Feast of football action coming up
The long wait is almost over with a total of 29 games in the Bon Secours County Football Championship across the 5 grades scheduled for the weekend. Add in the small matter of the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football semi-final and it goes quickly from a famine to a feast.
In fact it will be all systems go now for the next few months as the club players finally get to see championship action; yes they had league games, but at the end of the day, it’s championship that counts first and last.
The leagues in both codes were concluded for the most part without inter-county players especially in football as Cork reached the QF; some hurlers did feature when Cork exited, but a fair share of them headed stateside and have just returned in time for their championship campaign.
TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football semi-final
Cork v Dublin in Thurles on Saturday at 7.30pm
“We are really looking forward to it, at times during the Armagh game it looked as if we would not make it, but we did and Thurles is a great venue and should make for a lively game.” The words of Cork manager Shane Ronayne ahead of their meeting with Dublin.
Shane is also taking heart from their meeting with Dublin in the league earlier in the year. “Okay we lost that day but it was a narrow margin, we were also missing a few key players through injury while Dublin were almost at full strength but we know this will be a huge test but we are ready for it.”
The depth of the panel will also help. “We have dipped into the squad in every game, and anyone that played has had an impact and that is what you want, it makes picking the team harder but again, 15 players won’t win you anything, you are going to need 20 on any given day and we now have that.”
Dublin will start as favourites and Shane says that does not concern them: “Not at all, we feel we are going well, we want to get back to Croke Park, semi-finals are all about winning irrespective how we play, a 1 point win will do and I believe it is within our capabilities to do just that.”
“It should make a brilliant occasion with both semi-finals on the same day and we are ready for it. We didn’t get this far last season so we are delighted to be here,” said Cork forward Emma Cleary on the trip to Thurles.
Emma said the quarter-final win was a grind: “Conditions were difficult, we didn’t play particularly well for periods but we got the job done, which is all you can ask for.”
Like her manager Emma said the league meeting has given them belief. “We were 10 points down at one stage, but we showed character and only lost by 1 in the end, and we feel if we can replicate that performance, we will be there or thereabouts at the end.”
By contrast to Cork’s narrow win over Armagh, Dublin also playing away from home blitzed Donegal winning by 3-12 to 0-6 sending out a clear signal that Mick Bohan’s men are hitting form at the right time, and that win and the margin of it justifies their favourites tag.
Hannah Tyrell, Carla Rowe, Eilish O’Dowd, Orlagh Nolan, Lauren Magee, Niamh Donlon and Martha Byrne are just a number of key players that will anchor Dublin’s challenge.
Cork have recovered well from the initial loss to Galway in Rd 1 and getting the job done against Armagh in a tight competitive contest will stand to them.
Once again they will look to Doireann O’Sullivan, Hannah Looney, Ciara O’Sullivan, Mellissa Duggan, Eimear Kiely, Roisin Phelan and Shauna Kelly to try and engineer what would be seen as a rare win over a Dublin side that has had the better of recent meetings between the sides.
It would be brilliant if they could join their camogie counterparts in an All-Ireland Final in a couple of weeks; they will need a big performance if they are to do just that and it is one they are capable of.
Premier Senior Football
Group A
It’s a West Cork derby on Friday in Clonakilty at 8pm. Castlehaven v Carbery Rangers always produce lively encounters.
The latter have been struggling of late as their key players are now heading into the twilight of long and distinguished careers and the replacements are just not there.
Brian Hurley and Rory Maguire are injury worries for the ‘Haven, but the Cahalane brothers are back from their travels and throw in Mark Collins and Michael Hurley to the equation and they should win.
Clonakilty and Valley Rovers meet in on Saturday at 7.30pm in Bandon, and with Liam O’Donovan back in action after a prolonged injury, while Clon can also call on Thomas Clancy and the White brothers to help them to shade this one.
Group B
Champions Nemo Rangers get the defence of their title underway on Friday at 7.30pm in Páirc Uí Rinn against a Ballincollig side that tested them in a dour quarter-final tie last season.
Luke Connolly is an absentee while both Barry O’Driscoll and Conor Horgan are carrying knocks but expected to play, Paul Kerrigan is still going strong, Micheál Aodh Martin, Mark Cronin and Kevin O’Donovan are back from Cork duty and as ever they will be favoured to win.
Luke Fahy if fit and Cian Kiely are key players for Ballincollig who have the capacity on a given day to test the best, but you expect a Nemo win.
Carrigaline face Eire Og at 3pm on Saturday in Ballincollig. They are the other teams in this group and the south-east side will go in with momentum having won their league title recently and that might give them an edge but Colm O’Callaghan, Dylan Foley and the vastly experienced Daniel Goulding will be keen to make a winning start and should.
Group C
There’s a tasty southside derby to start this group at 5pm on Saturday in Pairc Ui Rinn. Last year’s A champions St Michaels make a welcome return to the top grade against a Douglas side that for all their potential have yet to deliver when it matters most.
Quality players on both sides; Brian Hartnett, Kevin Flahive and Sean Powter for Douglas with Andrew Murphy, Robbie Cotter and Adam Hennessy for Michaels, hard one to call, a hesitant nod to the latter.
This could well be described as the southside group; Mallow are the odd side out and they face a St Finbarr’s side still hurting from last year’s loss to Nemo and showing their intent by winning the Division 1 league title recently.
Mattie Taylor and Ryan Harkin will lead the Mallow challenge in Blarney on Saturday at 5pm, but the overall depth within the ‘Barr’s squad with Steven Sherlock, Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes, John Kerins and Billy Hennessy, it’s hard to see them losing.
Senior A
This is a very competitive championship as well and there are some big hitters in all the groups; just look at Group A: Coming up from Premier Intermediate, Kanturk open against Fermoy on Friday night and while they were relegated in the league to D3, they usually prosper in the white heat of championship. Tommy, Paul and fit again Aidan Walsh remain vital players for them and they should start with a win.
Knocknagree have been on the road a long time but JF Daly remains at at the helm as they bid to finally land the holy grail and look to dine at the top table, they have a tough opener against O’Donovan Rossa, who might nick this one.
A Duhallow derby in Group B; Newmarket - recent league winners - might get the better of Kiskeam, while Clyda Rovers with Conor Corbett and Ben Nyhan in their side might find Ballingeary, with the Shorten brothers leading their challenge a tough nut to crack.
There is a very West Cork look to Group C. Bishopstown travel to Clonakilty for a meeting with Ilen Rovers on Sunday night, nothing easy here, while Newcestown and Doheny’s meeting in Rossmore on Saturday could be lively with a draw a distinct possibility.
Premier Intermediate
Again a number of excellent teams in the championship all who harbour ambitions of playing and competing at a higher level which should make for some interesting encounters.
Nemo Rangers and Castletownbere meet in Group A in Enniskeane on Saturdy at 6pm and with their seniors missing a few players, it will impact on their selection for this game and while the lads from the Beara Peninsula will be favoured, it would be folly to write off any 15 that Nemo select.
Bandon and Rockchapel go head to head in Clondrohid at 4pm on Saturday with the West Cork side fancied to win.
Group B has 3 Mid-Cork clubs and Bantry Blues in contention. They meet Iveleary in Kealkil Saturday at 5pm and if Ruairi Deane hits form, the West Cork lads might start with a win. The Muskerry derby between Naomh Abán and Macroom should attract a sizeable attendance to Cill Na Martra on Friday at 7.30pm; the latter expected to win.
In Group C Killian O’Hanlon and Eoin Burke lead newly promoted Kilshannig’s effort against a Na Piarsaigh side that struggled in their league campaign failing to win a game and they might not win this one either.
Aghada and Cill Na Martra who finished in a creditable position in D1, while the East Cork side were relegated to D3, which suggest the Gaelthacht lads will start with a win.
Intermediate
St Vincents v Glanworth - prediction St Vincent’s
Glanmire v Dromtarriffe - prediction Glanmire
Aghabullogue v Adrigole - prediction Aghabullogue
Gabriel Rangers v Glenville - prediction Gabriel Rangers
Kinsale v St James - prediction St James.
Kildorrery v Ballinora - prediction Kildorrery
Premier Junior
St Nick’s v Ballydesmond - prediction St Nick’s
Cullen v Urhan - prediction Cullen
St Finbarr’s v Cobh - prediction Cobh
Buttevant v St Michaels - prediction Buttevant
Millstreet v Kilmurry - prediction Kilmurry
Kinsale v St James - prediction St James.
A fabulous weekend ahead and best of luck to all teams, as they begin a journey that for some will be end in elation and for most, a case of what might have been.