SEAMUS DUKE looks ahead to this weekend’s Hodson Bay Hotel SFC quarter-finals
Strokestown v Castlerea St Kevin’s in Ballyforan on Friday at 8 pm
What a feast of football lies ahead for supporters this coming weekend. This clash could be one of the highlights of the lot as the sides look very well matched.
Castlerea are improving with every game. After losing to St Faithleach’s in round one, they recovered well to defeat Elphin and were unlucky not to have got more than a draw against Oran in their final group game.
Dara Curran has been magnificent for Dara Bruen’s side while others like Sean Joyce, John Curran, Jonathan Hester and the full-forward line of the three McDermotts – Adam, Darren and Aaron – have been performing well.
Strokestown have been very solid in the championship so far. After winning their opening two matches, they pushed St Brigid’s all the way in the final group game, only losing by a point.
There are lots of familiar names on the Strokestown team sheet like Niall Curley, Davy Neary (who might not feature), Colin Compton, Colm Neary, Diarmuid McGann and Shane McGinley. The midfield partnership of Colm Neary and the returned former county star Thomas Corcoran have been especially impressive in recent matches.
Strokestown look the better bet and I take them to advance by three or four points.
Prediction: Strokestown.
Pádraig Pearses v Michael Glaveys in Lisnamult on Saturday at 3.30 pm
Another cracking game is in prospect here. Glaveys have yet to play to their potential in this year’s championship and they will need to if they are to win this clash.
There are good players in almost every line on this Glaveys team. Conor Hussey, Dylan Ruane, Niall Heneghan, Caoileann Fitzmaurice, Cathal Heneghan, Daniel Hagney, Darragh Heneghan, Tiernan Murphy and Rob Heneghan all have inter-county experience and would get on any team in the county.
In my humble opinion Pádraig Pearses have played the best football of the championship so far. Yes, they were defeated by Clann na nGael, but that was a ‘dead rubber’ in that it was a game they didn’t need anything from.
Against Boyle and Roscommon Gaels they played some superb stuff with the quick transition from defence into attack and some brilliant accurate passing features of their play.
The platform for them has been their half-back line of Jack Nevin, Ronan Daly and Davy Murray, and when you add in the likes of Caelim Keogh, Declan Kenny, Paul Carey, Jack Tumulty and Eoin Colleran, it all adds up to a potent mix.
If Glaveys can raise their game we can anticipate a real cracker here. On the evidence of what we have seen so far Pearses should be good enough to get through to the last four.
Prediction: Pádraig Pearses.
Oran v Boyle in Elphin on Sunday at 1.30 pm
This is the hardest senior quarter-final to call as there is a strong case to be made on behalf of both sides. Boyle have been inconsistent so far, but on their best day they are a match for anyone.
They will have Enda Smith back and that will be a huge boost. Donie Smith, Cian McKeon and Daire Cregg will also have huge roles to play for Fergal O’Donnell’s men in the Boyle attack. The midfield clash of Oran’s Ciaran Lawless and Michael Staunton and the Boyle duo of Roch Hanmore and Niall O’Donnell will also be crucial.
Oran have been free-scoring. The likes of Charlie Carthy, Darragh Walsh, Eoghan Murray and James Fitzpatrick have been very impressive so far. Further back the field, Thomas Fetherstone and Colin Walsh have been playing well, but they will have their hands full on Sunday.
This promises to be a fascinating duel and could well be a high-scoring affair given the number of talented attacking players on the field. Extra-time cannot be ruled out. I’m giving Boyle a hesitant vote to edge it.
Prediction: Boyle.
Roscommon Gaels v St Brigid’s in Woodmount on Sunday at 4.30 pm
The Gaels will be rank outsiders here, but that could be their biggest asset on the day. No one will give Decie Hoare’s men any chance of knocking the champions out. The town team will relish the challenge.
St Brigid’s have been sailing along in the campaign so far, and while they have not been scintillating, they come into the quarter-finals unbeaten. They have so many household names that will feature again here, players like Conor Carroll, Brian Stack, Robbie Dolan, Pearse Frost, Conor Hand and Ben O’Carroll, the latter having returned to his best form in this championship.
The champions are missing both their county midfielders, Shane Cunnane and Eddie Nolan. The very experienced duo of Ruaidhrí Fallon and Mark Daly will probably feature in that sector on Sunday. If so, their clash with Senan Lambe and Rory Carthy will be crucial.
The Gaels will look on this as a ‘free hit’ on Sunday. They have been inconsistent this year and were well beaten by Pádraig Pearses in round one. They had an excellent win against Clann na nGael, but went down to Boyle in round three, while they had little trouble with North Roscommon in the preliminary quarter-final.
Michael Gillooly will be back from suspension, which is a boost for the outsiders. Eoghan Carthy is back fit again and that will add greatly to their chances. John McManus, Senan Lambe, Rory Carthy, Peter Gillooly, Richie Walsh and John McGuinness have all been playing well but the Gaels will have to produce their best display in a number of years if they are to dump St Brigid’s out of the competition on Sunday.
I’m expecting the Gaels to make this a close game but Brigid’s look to have too much firepower and experience and they are taken to advance to the semi-finals.
Prediction: St Brigid’s.
Unfamiliar customers enter ‘last chance’ saloon!
Hodson Bay Hotel SFC relegation final: St Faithleach’s v Clann na nGael in Kiltoom on Friday at 8 pm
This is a massive game for these two clubs with the losers destined to drop to the intermediate grade in 2027.
It’s a shock that both sides are in this situation. St Faithleach’s were odds-on favourites to defeat Elphin in their final group match but they went down by a point and then they were defeated by Western Gaels by five points in the relegation play-off.
St Faithleach’s are short a number of players – notably Cian Glennon. They will look for inspiration from Ciaráin and Diarmuid Murtagh, Colm Mangan, Darren Nerney, Johnny Hussey and Dave Rooney, amongst others.
Losing to both Roscommon Gaels and Boyle is why Clann are in this position. It’s almost unthinkable that the former kingpins of Roscommon club football could find themselves playing intermediate football next year. They will be hoping that players like Darragh Pettit, Paddy Gavin, Ultan Harney, David McManus and Ciaran Lennon can come up trumps.
These two teams have been involved in several memorable championship clashes over the years and this one promises to be just as intense given how high the stakes are.
Any team with Ciaráin and Diarmuid Murtagh on board cannot be dismissed. However, on form, Clann look the better side and best equipped to survive.
Prediction: Clann na nGael.
