The All-Ireland SFC state of play after Sunday's Connacht and Munster finals

THE OUTCOMES OF yesterday’s provincial deciders in Castlebar and Killarney makes the picture clearer for the group stages of this year’s All-Ireland football championship.

Galway, Kerry, Mayo, and Clare now know what groups they will operate in and the pairings for their games in the opening two rounds.

Connacht champions Galway, who clinched four-in-a-row with yesterday’s success, will take their place in Group 4. They will start out with a high-profile opening tie, welcoming 2023 All-Ireland champions Dublin to Salthill, in a repeat of last summer’s quarter-final in Croke Park, which saw Galway win by a point.

In Round 2, Padraic Joyce’s side will travel to play Derry – a side they met in last year’s group stages and in the 2022 All-Ireland semi-final, before a final group game awaits against the losers of next Saturday’s Ulster final between Armagh and Donegal.

Munster kingpins Kerry, who lifted their fifth successive provincial crown yesterday, will host Roscommon in their opening tie in Group 2. The teams have met in the league in recent seasons.

Then Kerry will be away on the June Bank Holiday weekend against Cork, a repeat of last month’s thrilling Munster semi-final when the Kingdom needed extra-time before triumphing. Jack O’Connor’s team finish up with a game against the losers of next Sunday’s Leinster final between Meath and Louth, having met both sides in last summer’s group stage.

Kevin McStay’s Mayo team must pick themselves up from the Connacht final loss with a home game in Group 1 against Cavan first time out, a repeat of last season’s group opener which Mayo won by 0-20 to 1-8.

Then it’s a trip to Omagh for a repeat of the 2021 All-Ireland final against Tyrone, and they finish up by playing the Ulster champions.

Finally Peter Keane’s Clare side are at home to Down in their opening fixture in Group 3. The teams met in the league in Division 3 last year with Down running out emphatic victors by 11 points.

Clare are then away to Ulster outfit Monaghan, the teams previously meeting in a group game in 2023 when Monaghan won out by 1-23 to 1-18, and they will finish up with a tie against the Leinster champions.

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2025 Sam Maguire Cup draw

Group 1: Ulster winner (Armagh/Donegal), Mayo, Tyrone, Cavan.

Group 2: Kerry, Leinster runner up (Meath/Louth), Roscommon, Cork.

Group 3: Leinster winner (Meath/Louth), Clare, Monaghan, Down.

Group 4: Galway, Ulster runner up (Armagh/Donegal), Dublin, Derry.

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Fixtures

Round 1 (first named team at home)

Weekend 17/18 May

• Group 1: Mayo v Cavan
• Group 2: Kerry v Roscommon
• Group 3: Clare v Down
• Group 4: Galway v Dublin

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Round 2 (first named team at home)

Weekend 24/25 May

• Group 1: Ulster winner (Armagh/Donegal) v Tyrone
• Group 2: Leinster runner up (Meath/Louth) v Cork
• Group 3: Leinster winner (Meath/Louth) v Monaghan
• Group 4: Ulster runner up (Armagh/Donegal) v Derry

Dublin are a third seed after their Leinster final defeat to Meath. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

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Round 2 (first named team at home)

Weekend 31 May/1 June

Group 1

• Tyrone v Mayo
• Cavan v Ulster winner (Armagh/Donegal)

Group 2

• Roscommon v Leinster runner up (Meath/Louth)
• Cork v Kerry

Group 3

• Monaghan v Clare
• Down v Leinster winner (Meath/Louth)

Group 4

• Dublin v Ulster runner up (Armagh/Donegal)
• Derry v Galway

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Round 3 (neutral venue)

Weekend of 14/15 June

Group 1

• Ulster winner (Armagh/Donegal) v Mayo
• Tyrone v Cavan

Group 2

• Kerry v Leinster runner up (Meath/Louth)
• Roscommon v Cork

Group 3

• Leinster winner (Meath/Louth) v Clare
• Monaghan v Down

Group 4

• Galway v Ulster runner up (Armagh/Donegal)
• Dublin v Derry