A guide to all the action in Gaelic games today and tomorrow
TODAY
O'Byrne Cup (Leinster SF) Laois v Dublin IT, Graiguecullen, 7.30
With all the departures from the Laois panel there will be interest in the return of Colm Begley, who yesterday formally announced he was moving from home club Stradbally to Dublin’s Parnells, from Australia.
DIT after a couple of good years, are at the beginning of the development cycle.
McKenna Cup (Ulster SF) Armagh v UUJ, Crossmaglen 7.0
A strong Jordanstown side, who are the Division One winners in the Higher Education leagues, will really put it up to the home county.
Cavan v Donegal, Breffni Park
John Joe Doherty needs to put a team together for the promotion push in Division Two. Tom Carr’s experimental Cavan lost a recent challenge to Westmeath.
Down v QUB, Páirc Esler
James McCartan’s current and former teams meet with Down expected to start translating under-age promise in the near future.
Connacht League SF Group A Sligo IT v Roscommon, Kiltoom 2.0
Roscommon hope to blood some new players this month whereas Sligo IT have been low-key in third-level competition to date.
Mayo v NUI Galway, Ballinode
Mayo have a number of injured players but hope to use a couple of freshers footballers, who are now by rule excluded from the Sigerson, against a useful NUI Galway.
Group B Galway v Sligo Tuam
Joe Kernan mobilises his new charges against the county that very nearly put them out of the Connacht championship.
Lei trim v GMIT, Cloone
The newly-conjured spectre of emigration is adding to Leitrim’s need for fresh talent whereas opponents GMIT gave Sigerson Cup holders Cork IT a rattle in the Higher Education League quarter-finals.
McGrath Cup (Munster SF) Kerry v IT Tralee, Kerins O'Rahillys Tralee 2.0
Back from the Caribbean, the All-Ireland champions get down to chillier pursuits, such as finding a new goalkeeper to replace the retired Diarmuid Murphy.
Tipperary v UL Seán Treacy Park, Tipperary Town
In another of the thrice postponed matches, Tipp’s football supremo John Evans begins his full-time reign.
Limerick v WIT Kilmallock
The third of the Kerry managers in action today, Mickey O’Sullivan, can look forward to getting a couple of dual players to himself in the season ahead.
TOMORROW
(Matches at 2.00 unless stated)
O'Byrne Cup (Leinster SF) Kildare v UCD Newbridge
Kieran McGeeney gets his season under way without the assistance of Paul Grimley and with a couple of long-term injury concerns. UCD are shaping up for a Sigerson Cup summit with city rivals DCU.
Carlow v Athlone IT Carlow
Carlow start the year short a couple of players to the colleges, much to Luke Dempsey’s irritation. Athlone are awaiting a potential Sigerson clash with their host county’s IT next month.
Wicklow v Louth, Baltinglass
The holders, who beat Meath recently in a tournament match, travel to Wicklow for a revival of their rivalry with Mick O’Dwyer’s Wicklow team, which ran to three matches in the 2008 championship.
Dublin v Wexford, Parnell Park
Pat Gilroy assembles an experimental team against Wexford opponents stronger but also featuring a couple of debutants. Dublin’s postponed trial matches also resume this weekend.
Longford v Meath, Ballymahon
Glenn Ryan got bad news in the new year with the emigration of Pádraig Berry and Paddy Dowd’s retirement because of chronic injury. Meath have had a match already fielding under-strength against Louth and losing.
Kilkenny v Offaly, Thomastown
This used to be the extent of the Kilkenny footballers’ brief senior season until re-entry to the NFL two years ago. Tom Cribbin has named an experimental panel for the competition.
Westmeath v DCU, Mullingar
Brendan Hackett has completed an exhaustive trialling process and his O’Byrne Cup panel is, as he accurately forecast, attracting as much attention for those not named. He starts with this tilt at DCU, Sigerson front runners along with Jordanstown.
McKenna Cup (Ulster SF) Fermanagh v Monaghan Brewster Park
Martin McElkennon has been promising a more beautiful Monaghan this year. It’s unlikely to emerge overnight, however.
Tyrone v St Mary's, Healy Park
Tyrone are missing a fair number of players with injury or delaying their comeback. St Mary’s are in Sigerson action in less than a fortnight.
Antrim v Derry, Casement Park
Enda Muldoon broke a bone in his foot (again) at training this week and will miss Derry’s NFL campaign as a result. Antrim have to get used to being without the St Gall’s players for maybe a couple of months.
Munster Cup SH Cork v UCC, Páirc Uí Rinn
UCC could get to the final, facing an experimental Cork side, for whom Michael Cussen makes his debut for the hurlers, followed by a hardly more settled Limerick team.
Kerry v UL, Tralee
John Meyler’s back in charge in Kerry and starts with a tough challenge.
Clare v Waterford IT, Meelick
Sparrow O’Loughlin’s first competitive outing with Clare comes against the formidable WIT.
Waterford v Cork IT, Ballyduff Upper
Resting their ageing regulars, Waterford will run the rule over the rising generation.
McGrath Cup SF (quarter-finals) Clare v UCC Cooraclare
A strong UCC, with All Star Michael Shields newly enrolled, head west for their season’s debut.
If Tipperary v Limerick IT, Dr Morris Park, Thurles; If Limerick IT v UL, LIT; If Kerry v Waterford, Fitzgerald Stadium; Waterford v IT Tralee, Kill; If Limerick v Cork IT, Foynes; If Cork IT v Wateford IT, CIT.
