The tide is rising for Roscommon LGFA, with senior championship football on the horizon for the flagship county team, but all thoughts of coming together to pull on the primrose and blue jersey will be pushed to one side for the next couple of months as the domestic club championships get underway in earnest.
Seven other clubs are in the hunt to dethrone St Brigid’s as holders of the Marie McAleer Cup and, across the various Gaelic codes and grades in Roscommon, there are few championship races as competitive as the John Keane Kia SFC.
A dreadful second half in the 2024 county final meant that the Kiltoom and Cam parish club had to wait a year for their ascent to the top of the pile, but their age profile is such that they are unlikely to take a step backwards anytime soon.
The return to full health of Kate Nolan, coupled with the strong form of their four players who saw action in Croke Park a fortnight ago, means the spine of their team is as strong as ever, with progressive young players all around them. They will be strong favourites at home to Shannon Gaels this Sunday, given the Croghan side’s struggles in 2025.
However, the potential challengers are plentiful, and two of them will be on show when 2023 county champions Boyle travel to IFC champions and Division One league winners St Barry’s this Sunday.
Boyle have Ruth Cox, Aisling Feely and the Wynne sisters all available for selection for the first time since they won the county title, and manager Kieran McKeon has a panel with strong performers in every sector.
How St Barry’s handle the step up to the senior game remains an unknown, but the group of players who first came to prominence when they won a U-16 Division One championship five years ago are now coming into their peak and will bring no fear into any game.
St Ciarán’s also play host to Clann na nGael on Sunday and, on paper, St Ciarán’s are live outsiders, albeit perhaps with a little too much dependence on Ciara Dowd and Laura Fleming to carry their scoring load.
Clann manager John Molloy, meanwhile, will feel he has all the tools at his disposal to genuinely compete for a senior championship, particularly with Áine Connaughton in the form of her life and Jenny Higgins back in action for the club.
Finally, it will be a meeting of dark horses in Ballaghaderreen between Éire Óg and St Dominic’s.
The visiting side have the depth and physical profile to put themselves right in the championship shake-up, particularly if Aoife Gavin and Aimee O’Connor can rediscover the form that saw them both selected for the county in the past.
Éire Óg, meanwhile, have consistently caused problems for the best club sides in the county, and their win in Knockcroghery last year proves they can really test the Doms this week.
