Final round group games to offer clues on knockout prospects
By Kevin Egan
No one will be eliminated from any of the main championships this weekend, but with knockout football getting closer, not to mention ambitious players suddenly feeling that there’s a big reason to catch the eye of a certain Tyrone legend, it’s likely that what we see will be a lot closer to proper summer football, notwithstanding the weather of course.
The big games on paper are of course the ties in Tullamore (Edenderry v Ferbane) and Daingean (Rhode v Tullamore) on Sunday, and it’s not being disrespectful to Ballycommon, Bracknagh or Durrow to say that these games are well worth winning for the four teams involved.
Certainly the Ferbane versus Edenderry game looks crucial, as the road to the Dowling Cup for the losers of this one is extremely treacherous. David Nally got a quarter of an hour into his legs last weekend in Lusmagh and he’s likely to boost Ferbane’s prospects here, though there will still be a bit of a cloud over the camp following Belmont’s exit from the hurling championship race.
However while the losing club here will be the underdog in their quarter-final tie, neither Rhode nor Tullamore will want to face into that banana skin. Both sides picked up their form considerably in round two, so this will be an excellent chance for them to assess where they really stand.
For Ballycommon and Bracknagh, the prize on offer is the boost that will come from putting a win on the board. With the losing club set to take on Shamrocks and the winners getting a tilt against the winners of Ferbane and Edenderry, it’s debatable which is the handier quarter-final – but momentum will be immensely valuable.
It’s harder to make a case for any of the Senior B games on Saturday evening, with Clara, Gracefield and Cappincur all very likely to pick up wins.
The Tubber versus Clonbullogue clash should be the most competitive, albeit it’s not immediately apparent that either team would be significantly better off for edging a tight contest there.
At intermediate level, St Brigid’s laid down a real marker with their nine-point win over Ballinagar last time out and they’re the clear form team in the championship so far, but when it comes to identifying the top of the chasing pack, not to mention the local derby factor, Ferbane’s meeting with Erin Rovers in Doon should be one of the best games of the weekend.
Raheen continue to lick their wounds but even if they lose out to the Croghan club in their game in Walsh Island tomorrow, might be happy to see an improved performance that could put them in better stead going into the quarter-finals.
When these new championship structures were drawn up, the fear was that a team might lose all three group games and still win a championship, or that a team might go unbeaten in their group and still get relegated. That’s probably not so much of a fear, but more of a hope in places like Durrow, Ballycumber and Raheen these days.