Huge Weekend for Football in the Déise County

Senior Football Championship Quarter Finals

The first of four big games will take place at Fraher Field tomorrow (Friday) evening and is sure to draw a good attendance when last year’s runners up Kilrossanty face up to next door neighbours Ballinacourty, many people’s prediction to win this year’s Conway Cup.

Last year’s runners up qualified for this stage of the competition recording a hard fought win over Brickey Rangers in the first round knockout stages of the competition at Fraher Field last Friday evening.

This was a game that the Comeragh Men were expected to win rather easily but were pushed all the way with just three points between the sides at the end of the hour. They will know that if they are to advance to the last four of the competition they will have to up their game considerably if they are to advance here.

Ballinacourty on the other hand reached this stage of the competition by virtue of winning maximum points from their three games in the group stages of the competition.

Ballinacourty will have their undivided attention on this game in recent weeks after Abbeyside bowed out of the senior hurling championship recently at the hands of Dungarvan, while Kilrossanty are juggling both hurling and football having recently qualified for the Western Junior Hurling Championship semi final after they beat Tourin in the quarter finals. As we have seen all too often in the past juggling both games have proven to be a problem for most sides so it remains to be seen how this is affecting Kilrossanty.

Stradbally had little trouble getting out of there group in the Round Robin section of this year’s championship where they won all three games and in the process putting up some very good scores in the process, where they finished with the best score difference of the 12 competing sides.

The Still Men on the opposite hand showed very contrasting form in the Round Robin section of the competition where they finished bottom of Group One and finished with the joint top lowest score difference of the 12 competing sides conceding 21 more points than they scored in their three games.

Clashmore have lost inter county hurler Tadhg Bourke who suffered a crucuite ligament injury while playing with the clubs Intermediate Hurling team recently in a championship game against Cappoquin that will keep him out of the game for some time. His loss will prove to be a big one as while he is a fine hurler he is equally adapt and possibly even an even better footballer. They are also without Sam Fitzgerald who will be sitting out a suspension.  

The meeting of Gaultier and Rathgormack guarantees that one side from the east of the county will contest the semi finals this year which has to be considered a good thing for the game within the county as this is an area of the county where the game often plays second fiddle to hurling and even soccer in some areas.

Rathgormack are coming good with a number of years having won a number of underage county titles and if they can bring the best of players coming through from these sides along with the more experienced players playing at this level in the last number of years there is no reason not to think that the club can get back to the days where contesting finals back into the 90’s in a decade where they won three titles and contested two others between 1992 and 2001.

Gaultier are picking from one of the biggest areas in the county and with the population they have in their area they should be annual contenders for the title each year but they are in an area where hurling is very strong and two of the stronger hurling clubs in the county are picking from the same players.

An Rinn and The Nire have proven to be very consistent in recent years. The Ballymacarbry based clubs are regular contenders to take the Conway Cup home from Fraher Field since their first Championship win back in 1993 when they beat Dungarvan while the Ring club have in recent years made their share of semi finals but are still waiting for a first county final appearance since 1925.

In the Round Robin stages The Nire won all three games, while An Rinn claimed just the one brace of points that coming in the final round of games when they received a walkover from Brickey Rangers.

In the first knockout round of games back in mid August An Rinn had an excellent win over Portlaw who are always a difficult side to beat and that game will give them confidence for this game.

The reigning champions could well be without inter county hurler Jamie Barron for this game. He has missed the last few games which Fourmilewater played after he picked up an injury outside of playing, and it remains to be seen if he is going to available to the side for this game. If he is unavailable it will come as a big blow to his side’s chances, and more over so as Conor Gleeson has had injury worries this year and up to now has not shown himself to be the player this year that we know he is.

The all important thing we all want to know this weekend is what four sides will advance to the semi finals. Like most I am going for the ‘Big Three’ with the past number of years – Ballinacourty, Stradbally and The Nire to advance from their respective games and in the other game I am going for Rathgormack.

Senior Football Relegation Semi Final Play Offs

This is a stage of the competition that Ardmore have found themselves in all too often in recent years and there is some that are asking how long more can they keep up in the top flight if they keep getting involved in the relegation play off’s. Well we know that they are an experienced outfit and also are a side that know how to pull off a major performance when one is needed and they will know that if they manage it here then there place in the top flight will be secured for another year.

Portlaw since coming up to the Intermediate championship a few years back have done well and made it very difficult for more experience sides that came up against them. They are a side that might be best known as a hurling club but they are also a side that contain some fine footballers, and it would be good to think that for the betterment of football in the eastern half of the county that they could retain their senior status for another year.

Kilmacthomas came up as Intermediate Champions last year and will count the year to be a good on if they were to retain their status in the senior grade whether they were to do it as a result of winning this game or winning a subsequent game if they were not to be successful in this one.

Brickey Rangers are a side that are finding it somewhat tough in recent years, and this year were without a number of some very good footballers that have served them well over the past few years.

They were in action last weekend in a delayed first round knockout game against last year’s runners up Kilrossanty, a game where few would have given them a chance and while they did not win they pushed their opponents all the way and at the end of the hour just three points separated the sides. That performance will give them confidence going into this game.

          The mid county side are expected to be without Reece Power for this game as a result of his sending off on a double yellow card against Clashmore recently but he and Sam Fitzgerald were subsequently suspended after coming back on to play in extra time after the sides finished level at the end of the hour. Much has been said of that controversial story with some having different slants coming out in the last week or so. His loss will be a big one to the mid county side as it was when Saint Mary’s recently contested the recent under 19 football final against Naomh Brid/Saint Patrick’s.

          As for the winners in these two games, and therefore retaining their senior status for another year, Ardmore look to be the stronger of the two sides in the first game mentioned above, meaning they get the nod while in the second game the absence of Reece Power could be the difference between the sides. I for one would give them an excellent chance if he was available, but maybe his absence might spur the other players on to put in an even bigger performance. Brickey Rangers get the nod to win here.

Radley Engineering Football Championship

There are two big games down for decision in the Radley Engineering Intermediate Football Championships, both proving to be local derby games which surly will bring out the supporters to the games.

On Friday evening Modeligo and Ballinameela do battle in Lemybrien. Modeligo last year won this championship in the western half of the county but lost out to Kilmacthomas in the County Final and there is some that are suggesting that they can go that one step further this year.

Ballinameela in the last few years have proven to be an bit of a yo-yo club winning this competition on three occasions in the last decade playing in the senior ranks for two years before dropping back down but going back up at the first time of asking.

Many expected them to be the side that would win last year’s championship but it was not to be and there are some this year expecting them to go back up as they have some very experienced players who have played on different inter county panels and of course playing against some of the stronger football clubs in the county in the senior grade where they were far from out of their dept.

The second quarter final sees Ballinacourty and Colligan do battle at Fraher Field on Sunday afternoon.

Colligan came up to this grade a few years back when they beat Ballyduff Lower in the County Final and have done well to retain their status against some experienced sides at this level including some that have played in the senior grade.

They however failed to win any game in the group stages of the competition which was not the end of the world as it was known regardless of where a side finished at the end of the group games they were assured of a knockout game.

Ballinacourty at this level are a very experienced side. They have impressed in the underage competitions in recent years and they will have many of the players that won underage honours in this side, but not only will they have some good young players they have some experienced heads who have played senior football for the club and are the holders of senior football championship medals in their collection.

Dungarvan and Sliabh gCua are through to the semi finals and will come up against one of the winners from this weekend’s quarter final games, but who will they be?

Both games could well prove to be tight affairs. The results from the group stages might give us an indication as to how these games will go.

Ballinacourty had a 1-15 to 0-12 win over Colligan at Bushy Park back in May and they would be expected to win this one as well. The other game could well prove to be a real tight affair. When they clashed in Cappoquin back in April the game ended in an eleven point each draw and it would not be a surprise to see this game be just as tight, but it is Modeligo that get my nod to advance to the last four.  

Tony Kirwan Plant Hire Intermediate Football Championship

The two semi finals of this championship are down for decision at Walsh Park on Saturday afternoon in a double header where two interesting games could be fought out.

Saint Saviours and Newtown clash in the first game. The Ballybeg based club came through the group stages of the competition with a 100% record and will really fancy their chances of not just winning this game, but the divisional and county final and to win back a place in the senior grade where they really should be and if football is to flourish in the eastern half of the county we need as many clubs as possible from the division playing and competing at the top level.

Newtown were one of three clubs to finish on four points in the group stages of the competition and finished second from bottom on score difference with Bunmahon finishing below them. They come into this game on the back of an excellent win over De La Salle recently which will give them plenty of confidence against another of the stronger city based clubs.

The second game sees Tramore take on Kill. Tramore in the group stages impressed in finishing in second place and are another club in the east of the county that should be setting their sights as high as possible when it comes to football. It is not all that long ago since they played in the senior grade and even contested a county final against Stradbally. This year they look as if they are heading in the right direction.

Kill are another traditional footballing side in the county and many older people can recall when they were a bit of a force in the county and had players that were as good as anywhere and not just in the county. They will know that some of the mid county sides have done well in this competition in recent years and have gone on to play at a higher level and they will be hoping to do the same here.

Prediction time now as to who will advance to the divisional final in a few weeks time. I am opting for Saint Saviours and Tramore, two clubs that I have said that football in Waterford needs to be playing at a higher level than they are at present.

Lawlors Hotel Junior Football Championship

In the Lawlor’s Hotel Western Junior Hurling Championship three quarter finals are down for decision this coming weekend with the three winners advancing to join Ballyduff Upper in the semi finals in a few weeks time.

The sole game on Friday evening sees Affane up against Kilgobinet at Abbeyside. This could well prove to be a very entertaining game of football where in the group stages of the competition back in the middle of July Affane recorded an excellent 3-9 to 0-8 win but that result may not be an indication how this game will go or will it?

There is no disputing that within the Cappoquin/Affane Club hurling is the number one game and it is so by some distance. But they bowed out of the Intermediate Hurling Championship recently when they lost out to Clashmore in the quarter finals, and now that the hurleys are put away for another year, they will be going all out in the football championship and when they put their minds to it, they are a match for anyone with the big ball.

Kilgobinet too are finished with the hurleys for the rest of the year after they lost out to Abbeyside in the semi finals of the Junior ‘C’ Hurling Championship last weekend. Having just one week to get that loss of the system and at the same time trying to switch modes from sliotars to footballs could take its toll. But in saying that like Affane they have some very good footballers and are very much not just capable of winning this game, but also going on to win this championship outright and not just in West Waterford.

On Saturday two games are down for decision in the afternoon. Ideally a 3-30pm start for two quarter final games is not ideal for players or supporters as so many people normally work on a Saturday afternoon, but the hands of the Divisional Board are somewhat tied behind their backs this weekend thanks to the footballers of Dublin and Kerry who could not find a winner when they clashed recently and are replaying this Saturday evening in Croke Park.

Geraldines and Tallow meet at Lismore and when they clashed at the same venue earlier this month the side from the banks of the Bride emerged as victors on a 4-9 to 0-14 winners.

Like the two clubs playing on Friday evening these two clubs are both out of the hurling championship meaning that all their focus is on this game since they bowed out of their respective competitions.

And while Geraldines and Tallow face up to each other in Lismore, Old Parish and Shamrocks will do battle in Ardmore.

Unlike all other clubs in this championship Old Parish do not have any hurling involvement which some might suggest would give them an advantage when it comes to playing in this competition as they are not switching codes after every game or every second game.

When the sides met in the round robin section of the competition again in Ardmore it was Old Parish that won on a 3-6 to 0-10 score line back in July, but that was their only win of the competition as they finished bottom of a seven team group.

So who will win this weekend’s games and join Ballyduff Upper in the last four, I am opting for Ardmore, Tallow and Shamrocks.

John J. Murphy Junior Football Championship

          In the Eastern half of the county the Junior Football Championship is a little more advanced with the semi finals due to take place on Friday evening with games down for decision at Kill and Fenor.

          John Mitchells and Dunhill clash at Kill. The two of these sides were in the same side of the draw in the group stages of the competition with Dunhill fairing the better of the two sides across three games finishing with four points the same as Ballyduff Lower.

John Mitchells won just the one game finishing bottom of the group on two points, the same total as Saint Mollerans, but the Carraigbeg side finishing above them by virtue of winning the head to head between the two.

In the previous meeting between the two sides Dunhill recorded a double score 2-14 to 1-7 win.

The second semi final at Fenor sees Ballyduff Lower who topped group one take on Mount Sion who finished group two in second place finishing level on points with Roanmore but lost out in the head to head for top place.

So who will win their way through to the semi finals? You have to fancy the chances of Dunhill in the first game mentioned above going on the result of the two sides when they played recently. And in the second game we have to factor in the fact that both clubs are in the semi finals of their respective hurling championships and will feel that they have a good chance of advancing to a county final. Both clubs will have a big crossover of players between the two codes. Mount Sion are after contesting a number of finals in this grade in the last number of years, but you can’t but think that for now their main focus will be on their semi final in the senior hurling championship against De La Salle which might just give a slight advantage to the county based club.