Modeligo and Saint Saviours Battle For Senior Football Spot In 2020

Who takes Portlaw’s place in the County Senior Football Championship in 2020 after the tannery men lost out to Brickey Rangers in a relegation play-off at Fraher Field last Friday evening should be known this Saturday evening after Saint Saviours and Modeligo do battle in this year’s Intermediate Football Final at Fraher Field.

Modeligo are back in a County Final for the second year in a row, having lost out to Kilmacthomas in last year’s final while the side from the outskirts of Waterford city will be looking to win back a place in the senior championship after they were relegated three years ago after playing in the top grade of football since winning the Intermediate Championship back in 1987 where they beat Shamrocks.

Many expected them to come straight back up at the first time of asking but they had to play in what is a very competitive Intermediate Championship, one which is much more difficult to call than the senior championship, something borne out by the fact that the intermediate clubs that have come up in recent years have all done well in against the stronger sides and whichever of these two sides emerge as the victors on Saturday evening would be fancied to give a good account of themselves playing in the senior grade next year, even if nobody would expect them to reach the latter stages of the competition.

Saint Saviours come into this weekend’s County Final without losing any game which they have played to do so. In the group stages of the competition, they recorded wins over Bunmahon, De La Salle, Newtown, Tramore and finally Kill, clocking up some very impressive tallies along the way.

They received a bye into the eastern final by virtue of finishing top of the group and in the last four they came up against Newtown where they recorded a massive 2-15 to 1-4 win and they were equally as good in their recent Eastern Final at Gracedieu where they had a massive 3-14 to 1-7 win over Kill, a result that will give them plenty of confidence going into this weekend’s County Final.

Modeligo’s path to this weekend’s County Final on paper is not as impressive. They began with a draw against Ballinameela, one of the sides most fancied to win this year’s competition before a ball had been kicked. This was followed up with a win over Dungarvan, before losing out to another of the more fancied sides Ballinacourty who had a second string selection playing in this grade.

They got back to winning ways in beating Colligan Emmett’s in another local derby game and finished off the league section of the competition with a loss in yet another Local Derby game, this time against Sliabh gCua.

In the quarter finals they had little problems in beating Ballinameela in yet another local derby clash under the lights at Lemybrien, which set up a semi final against Dungarvan from which they emerged as victors to set up a recent Western Final clash with Colligan Emmet’s.

In that game Modeligo looked to be cruising to victory when they lead 1-8 to 0-4 with 36 minutes played, but the side won the Junior Championship a few short years back came back into the game and in the end were somewhat unlucky not to have won the game.

Saint Saviours in this game will be able to call on some very experienced players. Darragh Corcoran will be known as a player of some ability to most football supporters while they will be able to call upon the likes of Anthony Kiely in goal, Kevin Boland, Peter Crowley, Mickey Merrigan, Kieran Murphy, Keelan Cassidy, Gareth Duffy, Brian Power and Shaun Corcoran.

Modeligo also have some fine players to pick from. Mick and John Devine are younger brothers of former inter county hurler Tom, brothers Shane, Michael and Jamie Troy are all good footballers as are Nicky and Pa O’Donovan while goalkeeper Thomas Walsh will be well known to many as one of the best referee’s in the county.

This could well prove to be a good game to watch and it is fair to assume that whichever side leaves Fraher Field as the victors all football supporters will be looking forward to seeing how they acquit themselves in the senior grade in 2020.

There can be no doubting that possibly the key to how this game will finish might be on how Darragh Corcoran plays for Saint Saviours. It would be wrong to put too much pressure on his shoulders as nobody can win a game on their own in a team game, but most football supporters in the county will be aware that he is a fantastic prospect and many look forward to seeing what direction his playing career goes in the coming years.

It can be assumed that he will take up one of the central positions in his side’s forward line and it would be interesting to see who will be given the task of marking him. Sean O’Donovan, a son of Nick who was one of the finest footballers in the county in times past is possibly the obvious choice but will the Modeligo selectors be willing to take him out of their half back line should Corcoran take up a position in the full forward line, and more over if he was to play on the wing or in one of the corners.

Saint Saviours have some players that have played in the senior ranks up to fairly recently and that would be seen as a plus to them going into this game as experience is often important. They have also been able to bring in some good young players since they were relegated and they will also be important to their chances in this game.

Modeligo have the advantage of playing in last year’s final where as I said they lost out to Kilmacthomas and should be able to call on most if not all of that side in this game. It is often said that to win a title you have to lose one, and after losing out twelve months ago to Kilmacthomas there should be the hunger in the side in green and white to make up for that loss.

Twelve months ago I fancied my neighbouring club to come out on top at Carrickbeg, and I fancy them to do so again this year, but I would not be too surprised if Saint Saviours were to ruin my prediction this year as Kilmacthomas did last year.