Players to Watch this Weekend on GAA+

Mike Finnerty | 17 April 2025

Exclusive to GAA+ this Weekend.

Aidan O’Shea - Mayo

The Breaffy bomber looks set to hit another major milestone on Saturday in Carrick-on-Shannon if he features in Mayo’s Connacht SFC semi-final against Leitrim.

O’Shea is in line to make his 200th appearance for the Green and Red — between league and championship — 16 years after the late, great John O’Mahony handed the then-teenager his debut against New York.

O’Shea, who turns 35 at the end of June, has enjoyed a stellar career with Mayo, winning eight Connacht senior championship medals, three All Stars and two National League titles.

He has also scored 13-55 in his 92 championship appearances so Leitrim have been warned!

Michael Murphy - Donegal

The return of one of the game’s greats to inter-county action after a 27-month absence made headlines from Malin Head to Mizen Head back in February.

In the weeks since, Jim McGuinness has gradually been easing his former All-Ireland winning captain back into the swing of things.

After a handful of cameo appearances off the sub’s bench, could this Sunday’s Ulster SFC semi-final against Monaghan be the right time to unleash the 35 year-old from Glenswilly from the start?

Nobody has scored more for Donegal over the years than the three-time All Star winner.

He remains a potential match-winner.

Rory Beggan - Monaghan

The role of the goalkeeper has become even more magnified under the FRC’s new rule enhancements.

Between the increased importance of kick-outs and the keeper’s limited licence to roam far and wide if the game-plan allows, Beggan’s skill-set has made him even more valuable than ever.

But it’s the Scotstown’s man accuracy from long-range that marks him out from the crowd. The dead-ball specialist finished the recent National League as Monaghan’s leading scorer with 0-38, including 0-7 against Roscommon in the Division 2 Final at Croke Park.

His ability to nail two point frees means he is now a lethal weapon.

Shane Dowling - Limerick

The news that the former All Star forward was coming out of retirement to rejoin John Kiely’s squad as a goalkeeper came as a bolt from the blue last November.

But the 32 year-old has stepped into the gap left by the loss of the injured Nicky Quaid, and looks set to line out against Tipperary in the Munster SHC on Sunday.

Dowling’s comeback arrives five years after he was forced to retire from the inter-county game due to injury, but he brings a wealth of experience and hurling nous to the goalkeeper position as he steps back into the championship arena.

Jason Forde - Tipperary

All eyes will be on Tipp’ this weekend as they try to bounce back from their recent National League Final setback and hit the championship ground running against Limerick.

Central to their hopes of doing that is the enigmatic sharpshooter from Silvermines, who will be leading their attack 12 years after making his first championship start.

The 31-year old finished the League decider with seven points, four from play, after a disjointed and disappointing team display that threw up more questions than answers for Liam Cahill.

So he will be looking to Forde on Sunday to show the sort of leadership that comes with being a two-time All-Ireland winner.