Teams looking to make flying start in senior football championship
St. Brigid's senior football captain, Pearse Frost, receives the O'Rourke Cup from Roscommon GAA Chairperson, Brian Carroll, in Kiltoom recently. Picture: Courtesy of Roscommon GAA
Two teams that, it would, appear are at different ends of the spectrum.
Last year’s intermediate kingpins, Castlerea St. Kevin’s, will be hoping to survive in the top tier, while, on the other hand, Roscommon Gaels are intent on building on last year’s run to the semi-final.
Dara Bruen’s charges are without David Finneran, while Cillian Higgins and Seán Carroll are absent this year due to work commitments. Meanwhile, Joseph Henry is focusing on the small ball code.
DJ Hession suffered a shoulder injury in Roscommon Gaels’ Division Four League final triumph against Castlerea. Richard Hughes (emigration) is out of the reckoning while Conor McNamara is travelling and will miss Saturday’s game.
Castlerea will be highly motivated for their return to the top table, but Roscommon Gaels will be smarting after their chastening O’Rourke Cup final defeat.
With the top two (and potentially third place) teams qualifying for the knockout stages, these sides know the importance of an opening round triumph.
Oran secured a narrow victory when the two teams faced off in last year’s campaign while this fixture will always draw memories of the 2019 intermediate final, which became the first adult championship fixture in the county to be decided by a penalty shootout, with Tulsk prevailing.
Oran have been dealt a blow with Colm Earley emigrating but the return of Eoghan Grady from Australia is a boost. Eoghan Murray and Michael Harrington are young guns that can also make an impact for the Mid-Roscommon side.
Meanwhile, Tulsk have been hit hard by Evan Finn picking up a shoulder injury on duty with Roscommon. Emigration has robbed them of Niall McNamara, Regan Fahey, Ryan Galvin and Ryan Donoghue. Seán Martin and Keith Jennings are currently travelling but the former is expected to return home shortly, albeit not in time for this affair.
Oran will be aiming to return to the knockout stages and should shade this one.
With this group containing St. Brigid’s, these sides won’t need to read the Roscommon Herald to know that an opening round victory is imperative for their hopes of avoiding a relegation dogfight.
With much of the focus on the 2022 reigning champions Strokestown suffering relegation to the second tier of Roscommon football last season, the importance of that relegation play-off encounter with Western Gaels was overlooked for the victors. That one-point win was imperative for a side that have found themselves battling against the trapdoor to intermediate football for the past few seasons.
On the Western Gaels front, Dylan Kennedy is working abroad at the moment while former underage intercounty footballer, Luke Hester, is out with an ACL injury.
St. Faithleach’s are dealing with Ciaráin Murtagh’s continued absence, with the star forward currently on his travels. Aside from that, St. Faithleach’s are reporting a clean bill of health with Conor Betts, Lee Kilcoyne and Jack Murray part of a talented young cohort that can make an impression this year.
The home side may be forced to grind this one out, but they have the ability to do so.
Despite this being a meeting of the O’Rourke and O’Gara Cup winners, it would be an enormous shock if Michael Glaveys were to defeat the reigning county and provincial champions.
Already this season, St. Brigid’s have laid down a statement of intent as they put Roscommon Gaels to the sword in emphatic fashion during the recent O’Rourke Cup decider.
Michael Glaveys pulled off a “come from behind” victory over St. Dominic’s in their O’Gara Cup final but they will be without Darragh Heneghan (travelling) for the opening round at least.
Tom Murphy has emigrated, but Conor Hussey will return after being away for that league final triumph. Iain Daly’s men may turn to some of the successful Michael Glaveys/Éire Óg minor team that secured the Minor Division One title late last year.
Anthony Cunningham will be trying to ensure that his side remain grounded, but there’s no doubt that St. Brigid’s are the firmest of favourites. The Kiltoom-based side have a plethora of stars to call upon, despite Ben O’Carroll’s injury concerns.
They should start their campaign on the right note.
Similar to Éire Óg in the intermediate championship, Boyle are aiming to regroup once more after falling to successive county final defeats.
Cian Smith’s side face a tricky opening round assignment in what is the toughest group to call. They have been hit hard by injuries and absentees, with Daire Cregg and Cian McKeon currently on J1 visas. U-20 footballer Eden Kerins is nursing a shoulder complaint while Tadhg McKenna (ankle) will miss this encounter.
St. Dominic’s, meanwhile, enjoyed a fine intermediate league campaign, winning nine games before coming unstuck in their decider against Michael Glaveys. With Eoin McCormack set to lead the way and Keith Doyle able to catch fire from long range on any given day, the Dom’s are a live threat.
Boyle will be on alert, with St. Dominic’s trying to atone for last year after agonisingly missing out on the knockout stages following a one-point defeat to Pádraig Pearses in their final group game.
However, Boyle have shown that they can find a way to win and their greater nous should see them through.
The tie of the round.
These South Roscommon rivals face off, with both knowing that a defeat here would leave them with little room for error.
Pádraig Pearses have been badly affected by injuries in the lead-up to this affair. David Murray picked up an ankle injury on intercounty duty, and Friday evening looks like coming too soon for the defender to play any part.
Mark Richardson and Hubert Darcy are both out with ankle complaints. Eoin Colleran and Paul Carey are travelling and even though Conor Daly has returned home, he is ineligible to play in this affair due to the GAA’s 60 day rule. Meanwhile, Tom Butler has emigrated.
Clann have lost Fergal Lennon, Jack Connaughton and Ronan O’Reilly from last year’s panel while Séa Henry is rehabbing a cruciate injury. Darragh Pettit remains sidelined with a hamstring complaint.
Pearses should be favourites but with their injury woes and Clann enjoying home advantage, Seán Conlon and Pat Fallon’s side might edge a close contest.
