Here are previews for the seven football clashes taking place across the country this weekend.

 

Saturday, July 8th

All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 2B

Westmeath v Armagh, TEG Cusack Park, 7pm

This will be the first meeting between these two counties in the football championship and Westmeath have it all to do after their 31-point hammering by Dublin in last month's Leinster semi-final.

The Lake County have had three outings so far this summer and just one win and on Saturday evening they come up against an Armagh side which finally got firing against Fermanagh the last day, notching 0-20 over the 70 minutes at the Athletic Grounds.

On the flip side, Kieran McGeeney's charges conceded just 0-5 from open play against the Ernesiders and one would imagine that a similar total would suffice in Mullingar, where they are 1/2 favourites to reach the third qualifying round for the first time in three years.

This is Westmeath's first tour in the earlier rounds of the qualifiers since 2014, having contested the last two Leinster finals, and bookmakers make them 9/4 to advance past the Orchard men on their own home turf.

For that to happen they'll have to put their provincial semi-final slaughtering firmly behind them and the best way to do that would be for the likes of John Heslin and Kieran Martin firing from the start against their Ulster opponents.

Verdict: Armagh

Wexford v Monaghan, Innovate Wexford Park, 3pm

Seamus McEnaney boldly stated that no team would want to draw his Wexford side in the qualifiers after their one-point win over Limerick, but you get the feeling that his native Monaghan will be eager to hit the pitch (and not 'the Diff') at Innovate Wexford Park this weekend.

The Farney men were outfought by Down in last month's shock Ulster semi-final defeat and the feeling here is that McEnaney's charges are about to feel the backlash from a side which many touted as being in the 'Top 5' in the country before this year's championship got underway.

The performances of Conor McManus and Jack McCarron during the National League leant support to those claims but the latter, in particular, hasn't got firing yet and there were plenty of woes elsewhere against the Mourne County.

Wexford endured a shock of their own in a provincial opener against Carlow in May before bouncing back in a tricky tie away to Limerick, where veteran forward PJ Banville proved the Slayneysiders' match winner.

Saturday marks the third time these two counties meet in the qualifiers, with each side winning one apiece so far, and all the signs point to the visitors prevailing victorious on this occasion.

Verdict: Monaghan

Carlow v Leitrim, Netwatch Dr Cullen Park, 3pm

There have been plenty of league meetings in recent years between these two minnows but Saturday will see them clashing for the first time ever in the All-Ireland SFC.

Only a point separated the sides in the Division 4 league table this past spring, with Carlow finishing just above Leitrim in fourth, but when the sides met in March it was the Connacht men that prevailed with a 2-14 to 2-12 victory at Carrick-on-Shannon.

With home advantage in their favour this Saturday, along with some impressive displays already under their belts this summer, the Barrowsiders are 4/9 favourites to end Brendan Guckian's side's season, having already taken a scalp against Wexford and sent London packing.

Midfield star Brendan Murphy and ace attacker Paul Broderick have been the go to men for Turlough O'Brien's charges this year and with Murphy suspended you'd expect the latter to to be at the forefront if they are to advance into the next round.

With talisman Emlyn Mulligan injured, Leitrim have had to rely on a number of U21 stars in their two championship outings thus far against London and Roscommon and they'll need the likes of Keith Beirne and Ryan O'Rourke to step up to the plate if they are to deliver a small upset at Netwatch Dr Cullen Park.

Verdict: Carlow

Cavan v Tipperary, Kingspan Breffni, 2pm

Tipperary fans can't be happy with the fact that only three hours separate this clash from their hurling qualifier meeting with Dublin in Thurles.

The result will undoubtedly see the turnout affected at Kingspan Breffni on Saturday afternoon but Premier boss Liam Kearns has vowed that they "will give Cavan plenty of it in their own back yard". 

Question marks still remain over the fitness of star forward Michael Quinlivan and whether or not the Clonmel Commercials man will feature this weekend. If not then the visitors may have to rely on Conor Sweeney for a spark up front in these two counties' first championship meeting in 82 years.

Cavan were far from convincing against Offaly in the last round, requiring Gearoid McKiernan's 1-4 contribution to get them out of jail, and manager Mattie McGleenan accepts that improvement will be a necessity when Tipp come to visit.

Both these sides went down on narrow margins in their respective provinces and the prediction here is that there won't be much separating them after 70 minutes in Cavan town on Saturday afternoon.

Verdict: Cavan

All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 3

Meath v Donegal, Pairc Tailteann, 6pm

These two struggled over the line despite being hot favourites in the previous round and one of them will see their season ended on Saturday - barring a draw after extra time of course.

Donegal head for Navan the fancied side but their performance against Longford the last day in Ballybofey left a lot to be desired and one would imagine Meath picking them off should the Tir Chonaill men put in a similar display.

The Royals require improvement as well though. Michael Newman and Sean Tobin saved their skins in the late stages against Sligo, who looked like springing a shock for long stages, and it could see Andy McEntee altering things for this weekend.

Reducing the influence of Paddy McBrearty and Michael Murphy will need to be a top priority for the hosts on Saturday and should they manage to do so then they'll be in with a decent shout of a 2/1 upset here.

The two counties haven't clashed in the championship since 2002, when Donegal edged a two-point victory, and it could well be just as close an affair this weekend.

Verdict: Donegal

Clare v Mayo, Cusack Park, 5pm - RTE

Mayo's wastefulness very nearly cost them dear against Derry last Saturday evening in Castlebar, where the hosts came good in extra time, and this weekend sees them faced with a tricky trip to Ennis.

Clare put it up to Kerry in Munster and demolished Laois in Portlaoise last weekend and welcome the 2016 beaten All-Ireland finalists in comparable form to that of which saw them reaching the last eight in last year's race for the Sam Maguire Cup.

Eoin Cleary led the way for the Banner men at O'Moore Park in round two of the qualifiers and should his sidekick David Tubridy get firing alongside him in the front lines at Cusack Park on Saturday then Stephen Rochford's men could be in trouble.

The visitors will be without one of their key men at the back Patrick Durcan after being sent off in the first added period against Derry, but they'll be happy to see Aidan O'Shea putting in a fine shift against the Oak Leafers in his first championship start of the year.

A fascinating battle around the middle awaits between the big Breaffy man and Gary Brennan in what will be the first time these two counties collide in the football championship.

Verdict: Mayo

 

Sunday, July 9th

Connacht SFC final

Galway v Roscommon, Pearse Stadium, 2pm - RTE

All roads lead to Salthill on Sunday as the battle for the JJ Nestor Cup comes down to holders Galway and Roscommon for the second year in-a-row.

The formbook doesn't suggest a different outcome either, with Galway practically having had the perfect season so far in achieving promotion to Division 1, winning a National League title at Croke Park and defeating old rivals Mayo to return to the western province's decider.

Kevin Walsh's side are 4/9 to claim their 46th Connacht crown on Sunday, which would bring them back level on titles with Mayo, against a Roscommon side which have had one competitive outing so far this summer against Leitrim.

The Rossies certainly kept things to script in a 2-23 to 1-9 trouncing of Leitrim, with Conor Devaney bagging both of their goals, and the in-form Kilbride marksman will certainly be on the Tribesmen's radar this weekend.

Kevin McStay will look to lead his adopted county to its first JJ Nestor Cup success in seven years but they'll need a lot to go right for them at Pearse Stadium, where seasoned campaigners Sean Armstrong and Gary Sice were so influential for them the last day.  

Verdict: Galway

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