Football numbers set to be cut from eight to four

After the excitement of the County Senior Hurling Quarter finals over the past two weekends, where reigning champions Ballygunner were dumped out of the championship and favourites De La Salle needed a last minute point to defeat an understrength Lismore side, it’s the turn of the football clubs in Waterford this weekend to take centre stage, with four games down for decision at Fraher Field.

Rathgormack and Clashmore get the ball rolling on Friday evening when they meet under the lights.

Clashmore had a fantastic start to the competition winning their first four games, including a win over a fancied Stradbally side, but lost their 100% record in the last game of the league section of the competitions when they suffered a three point defeat to Kilrossanty.

Rathgormack too had a good start to the championship recording wins in their first two games of the championship with wins of reigning champions Ballinacourty and then Gaultier. They followed this up with a draw against Saint Saviours, but defeats against Ardmore and a heavy defeat against The Nire followed up.

This could well be a terrific battle. Victory could go either way, but Clashmore having the knack of hitting goals at crucial points get a hesitant vote to advance to the last eight.

In the first of three games to be played on Saturday, Stradbally and Ardmore clash in the afternoon game.

Stradbally began the year with a defeat against Clashmore but since then they have recovered well and have but four back to back wins together. Stradbally as the league section progressed looked to be getting better and better and in the latter games they were able to bring back a number of players that had played very little competitive football up to that point. Having these games under their belts going into the knockout stages has to be a major bonus for the Cove-men.

Ardmore had a very mixed year. They began with a win over Saint Saviours, but followed it up with a heavy loss to The Nire. Wins over Gaultier and Rathgormack followed before they suffered another heavy defeat in their last league game, this time against Ballinacourty.

Last time out Ardmore played without Seamus Prendergast and Seamus Keating. They should return for this game which will strengthen the side considerably, but do they have enough of fire-power to knock what is a serious Stradbally side out of the championship. Its hard to see them do it, but then again many of us said the same about Mount Sion last weekend ahead of their game with Ballygunner.

The Nire and Kilrossanty clash in Fraher Field at 6pm. This could well prove to be a very entertaining game.

Kilrossanty have as the league section of the competition progressed have began to look impressive. They have in the likes of Niall Walsh, Joey Veale, Stephen Prendergast players of some ability. The return to action this year after a long lay off due to injury by Tommy Prendergast is a huge plus to the Lemybrien based outfit and in Paul Whyte they have a real jewel in the crown.

The Nire are the only club in the senior football championship up to this point with a 100% record. This year they have played some good football, impressing many with their catch and kick style game that has got many football purest talking about them and wishing them well, not just in the county championship but also should they go on and represent the county in the Munster and All-Ireland championships.

While The Nire will go into this game as favourites, one thing has to be taken into account. Their players have been involved in a lot of hurling games recently with their sister club Fourmilewater, while Kilrossanty are free of all hurling with some time and heading into this game, their sole concentration is on football. 

The final game of the weekend could well be the game of the weekend with the meeting of champions Ballinacourty and An Rinn.

Great strides have been made in the Ring area in recent years. Many feel that they are the sides best equipped to break the stronghold of Stradbally, The Nire and Ballinacourty. They have players that have represented the county at many levels and are able to call on players that helped An Gaeltacht (An Rinn and Old Parish) to win a first minor county football ‘A’ Final last year for the first time since the 1950’s.

Ballinacourty have not looked as impressive this year as they have in recent years. They possibly over use the fist passing and short passing type of game and as a result, the ball is not going into their forwards as quickly and accurately as it should. If it was to get in, then with players like Gary and Patrick Hurney and Mark Ferncombe, they have players that can and will punish most sides.

In the event of a draw after sixty minutes in any of this weekends quarter final pairings, extra time will be played, and if extra time is to be required in any of the games, it could well be this one.

Ballinacourty get a hesitant vote to win through to the last four from this game, but it could well be very close.

One other game is to be played this weekend. Dungarvan and Saint Saviours meet in a relegation play off at Lemybrien.

Over the past few years, the city side have shown signs of improving. They have put together good results in the secondary competitions but in the championship they have ended up in games like this on more times than they would like to.

Dungarvan came up from Intermediate last year. In the last few years they have looked good in the Intermediate grade and were unlucky not to have come up sooner than they did. This year they have been very disappointing, but a lot of this could be put down to the fact that they are putting a lot of energy into the hurling championships, where they have reached the semi final stages.

This game could go either way, but for the good of football in Waterford, most will favour Saint Saviours to keep their senior status for 2013, as there is a need for as many clubs in the city and its hinterland as possible to be playing at the top level within the county.

Weekend Fixtures.

JJ Kavanagh & Sons S.F.C. Quarter Finals

Clashmore V Rathgormack in Fraher Field on Friday evening at 8pm.

Ardmore V Stradbally in Fraher Field on Saturday at 3pm

Kilrossanty V The Nire in Fraher Field on Saturday at 6pm

An Rinn V Ballinacourty in Fraher Field on Saturday at 7-30pm.

 

JJ Kavanagh & Sons S.F.C. Relegation Play Off Final

Dungarvan V Saint Saviours in Lemybrien on Saturday at 5pm.