​We are down to the final four in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, and by the end of Sunday’s play, we will know the two teams that will contest the final. It has been a year of upheaval and renewal, with a revamped format introduced to decide who lifts Sam Maguire, delivering a fair share of dramatic moments and memorable twists. This weekend, Croke Park hosts two semi-finals that promise plenty of intrigue and drama.
On Saturday, Louth will bid to reach their first All-Ireland SFC semi-final since 1957, as they meet Mayo. On Sunday, the championship’s traditional pairing returns: defending champions Kerry face a Dublin side that has grown steadily through the tournament. The winners will return to GAA HQ on Sunday, 26 July, so ahead of this weekend’s clashes, BBC Sport NI takes a closer look at the major talking points and the storylines to watch.
If you want to catch the action, Louth versus Mayo on Saturday and Dublin versus Kerry on Sunday will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two Northern Ireland.
Saturday’s semi-final action gets under way at 18:00 BST at Croke Park, with BBC coverage starting at 17:40. The studio lineup includes Sarah Mulkerrins, joined by All-Star Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan, Dublin’s eight-time All-Ireland winner Philly McMahon, and Killian Young, a four-time All-Ireland winner with Kerry. Mark Sidebottom will provide pitchside updates alongside Tyrone’s three-time All-Ireland winner Owen Mulligan and former Donegal star Brendan Devenney, while Thomas Niblock will be on commentary with former Monaghan ace Conor McManus.
Sunday’s semi-final is scheduled for a 16:00 throw-in, with build-up beginning at 15:35. Philly McMahon and Killian Young return to join Sarah Mulkerrins, alongside Armagh’s All-Ireland winner Oisin McConville. Mark Sidebottom returns pitchside with Owen Mulligan and Brendan Devenney, and Conor McManus resumes his commentary role with Thomas Niblock. Both games will also feature live text updates, in-play clips, reactions, and highlights on the BBC Sport NI website and app.
Louth’s path to this stage has been remarkable. After being eliminated from the Leinster Championship by Dublin, they exacted a measure of revenge in the All-Ireland SFC opening round, with a late Craig Lennon goal proving decisive. In round 2A, the drama continued as Louth trailed Armagh by two points late in the game, only for Sam Mulroy to unleash a long-range strike that ended in the net and snatched a dramatic victory. In the quarter-finals, Louth faced Ulster rivals Monaghan. Despite losing Sean Callaghan to a red card just eight minutes in, Gavin Devlin’s side fought hard to claim a 0-27 to 2-18 win and secure a place in the semi-finals for the first time in 69 years.
Mayo’s march to the semi-finals followed a different path. Their provincial campaign ended in the semi-final after a defeat to Connacht champions Roscommon. Andy Moran’s Mayo team had earlier edged past Monaghan in the opening round of the All-Ireland SFC, but their run was halted in the semi-final stage at the hands of Roscommon.
With both semi-finals delicately poised and the destination of the Sam Maguire yet to be decided, the weekend promises edge-of-seat football, high-quality attacking play, and the tension of quarter-final heartbreak giving way to another shot at glory for the teams left standing. Tune in to BBC Sport NI for live coverage, expert analysis, and all the key moments from Croke Park as the race to lift the Sam Maguire reaches its final stages.