship 2013 Round 3 Qualifiers
1. Galway v's Armagh
Pearse Stadium, Salthill
Throw In: Saturday 5pm
After taking such a significant beating by Mayo in the opening round of the Connacht Championship and following that up with less than impressive victories over Tipperary and Waterford in the qualifiers, Galway manager Alan Mulholland will more than earn his crust to take on the challenge of free scoring Armagh in this qualifier. Although Armagh were rudderless in their Prelimary Round Ulster Championship defeat by Cavan they have bounced back with impressive victories over Wicklow and Leitrim with ace marksman Jamie Clarke to the fore. Manager Paul Grimley deserves great credit for rallying his troops after the criticism received, some of it very personal, after the Cavan defeat, and with Galway seeming to lack leaders on the pitch, the Orchard County men should advance to an All Ireland Quarter Final appearance against Cork
Verdict: Armagh
2. Derry v's Cavan
Celtic Park, Derry
Throw In: Saturday 5pm
As ever Derry will be difficult to beat on their own patch in Celtic Park. After fading dramatically in the second half of their Ulster Championship semi final defeat to Down, they exacted revenge in their five point victory over the Mourne County men in the second round of the qualifiers two weeks ago. Coupled with a home victory over Sligo in the first round, a series of home ties in the qualifiers is allowing Brian McIver and his charges build up something of a head of steam once more. Cavan's season has already been a succesful one on the basis that it has lasted in to late July. After an agonising one point defeat to Monaghan in the Ulster Chapionship semi final, Terry Hyland and his men put in a very creditable performance in defeating Fermanagh for a second time this season in a tempetuos encounter a week later in the qualifiers. With Eugene Keating and Martin Dunne once more to the fore Cavan will not lack a scoring threat but it may just be a step too far for this young but promising team to down the Oak Leaf county men on this occasion.
Verdict: Derry
3. Wexford v's Laois
Wexford Park
Throw In: Saturday 7pm
After getting the better of Louth in a belter of an encounter Wexford would have gone in to their Leinster Championship semi final game against Meath in Croke Park in confident mood. However, that bubble was burst in a five point defeat to the Royals and the model county have now had to take the qualifier route. Credit to them for picking up the pieces immediatley with their extra time victory over Longford in Pearse Park last weekend. Justin McNulty and his Laois charges also had to take a serious look at themselves after a ten point trouncing by Louth at home in Portlaoise in round one of the Leinster Championship. They have since recovered well with qualifier victories over Carlow and a very comprehensive victory over Mick O'Dwyer's Clare in Ennis. In what is a very tough encounter to call the combination of home advantage and the benefit of their hard fought victory last weekend may just swing this encounter in the yellow bellows favour
Verdict: Wexford
Pods-itivity Treble: 9/2
Other mentions:
GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship 2013 Round 3 Qualifiers
Although Kildare overcame Louth with a late rally in the previous round their confidence may still be brittle after their heavy beating by Dublin in the Leinster Championship semi final and a strong looking Tyrone side with Stephen O'Neill back in the fold may just overpower them in Newbridge
Connacht GAA Football Senior Championship 2013 Final
Mayo to overpower a spirited London side whose fairytale season will continue with another outing in the last round of the qualifiers
Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship 2013 Final
An interesting statistic is that Donegal have not defeated Monaghan in the Ulster Championship since 1983 but it is difficult to see Malachy O'Rourke's men putting a stop to this Donegal's sides strive for a third Ulster Championship in a row
No comments:
Post a Comment