Only seven months to go.
The draw for the 2017 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship has Gaels far and wide looking ahead far too early but it’s created a buzz at least for an evening.
With the hurling championship draw pitting champions Tipperary with a God-awful trek back to the top of the mountain, the footballers have some intriguing ties for the first round in the four provinces.
Mayo will meet Galway in the semi-final of the Connacht championship if they can see off the winners of Sligo and New York in their quarter-final clash.
Tipperary took all the plaudits last year on their way to the All-Ireland semi-final and their reward for a Munster decider place in 2016 is a spot straight into this year’s semi. That draw pairs them with the winners of Cork and Waterford but Tipp boss Liam Kearns was typically honest in his assessment.
“You’d probably expect Cork will come through there, no disrespect to Waterford.”
Tough start for Davy Fitzhttps://t.co/JgiKkbqxEj
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) October 13, 2016
Ulster champions Tyrone will start their season up in Celtic Park once more against Derry and, the prize for potentially getting through another clash with their most bitter rivals is a likely semi-final with Donegal. Welcome to the north.
All-Ireland champions Dublin are up against Carlow or Wexford first in the Leinster quarter-final and if and when they win, they’re in a semi with Westmeath or Offaly.
Here’s the draw in full.
Munster Senior Football Championship
Quarter-final
Cork v Waterford
Clare v Limerick
Semi-final
Kerry v Clare/Limerick
Tipperary v Cork/Waterford
Connacht Senior Football Championship
Preliminary round
Sligo v New York
Quarter-final
Leitrim v London
Mayo v Sligo/New York
Semi-final
Roscommon v Leitrim/London
Galway v Mayo/Sligo/New York
Ulster Senior Football Championship
Preliminary round
Monaghan v Fermanagh
Quarter final
Cavan v Monaghan/Fermanagh
Derry v Tyrone
Donegal v Antrim
Down v Armagh
Semi-final
Derry/Tyrone v Donegal/Antrim
Cavan/Monaghan/Fermanagh v Down/Armagh
Leinster Senior Football Championship
First round
Louth v Wicklow
Laois v Longford
Carlow v Wexford
Quarter-final
Meath v Louth/Wicklow
Kildare v Laois/Longford
Dublin v Carlow/Wexford
Offaly v Westmeath
Semi-final
Kildare/Laois/Longford v Meath/Louth/Wicklow
Dublin/Carlow/Wexford v Offaly/Westmeath
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