Cork make long trip into the West

GAELIC GAMES: Last year's Munster champions Cork will travel to Roscommon in the stand-out tie of this year's Bank of Ireland…

GAELIC GAMES: Last year's Munster champions Cork will travel to Roscommon in the stand-out tie of this year's Bank of Ireland All-Ireland qualifiers first round.

Cork were sensationally walloped by Limerick last month, while Roscommon suffered a more dignified defeat at the hands of Connacht champions Galway.

All-Ireland champions Armagh, themselves victims of a huge championship surprise against Monaghan, go to Waterford, without a championship win since the 1980s, in a fixture that evokes memories of Galway's trip to Aughrim to play Wicklow in the inaugural year's qualifier series in 2001.

The details of the matches have yet to be finalised but most of the first named teams will have home advantage.

READ MORE

Two of the fixtures are not yet finalised. The losers of this afternoon's Leinster first round replay between Offaly and Laois in Tullamore have been drawn against London.

Whoever ends up in that position is likely to ask for a postponement, given that there are only five days between now and Saturday. But in any event, London are the weakest side in the draw.

The other two outstanding championship fixtures have been conveniently drawn together. The losers of next weekend's Meath-Westmeath replay will face the losers of the Down-Monaghan Ulster first round match, also for decision in the coming week.

The longest trek, outside of London's match, will see Derry head to Wexford Park, where the home side last year came close to surprising Derry's conquerors Tyrone at the same stage of the qualifiers.

All confirmed fixtures are to be played next Saturday, June 6th.

Details of times and venues are to be to be confirmed by the GAC during the week.

Wexford v Derry

Carlow v Wicklow

London v Offaly/Laois

Waterford v Armagh

Roscommon v Cork

Louth v Cavan

Donegal v Longford

Down/Monaghan v Meath/Westmeath

Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times