Renewed calls for Support for Ladies Footballers.

With Just over a week to go to their All-Ireland appearance against Armagh, the Waterford Ladies Football Board are appealing to G.A.A. Supporters to come out and help them offset the huge cost of appearing in an All-Ireland Final.

Through the teams sponsors, the Al Eile Stud farm in Kilgobnet, an open day will be held at the farm on Saturday September 29 from 12 noon till 2pm.

 

Those that turn up on the day will get to see an up close look around the farm that has sent out legendary horses like Al Eile after whom the farm in named and Finsceal Beo.

 

The players are also renewing their calls for people from right across the county to show up in Croke Park on the day. The County G.A.A. Website is not showing any other fixtures in the county for that day, so Gaelic Games lovers will have no excuse for not going to Dublin.

And with supporters now able to join the M8 at Mitchelstown, Cahir or Cashel or by using the M9 from Waterford, getting to Croke Park now takes much less time than it did when Waterford played in Croke Park in the past.

On the day those that turn out will get to meet the panel, who will sign autographs, have the photo taken with supporters and talk to those that turn out.

 
A guided tour of the farm will be given the opportunity to view an equine gym where Al Eile and Finsceal Beo would exercised in their racing days, and those present will also get the chance to see the horses at the farm exercised in the pool at the farm.

A bouncy castle will also be erected on the day for the young and young at heart to play on and they will also have the chance to have their face painted.
 

In Waterford, a lot is said of the effort put into preparing the counties senior hurling team, but each and every team put in the same effort and sometimes an even greater effort.

These teams often meet the cost of preparing the teams out of their own pockets. There are no G.P.A. grants available to those that play for instance Camogie or Ladies Football and therefore the time and energy put in by these players must only be admired even more.

There is no doubting that the players and the Waterford Ladies Football County Board would love to see as many people as possible turn out on the day. They have set a very reasonable admittance fee of €5 per car. In these tough economic times, even that is very reasonable. Most cars will accommodate 5 people, that’s just €1 per person. If those that are turning up on the day were to be even more generous, then all the better.

Big weekend for hurling fans lies ahead.

Another big weekend lies in store for lovers of Gaelic Games in the Déise County.

Two senior hurling semi finals are down for decision, one in Walsh Park on Saturday evening and the second at Fraher Field on Sunday evening, the latter of which could well attract some considerable support, not just from the areas where the two competing clubs are from, but also from right across the county and maybe beyond.

Two of Waterford City’s giants of hurling get the ball rolling on Saturday evening when De La Salle takes on Mount Sion.

It’s a surprise to many that Mount Sion have reached this stage of the competition. They did not have the best of starts to this years championship, loosing all three of their opening games in the league section of the championship, but they recovered well and in their last two games they recorded two wins which was good enough to give them the third quarter final spot (on score difference and head to head meetings) from group two.

In the quarter finals, they took on another of the city’s giant’s – Ballygunner. While both sides had far from perfect league sections to the championship, few if any gave the Monastery Men any chance in the last eight games. Most expected the Gunners to have too much fire power for them, but Mount Sion put in their best performance of the championship, even possibly in the last few championships, and they proved worthy winners.

De La Salle many argue are not just favourites to win the Waterford News and Star Cup but also are well fancied winning even greater honours.

They have had a good league campaign in the championship at their backs, loosing only one game, that against Fourmilewater. They were expected last time out to have too much for a Lismore side that were short four players that were crucial to them at the start of the year, including Maurice Shanahan.

However, on the day things did not work out as they had liked, and they struggled to make the impact that they would have liked to. There was signs in their full back line that they were not as water tight as they would have liked to be and will know that if this was to happen again, then there aspirations could well be dashed for another year.

De La Salle will go into this game as the favourites, and rightly so. They have won two county finals in the past four years and also added Munster Finals to them. They appeared in an All-Ireland final and a semi final where they were beaten after extra time.

They have amassed some considerable experience in winning these games and have added to their panel, and in 2012 have a better look to them than they had in 2008 and 2010.

While Mount Sion may not be the side that they once were, they showed the last time out that on the day, they can mix it with anyone. They have some good young players like Martin O’Neill and Ian Galgey, and nothing needs to be said about Tony Browne, Ken McGrath and Anthony Kirwan etc.

The Gracedieu outfit should win this game, but under no circumstances can they take or should they take Mount Sion lightly.

With due respect to De La Salle and Mount Sion, the game of the weekend, has to that of Dungarvan and Fourmilewater at Fraher Field.

The timing of this game (6pm on Sunday) has saddened some people. With the All-Ireland Final replay between Kilkenny and Galway going ahead the same afternoon, it could well be a mad dash to Fraher Field for many on after what is served up in Croke Park and more so if as some are expecting that the game in Croke Park could go to Extra Time.

However, let’s be fair, the County Board had their hands slightly tied when it came to the game. When they fixed the dates for their semi finals, they were not to know that the All-Ireland would need a replay. It could be argued that they could have fixed the game for Saturday evening, but the Western Board have a programme of games to fit in as well, and therefore Fraher Field was out of commission, unless they went very late in the evening.

Dungarvan are in their first semi final since 1951. They have been building things up nicely in recent years. They have put together a useful youthful side with some experience thrown in as well, and are deservedly through to this stage of the championship.

With three wins, one draw and one defeat they topped group one after the league stages of the championship and last time out as expected they accounted for a Tallow side that contested the County Final twelve months ago.

Fourmilewater are the only unbeaten side in the championship this year. They looked impressive in the league stages of the championship. Drawn against Abbeyside last time out, they will be the first to admit that they did not play as they could, but will correctly tell you that what they did do was enough to give them a place in the last four of the championship.

They are the only side left in the championship that has never won it in the past. Their best championship to date came in 2003 when they reached the semi finals. They are a side that has won many admirers in recent years and many neutrals would love to see no better than for them to lift the Waterford News and Star Cup.

This is a game that many will argue is too evenly balanced to call with a degree of certainty.

Fourmilewater go into the game as the warmest of favourites (4/11) as opposed to 12/5 for Dungarvan, but it should remembered that last weekend while both sets of players were involved in Football action, it was Fourmilewater’s sister club The Nire that but in the greater effort and there game went to extra time. This will have taken something out of the players and if any injuries were picked up, have they had significant time to recover.

This is defiantly a game where the heart if telling you one thing and the head is another. For me, the head is telling me Dungarvan and the heart Fourmilewater. It will be interesting to see which will be proven right.

Elsewhere, this weekend both Divisional boards have some important game down for decision. In the East, Butlerstown and Ballydurn clash in the Junior Final Proper Final at Kill on Saturday afternoon at 1-15pm and will be followed at 3pm with the Intermediate Hurling final between Portlaw and Clonea.

On Sunday morning, Ballygunner and Tramore meet in an Intermediate relegation play off game at Walsh Park (11-30am) and at the same time there is two under 21 ‘B’ hurling semi finals down for decision, Passage play Ballyduff Lower in Portlaw and at Clayboy Ferrybank take on Erins Own.  

In the west, Clashmore and Kilrossanty meet in the Junior Football (Senior Attached) Final at 8pm in Fraher Field on Friday evening.

On Saturday evening, Colligan and the Geraldines meet in the Junior Hurling Premier Final at 3-45pm in Fraher Field and will be followed at 5-15pm with the Intermediate final between An Rinn and Cappoquin. Lismore and Abbeyside also meet in the under 21 ‘A’ semi finals in Cappoquin at 2pm.

 

Lismore and Saint Annes do battle in County Final

It’s possibly fair to say that the majority of G.A.A. Supporters in the County will be unaware that the County Senior Intermediate and Camogie finals are taking place this coming weekend.

Ardmore is the setting on Saturday afternoon for what could well prove to be two very entertaining games.

The first game of the day is the Intermediate clash between two sides from the west of the county, An Rinn and Cappoquin at 2-15pm.

This is followed seventy five minutes later with the meeting of Lismore and Saint Anne’s in the senior final.

The two sides have met a number of times this year with the most notable meeting been their recent clash in the league final at Fraher Field.

That meeting proved to be a classic, which went down to the wire with Lismore eventually coming out on top and if this latest instalment was to prove as entertaining, those that make it to the sea-side village for the game are set for a classic.

On that occasion, the sides were locked in stalemate at the break and with time running down on the night, it looked that at the games conclusion, that the sides were not going to be separated either.

Duel inter county star Shona Curran handed Lismore the lead but Saint Anne’s through one of their Inter County Players Zoe O’Donoghue pegged them back and went in front after she hit 1-1.

When Saint Anne’s through Zoe O’Donoghue hit her and her sides second goal of the game, the signs were that on the night the new league cup, put up in memory of Lismore man Denny Buckley was going to find a home in the middle section of the county.

However, Lismore on the night were to hit back and points from Ruth Geoghegan, Shauna Kiernan and Aoife Hannon, with Shauna Kiernan also raising a green flag brought Lismore’s tally to 1-6 by the break, but points from Zoe O’Donoghue and Niamh Rockett ensured that the sides retired at the break with the same difference between the sides as they had started the game.

An early second half goal that night by Ruth Geoghegan gave Lismore the initiative and when points from Shauna Curran and Nicola Morrissey soon followed, the signs were beginning to show that Lismore could have been on for a landslide victory.

Saint Anne’s in the minutes that followed showed why they are one of the better sides in the county. They hit back fighting and points from Jenny Simpson and Zoe O’Donoghue had them in front.

It was Lismore’s turn now to show that showed that they were a side that narrowly missed out on an All-Ireland final appearance last year.

With her side trailing, Shona Curran pointed from a free to level matters just before the end of normal time and ion stoppage time Nicola Morrissey struck a crucial point for her side to capture the title.

What happened in the league final will be forgotten on Saturday afternoon by both sides. Both will be expected to go out and give those present a good account of themselves.

The two sides are very evenly matched as the league final clash showed, and for many, especially those that do not see much Camogie played (myself included), to pick one over the other with a degree of certainty and say they will win is a difficult task.

One thing however is certain, which ever side comes out on top in the senior decider (as well as the intermediate clash) will be worthy winners, and will go on to represent Waterford well in the Munster Championship.

Waterford look to maintain Croke Park Form.

On October 7, when the Waterford Intermediate Ladies Football team run onto Croke Park to play Armagh in this years All-Ireland Final, the setting will be a much different place to what it was when Waterford first had a Ladies Football team in Croke Park.

The old Hogan and Cusack Stands are long gone. The Nally Stand is also gone as is the terrace at the Canal end of the ground. Hill 16, is still there, even if it is in name only, as the original Hill is long replaced by a structure that meets with modern health and safety requirements.

Waterford’s Ladies Football team first made a visit to Croke Park back in 1986. This was the first year that the finals were played in Croke Park. Waterford had a junior team that day and went down in history as the first Ladies Football team to win an All-Ireland Final at G.A.A. Head-quarters, where they beat Wexford.

On that day, one of Waterford’s all time greats of Ladies football (and there has been quite a few), Marie Crotty also wrote her name into the history books as she became the first Lady Footballer to score in an All-Ireland Final at Jones’ Road.

Waterford Ladies footballers have a very good record in Croke Park.

After accounting for Wexford in the 1986 Junior All-Ireland, Waterford had to wait a few years before making the big break through in the senior ranks. That came in 1991 when they beat Kerry in the Munster Final and then went on to beat Laois in Croke Park in the All-Ireland Final.

Twelve months later, the same two sides clashed in the All-Ireland final. The outcome this time around was the same, another win for Waterford.

In 1994 Waterford were back in Croke Park where a rivalry with Monaghan was stuck up. Waterford won a third All-Ireland final in four years, and in 1995 when the same sides clashed once more in the senior final, the outcome was the same, another win for Waterford.

Monaghan were to gain some revenge for the defeats in 1994 and 1995 in 1997 when they beat Monaghan, in what has to be described as one of if not the most controversial final in the Ladies Football Association history.

The reason the 1997 final was so controversial was that the referee somehow found twelve minutes to add to the game at the end of the second half and it was in this time that the Ulster champions were able to tag on the scores that won them their second final.

After the controversy of ’97 by the time the final in 1998 was played, the association had introduced the count down clock into the game. Waterford were back in Croke Park for this final where a new rivalry began, this time with Mayo.

The final ended in stalemate, therefore requiring the sides to clash for a second time where Waterford emerged as winners of the Brendan Martin Cup for the fifth time.

In 1999 and again in 2000, Waterford and Mayo again clashed in the final and unfortunately from a Waterford perspective, victory on both occasions went to the side from the West of Ireland.

Waterford did not have a Ladies Football team back in Croke Park until 2010. On that occasion, just like this year in was in the Intermediate grade. Donegal lead 1-7 to 0-8 at the break and after another 30 minutes it was the same difference between the sides, with Donegal winning out 2-12 to 0-16.

Waterford’s overall record in Croke Park is quite good, but no doubt in under two weeks time, the team will be hoping that their twelfth visit to G.A.A. Head quarters will be a winning one.

Déise Ladies Appeal for Support

With less than two weeks to go to this years Ladies Football All-Ireland Finals, Waterford’s Michelle Ryan has appealed to as much Waterford Support to get to Croke Park on October 7 and to shout on the girls in white and blue.

Waterford for the second time in three years are involved in the Intermediate final where they will take on what is a very fancied Armagh side.

The sides have clashed twice already this year. In the league section of the championship, the sides shared the spoils and in a play off to determine which of the two sides topped the group after both finished on seven points (three points for a win in Ladies Football), the Ulster side came out on top.

With Antrim and Louth set to meet in the Junior Final which is played before the Intermediate final, there is the fear that the combined support of both sides will stay on and get behind the girls from the Orchard County.

Although Cork and Kerry are playing in the senior game, there is the chance that much of their support will not be in for the opening stages of the Intermediate game to get behind the Déise girls, there is the chance that what support Waterford normally have at their games will be drowned out but the support from Ulster and the North East of the county.

The Déise captain is also hoping that there will not be any fixture clashes with their game.

When Cork contested the All-Ireland Senior Camogie final recently, the Cork County Board fixed their two senior hurling semi finals at the same time as the ladies were in action at Croke Park.

As a result of the actions of the Cork County Board, the support that the Camogie team received in Croke Park was down on what was expected.

Michelle Ryan has pointed out it would be ideal if the Waterford County Board did not schedule games in the county on the day of the All-Ireland Final.

A fixture clash ‘would not be ideal for us’ Michelle Ryan has said and ‘it would be great’ if the county board had left as many Waterford Supporters the opportunity to get to Croke Park especially ‘as they are the only Waterford team to get to play in Croke Park this year.’

With the game against Armagh having a 2pm throw in, the team is most likely to travel to the Capital the day before the game so that nothing has been left to chance.

They will be returning back home the evening of the match, win loose or draw.

It has become the custom that teams returning home from an All-Ireland final are afforded a reception by its fans. While no details of such an event or where the team will be returning back to have been made public, no doubt on the day news will spread fast, and it would be nice to see the team receive the welcome they deserve.

Most of the talk in Waterford is on what time and energy is put into preparing teams for action. All teams put in the same effort in so far as funds are available. The Ladies are no different, and maybe they effort put in by them is even greater, as the funding which has to be made available to senior inter county teams through an agreement with the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) is not available to the ladies and the cost to the players attending training and often to matches comes from their own pocket.

In an attempt to help raise some funds to offset the cost the All-Ireland to the Waterford Ladies Football Board, a fundraising day will take place this coming Saturday at the Al-Eile Stud Farm in Kilgobnet.

Michael Ryan has been a long standing supporter of Ladies Football in Waterford and has been sponsoring the team with a long number of years.

Entry to the farm is from Noon to 2pm and the fee to gain admittance is just €5 per car.

For this, those present will get

• A chance to meet and chat with Waterford Ladies Football Inter County Team
• A guided tour of the fantastic Al-Eile Stud, the opportunity to view the grounds of Michael Ryan's stud farm plus his famous equine gym where you'll get the chance to watch horses being exercised in the pool and adjacent arena.
• For the younger and young at heart members there will be a bouncy castle and slide!!
• Face painting , and
• Light refreshments for everyone

Five clubs remain in Senior Football Championship, Saint Saviours retain status

The Waterford County Board will have to wait a little longer before it can confirm the complete semi final details of this year’s senior football championship after one of this weekends quarter final games ended in stalemate.

Clashmore were the first team to reach the last four of this year’s championship after they recorded a 2-11 to 2-3 win over Rathgormack in Fraher Field on Friday evening under the lights.

While it was Rathgormack that started the better of the two sides, hitting a point inside 20 seconds, Clashmore were always the better team.

A Cillian O’Keeffe goal on seven minutes set them on the road to victory, but it was soon pulled back when Michael Curry goaled on ten minutes and seconds later, after John C. Kirwan dispatched a penalty after Edmond Hogan was fouled the sides were all square.

It was Clashmore that bossed the remainder of the first half and they went in holding a 1-8 to 2-1 lead.

Points from Donal Larkin and Edmund Hogan helped to bring Rathgormack back into contention, but once John Prendergast put a penalty past Brendan Curry on 49 minutes after a foul on Sean Fleming, there was no doubting the final outcome.

Rathgormack finished the game with thirteen players after Tony Power and Billy Power were ordered off late in the game.

The first of three games played on Saturday saw Stradbally beat Ardmore with three points to spare.

The Cove Men started brightly and were three points to the good after eleven minutes.

A Clinton Hennessy penalty levelled the game on twelve minutes, but it was the eventual winners that finished the stronger of the two sides and went in at the break holding a 1-6 to 1-1 lead, the Stradbally goal coming on twenty five minutes when Robert Ahearne converted a penalty he won himself.

Ardmore did much better in the second half. The introduction of Seamus Keating made a massive impact on the team. They added a second goal on forty-seven minutes when Seamus Keating set up another sub Tony Galwey.

On the day Stradbally kicked a massive twenty wide’s and on another day would have been well beaten as a consequence. Ardmore will be cursing their luck. Had Seamus Keating and Tony Galwey who both made an impression in this game started, the final outcome could have been different.

The game of the weekend was without doubt the meeting of The Nire and Kilrossanty. A goal from Owen Cummins gave Kilrossanty a 1-3 to 0-2 lead, which they held until the twenty sixth minute when a high Liam Lawlor delivery from out near the sideline found Seamus Lawlor in front of goal and he finished to the net to level matters. A Liam Lawlor point in added time at the end of the first half was good enough to give The Nire a 1-5 to 1-4 lead at the break.

Much of the third quarter was an even enough encounter, and after forty minutes the sides were locked at 1-7 a piece.  However, four points from The Nire and a single response from Kilrossanty saw The Nire lead 1-11 to 1-8 after forty-five minutes.

With eight minutes of the game remaining, Kilrossanty won a free in their own left corner back position which was sent across the goal where Liam Lawlor was unmarked and with the goal at his mercy, he took the easier option and punched over the cross bar to give his side a 1-14 to 1-9 lead.

Kilrossanty dominated the remainder of the hour. Joey Veale pointed on fifty four minutes and four minutes later a long ball in found Paul Keating who rounded Tom Wall in The Nire goal to leave just one between the sides. A Paul Whyte point, three minutes into stoppage time levelled matters (2-11 to 1-14) to send the game into extra time.

At the break in extra time, The Nire held a one point lead. Paul Whyte pointed three minutes after the restart but points from Shane Walsh and James McGrath handed The Nire a slender advantage at the switch of ends.

Niall Walsh and Paul Whyte pointed for Kilrossanty in the second half of extra time and they looked good for a victory. But with the last kick of the game, inter county hurler kicked a free too level matters, meaning the two sides will have to do it all over again.

The final quarter final game of the weekend saw Ballinacourty beat An Rinn by three points.

An Rinn got off to a dream start when they won a penalty after just twenty-six seconds which Donie Breathnach made no mistake with. An Rinn proved to be slightly the better of the two sides in the early exchanges, but a Mark Ferncombe goal on twenty-two minutes gave them the lead and they never looked back.

Leading 1-5 to 1-3 at the break, they further extended their lead with a brace of Patrick Hurney points inside three minutes of the restart.

A Second Lorcan Ó Cuirrín goal on forty two minutes levelled matters (1-8 to 2-5), but it was Ballinacourty that finished the stronger of the two sides. Points from Gary and Patrick Hurney followed. Donie Breathnach cancelled these out with a brace of scores, and when the board went up to indicate that there would be three added minutes, the signs were that extra time would be needed for the second time on the evening.

However, Points from Gary Hurney, James Mahony and Mark Ferncombe in added time ensured that Ballinacourty’s name would be in the semi final draw.

After the game the game the draw for the semi finals were made. Stradbally were paired with Ballinacourty, while Clashmore will have to wait a little longer to find out if it is The Nire or Clashmore that they will be playing.

Meanwhile, Saint Saviours have retained their senior status for the 2013 campaign after they beat Dungarvan at Lemybrien in a relegation play off.

Shaun Corcoran hit the games first goal on eighteen minutes and shortly afterwards, John Paul Jacob gave the Ballybeg based outfit a seven point advantage.

Saint Saviours added a third goal three minutes from the break, Brian Power finishing to the net after he was set up by Adam Brophy, a score which helped his side to a 3-4 to 0-6 lead at the break.

The saints began the second period as they had ended the first. Brian Power hit his second goal early in the second half and from here there was no doubting the outcome of the game.

With thirteen minutes to play, a number of Dungarvan players were involved in a good movement and when Kevin Moore finished to the net there was just six points between the sides.

Dungarvan threw everything at the Saint Saviours defence in the closing minutes of the game, but they were not able to breach it sufficiently to change the final outcome of the game.

Its a big football weekend in the west.

With some time now, there are moves within Waterford to have the divisional boards scrapped and to have one county board run all things pertaining to the G.A.A. in Waterford.

There is a considerable amount of people that don’t want to do away with history. Many argue that divisional boards have served the county well in the past and will continue well into the future if they are left in place.

In late 1995 or early 1996, I was a club delegate to the County Bord na nÓg convention which was held at Lawlor’s Hotel in Dungarvan. On the night, there was a motion that for two years, that the under 14 hurling championship would be played on an all county basis. Feile na nGael was coming to Waterford for 1996 and 1997 and it was felt that if the under 14 players were playing against players of their own standard, regardless of their geographical location, it was the best way to prepare the players in the county for when the best under 14 clubs from the other counties would visit the county for one weekend in the middle of the summer.

Quickly it became apparent that the move was a good one and when the two year experiment was up, it had worked so well that it was decided that the Under 14 hurling championship would be run on an all county basis for the foreseeable future.

The under 16 hurling championship soon followed on an all county basis, and just like the under 14 championship, the competition proved to be a roaring success. A few years later, the Minor championship began to be run on an all county basis, and once again has proven to be a success.

The success of the underage competition is clear to be seen. Three Munster Minor finals in a row were reached between 2009 and 2011. Waterford Colleges have gone on to win the prestigious Dr Harty Cup on three occasions in recent years and the Dr Croke Cup has found a home in Waterford twice. In the lower grade competitions Waterford Colleges have also done well. The end result is that Waterford is producing players now that can step into the Senior Inter County Hurling scene at the ages of eighteen and nineteen and they are not out of place.

Some will say that this is because of the standard of coaching we are providing in the county, and to a degree these people are correct. But I prefer to think that the main reason why we are producing the standard of players that we are is that we have them now with many years have our young players playing against players of their own standard and are giving then six, seven or eight games in a competition before the knockout stages of the championship kicks in rather than the two or three we were before that brave step was made back before the 1996 under 14 hurling championships began.

Why some people are against moving to all county competitions to a degree is a little baffling. The Waterford Ladies Football County Board are running their championships on an all county basis. It works for them. Ballyduff Upper will travel to Mount Sion for games, Tramore will travel to Ballysaggart for games, and the concept works. The county may have had a few lean years on the Inter County Scene in recent times compared to what we were getting in the 90’s.

The same can be said of the County Camogie Board. For Lismore to travel to Gaultier would not be a major objection and Saint Anne’s will travel to places like Tallow and Cappoquin of the needs be.

Why the Divisional Boards do not want to disband their own committee and merge as one county committee is their business. It’s not entirely fair to knock them for doing so. And in fact, they should be congratulated for the way they have gone about making their case for retaining them.

Take the Western Board for example. This coming weekend, they have put together two very attractive programmes of games.

In Lismore they have the Junior Football Premier Semi finals down to be played, where they have two local derbies down for decision.

Affane and Modeligo meet in the first game at 4pm. Affane are going great guns this year. They have put together some very good results and are worthy of reaching this stage of the competition. Modeligo, just out the road are also going well and have won the Junior League Final recently, where they beat Tallow. This could well prove to be a very entertaining game. Some will say that Affane will go into the game as the favourites. But most will be aware that many of those that will have the yellow and blue shirt on their backs on Saturday evening will have the black and red on of Cappoquin on their back a week later and its no secret, that Hurling is the number one game by the bend in the River Blackwater, and that Gaelic Football is not the second. Will some of the players be watching themselves in this game so that they don’t miss out on the meeting with An Rinn next weekend? Modeligo get a hesitant vote to win this one. Confidence will have to be high after their recent win in the league final, but in a local derby game anything could happen.

The second game in Lismore sees Tallow and Shamrocks do battle. These two clubs are playing with a number of years in underage competitions under the Cois Bhride name and will know each other well.

Tallow won the divisional junior final two years ago and went on to add the county final to it. They played one year in intermediate but came down at the end of the year. Shamrocks some years back were a very strong football side and were pushing hard for a place in the senior ranks. However thing have slipped backwards in recent years, but they could now be moving back in the right direction. They will go into this game in a confident mood having recorded a good win over Modeligo in their last league game. Tallow however should have enough in them to win this game. Their experience of winning the Junior Western and County Finals in 2010 has to count for something as will playing in the higher grade in 2011. No doubt that having lost the league final recently, and with their hurlers out of the championship that they will not want to end the year without having the chance to collect at least one medal.

The intermediate finals are fixed for Bushy Park.

The first game is sure to attract some considerable local interest as Ballinameela take on local rivals the Geraldines. Ballinameela won this championship a back in 2009 and added a county title to the Western Title. In their first season in the senior ranks they reached the semi finals where they could and possibly have beaten Stradbally in Fraher Field but conceding a late score meant that the game was to end in stalemate and in the replay at Cappoquin, the Cove Men ran out winners rather easily. Last year, they never showed the same appetite as they did twelve months earlier and were relegated at the end of the year. Geraldines have also been going well in this competition in recent years. They won the western final back in 2008 but were beaten in the County Final against Tramore. It’s likely that this game could be a lively one, where both sides will pull out all the stops to a bid to advance to the final. Ballinameela’s experience of playing in the senior ranks in recent years has to count for something and they get the nod to win this one.

The second game will see Ballinacourty’s second string team take on last years Intermediate Champions Sliabh gCua. Ballinacourty in this year’s championship have won all their games by an average of ten points. While they have lost some players to their senior side throughout the championship, they still have a very useful outfit and will prove very difficult to beat here. Sliabh gCua have done well after coming up from the junior ranks. The objective of any team moving up a grade is to retain their status for a second year, and in achieving this and reaching the semi finals, Sliabh gCua already are having a good year. They have lost some players again this year to emigration and are set to possibly loose more in the near future. The side is made up of players such as David Whelan who helped Sliabh gCua win the intermediate western and county final 21 years ago, and some very young players, some who helped Colaiste na nDeise win the Dr Harty Cup this year. Ballinacourty won 3-6 to 0-8 when the sides met earlier this year and get the nod to win this game as well, but Sliabh gCua on their day are well capable of pulling off a result.  

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.