Colm O'Rourke's Tailteann Cup predictions

Tailteann Cup (southern section)

Saturday

Offaly v New York, Tullamore, 2pm

Offaly are onto their fourth championship match. They were beaten by Wexford in Leinster, beat them in the Tailteann Cup, and then did the same to Wicklow last weekend.

New York have had one game, where they were beaten by Sligo - a very close and competitive game in New York. But it's hard to see anything other than a comprehensive Offaly win in this one.

John Maughan has embraced the competition and Niall McNamee is on fire at 35-years-old.

Verdict: Offaly

Sunday

Carlow v Westmeath, Newtwatch Cullen Park, 2pm

If one team caused a big upset last week it was Carlow beating Tipperary. Carlow had a very poor Allianz League campaign, while Tipp had reached the Division 4 final.

Westmeath beat Longford and lost to Kildare in Leinster. They beat Laois last week in the Tailteann Cup, and they'll be heavy favourites to win this one.

Verdict: Westmeath

Tailteann Cup (northern section)

Sunday

Leitrim v Sligo, Avant Money Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, 3pm

This is going to be a very interesting game in Carrick-on-Shannon. In the league game between them Sligo won it but Leitrim had a good win over London.

And the biggest scalp of all last week was them beating Antrim last week, a Division 3 team. Sligo beat London after extra time so there's a direct link between the two teams through that London form.

I think a home win for Leitrim is quite a probability here.

Verdict: Leitrim

Fermanagh v Cavan, Brewster Park, 4pm

This is the big game of the round. Cavan would probably feel that they shouldn't even be in this competition and this offers a route back to the Sam Maguire next year if they win it, even if they don't get out of the third division.

Fermanagh are building quietly under