The dust is starting to settle after a hectic final round of group matches in the Senior, Intermediate and Junior football Championships. Here’s a quick gallop through all the results, what they mean in terms of group standings and the draws for the knockout stages.
Starting with the Senior Championship, here are the weekend’s results:
Here’s what the results mean for the four groups:
- In Group 1, Westport come out on top with three games from three, Ballintubber take the second quarter-final slot, Mayo Gaels retain the Senior status they won last year while The Neale head for the relegations play-offs;
- In Group 2, Ballina Stephenites finish top with defending champions Knockmore also progressing; Aghamore finish ahead of Ballaghaderreen who now face the relegation play-offs;
- In Group 3, Breaffy’s 100% record sees them top the group, with Claremorris the surprise second team to make it through, at the expense of last year’s finalists, Belmullet. Balla end up bottom and so have relegation avoidance duties to attend to now;
- In Group 4, the draw today between Castlebar Mitchels and Garrymore sees the pair of them go through, in that order, with Charlestown edged out while Davitts bring up the rear and so are now in the battle to avoid the drop.
The quarter-finals and relegation play-offs will be contested next weekend. Here are the draws for both, along with fixtures details for these matches:
Onto the Intermediate Championship, where the weekend’s results were as follows:
Here’s where this leaves the four groups:
- Group 1: Louisburgh top the group, Crossmolina also go through, with Lahardane going into the relegation play-offs;
- Group 2: Ballinrobe win the group, Parke also qualify, with Kiltane going into the relegation play-offs;
- Group 3: Ballyhaunis top the group, Bohola Moy Davitts also progress while Ardnaree go into the relegation play-offs;
- Group 4: Hollymount/Carramore win the group, Kilmeena also go through, with Kilmaine going into the relegation play-offs.
Here’s the draw for the IFC quarter-finals and the relegation play-offs, with next weekend’s fixture details for all these games:
Finally, in the Junior Championship, here are the weekend’s results:
Junior now splits in two, with knockout fixtures in the A and B Championships.
Here are next weekend’s Junior A fixtures:
Here are the Junior B ties:
Great info WJ, cheers.
Mayo GAA have just confirmed that TG4 will be showing the Mitchels/Knockmore and Breaffy/Ballintubber double-header live on Sunday.
Ballina look a serious outfit, big powerful team that will suit as the ground gets softer in the weeks ahead. Aghamore will be dissapointed but too reliant on Boland in general.
In the Intermiedate game, well Carolan was just in a world of his own but great credit to Burrish they looked down and out but never gave up.
Parke and B’haunis go at it again.
Ballina clocking up big scores in their last two games, 7.23 in total.
I will be able to go to all the quarter final games at the weekend .There will be serious traffic heading to Castlebar from Charlestown after the Ballina match . I hope it does not go to extra-times as it will scupper a lot of peoples plans to go to the double header in mchale park. The double header is on tg4 so the matches wont be delayed in the event of extra time in Charlestown.
They wouldn’t delay them anyway…different games different venue.
Great for anyone that can’t get to the games especially those living outside the county that all 4 games can be viewed next weekend. Whatever about TG4 who do a far better job than any of the big networks on GAA coverage but mayogaa tv are there for fans when none of the others are around.
Brian Walsh back for Tubber is a big boost and Breaffy will be very wary of them. Mitchells/Knockmore should be another titanic struggle and too close to call. Football wise I reckon both the other two games will be really entertaining. As for yesterday’s games there were no real shocks except for the lack of fight Aghamore showed against Ballina. Before the weekend I thought we had about the same chance v Ballina that Belmullet had against Breaffy but Belmullet fought and scrapped to the final whistle. Calling a spade a spade Aghamore threw the towel in I’m sorry to say and maybe staying up was the aim. Good to see Mikey Murray back at last for the Stephenites. The poor lad has had an awful run of injuries and hopefully now he can fulfil the promise he showed a couple of years ago when he looked assured of a big inter county career.
Some great games to look forward at the weekend. In particular Claremorris will be rank outsiders going in against a hotly fancied Ballina side in Charlestown on Sunday….and also with Ballina having the inside knowledge on them with their former manager now coaching Ballina adds additional spice to the game…..would be some upset if Ballina don’t progress…
Cracking double header next Sunday in MacHale Park.
Pretty much the exact same quarter finalists as last year (Belmullet were probably a fit O’Donoghue away from making it the same 8)
Definitely a bit of a gap forming in the championship (although with better draws Charlestown and Aghamore could have snuck in), but it makes for an intriguing quarter final line-up
At this stage last year Garrymore and Belmullet beat Castlebar and Breaffy respectively as outsiders, while Westport were almost pipped by Ballina.. could be plenty of twists this weekend as well
Intermediate looks a complete lottery at this stage. You could make a case for any set of results, and even a bizarre hammering or two can’t be ruled out if the groups are anything to go by
All of the senior QFs are interesting games. I think the ballina claremorris game is the easiest to call. Can’t see claremorris living with the ballina attack and movement of the ball. The other 3 games are very hard to call. I’d give the nod to Westport over Garrymore but if conditions are bad it will definitely favour a more dogged team like Garrymore. I actually can’t predict the other 2 games. Great to see that all games will be covered this weekend too.
Where’s the pitch in the picture heading above?
It truly is the best weekend in the Club calendar. As usual, some tasty encounters. Can’t wait.
Joe T that looks like the Saucer
Joet – the picture looks to be the pitch in Hollymount.
It is indeed the Saucer. Super photo too, from Jimmy Killeen (there’s a link to the source below the photo).
Garrymore could edge Westport, but with some key players likely injured will possible turn the balance, which is a shame.
Darren Quinn deserves a run for Mayo, big and strong also caolan Crowe immense at fb.
Morahan for Castlebar looks a very good prospect,
Only 17 also.
So it’s only a saucer now….when I played there it was a bowl.
Thanks for that.
Any word on Cillians injury? He would be a huge loss if he’s out again next year not saying thats the case but he is very unluck with injuries
Is the handball alley beside ‘The Saucer’ playable and played?
For the old stock was anyone ever in ‘The Saucer’ when it was full for a big club match or a county match and what do we reckon she held?
In days way back you could simply pack out a ground. Not allowed now.
Yes the quarter finals is class. It schedules this week for me.
Does anyone else think that 12pm on Sunday is a strange throw-in time for Championship quarter finals? I know league games are often played at this time but Championship is different.
No issue with Charlestown and Ballinrobe as venues for two of the Senior games, just a bit unusual that the option of MacHale Park under lights wasn’t considered for a senior/intermediate game (or even a double-header) on Saturday evening.
JP – Apparently there was 1,100 at the game in Hollymount Saturday evening. Great crowd. Anyone remember Mayo playing Dublin there in a challenge back in 2011? Dublin of course went on to win Sam later in the year. It’s a great venue to watch a game due to supporters being high up on the terrace looking down on the field.
A great championship so far – my only gripe is that there are too few matches – what an atmosphere at a club championship game – I’d like to see us having a system like Galway’s senior format – 3 groups of 6 – 5 guaranteed game in group stages – top 2 + 2 best 3rd placed team in the 1/4 finals @ – 2 teams relegated after a round robin play off – the split season is too long without plenty of championship club games.
It’s surely Hollymount pitch.
Venues like Hollymount, Ballinrobe, Claremorris etc are great venues for big championship games. Create a great atmosphere compared to Castlebar next Sunday where the crowd will be lost in the stand.
Anecdotal but it seems like that was the best attended year of group games?
I’m getting a vibe there will be a good few thousand at this year’s county final.
I’m really interested tactically in the Westport Garrymore game. Westport have an advantage in speed and fitness, Garrymore have a bit more of the raw boned, seasoned, paid their farming dues hardness about them.
That’s not to underlay Garrymore as I’m liking the form of lads like Trevor Nally, Ciaran McGrath, Aaron Hughes, Caolan Crowe and Darren Quinn.
Westport now 2/1 favorites with PP to win County
Are mayogaatv doing any games this weekend ?
All – I think it’s best to cease discussion here on the blog about the incident at that U17 game and let the investigation of it take its course.
On reflection, I think it’s best to remove all comments posted about the incident at that U17 game. It’s obviously something that merits proper investigation and Mayo GAA have said they’re awaiting the referee’s report, following which they intend to address the incident.
Seanie CH – the Westport/Garrymore match (Saturday 4pm) and the Ballina/Claremorris game (Sunday 12pm) are both being streamed by Mayo GAA TV, with TG4 broadcasting the double-header from MacHale Park on Sunday so this means all four SFC quarter-finals are available to view.
Have to say Mayo gaa tv is a great service for people who cannot get to games. Camera work not too bad either.
It’s a fantastic service in fairness. Brilliant for people that live abroad.
What struck me from looking at the scores from senior championship…of the 16 teams only 2 managed more than 15 points and 7 teams scored 12 points or less. That’s pretty low scoring right across the board on what was a fairly decent weekend weather-wise.
I don’t want to poke a bear here Mayonaze but if that’s not a reflection of our shortage of forwards I’m not sure what is.
@Joet1480 equally it could be argued its an indication of the strength of our defenders.
Obviously the physical abuse of a referee isn’t warranted ever, simply assault and should be dealt with with an iron fist.
At the same time, referees are the only people on the pitch getting paid for their performances. Some referees clearly don’t take their s and c serious enough and are happy enough to miss things because they can’t get up and down the pitch, or they simply aren’t up to the standard. See for example in the mountbellew pearses game, obviously the physical abuse of Jerome Henry was an absolute disgrace and the players were rightly punished, but for a game of that magnitude they got shafted by a ref who missed a massive, simple call in a big moment.
Lads train all year to be let down by a ref who either doesn’t care or isn’t good enough on occasion, and referees often ruin good championship games.
At the same time, referees aren’t given enough support with proper linesmen, see in the u17 game where he had no linesmen or umpires for a county A semi final.
I think the debate is an interesting one and referees shouldn’t necessarily suffer for their performances on the pitch, but to act like they’re perfect and don’t warrant questioning is silly too.
Retro cut- referees are hardly doing it for the money. The €30 or €40 they get paid per game is very small when you add in the cost of travel etc.
They are not even getting the minimum wage when you take account of the cost of travel.
If there was money in it – a lot more smart people would be at it.
@joet yes, it’s very low. Basically no one shooting the lights out in any senior game where the opposition weren’t very poor. Like, 12 points is dreadful especially when decent chance 50% of scores are from frees
It’d be interesting….to see a top scoring chart for both senior and intermediate championships.
Maybe the lower scoring rates are also due to a high standard of defenders in the county.
That’s part of it Rev alright but still the shooting boots aren’t there.
Time for professional referees and 2 referees per match-one on each end of the pitch. Have referees from other counties in the province officiate at games to negate accusations of bias Give more power to linesmen and umpires.
Thats sounds a great plan Whitey, but what tree would a man need to shake to find all them referees?
@Whitey …there is already a shortage of Referee’s, the way you suggest we would need double the amount
Retrocut – very fair point you make there. Some of the decisions that I have seen over the last few weeks would leave a lot to be desired from refs. Of course they don’t deserve any physical abuse and what happened in Roscommon and Wexford is beyond a disgrace. There also seems to be a strong bias towards county players by refs. But the problem really lies with the GAA/Co. Board. If a player is playing bad they are taken off, if they break the rules they are sent off. Players are judged on their performance. Managers are judged on results. But no where are refs judged. They can go out, have a poor game collect their 60/70 quid and put the feet up for the night. Whilst the players who give so much all year are out of the championship. Refs need to be held accountable for decisions they make. Especially the ones that leave everyone perplexed. There needs to be a strong review process brought into the club game. Maybe an extra ref, or more input from the linesmen who see so much but don’t bother to do anything about it.
My comment stated “professional” referees
Full time jobs, well paid and subject to ongoing assessment.
I would also have them spend a lot of time going around the clubs and schools working with coaches on understanding the rules explaining
The attitude towards referees surely needs to change.
Some Gaelic players could do with behaving like how the Rugby lads behave.
The Rugby referee is treated with total respect and maybe that’s more of what needs to happen rather than jumping on the poor ref all the time.
Rugby refs don’t get it right all the time, but they do get great help from their linesmen and the bigger games go for the video review.
Whenever there is a disagreement, it is the captain that speaks to the ref and he doesn’t make a meal of it either. He says what he has to say respectfully and then they get on with the game.
If some players and fans laid off their poor treatment of the refs that would in itself take alot of pressure off the refs and I think that would allow them to be clearer in the decisions they have to make.
There is a different attitude and culture in rugby – and that’s not just in players but obvious in the supporters if yo are someone who goes to both sports. You rarely get that fierce fanaticism in rugby amongst the crowd, you know what I mean, that lunatic supporter or a player in the club who is a bit touched!!,….certainly to a much lesser extent that in the GAA.
The GAA prides itself on the mixing that goes on and that amicable spirit between rival fans (in contrast to soccer) but I’ve seen enough at club and intercounty to know that it gets edgy and dangerous and this spills on to the pitch too. There is very little respect for GAA officials. Not helped by the fact that a large percentage of them are absolutely useless. It’s a major issue now for the GAA. Three solutions:- 1. Strict punishments for anyone on the pitch/sideline who assaults an official (verbally or physically); obviously this is more tricky if a supporter is hurling insults from outside the parameter of the pitch AND 2. the GAA need to get the finger out and do an awful lot more to improve the standard of refereeing, AND 3, the GAA need to implement a programme for players to make them more conscious of being respectful toward officials. Clearly whatever the GAA have been doing is not working.
Talks Kieran Molloy may have done the cruciate
Liam Silke away also at present (although may be back for champ next year), and peter Cooke likely unavailable next year. Paul Conroy struggling by his standards in the club championship, after a good year it could be an element of back to the drawing board for Joyce ahead of next year. He won’t exactly be overly enamoured to see Mannion and McCaffrey back either
The flip side of that is lads like Tomo Culhane, Brian Mannion and Oisin Gormley are flying at club level, while Antaine O’Laoi has also made his return to action. They’ll surely discover a few new starters in advance of championship next year. In what could be very much from the left field Conor Flaherty might become an option out the field the way he’s playing also
Remember the Rugby ref is in the centre of the play at all times and hence much easier to get most calls right.
They also have a ref monitoring the game on TV
JR, pitch is half the size, and game is start stop and generally moving one direction at a time.
Six forwards in the mayo news team of the week and none of them kicked a ball for mayo last year is a good sign ?
Also 17 year old Sean Morahan named at corner back who is having a fine championship to date. Would like to see himself and finbarr mclaughlin go head to head at some stage, two lads who are still in secondary school but putting their names out there.
Who made the team Seanie?
Mile buiochas
anyone know when the semi finals are? is it saturday/sunday week or is there a week break after quarters?
Week break after quarters.
Hearing Cillian is playing Sunday. If so Tubber will win handy. Knockmores steel might just get them over the line vs Mitchels
Although Sean morahan is listed at corner back and wears 2, he really plays in the forward line
At least he did against Davitts
Mitchel’s donnacha McHugh is really developing into a lovely footballer, has kept Niall treacy and towey scoreless from play so far, not sure about how he did against garrymore
Mayoaze, interesting stat re low scoring.
Lazy reply: bad forwards
Lazy response: good backs
I’ve been to and watched more Mayo championship games this year than I wish to remember. The reason for the low scoring is not bad forwards or indeed good backs. It’s actually sheer numbers retreating behind the ball when not in possession. Most teams I’ve seen are defending with up to 13 players in their own half. Hence forwards are being stifled and just like our inter county team, most teams are relying on backs and midfielders to get a large proportion of their scores from play, with forwards chipping in with scores from place balls and the odd score from play. Of course the forwards also have to have the engine to retreat and defend.
There’s been a sameness about the games and its not great to watch if I’m honest.
For what it’s worth (nothing), I can’t see beyond Westport or Knockmore for the title.
just seen the top scorers and interesting that 3 of the top 5 are in the same group. even more interesting is that Paul Towey and Neil Tracey are top 2 and neither play with a club that made q/f. Darren Quinn is other plaer from that group
Ballina look like the team to beat this year. Their backs are tight markers, they have great mobility about the field and in Regan, Swanee and Clarke they have plenty of experience.
@Oilean acla
1. Colm Reape
2.Sean Morahan
3. Rory Brickeden
4. Paddy Barry
5. Michael Hall
6. Padraig O’Hora
7. Conor O’Donaghue
8. Anthony O’Boyle
9. Mattie Ruane
10. Keelan McDonnell
11. Conor McStay
12. Darren Quinn
13. James Jennings
14. Conor Diskin
15. Peter Naughton
Ryan Fadden kicked 5 from midfield for Balla on Saturday, while marking James McCormack. Only 18 and all 5 were from play. Feels harsh not having him in.
Green and ref, absolutely right on the refereeing problem. Just one incident from this years championship, outfield player kicks ball in to forward who is clearly outside the 45 m line, shoots up the hand for a mark and gets it. Linesman comes in to ref and tells him the player was outside the 45. Referee response, i have given it now and cant take it back. This said in front of the backs. Result the ball kicked over the bar and the game finishes in a draw. And you wonder about players and supporters getting frustrated. Any one can make a genuine mistake but this kind of stuff should not be happening. No wonder the lines people no longer bother getting involved in the games other than to stick up the flag now and again when the ball goes over the line.
retrocut. I must admit I haven’t seen Fadden but those stats alone put forward a good case especially as Mattie Ruane played at centre forward. It’s a pity that we don’t get to see any more of some of the players that have been making big impressions so far. As someone else said maybe we could go to something like 2 groups of 6 with the top 4 in each making the quarters .
Regarding the refereeing the big problem with officiating gaa games as opposed to soccer and rugby is the offside rule. This condenses the play for the ref and if a long ball is kicked forward it basically becomes the job of someone else, ie the linesman/var in soccer or linesman and video official in Rugby to help him. The only similar “football” game without offside is Aussie rules but they have a ref in each half to counter it.
Joe g,I was at an AFL game and there was a big row,the ref ignored it and threw the ball up between the first 2 available players, end of row.
I don’t mean to put a dampner on things, but people getting excited about 6 forwards being named in a team of the week and none of them having featured for county? That’s because it is a club team of the week, not a county team of the week. Club football and county football are two different sports. Two different animals completely.
Ahnow hits the nail on the head for me. Teams seem to be flooding players back more than ever, it’s completely expected that games are lower scoring.
Teams with a lead are also playing more keep ball than ever before imo. Even teams that are losing (and who should be chasing a game) seemed to have it drilled into them to keep possession/ players not wanting to be the person to cough up the ball.
It hasn’t happened overnight but stats / fear of being the one to get a negative stat, really is having an impact on club games.
It’s refreshing to go to underage games these days to see more open games… Although you can see it creeping in there as well.
@Pebblesmeller- It’s a massive step up and most wont make an impact at inter-county level but it is positive that some new faces are showing well in the club championship.
Pebbesmeller
Nobody is getting excited.
There just pointing out forwards that are playing alot better for there clubs than some of the forwards that were on the panel under James Horan.
Your tactic would be for Kevin just to pick the same forwards Horan picked is that it? Some of the same players that kicked 4 terribld wides in an All Ireland last year ,that have got repeated chances and havnt delivered.
Talk of a second ref makes sense but the lack of refs put that one to bed.
There’s a far more obvious and workable solution imo, that being to utilise the linesmen a lot more. Having one man struggle to keep up with everything on the pitch (an almost impossible job) and having two linesmen on the line doing very little is madness really.
Linesmen should be allowed come off the line and assist a ref. Each could take one half of the pitch to police. They should be on the pitch more than they’re on the line. Ref follows the play and linesmen can be responsible for all the off the ball stuff that goes on. It’s a very workable solution imo.
Well said Sam og, any very good player that’s made it for mayo started out as a rookie club footballer that got on team of the weeks to begin with
@Sam og,
Of course forwards should be playing better for their (**NB not “there”) clubs because they generally aren’t being marked by inter county defenders.
And seeing as you already know and assume my tactics then there is no point in continuing this, as you have it all sorted.
@Third Man,
You’re 100% right and the sad thing is that the linesmen already have those powers but almost never use them in the club fixtures, certianly not until we get to semi final stages. The reality is that there are not enough properly trained officials to cater for all the games. A quick look at the Mayo GAA fixtures/results section of their website will prove just how many games there are each week. From U12’s, through to the schools/colleges and then U15/U17 etc. Add in the Ladies fixtures where the demands of the refs is almost as much and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get refs.
There are some shocking refs out there, whose poor fitness or decisions have cost teams in big games, but, the county board will always fall on the side of the refs because of the scarcity of them. Allied to the fact that if they don’t back their own then what’s the point? I know a national panel ref who sits on his county boards CCCC and he has admitted that the standard of reffing in the club game has, generally, fallen way back over the last 2 to 3 years. The county game is different as those refs are subject to very tough fitness tests and ref assessors in the stands at games, but the club game is suffering.
There seems to be two separate and distinct situations rather than one ( or at least there should be ), in relation to treatment of referees and the cause of this treatment.
Whether a referee is brilliant at what they do or whether they are not so good at what they do, should make absolutely no difference as to how they are treated.
If a referee makes a bad call or a few bad calls, it’s not really a lisence for players to abuse the individual.
Players reacting on the pitch, stoke up the crowd and make matters worse. The respect for the refs has to begin with the players on the pitch and the management on the sideline.
Getting the best people to referee, umpire and do the lines is another and separate project.
One should not be held up as an excuse for the other.
Even verbal abuse of refs from players and management on the line, directly screamed into the refs ear, gives a licence for the physical abuse which we’ve recently seen.
Look, enforcement is the responsibility of GAA headquarters, ie If the punishment doesn’t fit the crime, ie cutting out the verbals first and foremost, the further physical incidents will occur. We don’t hear a fraction of what’s said to referees.
Agree Liberal, the way suspensions over turned make a mockery of the referees and their reports. It is on HQ to protect them, modify the laws so that as many weak link technicalities barristers expose are closed off.
Black cark if any row with an official or language, captains should be only ones allowed speak, that sort of think. If few results dictated to through blacks issued etc. might get some change!
As has been mentioned above, being an outstanding player at club level doesn’t mean you’re a dead cert to make it at county level. There are many examples of this, the standout one for me is the Corofin forward Michael Lundy, he was the top club forward in the country by a mile during their early years of dominance but just couldn’t cut it when he played for Galway. Back then, one of the main differences between the way club and county teams prepared was in strength and conditioning. Some club players have good core strength and can more easily make the transfer to county level, but if you’re naturally slight there’s a massive gap to make up. There are other reasons why players don’t succeed at county level, they have to think and play at a higher tempo and also the sacrifices they have to make are much greater. Hopefully some of the better players from the club championship this year can make the step up.
@Third Man in, that’s the most sensible thing anyone has said on this blog in a long time. Like what in the name God is the point of linesmen in the GAA? Did they just copy soccer or something?
Mile buiochas for that information Seanie.
Q. Ronan Carolan Parke seems to be a prolific scorer. I know he played underage for Mayo.
Is he worth a try on the seniors? Cad bhur bharuil- any comments/obs?
Mhuigeo Abu!
Our latest podcast episode is up now for club members on Patreon and it’s an absolute beast! Just under two hours of chat with Mike, Ed and Stephen Drake, reviewing last weekend’s action and previewing the quarter-finals. The free version – which is over an hour and a half long – will be up on all podcast platforms tomorrow.
@GBXI, thanks. You could go a game without a contentious line ball, they’re completely underutilised. Give both of them on a half each and a referees job is made instantly easier. It would cut out all the daft niggly stuff as well. Has been something I’ve thought was so obvious dating all the way back to the international rules.
Oilean Acla
Carolan was always a very talented underage player, but he was always on the light side but he seems a different animal physically now
Have seen him a few times the past two years he’s a super player, strong, fast, two feet, ball winner, only time will tell if he’s good enough for inter county
Mile buiochas Southinrebel for that update on Ronan Carolan. It seems that we have a lot of talent coming through. No doubt the new management team will be scrutinising this talent.
Go neiri le foireann Mhuigeo i gconai!
Mhuigeo Abu!
Carolan was part of the group of 30 odd players (who had never played senior for Mayo) that Horan looked at in that ‘combine’ type thing in Bekan in late 2021 iirc. Callinan & Irwin from Ballina and McHugh from Castlebar were 3 to go on to play senior from that I think.
Carolan certainly seems to be doing everything he can to get on McStay’s radar. It’s probably make or break time for him this year though at 26/27?
Just finished listening to the podcast, a beast is right. Some level of detail.
It seems Ronan Carolan was unlucky with injuries. I didn’t realize but he was part of the 2013 minor winning panel.
Sometimes if a lad can get a run of injury free and put on a few kgs of extra size their game can go up a lot.
The quarter-final preview pod is now available on all platforms. This is a slightly slimmer beast compared to the Patreon version, just 1:36 in length. Mike, Ed and Stephen Drake are on it with a look back to Round 3 and a comprehensive preview of the weekend’s quarter-finals.