February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Mark Jones
DUBLIN — Last Sunday’s draw for the All-Ireland quarterfinals threw up one of football’s most famous pairings. Reigning champions Kerry and Dublin, whose legendary rivalry defined the sport during the 1970s and early ’80s, will meet in Thurles a week from Saturday in what will be the two counties’ first championship clash since the 1985 final.
Meanwhile, Connacht champions Roscommon will go head-to-head with Galway, who they beat on the way to the provincial title. That game will take place in Castlebar, also a week from Saturday, and although Roscommon manager John Tobin would have preferred to avoid a repeat game, his players were so dominant in the Connacht semifinal that they’re entitled to be equally confident on this occasion.
Derry, who were beaten in the Ulster semifinal by Tyrone, also have an opportunity to redeem themselves in the last eight at Clones a week from Sunday. Curiously, Derry have met familiar opposition all the way through the qualifiers to date, with wins against Antrim and Cavan already in the bag.
And while the newly instituted qualifying series has been an unqualified success, there was some disappointment that the Meath-Westmeath quarterfinal scheduled for Croke Park a week from Sunday is again a repeat of an earlier provincial contest. Meath were one-point winners over Westmeath in the Leinster semifinal and their margin is likely to be greater at this stage of the championship.
The four provincial champions were kept apart in the draw, while the All-Ireland semifinal pairings were decided on the basis of provincial rotation.
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Football quarterfinals
Saturday, Aug. 4: Dublin vs. Kerry, Thurles (3 p.m.); Roscommon vs. Galway, Castlebar (6:15 p.m.).
Sunday, Aug. 5: Derry vs. Tyrone, Clones (2:30 p.m.); Westmeath vs. Meath, Croke Park (4:20 p.m.).
Throw-ins Irish time
Semifinals
Sunday, Aug. 26: Derry or Tyrone vs. Galway or Roscommon
Sunday, Sept. 2: Dublin or Kerry vs. Westmeath or Meath.