All-Ireland SFC 2023: Schedule, format & this weekend’s fixtures - Kerry, Tyrone, Mayo & Galway in action
- Published
Kerry are hoping to secure back-to-back All-Ireland titles for the first time since 2007
With the provincial championships just about in our rear-view mirror, the inter-county season kicks into high gear with the start of the All-Ireland series this weekend.
It is a new-look competition for 2023 with the round-robin series seeing 16 counties drawn into four groups of four in the race for the Sam Maguire Cup.
While the second-tier Tailteann Cup's round-robin games started earlier this month, the All-Ireland group stages begin with three matches on Saturday and one on Sunday.
In the All-Ireland series, a total of 34 matches will be played over the next 10 weeks before the final at Croke Park on 30 July.
The new format, which was approved at Congress in February 2022, was introduced with the aim of seeing more matches between the strongest counties.
It also guarantees every county will play at least three games in either the All-Ireland series or Tailteann Cup.
Who has qualified for the All-Ireland round-robin series?
The four provincial champions - Dublin, Kerry, Galway, Derry
The four beaten provincial finalists - Louth, Clare, Sligo, Armagh
The 2022 Tailteann Cup winners - Westmeath
The seven next-ranked teams based on final positions in the 2023 National Football League - Mayo, Roscommon, Tyrone, Monaghan, Donegal, Cork, Kildare.
What is the format?
Sixteen teams are drawn into four groups of four teams with each team playing the other counties in its group once, earning two points for a win and one for a draw. Each team plays one home, one away and one neutral fixture.
The top three in each group advance to the knockout stages, the first place teams to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, and second and third-placed teams to the preliminary quarter-finals.
The four second-placed teams play against the third-placed teams in the preliminary quarter-finals. The winners of the preliminary quarter-finals progress to play the group winners in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. Two semi-finals and a final follow.
Which counties have been drawn together?
Group One - Kerry, Louth, Mayo, Cork
Group Two - Galway, Armagh, Tyrone, Westmeath
Group Three - Dublin, Sligo, Roscommon, Kildare
Group Four - Derry, Clare, Monaghan, Donegal
When will the games be played?
Round-robin fixtures will be played on 20/21 May, 27/28 May, 3/4 June, and 17/18 June.
When will the knockout stages take place?
Preliminary quarter-finals - 24/25 June
All-Ireland quarter-finals - 1/2 July
All-Ireland semi-finals - 16 July
All-Ireland final - 30 July
What about this weekend's action?
Galway beat Tyrone in this year's Division One meeting but the Red Hands will be determined to atone for their surprising Ulster Championship exit at the hands of Monaghan last month
The opening round of All-Ireland group games features the last two counties to lift Sam and the two teams they beat in the final.
On Saturday, holders Kerry welcome a much-fancied Mayo to Killarney in Group One. Mayo, beaten finalists in 2021, have been rejuvenated by Kevin McStay's arrival as manager, clinching the National Football League title with a series of impressive performances.
That included a comfortable win over Kerry in Castlebar in February, but while the Kingdom looked undercooked on their way to finishing fifth, they have since warmed up for their All-Ireland defence by cantering to another Munster title, beating Tipperary and Clare by a combined 34 points.
Galway, who lost to Kerry in last year's decider, begin Group Two at home to 2021 champions Tyrone. The Red Hands finished the league campaign with three straight wins but were knocked out of Ulster by Monaghan, who won a quarter-final thriller in Omagh 2-17 to 1-18.
The Connacht champions beat Tyrone 0-16 to 0-13 in the Division One encounter in Tuam.
The first game of the weekend is also full of intrigue as struggling Donegal travel to Ennis to take on Clare. Donegal endured a tumultuous league campaign, which saw manager Paddy Carr vacate his position after just five months.
Aidan O'Rourke was placed in interim charge but the county's fortunes have not improved, suffering relegation to Division Two before losing their Ulster quarter-final to Down.
With back-to-back Ulster champions Derry and Monaghan completing Group Four, Saturday's trip to Ennis presents a vital opportunity for Donegal to get points on the board.
Sunday's game raises the curtain on Group Three as beaten Connacht finalists Sligo host Kildare.
This weekend's All-Ireland group games
Clare v Donegal (Saturday, 14:00 BST, Group Four)
Kerry v Mayo (Saturday, 15:00, Group One)
Galway v Tyrone (Saturday, 17:15, Group Two)
Sligo v Kildare (Sunday, 14:30, Group Three)