The draw for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship qualifiers have taken place this morning with some intriguing Round 1 ties ahead.
Champions Tyrone have drawn Ulster rivals Armagh away at the Athletic Grounds in what is set to be a pulsating fixture.
There will be no love lost between the two sides after February’s controversial Allianz League fixture which saw four Red Hands players sent off alongside Armagh’s Greg McCabe.
Elsewhere, there’s an all-Division 1 tie as Monaghan travel to Castlebar to face 2021 runners up Mayo.
This will be the first championship meeting between the two sides.
Two Munster-Leinster ties are also in prospect as Clare host Meath and Louth travel Leeside to face Cork.
RTÉ analyst Kevin McStay gave his reaction to the pairings after the draw which took place on Monday on Morning Ireland.
Speaking about the Ulster derby, McStay said; “They’ve been meeting a fair bit in recent times and there is certainly not a lot of love lost, I would have thought, between them at this stage.
“Armagh having the home venue will be a huge advantage because that place is going to be rocking in a fortnight’s time. That is the tie of the round in my view. There is everything on the line for the All-Ireland champions.”
Not far behind it in McStay’s view is the meeting of Mayo and Monaghan. This will be no stroll in the park for James Horan’s men.
Their last three qualifying campaigns have began against then Division 3 side Down (2019), Division 4 Limerick (2018), and a Derry team that had just been relegated to Division 3 (2017).
Seamus McEnaney’s Monaghan men however, will be a different proposition.
“Mayo have a great recent tradition getting through it but Monaghan will test them, they were hugely disappointing as well [against Derry].
“I’ll be looking forward to that one in Castlebar and that’s advantage Mayo really, you’d have to say because of the home venue.”
McStay also believes there is a good championship run for Division 2 counties seeing as though they have avoided the big guns early on.
The last championship meeting between both Meath and Clare, and Cork and Louth produced very tight games.
“I was looking at the possibilities of who might be in the provincial in round two, the provincial losers, and all those games will be very winnable for whoever wins round one.
“You have a date, an opposition, a location, and a time and it is off to the races.”
The fixtures will take place on the weekend of the 4th-5th of June, with times also to be confirmed by the GAA.
