a day ago
Down v Galway live updates from the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final clash
Down and Galway collide in the first of Sunday's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship preliminary quarter-final clashes.
The match takes place at Páirc Esler in Newry as Down and Galway aim to join Kerry and Dublin in Monday's quarter-final draw following their respective wins over Cavan and Cork on Saturday. Donegal and Louth clash in Ballybofey following this game.
Meath, Tyrone, Monaghan and Armagh secured their places in the last eight for topping their respective All-Ireland groups.
Down v Galway, like all the preliminary quarter-finals, is only being shown live on GAA+, with throw-in scheduled for 1.45pm.
Here are the teams:
Down: Ronan Burns, Patrick McCarthy, Peter Fegan, Ceilum Doherty, Ryan Magill, Pierce Laverty, Miceal Rooney, Daniel Guinness, Ryan McEvoy, Danny Magill, Odhran Murdock, Eugene Branagan, James Guinness, Pat Havern, John McGeough.
Galway: Conor Flaherty; Johnny McGrath, Seán Fitzgerald, Liam Silke; Dylan McHugh, Seán Kelly, Cian Hernon; Paul Conroy, John Maher; Céin Darcy, Matthew Tierney, Cillian McDaid; Rob Finnerty, Shane Walsh, Matthew Thompson.
Subs: Connor Gleeson, Jack Glynn, Cathal Sweeney, Sean Mulkerrin, Daniel O'Flaherty, John Daly, Peter Cooke, Kieran Molloy, Tomo Culhane, Johnny Heaney, Damien Comer.
Good afternoon and welcome to our live blog for this All-Ireland Senior Football Championship preliminary quarter-final clash between Down and Galway.
The Tribesmen have faced pressure twice in this year's Championship and delivered both times - in the final moments against Derry and when they were trailing by eight points at half-time against Armagh, despite scoring only one point from two penalties.
The decision to replace goalie Connor Gleeson with Conor Flaherty at this stage of the year is concerning. This could have been a reaction to Armagh's excellent kickout press.
Down may perceive this as a vulnerability and exploit it.
However, Galway are tougher and more resilient and arrive into the game as the 1/3 favourites.
We'll keep you up to date with all the action right here throughout the afternoon.
Throw-in is just under an hour and 20 minutes away.
