Everything to play for ahead of final group games
Star St. Faithleach's forward, Diarmuid Murtagh, tries to keep Cian Kelly's challenge at bay during his side's victory against St. Dominic's in Knockcroghery on Sunday week last. A hat-trick of wins for Faithleach's on Friday evening would see them top Group A of this year's senior football championship. Picture: Gerard O'Loughlin
If this game is half as good as last year’s quarter-final between the two teams, then Strokestown will be the place to be on Friday evening.
A total of 43 scores over 80-plus minutes — 37 of them from play — contributed by 21 different players saw Faithleach’s edge a 3-17 to 1-22 classic, after extra time. But, ultimately, the game came down the brilliance of Diarmuid Murtagh who hit 1-7.
One suspects that Murtagh will be a key protagonist once again and, given that Faithleach’s have opened their campaign with two wins and know they can top the group with a hat-trick of victories, Ian Bradley’s outfit appear to be in a very good place.
On the other hand, Clann weren’t a million a miles away from getting the better of Pádraig Pearses in another belter of a championship game last time out.
While Pat Fallon’s side are one of those sides that can upset any team on a given day, there’s nothing in the water around Johnstown to suggest that they’re about to embark on a run that yields the only currency that matters in those parts — the Fahey Cup.
Form so far tilts the pendulum in Faithleach’s favour.
It appears that St. Dominic’s ship may have sailed.
They were primed to pull the rug from under St. Faithleach’s feet in Knockcroghery on Sunday week last, only to be hit by a tsunami of scores by the visitors who ran out comfortable nine-point winners.
Keith Doyle’s ongoing injury issues rob them of a platform for primary possession around the middle, and now that Conor Ryan is back to something approaching his best for Pearses, the reigning champions will easily identify where they can gain an edge.
With Eoin Colleran and Caelim Keogh returned from the summer sojourn to the States, and Jack Tumulty scoring for fun, Pearses are much stronger than they were at the start of the championship at the beginning of August.
Whether that means being strong enough to retain their title remains to be seen, but Frank Canning’s men should get the job done here.
Bonus territory for Michael Glaveys who will take on a St. Brigid’s juggernaut that are, as expected, sleepwalking their way through the group stages.
Manager Anthony Cunningham can dress up his side's recent strolls anyway he wants, but, deep down, how he would dearly love a game against Boyle or even Clann na nGael at this stage of the competition to ascertain where his side are really at.
Now that Ben O’Carroll has returned to training following a few months abroad, the warm pre-championship favourites have an embarrassment of riches, although Pearse Frost’s injury the last day is a reminder that the loss of key players could be the main obstacle towards any possible coronation later this year.
For Glaveys, they’ve already done their stuff against Western Gaels and Elphin. So this is a chance to assess the gap that needs to be bridged if they’re to repeat last year’s heroics by reaching a semi-final.
The Heneghan brothers, and cousin (Robert), will rise to the challenge, but Brigid’s will bat away any potential threats to safety.
It’s now or never for Western Gaels ahead of another relegation six-pointer.
If Ger Nolan’s men can't beat an out-of-form Elphin side missing some key players, then it’s hard to ever see them winning a group game in the senior championship, something they haven’t done for five seasons.
Losing out to Michael Glaveys in Nash Park was along the lines in terms of what we’ve seen from recent years from them, but surely this is the most presentable opportunity yet to put any future relegation issues to bed.
Goalkeeper Patrick Gaynor has been one of their shining lights, and stemming the bleeding in the second half against St. Brigid’s last time out — after they trailed by 15 points at half time — will have been viewed as a positive.
Even since Elphin lost out to Éire Óg in their O’Gara Cup semi-final, last year’s intermediate champions’ season has been in freefall.
Of course, there are mitigating circumstances — Niall Higgins transfer to Navan O’Mahonys is top of the list of deflections from last year’s championship-winning panel, while Shane Killoran’s absence through injury was also severely felt the last day.
Consequently, Western Gaels will never get a better chance to move away from the relegation trapdoor.
Boyle are motoring along nicely with two wins on the spin, while Oran were reminded by Roscommon Gaels that they’ve still some distance to travel to catch the train towards the business end of the championship.
In terms of quality, this could be one of the more free-flowing, enjoyable games at the weekend. There are scorers aplenty among both sides’ ranks, but Boyle appear to be faring better at closing the back door in defence.
With Daire Cregg making a welcome return to Eamonn O’Hara’s side the last day, they’ll have the firepower to rack up the scores they need. Luke Glennon’s return from injury has also strengthened the North Roscommon’s side defensive shell.
If Oran’s find fluency in attack, they’re in with a chance, but the odds favour Boyle not letting that happen.
For a team that prided themselves on their defensive prowess when they won the intermediate championship in 2023, conceding 6-42 in two games suggests that Castlerea St. Kevin’s are one of those sides that have been struggling to cope with the new rules.
While there are some deflections on the panel, the turnover of players hasn’t been seismic by any means. So, one assumes it’s simply a case of Dara Bruen’s side lacking the quality to adjust to the higher altitude of the senior football championship.
Thankfully, from Castlerea’s perspective, Roscommon Gaels won’t have the firepower to rack up another huge score, but Mark Dowd’s side will have the defensive solidity to ensure that Castlerea suddenly don’t start making hay down the other end of the field.
Getting his best team out on the field remains the new Roscommon manager’s biggest challenge, and getting more game time into Peter Gillooly and the Carthy brothers — Eoghan and Rory — should be the bonus to decorate a second win in succession.
After struggling to get out of Pearses’ defensive straitjacket last time out, the scores should flow more freely for an Éire Óg side that will top the group with a third successive victory.
Again, the spread of scorers throughout the team against Pearses wouldn’t have been to manager Brendan Greene’s liking, and that reliance on their talisman, Conor Cox, to keep the scoreboard ticking over will have to be addressed the deeper Éire Óg go into the competition.
Kilmore did much of their heavy-lifting against Pearses in the first round. Paul Garvey was the foreman that evening, and the sight of the Kilmore captain departing the field injured against Fuerty makes it difficult to find any reason why the North Roscommon side might cause a surprise.
Not that Fuerty are up and running following their comfortable victory against Kilmore in Round Two, they’ll fancy their chances of claiming the runners-up spot in the group.
But Tony Brennan will have taken note how Pearses confined Éire Óg to just 0-12, while his side conceded 1-23 to the same opposition in the opening round.
Expect Tadhg Lyons, Gearóid Ennis and Cormac Lavin to be marked men on Saturday evening, but Fuerty should still find a way to maintain their momentum.
Being beaten by St. Michael’s was a blow to Creggs.
In terms of kicking on and trying to become part of the conversation for championship honours, it was a setback they’ll do well to recover from.
Outside of Shane and Ronan Dowd, they don’t have enough score-getters, and coming up against a teak-tough Tulsk Lord Edwards defence is probably the last thing they need as they try and get the show back on the road.
Liam McNeill’s side haven’t put a foot wrong all year, and they’re likely to keep the foot on the accelerator here.
Suddenly, after beating Creggs, the championship has opened up for St. Michael’s.
James Martin’s biggest enemies for this game are themselves, given that St. Barry’s haven’t laid a glove on either Creggs or Tulsk in their opening two games.
Eoghan Diffley appears to be ploughing a lonely furrow up front for Barry’s, while Michael’s scorer-in-chief, Fiachra Henry, has a more reliable supporting cast.
In what is a game between the last two winners of the Junior A championship — albeit tradition dictates that St. Barry’s feel they have a chance against St. Michael’s — the “green and red” should show that they’re the team on the rise, and confirm second place in the group.
Another game at intermediate level where one quick glance at the form book shows where the spoils will go on Saturday evening.
There were shoots of encouragement in Shannon Gaels’ performance against Strokestown, while Kilbride suffered another bad evening at the office against St. Brigid’s.
It’s hard to see how Kilbride will shut down Evan Corcoran, and that’s just the start of the problems the Mid-Roscommon outfit are likely to encounter.
At this stage of the season, this is the sort of test that Strokestown should embrace.
When the sides met last year, a late goal turned the game in Strokestown’s favour and, if anything, St. Brigid’s are likely to be stronger than they were this time last season.
On the plus side for Strokestown, the return of Seán Mullooly and Shane McGinley strengthens their hand considerably.
Eoghan and Brian Derwin, and Mark Daly have been going well for St. Brigid’s, and they’ll target this game to lay down a marker.
But Strokestown, as they tend to do, will find a way to win.
