What happens next in football qualifiers?

By James McMahon

As things stand, 14 teams remain in this year's football championship. Mayo and Kerry have already claimed provincial titles.

The Leinster and Ulster winners, barring replays, will be decided on Sunday next. Provincial kingpins, as we know, progress to the All-Ireland quarter-finals. Which teams will they meet? Who plays who in the remaining qualifier games?

These are questions that many are asking. So let's try and clarify the situation.

Last October when the draw was made for this summer's championship, teams were designated as either A or B in their respective provinces.

To quote from the GAA themselves: "Provincial championship draws shall be made on an arranged basis with an "A" and a "B" side to each draw.

Teams on the "A" side of a Provincial draw shall enter the All Ireland Qualifier Series as appropriate at Rounds 1A – 4A only.

Teams on the "B" side of a draw shall enter the All- Ireland Qualifier Series as appropriate at Rounds 1B – 4B only."

Tipperary and Sligo have progressed to the round of 4A. It has been pre-determined that they will meet the losers of the Connacht and Munster finals. Tipp have already played Cork; likewise Sligo have met Galway.

So, the 4A games to be played on Saturday 26 July are:
Tipperary v Galway
Sligo v Cork

In looking at the B side, four teams are unbeaten so far. Next weekend will see the 3B clashes of Roscommon v Armagh and Clare v Kildare.

The winners from those games will be drawn to play the losers of the Leinster and Ulster finals in round 4B of the qualifiers on Saturday, 2 August.

Of course, the provincial finals mentioned have still to take place, so we are unsure, as of now, what the pairings will be.

All-Ireland quarter-finals
The Connacht and Munster winners will play the two teams emerging from 4A.

Munster winner v Connacht runner-up/qualifier
Connacht winner v Munster runner-up/qualifier

That translates to:
Kerry v Tipperary/Galway
Mayo v Sligo/Cork
Games to take place on Sunday 3 August

The Leinster and Ulster winners will play the two teams emerging from 4B.

Leinster winner v Ulster runner-up/qualifier
Ulster winner v Leinster runner-up/qualifier
Games to take place on Saturday, 9 August

All-Ireland semi-finals:

(The winner of Munster winner v Connacht runner-up/qualifier) V (The winner of Connacht winner v Munster runner-up/qualifier, Sunday, 24 August)
(The winner of Leinster winner v Ulster runner-up/qualifier V The winner of Ulster winner v Leinster runner-up/qualifier, Sunday, 31 August)