Search icon

GAA

25th Jan 2018

Leinster’s Champions Cup quarter-final set to clash with National League finals on Easter Sunday

Matthew Gault

It’s going to be some day of sport in Dublin.

Easter Sunday in Dublin this year is set to be gripped by sporting fever with two massive events happening in the north and south of the city.

Leinster will face Saracens at the Aviva Stadium in the European Champions Cup quarter-final. Leo Cullen’s side’s reward for emerging from the pool stages unbeaten is a date with the defending champions. The match will kick-off at 3.30pm.

But that’s not all as the National Football League Division One and Division Two finals will take place on the same day (April 1st), with the thousands of GAA fans expected to travel north of the Liffey and pack into Croke Park for one of the most eagerly-anticipated afternoons in the football calendar.

Last year, 54,000 watched Kerry end Dublin’s 36-match unbeaten run in a thrilling contest as Kingdom crushed the Dubs’ hopes for five in a row.

No time has been set for the finals at Croker but the Division One showpiece is largely expected to fall around a similar time to the Leinster game as throw-in between Dublin and Kerry in 2017 was 4pm.

If you lean more towards rugby than GAA then you’ll be more than happy with the line-up on Easter weekend. Just look at it!

CHAMPIONS CUP

Friday 30 March
QF 2: Scarlets v La Rochelle, Parc y Scarlets (17.30) BT Sport / beIN SPORTS

Saturday 31 March
QF 3: Munster Rugby v RC Toulon, Thomond Park (15.15) Sky Sports / FR 2 / beIN SPORTS

Sunday 1 April
QF 4: ASM Clermont Auvergne v Racing 92, Stade Marcel-Michelin (14.00 local time) beIN SPORTS / Sky Sports
QF 1: Leinster Rugby v Saracens, Aviva Stadium (15.30) BT Sport / beIN SPORTS

Semi-final 1 – winner of QF 1: Leinster Rugby v Saracens will play the winner of QF 2: Scarlets v La Rochelle
Semi-final 2 – winner of QF 3: Munster Rugby v RC Toulon will play the winner of QF 4: ASM Clermont Auvergne v Racing 92
(Matches to be played on 21/22 April)

Champions Cup final: Saturday 12 May; San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao (17.45)

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10