There are three quarter-finals down for decision in the All-Ireland senior football championship this Bank Holiday weekend, including Monday's replay between Mayo and Roscommon.

Monday, August 7th

All-Ireland SFC quarter-final replay

Mayo v Roscommon, Croke Park, 2pm - RTE

Rossies selector Liam McHale feels they hold the aces going into Monday's All-Ireland quarter-final replay, stating this week that last Sunday's draw at Croker "will bring us on a long way".

Donie Smith's 73rd minute point ensured the Bank Holiday rematch between these two Connacht rivals and although many neutrals will feel that Kevin McStay's charges may have missed their chance, the 9/4 underdogs will be delighted at a second bite at the cherry.

Mayo will be looking to avoid the disastrous start they endured the last day, with Lee Keegan's excellent contribution pulling them back into contention, while their opponents will need to ensure they don't go 23 minutes without a score again.

Should a similar drought occur for the 9/4 underdogs then you can expect Cillian O'Connor - held to just 0-1 from play the last day - to punish them at the other end, with the Ballintubber sharpshooter having proved their reliable outlet so many times already this summer.

Had there been extra time at headquarters last Sunday it would have been the third set of added periods for Stephen Rochford's men in this championship. Instead they're facing their first replay of 2017 against an opposition they're already more than familiar with and they should have just enough to edge things this time round.

Kerry await the winners on August 20th.  

Verdict: Mayo
 

Saturday, August 5th

All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals

Tyrone v Armagh, Croke Park, 4pm- Sky

What better way to kick off things at Croker on Saturday than a derby between two of Ulster's fiercest rivals?

This one is somewhat of a throwback as well, with several high stake encounters having taken place between the northern neighbours during the 2000s but it's Tyrone that hold the upper hand when it comes to the business end of the All-Ireland series, defeating them in the 2003 decider for their first Sam Maguire triumph and again at the last four stage two years later.

Kieran McGeeney played in both those losses and how the Orchard County's only ever All-Ireland winning captain would love to orchestrate the Red Hands' downfall this weekend, which would likely mark Sean Cavanagh's last ever game for his county.

Armagh tore up the script against Kildare last Saturday at headquarters, making some fabulous long range scores look routine, and in the end Andrew Murnin's 31st minute goal proved the difference in the upset. You get the feeling McGeeney's charges will need the same again and more this Saturday as they measure up against a side which have been considerably comfortable in all of their outings so far this summer.

In many ways, Tyrone made Ulster look like a complete cruise this year and while they're 2/9 favourites for Saturday, Mickey Harte has been talking up their neighbours' "great resilience" in the wake of their fully deserved win over the Lilywhites.  

It should be noted that the last time these two rivals met in the championship it was Armagh that sprung a colossal upset in Omagh, where eight different scores totalled their 0-13 winning tally, three years ago, but Tyrone have made considerable strides since then to the point where they're now All-Ireland contenders.

It should all make for a fascinating battle come Saturday afternoon.

Verdict: Tyrone

Dublin v Monaghan, Croke Park, 6pm - Sky

Armagh's surprise victory over Kildare last weekend could have saw Monaghan paired with Tyrone, but instead they face Dublin for the second time in four years on the All-Ireland series' last eight stage.

Malachy O'Rourke's side avenged their shock Ulster semi-final loss with an impressive second-half rout of Down last Saturday, but they return to HQ as 9/1 outsiders looking do what no side has done in the championship since 2014.

That year saw the Dubs drubbing the Farney men by 2-22 to 0-11, before suffering a shock defeat against Donegal the next day, and we can hardly expect the same kind of margin to exist between the teams once the 70 minutes is up come Saturday evening.

Monaghan's last two meetings with Jim Gavin's men have saw only a score separating them in the National League, with the Ulster men getting incredible contributions from their the two star attackers on each occasion. Last year Conor McManus landed 0-12 at Croke Park in a 1-14 to 0-16 defeat to the Dubs, while this past April it was 'The Jack McCarron Show' in Clones, as the Currin star struck for 1-9 when the hosts went down by a goal in the closing quarter to the capital juggernaut.

One would imagine that both men would need to be in similar sensational form for the biggest ever All-Ireland quarter-final upset to happen this weekend and while it would surely be fascinating to behold, it's still hard to envision.

Dublin's sheer dominance of Leinster again this summer was as much about their defence as their attack and, going on form, they won't be about to afford Monaghan's forwards the space they require to pile on irreversible damage.

McCarron's introduction as a half-time substitute the last day saw him giving O'Rourke a first positive contribution this summer and he could be used in the same manner this weekend, but it would be no surprise if the damage was already done by that stage.

Verdict: Dublin

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