Here are our previews for this weekend's senior football championship clashes, with the remaining two provincial final places up for grabs.

 

Saturday, June 24th

All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 1B

Limerick v Wexford, Gaelic Grounds, 3pm

It could prove to be a short-lived championship for Seamus McEnaney in his first year as Wexford manager as the Slayneysiders face the prospect of elimination in travelling to Limerick this weekend.

The Model men's shock defeat to Carlow in last month's Leinster opener has left them in a last chance saloon against the Shannonsiders and they head for the Gaelic Grounds as slight underdogs, despite dispatching Billy Lee's men in the league back in February.

Lee has cited Saturday's meeting as "a new game" however and says his players are relishing the challenge as they look to secure their county's first win over Wexford since their 2011 qualifier victory, which advanced them into an All-Ireland quarter-final.

The Treaty men went down narrowly to Clare (1-13 to 1-12) in the Munster quarter-finals last month and they should find themselves in another tight encounter here, with Josh Ryan set to be in contention for a starting berth after hitting 1-1 off the bench in the loss to the Banner men.

Old reliables Ben Brosnan and Ciaran Lyng combined for 0-10 from frees the last day for Wexford, but you get the feeling they'll need to notch a couple from play as well if they're to earn their first win of the summer.

Verdict: Wexford

Ulster SFC semi-final

Down v Monaghan, Athletic Grounds, 7pm - RTE/BBC

This will be the third Ulster championship clash in five years (and second consecutive) between these two counties, with Monaghan having won last year's provincial quarter-final by 19 points.

The Farney men will be vying for their fourth Anglo-Celt Cup decider in five years, having reigned victorious in 2013 and 2015, and they're hot favourites at 2/7 to do so against a Down side which have managed to turn their fortunes around this season.

From losing all their competitive outings in 2016, Eamonn Burns' side just about avoided back-to-back relegations in the league before stepping up to the plate against Armagh in Newry, where they pulled off a gritty win over their neighbours. Saturday presents an entirely different obstacle however.

Having strolled past Fermanagh, Monaghan came through a stern test at Kingspan Breffni against Cavan two weeks ago, with ace forward Conor McManus again the difference, and they'll want his partner in crime Jack McCarron to get in on the act after two quiet outings thus far this summer. The Athletic Grounds could be the perfect platform for the Currin star to announce his arrival in the 2017 championship.

A win would put the Mourne County into its first Ulster final since 2012, when they lost to would-be All-Ireland winners Donegal, while anything but victory for Malachy O'Rourke's charges this weekend would be a huge surprise.

Verdict: Monaghan

 

Sunday, June 25th

Leinster SFC semi-final

Dublin v Westmeath, Croke Park, 4pm - RTE

Between back-to-back Leinster final defeats and being written off in all quarters, a lack of incentive won't be the problem for Westmeath when they bid to down the All-Ireland champions this Sunday.

After a comfortable replay win over Offaly last weekend, the Lake County are gunning for their first championship win over the capital men since 2004 but the bookmakers make them 18/1 for what would be their ninth competitive victory this season.

Tom Cribbin's side's last visit to Croke Park saw them coast past Wexford in the Division 4 final while Dublin's ended in a first defeat in 36 games (between league and championship) against old foes Kerry in the Division 1 decider.

The Dubs won't have the luxury of having Diarmuid Connolly in their half-forward line this time round but they certainly won't be stuck for options to replace the controversial St Vincent's star. Bernard Brogan and Conor McHugh both came into the holders' attack in the win over the Barrowsiders and either of them should get the nod from Jim Gavin this weekend.

Westmeath have only conceded 0-25 in their two summer outings so far (they shipped the equivalent to the Dubs in last year's Leinster final) and they'll need more leaders at the back on Sunday, along with steady supply into John Heslin at the other end, if they're to pull off the unthinkable.

Kildare face the winners of this one on July 16th.

Verdict: Dublin

All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 1B

London v Carlow, Ruislip, 1pm

This weekend sees Carlow head across the Channel as favourites for the first time this summer, looking to hand London another early championship exit.

Victory over Wexford and an admirable first-half display against Dublin have saw Turlough O'Brien's men make waves in this year's race for Sam Maguire and it's part of the reason why they're fancied at 2/5 odds for a win in the English capital.

London's only victory of the season so far came at Newatch Cullen Park back in February but the Barrowsiders have improved considerably since, with midfield stalwart Brendan Murphy and ace attacker Paul Broderick leading the way for them.

Both were prominent in last month's shock win over Wexford and with Murphy's red card from the Dublin defeat since rescinded they'll have a full deck to choose from in Ruislip.

The Exiles went down narrowly to Leitrim in their Connacht SFC quarter-final at the end of May, with Liam Gavaghan hitting 0-8 for them from centre-forward, and should their skipper be in similar form again on Sunday they'll surely be in with a chance of causing a small upset.

Verdict: Carlow

Offaly v Cavan, Tullamore, 6.30pm

Cavan boss Mattie McGleenan is still awaiting his first championship win in the bainisteoir's bib after the Breffni men went down by a goal to Monaghan in Ulster SFC quarter-finals.

The Blues will have had two weeks to regroup from that loss to their neighbours, with Offaly on duty in last Sunday's 11-point defeat to Westmeath, and are 2/7 favourites to come away from Tullamore victorious this weekend.

This will be the first championship meeting between the two counties since the All-Ireland semi-final in 1969, when the Faithful County won in a replay, and it should see the visitors reversing that result if all goes according to script.

13-man Offaly were perhaps unlucky not to defeat Westmeath the first day out but fell apart in the replay and, like Sunday's opponents, are in a last chance saloon to extend their summer.

Cian Mackey was Cavan's only scoring forward from open play against Monaghan, leading one to believe that McGleenan is set to make some alterations to his attack this weekend.

Verdict: Cavan

Armagh v Fermanagh, Athletic Grounds, 6.30pm

The only provincial derby in this weekend's qualifiers marks a first championship meeting between the two counties in seven years.

Armagh were victorious on that occasion with four points to spare and Kieran McGeeney's side would no doubt settle for a similar result against Fermanagh ahead of Sunday's clash, after having been dumped out of Ulster by Down at the start of the month.

Much of the talk prior to that loss surrounded the Orchard County's attacking prowess, but it was nowhere to be seen in Newry as the hosts held them to just nine scores over the 70 minutes.

A better effort will be required on home turf against the Ernesiders, whom put it up to Monaghan in the first-half of last month's nine-point Ulster first round defeat and undoubtedly have the potential to end Armagh's season on Sunday.

Eoin Donnelly, Sean Quigley and Tomas Corrigan are the men that will need to lead the way for Pete McGrath's charges, but if Armagh can limit the damage from the latter two and start firing down the far end they should come through here.

Verdict: Armagh

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