Poll: Who will win today's All-Ireland SFC semi-final and Tailteann Cup final?
Kerry and Tyrone face off first at Croke Park this evening, with Donegal and Meath going head to head tomorrow.
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The Tailteann Cup final is also down for decision, Kildare and Limerick kicking off another huge weekend at GAA HQ. Both counties contest their first final at this level — who will follow Down, Meath and Westmeath to be crowned Tailteann Cup champions?
Throw-in is 2.30pm, with the action live on RTÉ and BBC.
The first Sam Maguire decider ticket is then up for grabs, with Kerry-Tyrone throwing in at 5pm and being shown by the same broadcasters.
Rivalries will be renewed, the pair having previously met in the semi-finals in 2015, 2019 and 2021.
The Red Hand went on to lift the Sam Maguire Cup in '21, while Kerry prevailed from the last four in '15 and '19 before losing out to Dublin. Jack O'Connor's side last won the All-Ireland in 2022.
A fascinating contest lies in wait as Jack O'Connor and Malachy O'Rourke, the Cliffords and the Canavans, and a whole lot more, do battle.
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Tyrone take major step, dominant Donegal, Monaghan's second-half struggles
Who will win today's All-Ireland SFC semi-final and Tailteann Cup final?
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RTÉ News
5 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Kildare boss Brian Flanagan: 'We can grow massively from here'
Kildare manager Brian Flanagan is confident his team will take inspiration from Meath and Down to build on their Tailteann Cup triumph. The Lilywhites just about had enough to hold off a gutsy Limerick at Croke Park on Saturday, coming through a thrilling finale to win 1-24 to 2-19. Kildare have endured some wobbles this year, exiting Leinster at the semi-final stage after they were turned over by Louth. However they dusted themselves down after that to go all the way in the Tailteann Cup, which has been added to the Allianz Football League Division 3 title. Now, Flanagan says they're harbouring grander long-term ambitions as the county aims to get closer to the big boys. "We always knew there was a possibility (of winning the Tailteann Cup)," he told RTÉ Sport. "We didn't necessarily set out with the intention, or we didn't talk a huge amount about the Tailteann in the first couple of months of the year, but we knew it was a possibility, to be fair we did, and the players would have known that as well. "When Louth beat us, and we were disappointed on the day, we gave ourselves a couple of weeks. The (Tailteann) draw came out, we felt we would manage through the three or four weeks until the real knockout stages came into it. Then we sat down as a group to be honest after the Tipperary game and we said, 'right lads, let's draw a line, no more feeling sorry for ourselves, no more looking back, no more talking about Leinster or Sam or any of that stuff', that just had to be parked. "There was a very clear focus, very clear four-step plan to get to this point, and to win. We said, whatever about previous games, we would accept nothing bar winning from here on in. The players bought into it massively. They came together in a way that I probably hadn't seen previously." "The effort in everything we did - team sessions, video sessions, camps, the whole lot - from that point on I felt there was an energy, and there was a want, a proper focus. There was no more talk of anything else." "You have to build" - Kildare boss Brian Flanagan reflects on his team's Tailteann Cup success, and immediately looks ahead to the future #RTEgaa — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 12, 2025 Kildare now return to the Sam Maguire Cup race in 2026 after a three-year absence. They really had to go to the well against Limerick, but always seemed to have an extra gear to reach for, with the classy Darragh Kirwan chipping in with a healthy haul of 0-08. Flanagan insisted their triumph was the culmination of weeks of hard graft. "I thought they showed an awful lot of character, drive, want to get here," he added. "I'm delighted they took care of business today. "I think you have to build. The (RTÉ panel) referenced Down and Meath and what they've done since winning it. We fully intend doing that as well. We feel like this is the start of a journey. "We came in with a four-year plan. Year one was absolutely to create a winning culture and for lads to feel that. We knew how important this step was today. "I don't think we played our best stuff. We were a little bit edgy at times and passive... we didn't really throw the shackles off, certainly not quick enough, but we did enough to win. We've been criticised for not doing that in the past, not winning tight games, or maybe not seeing matches like that out.
The 42
5 hours ago
- The 42
Seventh All-Ireland final beckons for Kerry's self-styled football outsider
MENTION TO JACK O'Connor that he is heading for his seventh All-Ireland final, and he throws it on to the players. 'This group have been in a few finals like. They were here in '22, '23…,' he begins. 'They were here in '19, sorry — '19, '22, '23 — so this will be their fourth final, most of those boys. 'Paul Murphy, Paul Geaney were there in '14. And '15. So there is a good bit of experience in the group, yeah.' And what it means, of course? 'Sure of course it counts. Where it counts more than anything is in the build-up to it. You know to avoid getting carried away in the euphoria of the thing, and keeping the main thing the main thing, if you know what I mean. 'Keeping your priorities right, and keeping the focus on arriving here in your best physical and mental condition. To play the game rather than the occasion.' If there is one thing he laments, in what he calls the 'old days', it was the month of a lead-in to the final. But that can't be helped either. The season starts with the bang of a gun and teams have to put their head down to make the early yards. There's barely a chance to get the head up and see where everyone else is. All you can do is take nothing for granted, and Tyrone are not a side that O'Connor has learned to take for granted. Advertisement O'Connor shakes hands with Peter Teague. Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO 'Tyrone had some big results that almost went under the radar. They beat Donegal above in Ballybofey, very few teams do that. I don't think it was picked up too much in the media,' said O'Connor. 'Beat Dublin here; I don't care what they say about Dublin, Dublin are still a hard team to beat here in Croke Park. They would have come into this game with a lot of confidence and there was lot a noise about our game, which meant Tyrone were coming in under the radar. 'I thought that showed early on. I thought, in the first 15 minutes, Tyrone were the better team. They settled quicker and had us in a lot of bother on breaking ball around the middle of the field. As soon as we got to terms with that, I thought the game changed and David's goal settled us.' The kickout count was heavily in Tyrone's favour before Kerry arrested that. In the second half, Tyrone simply couldn't cope. A good part of that was the man sitting beside O'Connor in the press briefing. Gavin White won three break balls from Niall Morgan's kickout in the third quarter alone. 'No better man than this man here,' said O'Connor of the Dr Crokes man. 'That was the thing that was killing us early on. There was a bit of a disconnect between Shane's kickouts and fellas getting to the pitch of the breaks. We spoke about that at half-time and that was a big factor in the second half.' This win was less of the Catherine Wheel spectacular of the win over Armagh, but it could have been even more impressive. It doesn't feel like a performance is being magicked up out of nowhere. 'It was a more rounded performance because I thought that spell against Armagh was a bit freakish. It was like they just couldn't get their kickout away and we kept the ball up that end of the field,' said O'Connor. David Clifford celebrates. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO 'I think this was a more rounded performance because Tyrone are very big around the middle of the field, Kennedy and Kilpatrick are big men and they have a lot of targets, and Morgan has a serious weapon of a kickout. The two boys (O'Shea and O'Brien) plugged away great for most of the game, and then Joe finished up midfield and what a game Joe had. Powerful game, he is getting better all the time.' Kerry supporters have had all sorts of things thrown at them. Occasionally, outsiders paint a pretty vulgar picture of their assessments of players. But this team seem to be reaching for a deeper connection. You can see it in David Clifford most of all. He has been appealing for greater turnouts of fans, and when he plundered his first-half goal here, made a huge show of trying to raise the decibel level among the Kerry support. It's working. 'I mean it was no secret that Armagh seriously outnumbered us here at this stage last year,' said O'Connor. 'And I know I got stick for it but I said at the time that they were a factor in the game. And I don't think anyone could dispute that. '(The) Kerry crowd were a factor today big time. So delighted with that. The support travel in huge numbers. 'And long may it continue. I mean these boys are giving everything for the cause. And they're playing good football. So they deserve to be supported. And we're delighted that, you know, I don't have the language to describe it. 'But it's working both ways, you know. They're getting energy from the crowd. And the crowd are getting energy from the players.' Meanwhile, O'Connor noted at the end of his press conference that Paul and Conor Geaney, along with Tom O'Sullivan, will be in a position to make a contribution in the final. * Check out the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast here
Irish Times
6 hours ago
- Irish Times
Sligo Rovers take northwest derby to put an end to Derry City's unbeaten run
Premier Division: Sligo Rovers 2 (P McClean 19; W Wawero 45+1) Derry City 0 Paddy McClean scored against his hometown club Derry City as Sligo Rovers extended the buffer between themselves and bottom side Cork City to eight points at The Showgrounds in Sligo. Wilson Waweru scored the Bit O'Red's insurance goal as Rovers deservedly handed Derry their first defeat in six league outings. The result means the Candystripes remain nine points off leaders Shamrock Rovers with one game in hand. In the sizzling Sligo heat, it was the hosts who were the more impressive from the off. Rovers should have taken the lead six minutes later, but centre half Ollie Denham nodded Owen Elding's cross from the left past Brian Maher's post from two yards out. Sligo did make the most of their next visit to the well as Derry switched off at a 19th-minute corner. Jake Doyle-Hayes's set-piece landed on the foot of the unmarked McClean, who finished past Maher for his first goal since his return to the Showgrounds last month. READ MORE Elding kept his side ahead on 23 minutes when the young attacker swept Hayden McCann's header from Michael Duffy's corner off his own line moments before the water break. Rovers managed two first-half goals last week against Shamrock Rovers and did it again here courtesy of another defensive mishap when Maher spilt Ryan O'Kane's cross at the foot of Waweru, who was left with a simple finish into an open net. Sligo called on goalkeeper Sam Sargeant early in the second period and the he met Duffy's low drive with a strong left fist after the in-form winger's run brought him all the way into the opposing penalty area. Tiernan Lynch's side went at the home side in waves but robust defending from a young Rovers outfit kept them at arm's length. Derry introduced some of the league's best attacking talents with the likes of Adam O'Reilly, Danny Mullen and Robbie Benson sent on throughout the second half. But a Mullen effort on the turn, which Sargeant tipped over, was the closest they came to a consolation. SLIGO ROVERS: Sam Sargeant; Conor Reynolds (Daire Patton, 90), Ollie Denham, Paddy McClean, Will Fitzgerald; James McManus, Jake Doyle-Hayes; Owen Elding, Jad Hakiki, Ryan O'Kane (Kyle McDonagh, 76); Wilson Waweru (Francely Lomboto, 61). DERRY CITY: Brian Maher; Hayden Cann, Mark Connolly, Sam Todd; Ronan Boyce (Seán Patton, 84), Shane Ferguson (Danny Mullen, 61); Sadou Diallo (Robbie Benson, 72), Carl Winchester; Gavin Whyte (Adam O'Reilly, h-t), Michael Duffy; Liam Boyce (Alex Bannon, 61). Referee: Rob Hennessy. Attendance: 2,877.
