Gloves are off for quarter-final battles in senior football championships
Shane Walsh and his Oran team-mates will be looking to reach a first senior football semi-final since winning the intermediate football championship in 2020. Picture: Bernie O'Farrell
The Roscommon Senior Football Championship quarter-finals take place this weekend where teams will be hoping to book their place in the last four…
A wonderful opportunity for either team to reach a county senior football semi-final. That’s the prism through which this game will be viewed in both clubs.
Oran are coming to the boil nicely, while Glaveys have shown plenty of steel since their humbling experience against St. Brigid’s in the opening round.
Seán Staunton’s side will look at this game as their “now or never moment” in terms of getting to the last four. Strokestown and Roscommon Gaels, in particular, have been their nemesis in recent years, so the sight of a Glaveys jerseys will bring a fresh perspective and, more importantly, a belief that they can get the job done.
That turgid stalemate against the Gaels in the group stages at Lisnamult didn’t set pulses racing among neutrals, but it has done wonders for Oran’s confidence following their shock defeat against Tulsk.
Against Castlerea, Oran were ruthless, and therein lies the key to their success in this game. They can’t afford to leave Glaveys in the game when they enjoy their periods of dominance.
The possible loss of Ciarán Lawless, having limped out of the Castlerea game, would be a huge blow to them, so Oran will have to get a tune out of Thomas Featherston, Cathal Kenny, Darragh Walsh, Shane Walsh, Charlie Carthy and Micheal Hussey.
For Glaveys part, they’ll sense the expectation just as much as Oran. Iain Daly’s side’s ability to come those tight games against Western Gaels and St. Faithleach’s will leave them battle-hardened.
Trying to curb Cathal Heneghan, Dylan Ruane and Andy Glennon’s influence will be at the top of Oran’s “to do” list. Caoileann Fitzmaurice, Robert Heneghan and Conor Hussey have also been solid for the West Roscommon men, so there are plenty of reasons why Glaveys will expect to prevail.
But Oran, having checked out of Heartbreak Hotel too many times for their liking in recent campaigns, can finally break new ground.
Clann na nGael have pushed on from last season when they bowed out tamely to Boyle at the same stage of the competition.
After using their “get out of jail” card in the opening round against Pádraig Pearses, their performances against Boyle and St. Dominic’s — albeit there was little at stake against the latter — suggests that Pat Fallon and Seán Conlon’s side are high on confidence, which makes them dangerous opponents for any side.
There’s an edge to Clann this season. Paddy Gavin has been superb in defence, while Dylan Sumner has also enjoyed a very promising championship.
Oisín Lennon has caught the eye around the middle, while Ciarán Lennon, Emmet Kenny and David McManus have been sharing the scoring load.
As ever, Ultan Harney’s fitness will be a key component in terms of how far Clann can go into this championship.
Faithleach’s will have taken heart from their second-half performance against St. Brigid’s, but they haven’t really kicked on since then. Whether there’s another gear in them remains to be seen.
Darren Nerney, David Rooney and the Murtagh brothers — Ciaráin and Diarmuid — have been leading the way, but they will have learned little from their routine dismissal of North Roscommon in the preliminary quarter-final last Tuesday.
The key game in their group was against Michael Glaveys. The fact that they came up short hints that they don’t have the depth to make it any further.
In other words, all the indicators are pointing towards another Clann na nGael victory.
The test that St. Brigid’s need and, rest assured, Pádraig Pearses will be only too delighted to oblige.
Crucially, Frank Canning’s men are getting some key players back to their best form, and they’d love nothing better than to change the narrative that this is Brigid’s championship to lose.
One can only imagine that there has been skin and hair flying at St. Brigid’s training since the draw was made. There are no doubts that the talent is plentiful to overcome this challenge. But the sense that they’ve almost been sleepwalking through the group stages raises doubts whether they’re mentally prepared for the juggernaut coming at them.
That’s where manager Anthony Cunningham comes in, and he’ll be quick to remind his players they will have to roll up their sleeves for large parts of this game before earning the right to express themselves if the game eventually opens up.
With so many county players on view, it has the potential to be a classic. However, reality will probably dictate that a cagey affair is in store before the quality in both sides shines through.
Playing in Hyde Park will suit the defending champions, but Brigid’s will be mindful how well the Daly brothers have been going for Pearses. With Conor Lohan, Caelim Keogh, Conor Ryan, Declan Kenny, Paul Carey, Jack Tumulty and Eoin Colleran all back in the side, Pearses will feel that they’ve rarely been stronger since their maiden Connacht club success in 2021.
This is the game the championship has been crying out for. A Brigid’s victory isn’t a foregone conclusion. But it’s still the more likely outcome.
This game will confirm or make a mockery of a few theories doing the rounds.
Has Boyle’s ship sailed after losing the last two county finals? It’s hard to definitely make that assumption when a team still have a forward line laden with such scoring power.
We’ve always known about Donie Smith, Cian McKeon and Daire Cregg. Now Niall O’Donnell appears to be coming of age, which adds another string to Boyle’s bow.
For Boyle to win, Enda Smith needs to produce a huge showing, but that’s within his locker.
Roscommon Gaels have blown hot and cold but the signs against Tulsk suggested that Senan Lambe was returning to form, which will be a huge boon to Mark Dowd’s side.
With John McManus and Scott Oates now fully recovered from injury, the Gaels’ mix of experience and youth has the potential to be potent. But we’ve yet to see that for a full 60 minutes.
If both teams click, this will be a very good game. Equally, it’s a very tough one to call.
