Will it be Senior County Final win number 34 for Ballymacarbry or win number 1 for Comeragh Rangers?

A week on from Waterford qualifying for this year’s All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football All-Ireland Final against either Kildare or Offaly, supporters of the game in Waterford could be in for a real treat this coming weekend with the playing of the County Senior Football Final between Ballymacarbry and Comeragh Rangers.

Twelve months ago I attended my first game in nearly 12 months after been laid up following surgery the previous October. The game was the County Senior Ladies Football Final between Ballymacarbry and Comeragh Rangers again at Fraher Field.

For anyone that was at the game regardless of what side you were supporting, all will agree that the two clubs served up a magnificent final, one that could have gone either way.

I’m sure much of the talk on Saturday evening when it comes to the G.A.A. will be on the All-Ireland Semi Final replay between Dublin and Mayo at Croke Park.

Given the choice of watching a similar fair to what we say in Croke Park last Sunday or what we saw when Ballymacarbry and Comeragh Rangers clashed at Fraher Field last year, and was told I could watch just one of the games, I for one will be staying as far away from the Croke Park game as is possible.

Twelve months ago Ballymacarbry won their thirty-third successive County Senior Final in a row. Comeragh Rangers who were formed in 1999 are seeking a first title having won many titles up through the different underage grades, but surely it’s only a matter of time before the Mid-County side do win that maiden title.

In last years final Ballymacarbry had six points to spare at the end of the hour, but for much of it, Comeragh Rangers who were understrength on the day pushed their neighbours from over the Comeragh Mountains all the way and for a while it looked as if that first title was coming their way.

Ballymacarbry for much of the opening half played second fiddle to a very determined Comeragh Rangers side who should had lady luck being on their side at times would have gone to the dressing rooms with a much bigger advantage than the 1-6 to 0-6 lead that they actually held.

Comeragh Rangers in that game had Aisling Hahesy sin binned in the second time at a time when they lead 2-6 to 1-8. But while they were a player down for ten minutes, Ballymacarbry called on all their experience and put 1-4 past Comeragh Rangers with a response.

Ballymacarbry eventually ran out 2-14 to 2-8 winners. Marian Ryan finished the game with five points, Sinead Ryan who is in terrific form this year his 1-2, Lauren Guiry hit 1-1, Shauna Ryan and Aileen Wall hit 0-2 each and Michelle Ryan and Linda Wall hit 0-1 each.

In addition to these players Michelle and Karen McGrath as well as Mairead and Linda Wall who won her seventeenth county senior medal that day all had excellent games.

For Comeragh Rangers Aoife Dunne was top scorer with four points while current inter county panellists Katie Murray and Shauna Dunphy hot 1-0 each, Aoife Murray hit 0-2 while Eibhlin Power and Kate Hahessy hit 0-1 each, while Emma ad Katie Murray, Nora, Ciara and Anne Dunphy, Mairead Hogan and Eibhlin Power also impressed.

This year’s Blue ribbon Ladies Football game in the county promises to be a real cracker.

If it’s near as exciting as last years final then those that turn up for the game are in for an entertaining affair.

It’s no surprise that these two sides are back in the final. The standard of Ladies Football within the county at the moment is high, but at this level these two sides are a little above the level the rest are at and little separates the two.

Co-incidentally the two sides met in the final two years ago and just like last year six points separated the sides on the scoreboard, Ballymacarbry winning out 1-11 to 0-8.

Both sides have quality players available to them.

For Ballymacarbry they will be looking to the likes of the Ryan sisters, Michelle, Louise and Sinead, the Wall sisters Linda, Mairead and Aileen, the McGrath sisters Karen and Michelle as well as the likes of Lauren Guiry, Becky Desmond and Becky Hogan not to mention Teresa McGrath, Lauren Fitzpatrick and Shauna Ryan who all play inter county football with Tipperary.

Comeragh Rangers will be looking to the likes of Nora, Anne, Ciara and Shauna Dunphy, Aoife, Emma and Katie Murray, Kate and Aisling Hahessy, Geraldine, Mairead and Eibhlin Power, Aoife Dunne and Marian Hogan.

The last two finals between these two sides were close. Something is telling me that this year’s final is the closest yet. Could we see the two sides having to replay possibly after the All-Ireland Final at the end of the month, if any replay needed is not slotted in before Waterford’s Croke Park date as Pat Sullivan will be trying to keep as many of his players playing competitively in the run up to the final.

Whenever a winner is found, be it after a first game or any subsequent game or games, I expect Ballymacarbry to be crowned champions for a thirty-fourth year in a row. But should Comeragh Rangers win a first title, I for one won’t be too surprised because going on the performances they served up in the last two years they are not far from winning that maiden title.

The game in Fraher Field on Saturday afternoon has a 4pm throw in and will be preceded by the meeting of Comeragh Rangers second team and Na Déise in the Junior ‘A’ Final at same venue two hours earlier.