All you need to know

SUNDAY 5 MAY

Munster SFC final
Clare v Kerry, Cusack Park, Ennis, 1.45pm

Connacht SFC final
Galway v Mayo, Pearse Stadium, 4pm

ONLINE
Live blogs on RTÉ Sport Online and RTÉ News app

TV
Coverage of both finals on The Sunday Game Live, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, from 1.15pm. Highlights and reaction to all the weekend’s action on The Sunday Game, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, 9.30pm.

RADIO
Live commentaries and updates on RTÉ Radio 1’s Sunday Sport, and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta Spórt an Lae.

WEATHER
There’s likely to be a general improvement, with sunshine becoming a little bit more prevalent. There’ll still be a scattering of showers too though, with a few heavier ones possible in the east. There’s also still a small chance of more persistent rain for a time in parts of the south and east. Highest temperatures of 12 to 17 degrees, all sunshine dependent with mostly light variable breezes. For more go to met.ie.

A case of not wanting to win?

No doubt the traditionalists are still thrown off course with provincial deciders being played on the first Sunday in May. We are where we are and all that, but there was one occasion when a Connacht final was fixed for the August Bank Holiday weekend.

The year was 1997, with Mayo making hard work of getting past Sligo. In the couple of the years that followed, we again saw deciders staged as the Galway Racing Festival was winding down and the hay was saved.

As I said, we are where we are and silverware is about to be handed out before attention quickly turns to the All-Ireland group phase. Since last Tuesday’s draw (with many still wondering why it was carried out before the outcome of this weekend’s games were known), the focus has honed in on Group 1, where the Connacht winner will be joined by the Ulster runner-up, Derry, and Westmeath.

Would it be better then if Galway and Mayo did not bring home the Nestor Cup? For the loser, it’s more than likely Dublin, Roscommon and Cavan. On paper, not as tricky, in spite of the Dubs’ presence.

Lee Keegan: Connacht success key for Mayo despite dodgy draw

As for Kerry, warm favourites to add to their Munster haul, dates with Louth (highly likely), Monaghan and Meath await – or as journalist Colm Keyes pointed out after Tuesday’s draw, no Division 1 team will stand in the Kingdom’s way prior to an All-Ireland quarter-final.

In spite of the fences to be jumped thereafter for whoever emerges victorious in Salthill, the sight of the opposing jersey should, you would hope, bring out the best in Galway and Mayo on the day itself. A fortnight of prep will follow, for a battle with either Derry or Roscommon. Twelve of the 16 teams in the round-robin will progress; there’s not too much jeopardy. That said, if the draw for the group stage stage was pushed back a week, we might have less of the ‘they’d be better off’ talk.

Banner will look to raise a batter gallop

When the Munster draw was made last October, Clare fans would have expected to reach this stage, and with it a place in Sam Maguire. And that has come to pass after a comfortable semi-final win over Waterford.

Following Colm Collins’ departure as boss last summer, after a decade of raising the footballing bar in the county, Kerry native Mark Fitzgerald took the reins. The new man, however, had to deal with a number of high-profile players exiting the scene, namely Eoin Cleary, Keelan Sexton, Ciarán Russell, Cathal O’Connor, and Jamie Malone. Despite that, the new-look Clare went into the last round of the league with a chance of securing promotion back to Division 2, only for Down to end that quest in Newry.

Up front, Emmet McMahon and Aaron Griffin are the main score-getters, with the Banner defence looking to be a tighter than was the case last year when the green and gold ran in five goals in Killarney. That game was over in the opening 15 minutes; Fitzgerald’s side will now want to be competitive for longer on their own patch.

Speaking to RTÉ Sport in advance of the final, defender Ikem Ugwueru spoke about a new-found enthusiasm heading into Sunday’s showdown.

“We just have to park those bad performances and don’t let them creep in or bog you down before the game.

“Last year was last year, this year is this year and it’s a different team that we have this year – and it feels like everyone is more confident in a way. Even though people might not think we’d be more confident with the players that we’ve lost.

“At the end of the day it’s down to the team and whatever you believe in, because if you don’t believe in it then it won’t happen. If we’re going to go in thinking that we’ve already lost, then you’ve lost. You have to go in enthusiastic.

“You never know what could happen on the day. It’s championship football, it’s completely different to the league. Anything can happen, really. Obviously we’re underdogs but we’ll be happy with that.”

As for Kerry, a flurry of late scores saw them advance past Cork a fortnight ago in a game where they did not raise a green flag. In spite of a front line oozing with talent. the Kingdom have only netted twice in their last six games. That may not be an issue in the four games to come, perhaps they are saving their best for Croke Park in July?

Star man David Clifford would seem to be of that opinion when he spoke to RTÉ Sport recently after the Cork game.

“I suppose the thing is about creating goal chances,” he said. “We’d be hopeful that when the skills are sharpened and everyone is in a good place we’ll finish the chances. It’s just to create the chances.

“We had a few goal chances at the weekend, we probably had three or four, so you’re still happy enough to be creating the goal chances. It’s very simple but goals win games, yeah.”

Flashback to that day when “a cow won’t be miked in Co Clare for a week’

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Team news

Jason Foley also returns to the Kerry starting side after recovering from injury. Daniel Walsh also has recovered from injury and comes in for Mark McInerney in what is the only change from their semi-final win over Waterford.

Clare: Stephen Ryan; Manus Doherty, Cillian Brennan, Ronan Lanigan; Alan Sweeney, Cillian Rouine, Ikem Ugweru; Darragh Bohannon, Brian McNamara; Daniel Walsh, Dermot Coughlan, Gavin Murray; Emmet McMahon, Aaron Griffin, Ciarán Downes.

Subs: Tristan O Callaghan, Michéal Garry, Darren Nagle, Mark McInerney, Cormac Murray, Fergal Ginnane, James Curran, Diarmuid O’Donnell, Joe McGann, Jamie Stack, Tom McDonald.

Kerry: Shane Murphy; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan; Brian Ó Beaglaíoch, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White; Diarmuid O’Connor, Joe O’Connor; Dara Moynihan, Paudie Clifford, Cillian Burke; Tony Brosnan, David Clifford, Sean O’Shea.

Subs: Shane Ryan, Sean O’Brien, Adrian Spillane, Barry Dan O’Sullivan, Dylan Casey, Paul Geaney, Stephen O’Brien, Mike Breen, Killian Spillane, Darragh Roche, Armin Heinrich.

Connacht’s best eye improvement

And so for the 12th consecutive year, these age-old rivals lock horns again in championship. Galway are looking for a hat-trick of Connacht titles; Mayo looking to win back what they last won in Croke Park in 2021.

Are both All-Ireland contenders? Probably not at this stage. Though, in spite of the condensed championship, there is enough talent in both squads to suggest they can offer more in the weeks ahead..

A fortnight ago, Pádraic Joyce was a relieved man as his Galway side got out of jail against Sligo. It may be an exaggeration to suggest a grand act of larceny was committed in Markievicz Park but the Yeatsmen would certainly have been good value for the win, in spite of Galway missing three gilt-edged goal chances.

Joyce did allude to the 3.30 throw-in as to why Galway weren’t at it, a flimsy enough explainer, you would have to say.

“We can find some excuse somewhere, obviously a match at half-three in the afternoon on a Saturday is not ideal to try get motivated for but there’s always some excuse,” the Tribes boss offered.

“But that performance is not near good enough and if we perform like that in two weeks’ time, we’ll have a job keeping the ball kicked out.”

A day later, Mayo were comfortable enough in seeing past Roscommon; an early goal from Aidan O’Shea seeing them on their way That said, Roscommon spurned a number of second-half opportunities that would have made things jittery for the green and red; the Rossies got more shots off overall.

Ryan O’Donoghue has been in excellent form for Mayo, leading their scoring charge on the half-forward line.

As is often the case, form tends to go out the window when this pair clash.

Team news

Damien Comer is back in the Galway starting XV, as is John Maher in the No 11 jersey.

Mayo manager Kevin McStay has named an unchanged team.

Galway: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Seán Fitzgerald, Jack Glynn; Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Liam Silke; Paul Conroy, Seán Kelly; Johnny Heaney, John Maher, Cein Darcy; Robert Finnerty, Damien Comer, Shane Walsh.

Subs: Conor Flaherty, Séan Mulkerrin, Eoin Kelly, Daniel Ó Flaherty, Jack McCabe, Cathal Sweeney, Kieran Molloy, Liam Ó Conghaile, Cillian Ó Curraoin, Matthew Tierney, Sam Ó Neill.

Mayo: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, Rory Brickenden, Sam Callinan; Paddy Durcan, David McBrien, Donnacha McHugh; Stephen Coen, Matthew Ruane; Jordan Flynn, Fergal Boland, Jack Carney; Aidan O’Shea, Tommy Conroy, Ryan O’Donoghue.

Subs: Rob Hennelly, Enda Hession, Conor Loftus, Darren McHale, Eoghan McLaughlin, Cillian O’Connor, Diarmuid O’Connor, Pádraig O’Hora, Kevin Quinn, Paul Towey, Bob Tuohy.