The Provincial Final season is heating up as are the latter stages of the qualifiers for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Galway and Roscommon meet on Sunday in Pearse Stadium at 2pm with the winners going straight into the Quarter Finals and the Losers into the final round of qualifiers. (Round 4A).
The Story so far…..
Qualifiers Round 2
Format
In the second round of the qualifiers the eight winning teams from Round 1A and Round 1B play the eight beaten provincial semi-finalists. The round 2 draw is unrestricted − if two teams have played each other in a provincial match they can be drawn to meet again with the winner of the provincial match receiving home advantage.
The eight winners of these matches play each other in Round 3.
Qualifiers Round 2 Matches
Round 1A
Winners (4)
Carlow
Derry
Laois
Leitrim
Beaten Provincial Semi-Finalists (A)
Cavan
Clare
Meath
Sligo
Round 1B
Winners (4)
Fermanagh
Limerick
Longford
Offaly
Beaten Provincial Semi-Finalists (B)
Cork
Kildare
Mayo
Monaghan
Round 2A
Result
Sligo 2-15 Leitrim 0-10
Fixtures
Clare v Laois
Derry v Meath
Cavan v Carlow
Fixtures
Round 2B
Mayo v Fermanagh
Monaghan v Longford
Kildare v Offaly
Limerick v Cork
Qualifiers Round 3
Format
In the third round of the qualifiers winning teams from round 2A play against winning teams from round 2A and winning teams from round 2B play against winning teams from round 2B. Round 3 rules do not allow two teams that have played each other in a provincial match to meet again.
The four winners of these matches play the four beaten provincial finalists in Round 4.
Qualifiers Round 3 Matches
Round 2A Winners
Sligo plus three more
Round 2B Winners (4)
Qualifiers Round 4
Format
In the fourth round of the qualifiers, the four winning teams of Round 3A and Round 3B play the four beaten provincial finalists. Round 4 rules do not allow two teams that have played each other in a provincial match to meet again if such a pairing can be avoided.
The four winners of these matches play the provincial champions in the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals.
Qualifiers Round 4 Matches
Round 3A Winners plus Beaten Provincial Finalists (A) = Tipperary and Galway/Roscommon – Game to be played 23rd of July
Round 3B Winners plus Beaten Provincial Finalists (B) – Game to be played 30th/31st of July
Quarter-Finals
The four provincial champions play the winners from Round 4 of the qualifiers. If one of the provincial champions has already met one of the qualifiers in an earlier match then those two teams cannot be drawn together.
31 July
Quarter-Final
Kerry v 4A Qualifier
31 July
Quarter-Final
Connacht Champion (Galway/Roscommon) v 4A Qualifier
6 August
Quarter-Final
Leinster Champion v 4B Qualifier
6 August
Quarter-Final
Ulster Champion v 4B Qualifier
Semi-Finals
There is no draw for the semi-finals as the fixtures are pre-determined on a three yearly rotation. This rotation ensures that the provinces’ champions play the champions of all the other provinces once every three years in the semi-finals if they each win their quarter-finals. If a qualifier team beats a provincial winner in a quarter-final, the qualifier team takes that provincial winner’s place in the semi-final.
Semi-Final
August 21st
Ulster Champions/Qualifier v Connacht Champions/Qualifier
Croke Park, Dublin
August 28th
Leinster Champions/Qualifier v Kerry/Qualifier
Croke Park, Dublin
Final
18 September 2016
Croke Park, Dublin