The honour of staging the first AIB senior provincial final of 2007 falls to Ulster who have their hurling decider between Dunloy (Antrim) and Kevin Lynch's (Derry) at the top of their agenda on Sunday 28th October. The game takes place in Casement Park at 2.30. Dunloy were taken to a replay by Ballycran (Down) in the semi-final before easing home by six points last Sunday on a day when captain, Gregory O'Kane scored 0-8 while Liam Richmond scored 1-5. Kevin Lynch's came mighty close to taking the title back to Dungiven last year when they drew with Cushendall (Antrim) in the final but couldn't repeat the great effort in the replay where they lost by eight points. Dunloy last won the title in 2003 and will need to be at their sharpest to beat a Dungiven side for whom Geoffrey McGonigle will pose a major threat in attack. LEINSTER FOOTBALL TIE IN CARLOW With defending champions, Moorefield having made a successful start to the defence of their AIB Leinster football campaign when beating Clongeen last Sunday, the focus switches to Dr.Cullen Park next Sunday when Carlow champions, Eire Og take on Tullamore (Offaly). Eire Og clinched the Carlow title with a 4-9 to 1-9 win over Palatine in a replayed final last Sunday. Tullamore, captained by Cathal Daly and managed by Phil O'Reilly, are back in the Leinster championship for the first time for five years, having beaten Shamrocks by 1-12 to 0-12 in the Offaly final. The winners will play Tyrellspass (Westmeath) in the quarter-final. AIB CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP BRIEFS * Clare will have new first-time representatives in both the AIB Munster club football and hurling championships this year. Lissycasey won the football title for the first time while Tulla took the hurling title for the first time in 74 years when they beat Crusheen by a point in the final next Sunday. They will make their debut in the provincial championship against Lixnaw (Kerry) on Sunday week. * Loughmore-Castleiney are back as Tipperary senior hurling champions for the first time since 1988 after beating Drom-Inch in the final on Sunday. The new champions will face 2006 Munster runners-up, Erin's Own (Cork) in the Munster quarter-final on Sunday week. * Oulart-The Ballagh are back as Wexford hurling champions for the sixth time in 14 years and are now looking forward to the Leinster campaign where they will take on either Ballyboden-St.Enda's or St.Vincent's of Dublin. It's turning into quite a season for St. Vincent's who are also in the Dublin football final where they will play St.Brigid's. * Birr, four-times AIB All-Ireland club hurling champions, picked up another Offaly three-in-a-row and an 8th title in nine years when they beat Kilcormac/Killoughey by five points in the county final on Sunday. Brian Whelahan turned in a man-of-the-match display in what was his 11th senior championship success. * Portumna, the 2006 AIB All-Ireland club hurling champions, are back on the title trail after regaining the Galway title with a 19-point win over Kinvara in the final. * Glenullin will represent Derry in the AIB Ulster football championship for the first time since 1985 after beating Bellaghy by a point in Sunday's final. Glenullin will play Newtownbutler (Fermanagh) in the Ulster quarter-final on Sunday week. AIB PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2007 HURLING MUNSTER Nov 4: Quarter-finals: Lixnaw (Kerry) v Tulla (Clare); Loughmore-Castleiney (Tipperary) v Erin's Own (Cork). Nov 18: Semi-finals: Ballygunner or Ballyduff Upper (Waterford) v Lixnaw or Tulla; Croom or Adare (Limerick) v Loughmore-Castleiney or Erin's Own. Dec 2: Final LEINSTER Nov 4: Quarter-final: Mount Leinster Rangers (Carlow) v Ballyhale Shamrocks or St.Martin's (Kilkenny). Nov 11: Quarter-final: Ballyboden-St Enda's or St.Vincent's (Dublin) v Oulart-The Ballagh (Wexford). Nov 18: Semi-finals: Mount Leinster Rangers/ Ballyhale Shamrocks/St.Martin's v Birr (Offaly); Ballyboden-St.Enda's/St.Vincent's/Oulart-The Ballagh v Camross (Laois). Dec 2: Final ULSTER Oct 14: Semi-final: Dunloy (Antrim) 2-16 Ballycran (Down) 3-13 Oct 21: Replay: Dunloy 1-19 Ballycran 1-13 Oct 28: Final: Dunloy v Kevin Lynch's (Derry) CONNACHT Oct 20: 1st round: James Stephens (Mayo) 3-10 St. Mary's (Leitrim) 0-6. Oct 29: 2nd round: Tubbercurry or Calry St. Joseph's (Sligo) v Padraig Pearses or Athleague (Roscommon) Nov 3: Semi-final: James Stephens v Sligo/Roscommon. Nov 18: Final: Portumna (Galway) v semi-final winners FOOTBALL CONNACHT Oct 14: Quarter-final: Tourlestrane (Sligo) 0-12 St.Mary's (Leitrim) 1-4. Nov 11: Semi-finals: Tourlestrane v Ballina Stephenites (Mayo); Killererin or Milltown (Galway) v St.Brigid's (Roscommon). Nov 25: Final. LEINSTER Oct 21: First round: Moorefield (Kildare) 0-15 Clongeen (Wexford) 0-8; Oct 28: Eire Og (Carlow) v Tullamore (Offaly); Date to be finalised: Baltinglass/Kiltegan/Rathnew (Wicklow) v St.Vincent's or St.Brigid's (Dublin). Nov 11: Quarter-finals: Quarter-finals: Moorefield v Dromard (Longford); Eire Og or Tullamore v Tyrrellspass (Westmeath); Wicklow/Dublin v Navan O'Mahony's or Seneschalstown (Meath); St.Patrick's (Louth) v Portlaoise (Louth). Nov 25: Semi-finals: Moorefield/Dromard v Eire Og/Tullamore/Tyrrellspass. Wicklow/Dublin/Meath v St.Patrick's or Portlaoise. Dec 9: Final MUNSTER Nov 11: Quarter-finals: Lissycasey (Clare) v Kilcummin (Kerry); Ilen Rovers or Nemo Rangers (Cork) v Moyle Rovers/Aherlow/Fethard (Tipperary). Nov 25: Semi-finals: Drom-Broadford/Monaleen/Adare/Ballylanders (Limerick) v Cork/ Tipperary; Stradbally/Nire/Ballinacourty/Ardmore (Waterford) v Lissycasey or Kilcummin. December 9: Final. ULSTER Oct 21: Preliminary round: Cavan Gaels 0-8 St.Eunan's (Donegal) 0-7. Nov 4: Quarter-finals: Glenullin (Derry) v Newtownbutler (Fermanagh); Clontibret (Monaghan) v Crossmaglen Rangers (Armagh); Dromore (Tyrone) v Mayobridge (Down); St.Gall's (Antrim) v Cavan Gaels. Nov 18: Semi-finals: Glenullin or Newtownbutler v St.Gall's or Cavan Gaels; Dromore/Mayobridge v Clontibret/Crossmaglen Rangers. Nov 25: Final. Tweet

Most Read Stories