Ulster rivals meet, Kobe returns to Clones & a possible three-peat

Still riding the crest of a wave after ending an 18-year wait for Ulster glory, Armagh launch their bid for a second All-Ireland title in three years against familiar foes Derry on Saturday evening (19:15 BST).

Armagh were afforded last weekend off after their Ulster final victory over Monaghan, while Derry have had four weeks to prepare for the start of the Sam Maguire series after their provincial campaign was ended by the Farneymen in a heart-stopping semi-final.

With Donegal having conquered the home of Munster and All-Ireland champions Kerry last week, Oisin McConville admits Derry are capable of delivering a similar statement against Armagh at the Athletic Grounds.

"Derry do have the potential, I think they've shown that," said Armagh's 2002 All-Ireland winner McConville.

"They seem to be back to themselves after a quiet couple of years. I still expect Armagh to win the game. They'll be on a crest of a wave.

"It's not new to them. I don't think they've over-celebrated and Armagh will be looking for some home comforts here as well."

After a winless year in league and championship in 2025, Derry have shown signs of life under Ciaran Meenagh with five wins in a Division Two campaign that ultimately failed to yield promotion.

In Ulster, they comfortably dispatched Antrim but blew a 10-point lead against Monaghan, and Meenagh has stuck with the same team that started the latter.

"They've had time to recover. Watching the Ulster final surely would have hurt but I still think they will be well in the game," added McConville.

"It'll come down to the last five minutes. I think Armagh have so much quality and so much off the bench but Derry have a live chance."

Armagh, who have beaten Derry in All-Ireland round-robin games in each of the past two years, have included fit-again Callum O'Neill on the bench after his recovery from a shoulder injury that has kept him out since the Ulster preliminary round win over Tyrone on 12 April.

Orchard boss Kieran McGeeney makes just one change to his Ulster final starting team, with Gareth Murphy replacing Paddy Burns at left corner-back.

Derry are unchanged from the Monaghan defeat, but James Sargent and Dan Higgins are fit enough to return to the bench.

Also on Saturday, Cavan will be major underdogs when they travel to Mullingar to face newly-crowned Leinster champions Westmeath (17:00).

Westmeath - managed by Donegal's 2012 All-Ireland winner Mark McHugh - stunned the Dubs to claim a first Leinster title in 22 years, while Cavan have not played since a seven-point defeat by Monaghan in the Ulster quarter-finals six weeks ago.

Speaking of Monaghan, they must park the devastation of the Ulster final when they return to Clones to host Mayo on Sunday (16:00).

Mayo have been inconsistent under Andy Moran this year and were well beaten by Roscommon in the Connacht semi-finals, but they possess considerable firepower, as evidenced by their last trip to Clones in February when they racked up 2-30 to win by 19 points.

Kobe McDonald was the star that day, scoring 1-4 on his senior debut off the bench. The 18-year-old, son of former Mayo star Ciaran McDonald, is moving to Australia later this year after signing for Australian Football League (AFL) club St Kilda.

Before that, he will try to inspire Mayo to a first All-Ireland title since 1951, starting with another eye-catching display at St Tiernach's Park.

Among five changes from the Roscommon game, Moran has handed championship debuts to goalkeeper Jack Livingstone, wing-back Diarmuid Duffy, and corner-forward Darragh Berine.

Sunday's other game sees Dublin take on Louth in a rematch of the Leinster semi-final (14:00), with six-time All-Ireland winner Con O'Callaghan returning to the Dublin line-up.

Of course, there are trophies to be handed out at Croke Park on Saturday, including the All-Ireland Under-20 title.

Tyrone, aiming for a third triumph in a row and fourth in five years, face Kerry (17:00), who they beat in the 2024 decider and last year's semi-finals.

The Kingdom, who are managed by Kingdom great Tomas O Se, are yet to prevail since the Under-21 competition became the Under-20s in 2018, while Paul Devlin is hoping to capture the fourth All-Ireland success of his hugely decorated stint at the Red Hand helm.

The Under-20 final completes a Saturday triple-header at headquarters, with the Nickey Rackard Cup (Tyrone v New York, 13:00) and Christy Ring Cup (Derry v Kerry, 15:00) finals also down for decision.

Westmeath: Jason Daly; Daniel Scahill, Charlie Drumm, Tadhg Baker; Ronan Wallace, Shane Allen, Matthew Whittaker; Brían Cooney, Ray Connellan; Kevin O'Sullivan, Sam McCartan, Conor Dillon; Shane Corcoran, Jack Duncan, Brandon Kelly.

Subs: Jack Connaughton, Adam Treanor, Tom Molloy, Robbie Forde, Ian Martin, Harry Niall, Shane Ormsby, Stephen McGonagle, Eoghan McCabe, Senan Baker, John Heslin.

Cavan: Liam Brady; Cormac Brady, Brían O' Connell, Niall Carolan; Gerard Smith, Ciarán Brady, Conor Brady; Ciarán Brady, Paddy Meade; Tiarnan Madden, Ryan Donohoe, Emmanuel Shehu; Caoimhan McGovern, Dara McVeety, Patrick Lynch.

Subs: Gary O' Rourke, Ryan Tobin, Jensen Tynan, Evan Crowe, Darragh Lovett, Fionntán O'Reilly, Barry Donnelly, Ryan Brady, Peter Corrigan, Cian Shekleton, Conor Casey.

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Peter McGrane, Aaron McKay, Gareth Murphy; Joe McElroy, Tiernan Kelly, Greg McCabe; Jarly Og Burns, Andrew Murnin; Cian McConville, Darragh McMullan, Tomas McCormack; Conor Turbitt, Jason Duffy, Oisin Conaty.

Subs: Ethan Rafferty, Paddy Burns, Barry McCambridge, Ryan Duffy, Ross McQuillan, Oisin O'Neill, Daniel Magee, Aidan Forker, Aaron O'Neill, Callum O'Neill.

Derry: Shea McGuckin; Diarmuid Baker, Ruairi Forbes, Conor McCluskey; Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Padraig McGrogan; Eoin McEvoy, Brendan Rogers; Ethan Doherty, Conor Glass, Paul Cassidy; Niall Loughlin, Shane McGuigan, Lachlan Murray.

Subs: Ryan Scullion, Charlie Diamond, Shea Downey, Dan Higgins, Sean Kearney, Patrick McGurk, James Sargent, Niall O'Donnell, Ruairi Ó Mianáin, Niall Toner, Sean Young.

Dublin: Evan Comerford; Greg McEneaney, Nathan Doran, David Byrne; Seán MacMahon, Charlie McMorrow, Eoin Kennedy; Ciaran Kilkenny, Brian Howard; Seán Bugler, Con O'Callaghan, Niall Scully; Paddy Small, Killian McGinnis, Cormac Costello.

Subs: Hugh O'Sullivan, Tom Lahiff, Liam Smith, Lee Gannon, Cian Murphy, Seán Guiden, Ethan Dunne, Páidí White, Niall O'Callaghan, Luke Breathnach, Tim Deering

Louth: Niall McDonnell; Emmet Carolan, Dermot Campbell, Donal McKenny; Daire Nally, Dara Mc Donnell, Craig Lennon; Conor Early, James Maguire; Paul Matthews, Sam Mulroy, Conor Grimes; Kieran McArdle, Ciaran Downey Conall Mc Caul.

Subs: Tiarnan Markey, Ryan Burns, Ciaran Byrne, Sean Callaghan, Tommy Durnin, Leonard Grey, Conor Mac Criosta, Tadgh McDonnell, Conal McKeever, Sean Reynolds, Anthony Williams.

Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Cameron Dowd, Killian Lavelle, Dylan Byrne; Aaron Carey, Ryan O'Toole, Dessie Ward; Mícheál McCarville, Karl Gallagher; Oisin McGorman, Mícheál Bannigan, Stephen O'Hanlon; Conor McCarthy, Andrew Woods, David Garland.

Subs: Kian Mulligan, Ryan Wylie, Robbie Hanratty, Bobby McCaul, Max Maguire, Ryan McAnespie, Shane Hanratty, Ryan Mohan, Stephen Mooney, Jack McCarron, Thomas Hughes.

Mayo: Jack Livingstone; Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh, Enda Hession; Sam Callinan, David McBrien, Diarmuid Duffy; Bob Tuohy, Jack Carney, Hugh O'Loughlin; Conor Loftus, Jordan Flynn; Darragh Beirne, Ryan O'Donoghue, Kobe McDonald.

Subs: Robert Hennelly, Fenton Kelly, Paddy Durcan, Eoin McGreal. Sean Morahan, Aidan O'Shea, Stephen Coen, Paul Towey, Diarmuid O'Connor, Tommy Conroy, Cian McHale