All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals - all you need to know

Down's Pat Havern, Cavan's Cormac O'Reilly and Donegal's Michael Murphy will all seek to advance into the quarter-finals.

After three rounds of group games in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, 16 has become 12 in the race for Sam Maguire.

From here, it's knockout territory, with no second chances, and the dozen teams remaining on the dancefloor know what is expected to secure the ultimate prize.

Tyrone, Meath, Monaghan and defending champions Armagh - who all topped their respective groups - have the luxury of a free weekend as they await the winners of this weekend's preliminary quarter-finals in the last eight.

For the eight teams in action this weekend, they must now win four games in five weeks, a gruelling schedule where fitness levels and squad depth will be tested to the limit.

Last year, Galway made it all the way to the final from the preliminary quarter-final stage - the only team to do so since this current format was introduced in 2023 - and they will have to navigate that route again if they are to make the ultimate step.

Let's dive into the four preliminary quarter-finals.

Who is playing and when are the games?

As mentioned, eight teams will battle it out this weekend in the preliminary quarter-finals with two games on each day.

• Saturday - Kerry v Cavan, Fitzgerald Stadium, 15:30 BST

• Saturday - Dublin v Cork, Croke Park, 18:15 BST

• Sunday - Down v Galway, Pairc Esler, 13:45 BST

• Sunday - Donegal v Louth, Ballybofey, 16:00 BST

Three of the teams in action this weekend were involved at the same stage last year: Louth, Cork and Galway.

In fact, Louth beat Cork in a rousing victory in Inniskeen. Two of those involved at this stage last year - Tyrone and Monaghan - have already gone one better by moving straight through to the quarter-finals.

Has the quarter-final draw been made?

Due to the policy of avoiding repeat pairings from earlier in the competition, the draw will be made after the completion of this weekend's preliminary-quarter finals, most likely on Monday morning.

However, depending on how results fall this weekend, there is the very real possibility of an Armagh-Kerry quarter-final due to the above repeat pairing rule, but let's not get ahead of ourselves because as this year has shown, shocks can and often do happen.

What to look out for this weekend

It is difficult to look past Sunday's game in Newry between Down and Galway as the standout fixture this weekend.

Despite suffering relegation from Division Two in the league, Down acquitted themselves well and were somewhat unlucky to suffer the drop on six points, but a defeat against Louth - which they avenged in the championship - proved fatal.

However, they bounced back to overcome Fermanagh in Ulster, only to lose out to eventual winners Donegal. Still, they entered the All-Ireland series with confidence, overcoming Clare and Louth.

Their direct route to the last eight faded late on against Monaghan last week, however, Sunday despite some superb shooting from Pat Havern, whose ability to land two-pointers is a major asset for Conor Laverty's team, kicking three against the Farneymen.

But then Galway are no slouches in that regard and in Shane Walsh, they have a man in form. When the chips were down against Armagh and with the exit door staring the Tribesmen in the face on Saturday, Walsh kept his side in the hunt: the last of his nine points with the final kick sealed victory and a spot in the knockout phase.

In their three games, Galway have drawn to Derry, lost to Dublin by a point and beaten Armagh by one, so another nail-biter could be in store.

Eoghan Ban Gallagher scored Donegal's goal in last year's All-Ireland quarter-final win over Louth at Croke Park

Later on Sunday, the Ulster and Leinster champions meet as Donegal host Louth in Ballybofey.

Despite a last-gasp victory over Mayo last week, they finished second behind Tyrone in Group One, with the Red Hands finishing top on the head-to-head rule courtesy of their victory over Donegal.

Still, two victories on the spin will have gone a long way to putting that opening-round defeat behind them and they seem to be hitting their stride at the right time.

Donegal face a Louth side who finished third in Group Three. Sam Mulroy and Ciaran Downey have been in flying form for Ger Brennan's men, with Craig Lennon continuing his All-Star form from 2024.

However, this is a huge test of their credentials.

The weekend's opening game takes place in Killarney with Cavan facing a daunting trip to Kerry, who will be smarting from their shock loss to Meath which meant they failed to finish top for the first time in this format.

Kerry have shown some vulnerability at times, with Cork so close to stunning them in Munster and Meath finishing the job in Tullamore last time out.

They will be a wounded animal, and while Paudie Clifford is one of a host of absent Kingdom players, in David Clifford they have a generational talent.

The Breffnimen have shown an ability to get it done on the road, with their opening round win away to Mayo ultimately proving enough to see them claim third in Group One, but heavy defeats by Donegal and Tyrone also suggest beating Kerry is a tall ask.

Paddy Lynch and Cormac O'Reilly shone for Raymond Galligan's men against Tyrone, but in order to beat Kerry, they will need to find another level.

Con O'Callaghan returned to the Dublin fold in last weekend's win over Derry

Finally, Dublin return to home comforts at Croke Park on Saturday evening when they host Cork.

The Dubs are fresh from their win over Derry in Newry which will have helped put their error-strewn loss to Armagh in the rear-view.

With three-time All-Star Con O'Callaghan back, the Dubs have a much sharper end to their attack and will be favourites to advance against a Cork side which can blow hot and cold.

John Cleary's men held their nerve to squeeze past Roscommon in a de facto knockout game in Portlaoise on Saturday, but will need to find the level of performance they produced against Kerry in Munster when they take on another of their traditional rivals this week.

Are the games televised?

All four games will be streamed live on GAA+.

What about the Tailteann Cup?

Of course, the weekend action is not limited to the race for Sam Maguire with both Tailteann Cup semi-finals taking place at Croke Park on Sunday.

First up, Oisin McConville's Wicklow - fresh from a famous triumph over Westmeath - take on Limerick, who swept past Wexford to reach the final four.

Later on Sunday (16:00 BST), Kieran Donnelly's Fermanagh take on pre-competition favourites Kildare, who just about got over the line against Offaly in the last eight.

The Ernemen enjoyed a good win over Sligo to reach this stage of the competition for the first time and will seek to continue their run as they look to emulate Down's success last year and earn a spot in the 2026 All-Ireland series.

How can I follow on the BBC?

The BBC Sport website will provide live text commentaries, reports and reaction from Sunday's games, in addition to reports from Saturday's games.

There will also be updates from Sunday's Tailteann Cup semi-finals: Wicklow v Limerick (14:00) and Fermanagh v Kildare (16:00).