Four Football Co Finals to be played this weekend.

It’s a big weekend for Waterford on the G.A.A. front on the club scene as there are no fewer than four county football finals down for decision at Fraher Field on Saturday and Sunday.

While the main game of the weekend will be the clash of Ballinacourty and Stradbally I the senior decider, the outcome of the Intermediate, Junior and Junior attached finals due to be played this weekend are every bit as important to the competing clubs as the result of the senior game to the Ballinacourty and Stradbally clubs and their supporters.

This weekend’s senior game sees the two neighbouring clubs clash for the third time in the decider.

In 2010, it was Stradbally that came out on top on a 0-9 to 1-5 score line and twelve months later, the roles were reversed as Ballinacourty won 0-6 to 0-5, in one of the worst days weather wise that a county final at any grade was played in Waterford.

Just as in the two previous finals between the two, this year’s final is expected to have little between the sides at the end of the hour, although going on what we have seen this year we could well see a game where much more scores are hit by both sides.

People often claim that the best two sides always reach the final. Of course this is not always the case but it is the case for this championship.

Both sides go into the game unbeaten which in itself tells us something.

Stradbally over the past number of years have proven themselves to be the best football side in the county.

They have won eight county finals since 2001 and have appeared in two other finals. Along the way they have represented the county well in Munster, and on one or two occasions they were somewhat unlucky not to have won a first Munster Senior Football Club Championship for Waterford.

Over the past decade and a half, Stradbally were more than happy to win a game by the odd score in nine, eleven or thirteen, but this year we have seen a change in the way they set themselves out.

At the start of the year they appointed Stephen Cunningham, a star of many of their eight most recent successes as their player manager and he has made Stradbally somewhat of an attractive side to watch.

They are putting up some very impressive score lines winning games in different values from three points against Clashmore in the third round of the league section of the championship to the twenty-one point win they had last time out against An Rinn last time out in the semi finals.

If Stradbally have proven to be an impressive side in the championship this year, the same could well be said of Ballinacourty.

Since 2007, they have appeared in four county finals, winning two and loosing two. After winning the deciders in 2007 and 2011, like Stradbally, they too have represented Waterford with destination in Munster.

Stradbally opened their campaign this year with impressive wins over Gaultier and Saint Saviours. A three point win over Clashmore followed after which impressive wins over Ardmore and Kilrossanty followed.

Ballinacourty began their campaign with a hard fought victory over An Rinn. Wins over Rathgormack and The Nire were beaten in the next two games by a combined tally of twenty points.

In their last two games of the league section of the championship, they proved very clinical in front of goal, beating Ballinameela by an impressive twenty eight points and followed it up with a seventeen point win over Brickeys.

In the quarter finals, both sides again had impressive wins. Stradbally beat Ballinameela by ten points but in truth could have won it by a lot more, while Saint Saviours tested Ballinacourty before going under by six points.

In the semi finals, the two again proved to be too strong for their respective opponents.

In the first of the semi finals, Stradbally proved for ever too strong for An Rinn who were appearing in their first semi final for the first time since 1925, winning the game by twenty-one points.

The second semi final was played a week later and was expected to be a much closer affair, but at the end of the hour, Ballinacourty were nine points in front, having missed a penalty and having pulled up somewhat before the end.

Stradbally in this game will be looking to the likes of the Aherne’s, the Grey’s, the Doyle’s, Shane Lannon, Oliver Costello, Eddie Rockett, Paddy Kiely, John Coffey, Tommy Connors and Michael Walsh.

Throughout the year, the Hurney brothers have proved very impressive in the famous green and white hooped shirt of Ballinacourty. However, they like Stradbally have plenty of experience throughout the field and will need the likes of Stephen Enright, Shane Briggs, Sean O’Hare, Patrick Lynch, Jason O’Brien, Mark Fives and Mark Ferncombe for guidance in this game.

Both of the sides are very evenly matched, and it is expected that this game will go right to the wire.

Stradbally may go into the game as the slightest of favourites and should have enough in them to come through in this game.

Before the senior game on Sunday, the Junior final will be fought out.

This year it is Colligan and Mount Sion that will be battling it out to see who will move up to intermediate grade next year.

Mount Sion are appearing in their third county final in four years. To date, they have not won any of the finals they have played in but you have to feel that their luck will have to change at some stage.

Three years ago, Mount Sion lost to Tallow 3-10 to 3-8 at Walsh Park and twelve months later they lost to Sliabh gCua on a 2-11 to 1-2 score line.

In both of these finals they showed that while they are best known as a hurling club, they have players who can play football as well as anyone else.

They have come through the league stages of the championship unbeaten, recording wins of various amounts to Ballyduff Lower, Butlerstown, Erin’s Own, Ferrybank, Kill, Fenor and Naomh Pol, and then in the semi finals they beat Ferrybank and a much fancied Kill side in the final.

Colligan just like Mount Sion have come through to this year’s final somewhat impressively.

In the group stages of the championship, they beat Affane, Old Parish, Kilgobinet, Modeligo and Shamrocks, but in the last game of the league section of the championship lost to Tallow.

The top two teams in the league section of the competition. In the final Tallow took on Modeligo and for the second time this year, they beat their neighbours 2-19 to 1-7 to lift their first piece of silverware for the year.

In the championship semi final they again accounted for Affane and in the final they beat Shamrocks 2-13 to 1-6.

Colligan go into this game as the favourites. They have some excellent players in the likes of Dean McKenna, John Flynn, Niall Browne, Benny Hickey, Gavin Whelan, Johnny Wall, Colin Dunford and John Morrissey for inspiration in this game, but a doubt hangs over the availability of Sean Dempsey after he picked up an injury in the recent Junior Hurling Western Final.

Mount Sion like Colligan have some very good players to pick from. During the course of the year, Ian Power, Robert Bresnan, Richie Roche, Stephen Roche, Jordan Broaders John O’Leary, Ian O’Regan, Eoin McGrath, Anthony Kirwan have all impressed as has Austin Gleeson who would possibly like nothing better than to add a third medal won this year to his collection.

Most will fancy Colligan to win this game, but they have played week in, week out with the past few weeks and that eventually takes it toll on players.

They were fancied by many last weekend to complete a Western junior double but lost to a strong Ballysaggart side. It remains to be seen what damage if any this has done to the confidence that was flowing within the side in recent weeks.

Mount Sion get a very tentative nod to win this game which could prove to be very close.

The weekend’s action gets under way on Saturday afternoon with the playing of a Junior Attached final and the intermediate football final.

First up will be the meeting of Saint Saviours and Dungarvan in the Junior Second string final.

I have to admit that I know very little about these two sides, other than they are likely to feature a mixture of youth and experience.

What is known to most however is that this championship has to be seriously looked at by both clubs and board officers.

In the west of the county to say that the championship is a cock up would be an understatement.

Just three clubs took part, each playing each other twice with the two top teams contesting the final. Is this a proper championship?

In their games against Geraldine’s Dungarvan lost both home and away to the Aglish based outfit but won home and away against Melleray.

In the western final which was played back in July, (yes July – this is the second half of October), they made it third time lucky against the Geraldine’s winning 1-11 to 1-5.

In the east of the county, the championship was somewhat better organised.

Saint Saviours had wins over Portlaw, De La Salle (who were in last years Eastern and County Finals), Tramore, Kilmacthomas and Bunmahon before they beat Tramore again in the semi finals and De La Salle in the final.

Who will win this game is a toss up. Dungarvan have not had a competitive game since July, will this work against them. Will the fact that they only played two clubs all year in a competitive game also come against them.

Saint Saviours have played five games in the earlier section of the championship and played their divisional final in recent weeks, meaning that they will go into the game match fit.

The Ballybeg based club I am told have never won this competition, and for this reason, it would be nice to see them do so this weekend.

The main game on Saturday is the Intermediate County Final between De La Salle who are in the final for the second year in a row and Ballyduff Upper.

De La Salle have reached their second final in a row with some ease, recording wins over Bunmahon, Tramore, Kilmacthomas, Dunhill and Rathgormack.

In the semi finals, they beat Portlaw by five points and in the final they beat John Mitchell’s who played in the senior ranks a few years back and were beaten in the county intermediate final two years ago.

Ballyduff Upper have really impressed this year and are in the final on merit.

They began the year beating The Nire and Dungarvan before they lost to Ballinacourty and Geraldine’s.

They got back to winning ways with a good win over Sliabh gCua at Cappoquin and then received a walk over from Clashmore.

In the semi finals they beat Sliabh gCua for the second time this year and in the western final they beat Geraldine’s comfortably at Fraher Field.

Ballyduff go into this game with a number of players that could well catch the eye of those that may not have seen them play this year.

All-Ireland Minor winners Mickey Kearney and Cian Leamy will be vital to their chances but so too will the likes of Kevin Martin, Kevin Casey, the Kearney’s, the Hannon’s and the Molumphy’s, although there appear to be a doubt about Stephen’s availability.

Like all other teams in action this weekend, De La Salle have some quality players. David Dennison has played underage football for Waterford. Jack Kennedy, Lee Hayes, Mitchell Casey, David Greene, Eddie Barrett, Jake Dillon and Conan Watt are all players that are able to play football as well as anyone else and will take some watching by Ballyduff.

Football in Waterford needs clubs in the east of the county and especially around the city area competing at the top.

Gaultier and Saint Saviours are fighting it out at the top with a number of years now. Previous to this, Tramore played in the senior ranks and even competed in the final a few years back. If De La Salle were to join them at the top level of football within the county then it would be a big bonus to football in the county.

They will go into this game as the favourites in the eyes of many and should come through, but expect Ballyduff to really put it up to them.