All-Ireland SFC: Sell-out games and knockouts risk as race heats up for Sam Maguire

The winners of the aforementioned four games advance to round three to face the losers of the 2A fixtures.

The 2A winners will claim a quarter-final berth, meaning huge incentives for Donegal, Armagh and Tyrone.

Donegal have three weeks to prepare for Saturday’s home game with Cork (15:00), who reached 2A with a thrilling 0-30 to 1-24 win over Meath in Pairock we Ryn.

Although Barnes’ red card severely hampered Kerry’s challenge, Donegal looked sharp and sharp in the first half in Killarney, but Cork were to be no pushovers, as evidenced by Steven Sherlock’s headline-stealing 14-point win over Meath in their epic comeback win.

Saturday’s game sees Donegal return to the newly-resurrected McCumhale Park in Ballybough, which has been a Championship stronghold for them over the years.

In the first of three 2A games on Sunday, Louth look to add to their list of scalps when they welcome Armagh to Inniskin (13:00), where construction is still underway at their new stadium.

Armagh have been underwhelming of late. They put 42 points on Down in the Ulster semi-final, beat Monaghan in extra time in a decider to return to the provincial top for the first time in 18 years, and were too strong for Derry in the first round.

When Louth stunned Dublin in Croke Park, manager Gavin Devlin said his side were aware of what would be the first Championship meeting between the neighbours.

“Armagh will have no fear of Inniskin either,” said Devlin, a two-time All-Ireland winner during his playing days with Tyrone.

“They’re playing at a really high level as we know. The pace and physicality is unlike anyone else in the country at the moment, so we know what’s ahead of us. It’s an exciting week to be ready for a challenge like this.”

After Galway host Leinster champions Westmeath in a sold-out Salthill (14:00), the 2021 final is repeated as Tyrone take on Mayo in Omagh (15:30).

Both counties squeezed in this round. Tyrone needed Ethan Jordan’s last gasp to beat Roscommon by 3-16 to 2-18 at Dr Hyde Park while Mayo edged out Clones Monaghan by a point, with AFL-bound star Kobe McDonald hitting 1-4.

After missing the Roscommon game, Daragh Canavan is not included in Malachy O’Rourke’s matchday panel, but with Jordan, Matty Donnelly and Eoin McElhomme scoring a combined 2-11 against the Rossies, the Red Hands should have enough firepower to trouble Mayo.