Preview: Louth bandwagon can roll on to All
Louth and Mayo are set to face off in a highly anticipated All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park. Both teams have defied expectations to reach this stage, with Louth making their first semi-final appearance since 1957.
Why it matters
This match represents a significant cultural moment in Irish sports, highlighting the rise of underdog teams in the national championship.
Hope may be a dangerous thing, but hype is a wonderful thing and this evening, the Louth and Mayo bandwagons pitch up at Croke Park for one of the most novel All-Ireland semi-finals in decades.
In prediction season, not many had either in the top four. Surely nobody had both playing on semi-final weekend.
That one of these will be in the final two enhances the notion that the 2026 championship edition will be regarded as one of the best ever. If the winners here make it to the very top, it will be hard beat.
Long sold out, the novelty is added to by the fact that both surprise packets have an excellent chance of progressing; favouritism sits with Mayo, but only just.
However, while it's true that Louth, in particular, and Mayo were not regarded as genuine Sam Maguire contenders this year, both are here on strong merit.
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