One door closes, a back door opens.
No counties wanted to be there but 17 of them ended up there. The first fence fallers were all plunged into the hat for Monday morning’s first round qualifier draw which took place on Morning Ireland.
It’s not an enviable place to be but it’s not the end of the road either. Momentum is a powerful thing and a win in the first round could potentially restart and reinvigorate a county’s season.
All the county’s listed first below will enjoy home advantage in their ties as a result of being drawn first or because of the fact that Division 3 and 4 teams are guaranteed a home tie if their opposition is a Division One or two team.
The times and dates of the games below will be confirmed by the CCCC on Tuesday afternoon with all of them to take place on the weekend June 8 and 9.
The tie of the round is undoubtedly the clash of Monaghan and Fermanagh in Clones. Last year, the Erne County defeated the Farney in Healy Park and they’ll be hoping for similar heroics in two weeks time.
Qualifier draw
Louth v Antrim
Down v Tipperary
Leitrim v Wicklow
Wexford v Derry
Offaly v London
Monaghan v Fermanagh
Carlow v Kildare/Longford
Westmeath v Waterford
