8 key forwards who could decide this weekend's All-Ireland football quarter-finals
Seaan O'Shea Cormac Costello Conor Turbitt and Paddy McBrearty.
All-Ireland Quarter-Final – Saturday, 29 June
Armagh v Roscommon, Croke Park – 4pm
Dublin v Galway, Croke Park – 6.15pm
All-Ireland Quarter-Final – Sunday, 30 June
Donegal v Louth, Croke Park – 1.15pm
Kerry v Derry, Croke Park – 3.15pm
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Scoring Tally So Far: 5-50 (1 shootout penalty 23f 4m)
One of the best forwards in the country at the moment, Conor Turbitt has flourished since breaking through to become a regular starter for Armagh. His performances have been key to Kieran McGeeney’s side reaching the Division 2 final [scoring 20 points in his first four games] as well as an Ulster final.
Armagh were bested by Donegal on both occasions, although Turbitt still left his mark with four points in both games. He also converted his spot kick when he was called upon in the penalty shootout that was needed to determine a winner in the Ulster final.
Armagh have endured rotten luck in those competitions, losing out to Galway 4-1 in the 2022 All-Ireland quarter-final [Turbitt's effort hit the post] and Monaghan 9-8 in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final. Donegal defeated them 6-5 after penalties in last month’s Ulster final. Armagh’s 3-17 to 0-15 win over Derry in the group stage was a statement performance outlining their threat in the All-Ireland competition, with Turbitt scooping the man of the match award after scoring 1-4.
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Roscommon – Diarmuid Murtagh
Scoring Tally So Far: 0-42 (16 f)
Murtagh’s four points helped Roscommon pull off a shock victory against Tyrone and book an unlikely place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. The St Faithleach’s attacker is one of Roscommon’s most experienced players, making his 100th appearance for the county in their FBD League final win over Galway.
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He helped himself to 1-6 in Roscommon’s crucial Group 2 win over Cavan which enabled their access to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final against Tyrone. Murtagh said after the game that his side learned from their experience of the group stage last year to pace their performances this time around, and aim to be “peaking at this time of year.” Murtagh’s name will take up plenty of attention in Armagh’s pre-match discussions before their quarter-final showdown in Croke Park.
Roscommon's Diarmuid Murtagh.
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Galway – Rob Finnerty
Scoring Tally So Far: 1-44 (22f 4m)
One of the many injury-afflicted players in the Galway squad in 2024, having Rob Finnerty back on the field is key to their progress. He was among the 21 casualties who were unavailable to Pádraic Joyce during the Spring and has more recently been limited by knee bother.
That injury didn’t detain him for long although he has been strapped up while playing. Finnerty is a strong ball winner who can create space with rapid turns to release shots at the posts and feed other players in scoring positions.
His growth in the team has lightened the scoring burden on Galway’s other two inside forwards Shane Walsh and Damien Comer. His left-footed free-taking is central to that too. And with Walsh a possible doubt for the Dublin game due to a hamstring problem, Finnerty’s assistance will be crucial. His form has been red hot throughout 2024, producing a clutch goal in the Connacht semi-final to rescue his team from a shock defeat to Sligo.
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Dublin – Cormac Costello
Scoring Tally So Far: 4-33 20f 1pen 1’45
The Dublin forward line is one of the hardest to break into, something which Costello has discovered in his return from a calf injury this year. And throughout his time on the Dublin squad. He started his first All-Ireland final last year and has two All-Star nominations from 2021 and 2023. Another forward with plenty of experience, he is now in his 12th season playing for Dublin and is turning 30 this year. However, he has been cooking well in recent games.
He produced the last-minute equaliser against Mayo to ensure Dublin topped their group to proceed directly to the All-Ireland quarter-finals. That brought his tally to seven points including three frees. He was also in devastating form against Cavan, hitting 2-5 which included a penalty. He will give Dessie Farrell plenty of selection dilemmas this week in preparation for Galway.
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Louth – Sam Mulroy
Scoring Tally So Far: 4-69 (1pen 53f 2’45 2m)
Louth’s chance to reach a first-ever All-Ireland quarter-final hinged on a late free, and Sam Mulroy delivered to dump Cork out of the championship. He went into that game as the joint-top goalscorer in 2024, with seven to his name along with Dublin’s Con O’Callaghan, Ruairi McCann of Antrim and Leitrim’s Ryan O’Rourke.
In the aftermath of the Cork game, Mulroy told RTÉ how he had a similar opportunity to earn a draw against Armagh in the league but kicked his free wide. Louth also gave Dublin their most difficult challenge for their provincial crown in the recent seasons of their Leinster dominance.
The doubts over whether Louth could sustain their progress after the departure of Mickey Harte as manager have been emphatically answered by Louth. And Mulroy’s impressive scoring form has been key to that, scoring 2-4 against Wexford in the Leinster championship, 0-7 v Kildare and six points in the final against Dublin. Donegal will pose a significant test for Ger Brennan’s side in Croke Park, but Jim McGuinness will be intent on curtailing Mulroy’s influence.
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Donegal – Patrick McBrearty
Scoring Tally So Far: 1-45 (27f)
The only surviving player from the 2012 All-Ireland winning team, McBrearty is still an essential part of the Donegal attack. He missed their Division 2 final win due to injury but returned in time for their triumphant run through the Ulster championship, ending a five-year wait for provincial honours. He also shone in the All-Ireland group stage, hitting seven points against Cork on what was an otherwise poor day out for Donegal.
After tumultuous campaigns in 2022 and 2023, Donegal have been resurrected by the return of Jim McGuinness. He oversaw McBrearty’s breakthrough when he was just 17, and continues to show faith in the seasoned forward. McGuinness has said that McBrearty was among the players who visited his house to convince him to take the job again after their disappointing exit last year. Against the newcomers Louth, Donegal will be looking to their captain for a big performance in Croke Park this weekend.
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Kerry – Seán O’Shea
Scoring Tally So Far: 0-55 (25f 3’45 2m)
Seán O’Shea’s credentials are well known at this point of his career and remains a consistently effective forward for Kerry. Clare gave Kerry something to sweat over in the Munster final but O’Shea’s haul of nine points helped keep the challengers under control. His six points were even more vital in the semi-final against Cork who gave Kerry a scare in Killarney.
Their opponents this weekend are a Derry side who came down to Tralee in January and left with a one-point win at the start of the league. O’Shea hit four points when Kerry got the better of them in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final and will be looking to tap into that trademark accuracy for another round in the ring with the Oak Leaf county.
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Conor Doherty and Shane McGuigan celebrate their side's win over Mayo.
Derry – Shane McGuigan
Scoring Tally So Far: 3-61 (33f 3pen 1 shootout)
It was McGuigan who kicked the winner in that battle against Kerry in Tralee earlier this year. The Derry full-forward has been at the coalface of their rise to the elite bracket. Mickey Harte’s side drifted into a lull during the championship, letting their Ulster three-in-a-row drive slip against Donegal before slumping to defeats against Galway and Armagh.
The Westmeath win did little to restore their image, but last weekend’s heroics against Mayo have reignited their season. McGuigan pocketed four points from their visit to MacHale Park, and was also successful in the penalty shootout which gave Derry the win.
Their Division 1 final against Dublin earlier this year also went to penalties, and again McGuigan converted his opportunity. That gave him a grand total of 2-4 against one of the tightest defences in Gaelic football. McGuigan kicked three points from play and six in total when the sides met in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final. Jason Foley will most likely pick him up again this weekend, which is likely to be a fascinating match-up.
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