What’s on?
The Irish soccer team play Turkey on Friday, their first match since the World Cup playoff defeat to Denmark. The All-Ireland club hurling final replay is on Saturday, while the final round of the National Football and Hurling leagues will decide most of the promotion and relegation places. There’s also Pro14 rugby and cricket to look forward to.
FRIDAY
The weekend’s sport begins with Ireland facing Afghanistan in a winner takes all World Cup qualifier. That’s on Sky Sports Mix from 7.15am
The World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play continues in Texas at 2.15pm on Sky Sports Golf. The final round-robin matches takes place, after which the 16 group winners go trough to the weekend's knockout stages. Rory McIlroy is the only Irishman in the tournament. Graeme McDowell, Paul Dunne and Séamus Power are, however, in the Dominican Republic for the Corales Puntacana Championship. Dunne is in contention after opening with a bogey-free 67, five under on Thursday.
The Volta a Catalunya continues, but ahead of the fifth stage Ireland's Dan Martin's hopes of winning are all but evaporated. He is now 19th overall, one minute 54 seconds behind Alejandro Valverde.
Martin O'Neill's Ireland team take on Turkey in Antalya – an opportunity for new recruits such as Declan Rice, Scott Hogan and Enda Stevens – and that kicks-off at 5.30pm (Irish time).
In League of Ireland action Waterford host an in-form Shamrock Rovers (RTÉ 2 from 7.30pm) as one of three fixtures in the division.
On UTV from 7.30pm the Netherlands, now under the management of Ronald Koeman, face England. While on BT Sport 3 from 7.30pm the last two World Cup winners – Germany and Spain – face off in another international friendly.
Connacht are the first of the Irish provinces in Pro14 action this weekend, hosting Edinburgh at the Sportsground.That kicks-off at 7.35pm live on TG4 and is a must-win for Kieran Keane’s team as they aim to remain in the Champions Cup playoff place.
SATURDAY
Watch the knockout stages unfold at the WGC-Match Play on Sky Sports Golf from 2pm-10pm, while stage six of the Volta a Catalunya is on Eurosport 1, from 2.45pm-4.15pm.
There's a feast of hurling on TG4 with Wexford hosting Galway in the rescheduled Division One hurling league quarter-final (3pm throw-in), before the club hurling All-Ireland final replay live from Portlaoise (5.30pm throw-in).
Cuala salvaged the draw late on last time, but can Limerick champions Na Piarsaigh bring their A game again in this clash of hurling's two new super-clubs?
Elswehere, in the All-Ireland senior camogie club final in Clones, Sarsfields take on Slaughtneil at 3.30pm.
In the Pro 14 Cardiff Blues host Ulster and that's live on Sky Sports Arena from 3pm, then on the same channel from 5.15pm Munster host last year's champions Scarlets at Thomond Park. A repeat of last year's final. While Leinster travel to Ospreys for a 7.35pm kick-off and Welsh channel S4C will show the game live.
SUNDAY
For all you Formula One fans, the season-opening Australian Grand Prix is live from Melbourne on Sky Sports F1 from 4.30am and Eir Sport 1 from 6am.
If Ireland do the business against Afghanistan on Friday, they’ll qualify for the World Cup, and face the West Indies in the qualifier final (Sky Sports Mix from 8.15am).
Meanwhile there’ll be the seventh stage of the Volta a Catalunya (Eurosport 1, noon-1.30pm) and we’ll find out the winner of the WGC-Match Play in Texas (Sky Sports Golf, 3pm-midnight).
The football league takes centre stage on Sunday, although the Dublin and Tipperary hurlers meet in the final Division One quarter-final at Croke Park (TG4 from 12.30pm). That’ll be part of a double header before the Dublin footballers clash with Monaghan.
The televised game (TG4 at 3pm) however is the only Division One game carrying any importance - in terms of relegation/final places - the loser of Donegal and Mayo will be relegated.
Meanwhile, if Roscommon beat Cork they will be promoted to the top tier. And likewise for Cavan against Tipperary. Louth are already relegated and if Down beat Meath, the Royals will join them in Division Three next year.
In Division Three the winner of Longford and Fermanagh will join Armagh in sealing promotion, while a Laois win in Division Four will secure their passage to the third tier.
Wins for Roscommon, Cavan, Down, and Laois will also avoid any further disruption to the Division Two and Four final fixture dates. Because last weekend’s postponed fixtures in those divisions will not need to be played.
