SATURDAY, JULY 5th:
Galway v Waterford; Tuam Stadium, 3.15 pm - Live on Galway Bay FM and TG4
Ahead of their meeting in Tuam, you have to go back to 2019 for Galway and Waterford’s last Senior Championship clash. On that occasion, Galway prevailed at the quarter-final stage, before going all the way to the Final. In 2024, Galway lost out to Kerry in the Final at Croke Park, while Waterford’s season was ended by Cork at the quarter-final stage. In Group 1, Galway beat Tipperary and Donegal to reach the quarter-finals, as Waterford drew with Dublin in Group 4 before overcoming Leitrim to book a place in the last eight. There are three changes to the Galway team that beat Donegal, as the Tribeswomen continue to shuffle their pack and utilise remarkable strength in depth. Chellene Trill comes in for Aoife Molloy, while Niamh Divilly replaces Kilkerrin-Clonberne clubmate Lynsey Noone, and Kate Slevin is in to replace Andrea Trill. Galway’s starting line-up contains three sets of sisters from AIB All-Ireland senior club champions Kilkerrin-Clonberne – the Ward twins Nicola and Louise, the three Divillys (Siobhan, Niamh and Olivia) and the Noones, Hannah and Eva. Following victory over Leitrim, there’s one change to the Waterford team, as Rebecca Casey comes in for Laura Mulcahy.
Galway: D Gower; B Quinn, S Ní Loingsigh, K Geraghty (capt.); H Noone, N Ward, C Trill; L Ward, S Divilly; N Divilly, O Divilly, A Davoren; E Noone, L Coen, K Slevin.
Waterford: K Gardiner; C Murray, R Casey, A Murray; H Power, K McGrath, L Ní hArta; E Murray (capt.), E Power; K Murray, B McMaugh, Á O’Neill; C Fennell, C Walsh, L McGregor.
Dublin v Cork; Parnell Park, 1.15 pm – Live on TG4
Dublin and Cork’s most recent clash in this competition was at the semi-final stage in 2023, when Dublin prevailed, and now they renew acquaintances in the last eight this year. Both sides are aiming to go deeper in the competition when compared to 2024. Dublin lost out to Galway at Parnell Park in the quarter-final, as Cork fell at the semi-final stage to Galway. Dublin come into this game having topped Group 4, with a draw against Waterford followed up by a comfortable victory over Leitrim. Cork, who were in Group 2, lost out to Kerry but a win against Mayo was enough to ensure progress to the quarter-finals. Dublin make three changes to the side that got the better of Leitrim, with Martha Byrne, Niamh Donlon and Nicole Owens coming in for Hannah Leahy, Aoife Curran and Chloe Darby. On the Cork side, there’s just one enforced change, with Emma Cleary replacing Shauna Kelly, who was stretchered off against Mayo and replaced by Cleary. The winners of this one will face Galway or Waterford in the last four on Saturday, July 19th.
Dublin: A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey, N Crowley; S Goldrick, M Byrne, N Donlon; É O’Dowd, H McGinnis; N Owens, C Rowe (capt.), S McIntyre; H Tyrrell, N Hetherton, K Sullivan.
Cork: S Murphy; K Horgan, S Leahy (capt.), M Duggan; A Corcoran, S Cronin, R Corkery; M O’Callaghan, A Healy; A O’Mahony, L O’Mahony, E Cleary; Á O’Sullivan, H Looney, K Quirke.
Kerry v Kildare; Austin Stack Park, Tralee, 7.30 pm – Live on TG4
In Tralee on Saturday evening, there’s history in the making as this game marks a first TG4 Senior Championship clash between Kerry and Kildare. Kerry, of course, are the reigning TG4 All-Ireland Senior champions, while Kildare have held their own at Senior level since gaining promotion as Intermediate winners in 2023. Kerry, who progressed from Group 2 as table-toppers, won’t be taking the visiting challenge lightly, as Kildare bounced back from defeat to Meath in Group 3 to score an eye-catching victory over Armagh. There are three changes to the Kerry team that accounted for Cork last time out, with Deirdre Kearney, Aoife Dillane and Caoimhe Evans coming in for Fay O’Donoghue, Niamh Broderick and Niamh Quinn. After stunning Armagh in the group stages to earn a knockout slot, Kildare have named an unchanged starting 15. The winners of this quarter-final will face Meath or Tipperary in the last four on Saturday, July 19th.
Kerry: M.E. Bolger; E Lynch, D Kearney, C Lynch (capt.); A O’Connell, E Costello, A Dillane; M O’Connell, A Galvin; N Carmody, N Ní Chonchúir, C Evans; R Dwyer, S O’Shea, D O’Leary.
Kildare: M Hulgraine; R Sargent, L Lenehan, M Doherty; L Shaw, L Murtagh, M Aspel; L Reilly, C Moran; C Wheeler, A Rattigan, L Curran; G Wheeler, A Prizeman, R Byrne.
SUNDAY, JULY 6th:
Meath v Tipperary; Páirc Tailteann, Navan, 5.15 pm – Live on TG4
Sunday’s tie will revive memories of a thrilling group game between the counties last year. On that occasion, Meath did enough to repel a strong Tipperary challenge, eventually running out 2-15 to 2-12 winners in Navan. The 2025 TG4 All-Ireland quarter-final between the counties has the potential to be similarly tight, and the stakes are high. Meath lost out to eventual winners Kerry at the quarter-final stage in 2024, as Tipperary preserved Senior Championship status by defeating Laois in a relegation play-off. Meath famously claimed back-to-back TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship successes in 2021 and 2022 – and the Royals would dearly love to relive those glory days. You have to go back to 1980, meanwhile, for the last of Tipperary’s three All-Ireland Senior title wins, when Cavan were defeated in the Final. If Tipperary do win on Sunday, they’ll be through to an All-Ireland semi-final for the first time since 1980 – and that’s a huge incentive for the Premier County. Meath come into this game having topped Group 3, with a draw against Armagh followed up by a victory over Kildare, while Tipperary finished second behind Galway in Group 1, losing out to the Tribeswomen before securing knockout football with a crucial win against Donegal. Meath are unchanged after battling past Kildare to earn a knockout slot, while Tipp make three changes to the side that overcame Donegal, with Issy Carr, Ava Ryan and Ava Fennessy coming in for Clara English, Nicole Shelly and Kirsty Crotty Ryan.
Meath: R Murray; Á Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, K Newe; A Cleary (capt.), S Wall, K Kealy; O Sheehy, M Farrelly; M Thynne, N Gallogly, C Smyth; E Duggan, V Wall, K Cole.
Tipperary: L Fitzpatrick (capt.); N Martin, L Spillane, E Cronin; S English, M Curley, I Carr; L Morrissey, E Morrissey; N Towey, A.R. Kennedy, A Ryan; A McGuigan, A Moloney, A Fennessy.
Previews compiled by Jackie Cahill, LGFA.
