All-Ireland semi-finals - all you need to know
Tyrone face Kerry on Saturday while Meath and Donegal lock horns on Sunday
- Published
After two hurling semi-finals that delivered 13 goals, a red card and scoreboard controversy, football takes centre stage at Croke Park this weekend.
Both of last year's beaten All-Ireland semi-finalists - Kerry and Donegal - are back for more last-four action. They are joined by Tyrone and surprise package Meath.
While not without teething issues, the Football Review Committee's 'enhancements' have enabled a thrilling championship, with high-scoring games and shock results keeping us on the edge of our seats this summer.
Will it be an all-Ulster final, can Kerry follow up their devastating win over holders Armagh, can Meath bridge a 24-year gap?
Here is all you need to know about this weekend's All-Ireland SFC semi-finals.
Match details
Saturday 12 July - Tyrone v Kerry, 17:00 BST, Croke Park
Sunday 13 July - Meath v Donegal, 16:00 BST, Croke Park
Can I watch on the BBC and who are the pundits?
Yes, you can watch both semi-finals on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & BBC Two Northern Ireland.
Coverage of Tyrone v Kerry on Saturday begins at 16:25 BST, while the build-up to Meath v Donegal begins at 15:30 BST on Sunday.
A stellar cast of pundits will join Sarah Mulkerrins, Thomas Niblock and Mark Sidebottom over the weekend, including Philly McMahon, Conor McManus, Owen Mulligan, Brendan Devenney, Oisin McConville and Mickey Harte.
The BBC Sport website will have live text commentaries, clips, reports, reaction and highlights from both games.
Are replays possible?
No. There must be a winner on the day so extra-time and penalties are possible.
When is the final?
The All-Ireland Football final will be held on Sunday, 27 July at Croke Park (throw-in time TBC).
The final will also be available on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & BBC Two Northern Ireland.
Who are the referees?
Cavan's four-time All-Ireland final referee Joe McQuillan will be in charge of Tyrone and Kerry's semi-final, while Down official Paul Faloon will oversee Meath v Donegal.
What's the weather forecast?
According to the latest BBC weather forecast, it's going to be warm!
McKernan fit for Tyrone with Clifford on bench for Kerry
Michael McKernan has been passed fit to be a part of Tyrone's panel and has been named among Malachy O'Rourke's replacements alongside Mark Bradley.
O'Rourke has named an unchanged starting line-up from the one that beat the Dubs in what proved to be Dessie Farrell's last game in charge of Dublin.
Paudie Clifford has once again missed out on selection in Kerry's starting line-up.
Jack O'Connor makes two changes to his starting team with Mike Breen in at centre-back and Michael Burns named in the half-forward line.
Mark O'Shea and Tom O'Sullivan make way with captain Gavin White starting at half-back while Tony Brosnan and Tadhg Morley return to the match-day squad alongside Paul Geaney and Clifford in the replacements.
Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Cormac Quinn, Padraig Hampsey, Niall Devlin; Peter Teague, Rory Brennan, Kieran McGeary; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Seanie O'Donnell, Peter Harte, Ciaran Daly; Darren McCurry, Mattie Donnelly, Darragh Canavan.
Subs: Oisin O'Kane, Aidan Clarke, Michael Rafferty, Frank Burns, Michael McKernan, Ben McDonnell, Michael O'Neill, Conor Meyler, Eoin McElholm, Mark Bradley, Ruairi Canavan.
Kerry: S Ryan; P Murphy, J Foley, D Casey; B O Beaglaioch, M Breen, G White; S O'Brien, J O'Connor; M Burns, S O'Shea, G O'Sullivan; D Clifford, C Geaney, D Geaney.
Subs: S Murphy, K Spillane, E Looney, A Heinrich, TL O'Sullivan, P Clifford, M O'Shea, T Kennedy, T Morley, P Geaney, T Brosnan.
Tyrone vs Kerry - latest chapter in storied rivalry
David Clifford (centre) and Kerry got the better of Tyrone in the 2023 quarter-finals
A storied rivalry, some of the best players in the game, two passionate sets of fans: this has all the makings of a championship classic.
Remarkably, Tyrone and Kerry did not lock horns in the championship arena until the 1986 All-Ireland final. They have since met eight times in the GAA's showpiece competition. Overall, Kerry lead 5-4 and won the last encounter convincingly, beating the Red Hands 2-18 to 0-12 in the 2023 quarter-finals.
This will be their fifth semi-final encounter. Tyrone's wins over the Kingdom at this stage came in 2003 - the infamous "puke football" game - and after extra-time in the Covid-dominated tournament in 2021.
The Ulster county went on to lift the Sam Maguire Cup after both of those, but they will require one of the great Tyrone performances to topple a Kerry side who are flying high after their astonishing dismantling of Armagh in the quarter-finals.
In that game, the Munster kingpins devoured Ethan Rafferty's kick-out in the second half to score 14 unanswered points and eventually win 0-32 to 1-21.
Given Tyrone keeper Niall Morgan's kick-out proficiency and the totemic midfield partnership of Conn Kilpatrick and Brian Kennedy, it will be a shock to see Kerry profit so emphatically in that area again.
With wins over Donegal in Ballybofey and Dublin in the quarter-finals, Tyrone will not fear Kerry. They will, however, be forced to stop a free-flowing Kerry full-forward line. Sean O'Shea hit 0-12 against Armagh while David Clifford ended up with 0-7 despite a quiet first half by his standards.
The renewing of hostilities will also afford Tyrone's 2021 All-Ireland winning captain Padraig Hampsey the chance to avenge a difficult afternoon marking Clifford in the 2023 game.
Tyrone will hope to get more out of Darren McCurry, who only scored 0-2 against Dublin.
But with experience campaigners Kieran McGeary and Mattie Donnelly very much in form, Malachy O'Rourke's side have the personnel to cause Kerry problems and reach an eighth final.
McGonagle on Donegal bench whilst Meath unchanged
Donegal have been boosted by the return of Caolan McGonagle to the bench after he missed the last four games through injury.
Jim McGuinness has opted for the same starting 15 that fought back with a strong second half showing to beat Monaghan, with captain Patrick McBrearty again amongst the replacements.
Meath have also named an unchanged side from the one that shocked Galway last time out with the same substitutes too.
There is a positional tweak with Keith Curtis moving to left half forward and Matthew Costello coming in at full forward.
Donegal: S Patton; F Roarty, B McCole, P Morgan; R McHugh, E Ban Gallagher, C McColgan; H McFadden, M Langan; S O'Donnell, C Thompson, C Moore; C O'Donnell, M Murphy, O Gallen.
Subs: G Mulreany, S McMenamin, O McFadden Ferry, E McHugh, C McGonagle, O Doherty, P McBrearty, J Brennan, N O'Donnell, D O Baoill, J McGee.
Meath: B Hogan; S Lavin, S Rafferty, R Ryan; Donal Keoghan, S Coffey, C Caulfield; B Menton, A O'Neill; C Duke, R Kinsella, K Curtis; J Morris, M Costello, E Frayne.
Subs: S Brennan, B O'Halloran, E Harkin, J McEntee, C McBride, C Gray, A Lynch, D McGowan, S Walsh, D Moriarty, C Hickey.
Meath vs Donegal - McGuinness' men out to end Royal fairytale
Patrick McBrearty scored 1-6 in Donegal's 2019 Super 8s win over Meath in Ballybofey
Last year, Jim McGuinness' dream of leading Donegal to the All-Ireland title in his first year back ended in semi-final heartache with defeat by Galway.
On that occasion, Donegal paid the price for missing too many scoring chances so McGuinness will presumably drill the importance of a clinical streak into his players before they step out to face a Meath side still on cloud nine after their stunning quarter-final win over Galway.
The Royals - who last reached the final in 2001 - produced an inspired second-half performance to eliminate Padraic Joyce's side, with goals from Conor Gray and the outstanding Jordan Morris securing a 2-16 to 2-15 win.
Meath, who also boast championship wins over Dublin and Kerry this year, have been a refreshing force in their first year under Robbie Brennan, who won an All-Ireland Club title with Kilmacud Crokes.
But Donegal may be rejuvenated after their much-needed rest last weekend, having played nine games in 12 weeks and three on the spin (Meath have played eight championship games this year, making this a meeting of this year's two most road-tested teams).
Donegal were slow out of the blocks against Monaghan, but a dominant second-half display saw five of their six starting forwards end the game with at least three points. A similar display of firepower will make Donegal hard to stop.
Their last championship encounter came in the Super 8s in 2019. Donegal won that one 2-19 to 1-13. With a place in the All-Ireland final at stake, Sunday's game should be much tighter.