Four Offaly clubs bid to make Leinster progress
By Kevin Egan
It’s a comparatively quiet week for Offaly teams this week, relative to the frantic weekend that has just gone by. Four Offaly clubs are in Leinster competition, with widely varying likelihoods of success.
The biggest outsiders are Kinnitty, who take on Trim in the first round of the Leinster junior camogie championship in Crinkle on Saturday (throw-in 1.30pm).
Offaly clubs have had a mixed bag of results in this competition in recent years and Trim are a strong club in an upwardly mobile county, so for a Kinnitty club that is hard to assess, and coming into this on the back of a heavy defeat in the county final, it’s hard to be too optimistic about their prospects.
Ballinamere/Durrow, who play host to Scoil Uí Chonaill in the Leinster LGFA junior quarter-final (Saturday 2pm), also look to have a fair bit of improvement to find.
The Offaly side have some experience at this level but last year’s draw against Tinahely’s second team was probably as kind as they could have gotten, and this fixture looks a lot trickier, even allowing for the extra year’s maturity.
On Saturday afternoon is Carrig and Riverstown’s clash with St Brigid’s of Westmeath, in the familiar surroundings of Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park (2pm).
St Brigid’s reached the semi-finals of a competitive Westmeath IHC this year; the reason they are competing in Leinster is that the final was between the second teams of two senior clubs and Brigid's won a play-off against the other losing semi-finalist. Carrig and Riverstown have work to do here, albeit they’re not without hope.
The one Offaly side who would be favoured to prevail – albeit ever so slightly – is Naomh Ciarán, who travel to Longford Slashers in the semi-final of the Leinster LGFA senior championship (Sunday, 2pm).
After their excellent showing in their win over Eadestown of Kildare last Sunday, Naomh Ciarán are sharp and ready for action against the reigning All-Ireland intermediate champions.
Slashers advanced to this stage by way of a bye after Portlaoise declined to field. This is a club that has made huge strides forward, but Naomh Ciarán have enough guile and big-game know-how to manage this tie and extend their season for another while.