Mount Sion and Shamrocks Battle In Last Big County Final Of 2018

          It seems right now you have to be careful what you have to say to some when it comes to the G.A.A. in Waterford, so hopefully nobody will take offence to what might be said here, as there is no intention to cause offence.

Tomorrow (Saturday) in Walsh Park this year’s County Junior Football Final will be fought out between two sides from opposite ends of the county, Mount Sion from the City and Shamrocks who pick players almost to the county boundary share with Cork at the opposite end of the ground.

For both clubs they began their campaign to reach where they are right now back on April 21, when Mount Sion beat Butlerstown 3-7 to 0-7 and on the same day Shamrocks proved too strong for Old Parish winning 2-9 to 0-12.

This final will be played a week before which ever sides wins out tomorrow take on Cork champions Dromtarriffe or Limerick Champions Kildimo-Pallaskenry who meet in the first round of the Munster Championship in Mallow an hour before the game in Walsh Park meeting that both sides if they wish to know should know who they are playing by the time they head to the dressing rooms for the break in Walsh Park.

On more than one occasion in recent years the winners of different championships have not got to represent the county in the Munster Club Championship because of the late running of the competitions, so praise must go to the County Board who did all in their power this year to ensure that Waterford’s Champions in both hurling and football in the Senior, Intermediate and Junior grades got to play in Munster, but one question has to be asked. How come it took from April 21 to November 10 to complete a championship where only four clubs took part in the west of the county and eight clubs took part in the east of the county, split into two groups of three meaning that all clubs had just three games to play before the commencement of the knockout stages of the championship.

You even have to ask how come the Western Final between Shamrocks and Old Parish was been able to be played on September 8, while the Eastern Final between Mount Sion and Ferrybank only took place last weekend, two full months later.

Whatever the cause for taking so long to complete the championship we are now where we are and it must be said that the two best teams in the county are taking part in this final.

Mount Sion are no strangers to taking part in games like this. They have appeared in their share of County Finals in recent years after winning the Eastern Final and even won the competition back in 2013 and played in the Intermediate Grade for a few years.

Back in the 80’s and 90’s the Knockanore based club were a bit of a force when it came to football and played in a higher grade than what they do now, contesting an Intermediate County Final in 1987 where they lost out to Saint Saviours who would go on to contest the senior final against Kilrossanty 12 months later.

Both clubs will believe that they can win this game and whichever side comes out on top will be worthy winners, with both sides containing some quality footballers in their ranks.

Shamrocks could well line out along the lines of their Western Final win over Old Parish.

That should mean that Richie Murphy and Tim Lenihan battling it for the number one shirt with Tom Donovan in front of him with Padraig Roche and Brian Harnady either side of him.

Shane Roche could well be at centre back with Cathal Herlihy and Adam Crawford either side of him and Stephen and John Paul Lucey could be in the middle of the field.

In attach Colm Roche could be at centre forward, Chris Murphy could well fall back as a third man in the middle of the field with the other positions taken up by Bernie Kelleher, Billy and Eddie Hynes and Padraig Ahearne.

Mount Sion might be best known as a hurling club but they also have within their ranks some fine footballers.

They too could line out along the lines of the side that won the Eastern Final last week which means that Nicholas Mackey will be in foal with Colm Kennedy, Shane Elliott and Craig Savage in the full back line with Barry Ryan, Michael Gaffney and Ian O’Regan in front of them.

Not many might be aware that Austin Gleeson has played football for Waterford and he could well be in the middle of the field for this game where he could be partnered by Owen Whelan.

Martin ‘Fish’ O’Neill could be at centre forward flanked by John Kennedy and Stephen Roche while the inside forward line could feature Richie Roche in the middle flanked by Ian Galgey and Eoghan Browne.  

So who will win? You can’t but feel that Shamrocks long layoff without a competitive game is not good for them. I have no doubt they will have got in a number of challenge games between then and now but all the challenge games in the world are nowhere near as good as a good competitive outing.

Taking this into consideration and Mount Sion having a run out last weekend, they get the nod to win here but it could be close.