By Jackie Cahill

THE 2024 ZuCar All-Ireland U-18 champions for 2024 will be crowned on Saturday.

All three games get underway at 2pm, with Cavan taking on Kerry in the A decider at Glenisk O’Connor Park in Tullamore, while Sligo and Tyrone go head to head for B honours at Brewster Park, Enniskillen.

In the C final, take on Waterford at Coralstown/Kinnegad in Westmeath.

The A Final will be streamed live on the Spórt TG4 YouTube channel, while the LGFA Facebook Page and YouTube channel will carry live coverage of the B and C deciders.

Saturday 

2024 ZuCar All-Ireland U18 Championship Finals

A – Cavan v Kerry; Glenisk O’Connor Park, 2pm Live on Spórt TG4 YouTube 
This fixture features Cavan, appearing in their first A Final since 1980, and Kerry, the 2023 B Championship winners.

Saturday will mark just a second All-Ireland U18 Final appearance for Cavan, who lost out to Kerry 44 years ago, while the Kingdom are preparing for their fourth A Final.

Kerry can boast a 100 per cent record in A Finals, having won in 1995, 1981 and 1980, and they’ll be eager to continue that record.

They will, however, face stiff opposition from Cavan, who have won the last two All-Ireland U16 A titles and the Breffni County is showing very promising signs at underage level.

Cavan and Kerry are fresh from their respective semi-final victories over Kildare and Galway, who were winners last year, and this Final promises to be a cracker, in keeping with recent All-Ireland U-18 Finals.

Cavan: A McDermott; A Kelly, B Smith, K Grigorenko; C McDonnell, A Peters, A Kennedy; E Brady (capt.), L Miney; E Sheridan, E Tolan, S Clarke; K Fegan, K O’Meara, K Mai Reilly.

Kerry: B Nic an tSíthigh; A O’Donoghue, É Ní Laighin (capt.), G Murphy; C Dwyer, S O’Donovan, S Colleran; K Enright, K Ryan; A Curtin, M.K. Smith, L O’Connor; K Doe, L McMahon, A O’Connor McCarthy.

B – Sligo v Tyrone; Brewster Park, Enniskillen, 2pm Live on LGFA Facebook and YouTube
Sligo, runners-up last year, and Tyrone, appearing in their first All-Ireland B Final, will contest this year’s decider.

Sligo are back aiming to go one step better in this grade, having lost out by just a goal to Kerry in the 2023 showpiece.

They will, however, face stiff opposition from Tyrone, who contested A Finals in 2012, 2008, 2001 and 2000, with the Red Hands victorious in 2000.

Sligo and Tyrone are fresh from their respective semi-final victories over Clare and Dublin.

Sligo: C Gallagher; H Redican, L Galvin, A Durcan; E Mitchell, C Walsh (capt.), J Gabbidon; J Dunleavy, C King; A McDaniel, K Flynn, B Lavin; J Monaghan, R McGoldrick, E Giblin.

Tyrone: E McCaffrey; T McMullan, E Conlon, A Marlow; C McCoubrey, E McCrossan, C Quinn; A Quinn, M Campbell; C Crozier, S Gormley (capt.), H Cavlan; A Sheehy, C Moohan, B McBride.

C – Armagh v Waterford, Coralstown/Kinnegad GAA, Westmeath, 2pm Live on LGFA Facebook and YouTube
Armagh, back in an All-Ireland U18 Final for the first time since contesting the 2015 B Final, and Waterford, who were C runners up last year, go head to head.

Saturday will mark Armagh’s third time appearing in an All-Ireland U18 Final. The Orchard County lost the 2015 B Final but they did win the competition in 2011.

Waterford were A Finalists on seven occasions (winning in in 2001, 1997, 1996, 1993 and 1991), while the Déise also won a B Shield title in 2009.

Waterford are back aiming to go one step better in the C grade, after tasting defeat to Donegal last year, but they will face stiff opposition from Armagh, who have also been working very hard at underage level in recent years.

Armagh: N Hughes; A Stanfield, E Murphy (capt.), R Lenaghan; G O’Rourke, A Delaney, E Druse; M Greene, M Loughran; A Donohue, E Cassidy, E McGeary; C McNally, E McGeown, R Cunningham.

Waterford: K Gardner; R Power, R Mackle, E Foran; C Whelan Barrett, R Walsh, O Power; L Ní Arta (capt.), H McGrath; A Fitzpatrick, A Butler, L Browne; A Connolly, G Carrigon, A Mulcahy.