BREAKING: Leitrim to face Kildare, Sligo and Tipperary in 2025 Tailteann Cup

Leitrim will have an immediate chance to measure their progress after they were drawn to face both Kildare and Sligo in this year's Tailteann Cup with Tipperary completing Group 1 in this year's competition.

The draw means that Steven Poacher's team will open their campaign with a trip to the revamped and refurbished Cedral St. Conleth's Park in Newbridge on the weekend of May 10-11, followed by the visit of Sligo to Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada a week later. The group stages will conclude with the meeting of Leitrim and Tipperary at a neutral venue over the June Bank Holiday weekend.

Kildare beat by 1-27 to 0-7 in the Allianz NFL Division 3 campaign in Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin Ballinamore in February while Sligo had 22 points to spare in a 0-32 to 0-10 victory in Markievicz Park in the last game of the campaign. Leitrim's last meeting with Tipperary saw Andy Moran's side clinch promotion with a 0-15 to 0-9 victory in March 2024, in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.

Leitrim have played both Kildare and Sligo in the Tailteann Cup in recent years, the Lilywhites winning last year by six points in the final group game while Sligo won a famous penalty shootout in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada in 2022.

The group would not be regarded as one of the easier ones in the competition but the renewed optimism in the county means they will attack the Tailteann Cup with real relish. The team which tops the group will qualify directly for the quarter-finals with the second placed team earning home advantage for the preliminary quarter-finals. 

MAYO PERFORMANCE A STRONG STARTING POINT SAYS LEITRIM CAPTAIN MARK DIFFLEY

The three best third placed teams plus New York will be away in the preliminary quarter-finals. The best three third placed teams will be decided by scoring difference over the four groups.

In the All-Ireland championship, Roscommon have been drawn against the winners of the Munster Final (Kerry or Clare), the losers of the Leinster Final (Meath or Louth) and Cork while the winners of the Connacht Finals (Galway or Mayo) will face into a tough group with the losers of the Ulster Final (Armagh or Derry), Dublin and Derry.

In other news, Leitrim will take on Westmeath in the Dalata Hotels All-Ireland U20 B Semi-Finals, presumably on Wednesday May 14, after the Lake County defeated Offaly 3-17 to 1-5 in Tuesday evening's Leinster Shield Final.

The full Tailteann Cup draw is as follows: (Teams listed by seeing position)

• Group 1: Kildare, Sligo, Leitrim, Tipperary
• Group 2: Offaly, Laois, Wicklow, Waterford
• Group 3: Westmeath, Limerick, Antrim, London
• Group 4: Fermanagh, Wexford, Carlow, Longford

The full All-Ireland SFC Group draw is as follows:

• Group 1: Armagh or Donegal, Galway or Mayo, Tyrone, Cavan
• Group 2: Kerry or Clare, Louth or Meath, Roscommon, Cork
• Group 3: Louth or Meath, Kerry or Clare, Monaghan, Down
• Group 4: Galway or Mayo, Armagh or Donegal, Dublin, Derry