A big weekend for Football in the Déise

A person could well be forgiven for thinking that this weekend was all about hurling in the Déise County.

Down for decision this weekend are a number of very important games in the football championship.

Ballinacourty and Stradbally get the ball rolling at 4pm on Saturday evening at Fraher Field when the two meet in the first semi final of this years Senior Football Championship.

Over the past few years these two sides have proven to be the best sides in Waterford, winning the last three finals between them. One or both of them have also contested the Senior Football Final going back to 2001.

Of the sides, Stradbally have looked the better of the two this year, despite the fact Ballinacourty are the reigning champions.

As the championship has progressed this year Stradbally have introduced a number of very experienced players that have played very little football this year compared to previous years. The end result should be that they will go into this game relatively fresh.

Ballinacourty are a side that can never be written off. They have players of unquestionable ability. Players like Sean O’Hare, Gary and Patrick Hurney, Mark Ferncombe, John Phelan and Stephen Enright are as good as you will find in any part of Ireland.

Looking through the Stradbally side you can’t but observe that the team is an aging one. Many of their players have been in the side for a decade or more and while there are some young players coming through, the numbers doing so are not the same as you see with other clubs.

One thing Stradbally have going for them is that the experience they have gained over the years. They are able to grind down a team as good if not better than anyone else. They are happy to win by a small margin in a low scoring game. They way they win at times might not be the most attractive but it is an effective way.

For what is worth, I’m giving them the nod to dethrone the champions here but it could well be close, maybe too close for comfort.

The second game at Fraher Field on Saturday evening is the eagerly awaited quarter final replay between Kilrossanty and The Nire.

Three weeks ago the two sides fought out what was not just the game of the year but possibly the best game of football played in this county for some time.

On that occasion with eight minutes to play it looked as if The Nire were going to win as they held a five point lead, but they conceded 1-2 in the last few minutes to send the game into extra time.

In extra time Kilrossanty looked the better side and it took a point from a Shane Walsh in added time at the end of the second ten minute period to get something out of the game from the game for The Nire.

Replayed games are seldom as exciting as drawn games and it awaits to be seen if this game goes down the same route.

Both sides have been going well this year. The Nire are playing a very attractive brand of football while Kilrossanty under John Kiely are moving in the right direction, with in my view players unlike other years playing in positions that possibly best suits them and the team.

This is a game that could well be another close one, where little is likely to separate the sides. If the game was to go to extra time once more or maybe even need another meeting to separate the sides, it would hardly be a surprise.

I am expecting The Nire to come out on top here and set up a semi final meeting with Clashmore, but won’t disregard Kilrossanty’s chances too easily.

A third game is also to take place on Saturday evening.

The County Junior ‘Senior Attached’ Final is down to be decided at the WIT campus in Carriganore, with Clashmore and Gaultier doing battle.

I have to admit, I know nothing about either side, but did see Clashmore in last years final and going on the experience that the players will have picked up in doing so, I give them the nod to collect the silverware.