Recently-crowned Connacht football champions Corofin will travel to London this weekend to play Fulham Irish in the All-Ireland quarter-final in what is a novel pairing for both teams.
Fulham Irish won their first London championship this year and will be hopeful of catching Corofin on the hop this Sunday when they meet in Ruislip at 1pm.
Corofin, who have previously played Tir Chonnail Gaels in London, are somewhat depleted for this clash, and Kevin O'Brien's has plenty of injury headaches.
Key players such as team captain Ciaran McGrath (knee ), veteran full-back Kieran Fitzgerald, Conor Cunningham and Dylan Wall all left the field injured against Castlebar Mitchels two weeks ago, and they are being monitored over the next few days.
Young forward Colin Brady is another major injury concern having only played the frst half of their U21 championship defeat to Mountbellew/Moylough on Saturday afternoon, while midfielder Michael Farragher is also carrying a knock.
However it is hoped most players, with the exception of McGrath, will be good to play some part by Sunday.
Corofin will be odds on favourites this weekend, while Fulham Irish are an unknown quantity.
Down’s Gregory McCartan is team manager and former All-Ireland winner with Tyrone Owen Mulligan is their most prominent forward. Other players Corofin will watch are midfielder David O’Connor (Leitrim ) and forward Liam Staunton, who won an All-Ireland club Intermediate medal with Westport last March, and corner forward Peadar Friel.
Corofin will be hoping to come through this game unscathed, and will look to Ian Burke, Martin Farragher, Gary Sice, Micheal Lundy and Jason Leonard up front to post a winning tally to ensure they do not become the first Connacht team to be knocked out at this stage.
The winners of Sunday's quarter-final will play the winners from the Leinster championship, either Moorefield of Kildare or St Loman’s of Westmeath, next February.
