WITH Louth accounting for Cork courtesy of a 73rd-minute Sam Mulroy winner, the eight sides are confirmed and primed for Mondau morning’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final draw on RTÉ Radio 1′s Morning Ireland (8:35am).
Armagh and Donegal would have been keeping a keen eye on proceedings in Grattan Park. Louth’s Leinster final clash with Dublin and their final group-stage clash with Kerry means they cannot face either of the top two sides in the all-time SFC roll of honour next weekend.
That means Ger Brennan’s side will draw one of UIster finalists Donegal and Armagh, while Armagh can only draw the Wee county or Roscommon.
The draw looks favourable for Kieran McGeeney’s men, reward for topping what lived up to its group of death billing, as three sides of four – Galway, Derry and the Orchard – all advanced to the last eight.
It further underlines the importance of Armagh’s draw with Galway that ensured they would top the group. Galway will now face a tough test against Donegal, Kerry or Dublin, having pulled away from Monaghan in the second half in Salthill on Saturday.
Derry, for their part, breathed new life into what has been a roller-coaster season with a penalty shoot-out win over Mayo, and their potential opponents are the same as The Tribesmen’s; provincial champions Donegal, Kerry or Dublin.
As Donegal’s group opponents have all been eliminated, and their provincial final opponents Armagh are also group winners, they can draw any of the weekend’s winners, namely Derry, Galway, Louth or Roscommon, who sprung a surprise in Omagh.
Jim McGuinness’ men are the only side who can draw four sides.
Dublin will meet Derry or Galway in what looks certain to be a test of their credentials, while the only winner from the weekend that Kerry cannot meet is group rivals Louth.
The draw for the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies’ SFC quarter-finals was also made on Sunday, with Armagh having the benefit of home advantage as they face Mayo.
Elsewhere, Kerry host Meath, Cork host Waterford, and Dublin host Galway, with fixtures to be played across the weekend of July 6-7.
Should Armagh win, they would face the winners of Kerry v Meath, with a semi-final double-header confirmed by the LGFA for Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore on July 20.
The men’s SFC semi-finals and Tailteann Cup final are pencilled in for the previous weekend, July 13-14.