Championship draw pits Kildare with old foes Galway
Kevin Feely tangles with Galway's Seán Andy Ó Ceallaigh during the 2018 Championship clash between the two counties Photo: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
After the disappointment of Sunday’s Leinster Senior Football Championship semi-final defeat to Westmeath, Kildare have been drawn to face Galway in Round 1 of the All-Ireland Football Championship.
If history is anything to go by, it’s one of the hardest draws for Brian Flanagan’s team as Kildare haven’t beaten Galway at senior level since 1985. It will be the first competitive meeting between the teams since Galway visited Newbridge in 2018 and recorded a 0-19 to 0-16 win. It will be the first time that Kildare have played Galway on their home soil in a Championship game although of course it's impossible to think of the two counties meeting in the Championship without the mind drifting back to the 1998 All-Ireland Final, and indeed the 2000 All-Ireland semi-final
The game will be played on the weekend of 23/24 May although both Kildare and Galway are due to play separate games in the final round of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship on Sunday 24 May so it be may will be that the game will take place on Saturday 23 May.
The eight winners in Round 1 will be drawn together in Round 2A and be one win away from an All-Ireland quarter-final while the eight losers will also be drawn together and be one loss away from the end of their season.
The undoubted tie of the round sees a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland Final with Kerry set to host Donegal.
Galway vs Kildare
Kerry vs Donegal
Cork vs Meath
Roscommon vs Tyrone
Dublin vs Louth
Monaghan vs Mayo
Westmeath vs Cavan
Armagh vs Derry
