Eight remain in the race for Sam Maguire

Croke Park is the focal point in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship this weekend with eight teams heading to Jones' Road, but only four will leave with their summer still alive.

Who would have imagined we'd reach the last eight without both Donegal and Armagh? Or predicted the rise of Louth and Monaghan at this stage?

Defending champions Kerry still look the team to beat, but old rivals Tyrone have tripped them up before.

Elsewhere, Mayo, Cork, Galway and Dublin will all be dreaming of climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand in little over a month's time.

BBC Sport NI brings you five things to watch as the race for Sam Maguire reaches boiling point.

Haven't we been here before? The talk is of one of the most open championships in living memory, yet when all is said and done, the Sam Maguire once again spends the winter in the Kingdom.

There's an ominous feel about Kerry this year. Much like last summer, they have stuttered their way back to Croke Park, carrying injuries and being written-off along the way.

Yet, as before, they appear to be arriving at GAA headquarters with a full deck at their disposal, a reminder of why they are 39-time All-Ireland champions.

Since that 10-point annihilation at the hands of Donegal in Killarney, they've notched up 7-40 in two games, including a 13-point hammering of Ulster champions Armagh.

Jack O'Connor has David Clifford (enough said, just 1-10 for him against Armagh) flying, there's more minutes in the legs of brother Paudie, while Sean O'Shea and Gavin White have returned from injury just as the summer really heats up.

After an underwhelming spring, Tyrone have come alive in the All-Ireland series.

Back-to-back wins over Roscommon and Mayo have reignited belief, with Darren McCurry proving a game-changer from the bench and Niall Morgan delivering another masterclass between the posts.

Encouragingly for Malachy O'Rourke, younger players such as Ronan Cassidy are beginning to make their mark on the biggest stage.

With confidence growing and competition for places intensifying, Tyrone are beginning to look like a side capable of troubling anyone left in the championship.

There was a time when the sight of a Red Hand jersey sparked genuine trepidation among Kerry supporters, but the balance of power has shifted in recent years, with the men in green and gold emerging victorious in four of the last five championship meetings at Croke Park.

Tyrone, Cork, Louth and Galway will all have had the benefit of an extra week's break heading into this weekend, which is sure to be a significant advantage going into their respective games.

While it appears a sizeable advantage on paper, history suggests otherwise. Last season, just 50% of the teams who advanced directly to the quarter-finals went on to reach the last four, a reminder that momentum can sometimes matter more than extra time on the training pitch.

Kerry are sure to be buoyed by their hammering of Armagh, Mayo will take heart from their fightback against Meath, Monaghan looked comfortable in their win over Westmeath, while it may be more difficult for Dublin after they were made to toil through extra-time to overcome Donegal.

Rest, momentum and form all meet this weekend, but at this stage of the championship, none of it guarantees anything.

Dublin haven't reached an All-Ireland semi-final since 2023, which feels almost unthinkable given the dominance they enjoyed for much of the past two decades. Even more remarkable is they are now heading into a second season without a Leinster title.

Without manager Ger Brennan on the line, Dublin looked shaky, suffering back-to-back defeats by Westmeath and Louth. But a big win over Cavan, followed by a shock victory over All-Ireland favourites Donegal, has dragged the Con O'Callaghan-inspired boys in blue firmly back into contention.

Since their Connacht final defeat by Roscommon, Galway have quietly gathered momentum, posting 6-42 in wins over Kildare and Westmeath. Shane Walsh, Matthew Tierney and Rob Finnerty are all in top form, while Damien Comer's return from the bench adds another serious weapon.

Padraic Joyce's side have been knocking on the door for years, and there's a growing sense this could be their time, as they look to slip under the radar and end a wait for Sam Maguire stretching back to 2001.

Two genuine footballing powerhouses will go war - this has all the hallmarks of a classic.

Cork have been living in the shadows of their neighbours Kerry for well over a decade, but you feel that the new rules suit this side an awful lot more.

After promotion back to Division One and then losing the Munster final to Kerry, Cork credentials as legitimate All-Ireland contenders. were severely questioned.

A Lazarus-like recovery to topple Meath was followed by a shock win over Donegal in Ballybofey, where they landed six two-pointers along the way. John Cleary's side have size, athleticism and one of the most dangerous forwards in the game in Steven Sherlock.

Mayo, meanwhile, were hammered by Roscommon in Connacht before looking far sharper in wins over Monaghan and Meath, and may feel unfortunate to have left Omagh empty-handed after defeat by Tyrone.

Andy Moran's side were 10 points down against Meath last weekend but showed a resilience that had perhaps been missing earlier in the campaign.

In Kobe McDonald, they have a generational talent balancing Leaving Cert exams with senior inter-county football, and there will be hope he can help drive them towards a first All-Ireland title since 1951 before heading of to begin an AFL career in Australia .

The chaos of the new rules seem to suit both counties, but can they make the big break when it really matters in Croke Park?

Neighbours Monaghan and Louth meet in a hugely intriguing All-Ireland quarter-final, with both sensing a rare opportunity to make history.

Louth arrive full of belief after Sam Mulroy's dramatic late goal against Armagh booked their place in the last eight, and left them dreaming of a first semi-final since 1957.

To add more spice to the game, Louth actually played their 'home' game against Armagh in Monaghan, with their famous win coming in Inniskeen, another Farney venue.

Monaghan, however, will bring their own momentum and steel, setting this up as a tight, tense contest where fine margins could decide who keeps the historic run going.

Jack McCarron has been firing for the Farney who have experience of the big days in Croke Park and they've shown they can mix it with the best in Ireland, but can either Monaghan or Louth pull off a shock of Leicester City proportions and lift Sam?

Saturday, 27 June

Cork v Mayo - 16:00 BST, Croke Park

Kerry v Tyrone - 18:15 BST, Croke Park

Sunday, 28 June

Louth v Monaghan - 13:45 BST, Croke Park

Dublin v Galway - 16:00 BST, Croke Park