Big two and Corofin still standing
Bertie Watson, Kiltoom, supporting St. Brigid's during their Connacht club senior football championship semi-final against Mohill at Dr. Hyde Park on Sunday last. Picture: Gerard O'Loughlin
Last year’s All-Ireland senior club football finalists — winners Kilmacud Crokes and runners-up Glen — are standing tall in the race to the line in this season’s championship. Both sides are currently on course to meet in the All-Ireland club semi-final in January.
Dublin side Kilmacud Crokes are back in the Leinster Club SFC final following a routine win over St. Mary’s, Ardee. They will face Kildare champions Naas in the final in Croke Park in two weeks’ time.
After winning a three-in-a-row in Derry, Glen are on the march in Ulster following their victory over Cargin of Antrim. They face Donegal champions, Naomh Conaill, in the semi-final on Sunday.
In the other semi-final, opportunity knocks for Scotstown and Trillick, with the Monaghan men, who took out Kilcoo last time out, the slight favourites to pip their Tyrone counterparts who will be high on confidence after taking the scalp of Crossmaglen Rangers.
Two sides that have dominated the Connacht Club SFC over the past decade, Corofin and St. Brigid’s, are set for another mighty battle out west in the provincial showdown in early December. Corofin, after a four-year absence, are back as Galway champions after winning three All-Ireland club titles in succession between 2017 and 2019. They will put fear into the remaining sides left in the competition. The Dr. Hyde Park showdown against the Roscommon champions will be tasty.
Down south, the race is wide open with Castlehaven (Cork) and Dingle (Kerry) expected to reach the Munster decider. But Tipperary hotshots, Clonmel Commercials, will fancy a crack against the Kerry side in the semi-final, especially as the game takes place in Thurles. The general feeling is that the standard in Munster isn’t that strong and that the winners of Connacht have a real chance of reaching an All-Ireland senior club football final. My hunch is that Dingle will emerge from Munster to face either St. Brigid’s or Corofin in the last four.
What about this for forward planning though — the Dingle management were in Salthill on Saturday and Dr. Hyde Park on Sunday watching Corofin and St. Brigid’s respectively in action. While there is plenty of water to flow under the bridge, Kilmacud Crokes, Glen and Corofin are leading the race by quite a distance to win the Andy Merrigan Cup.
Just when it seemed that a GAA Football All-Star was out of reach for talented footballers whose counties didn’t reach the All-Ireland semi-finals, along comes Roscommon’s star performer in 2023, Enda Smith, to win the county’s first award since Francie Grehan in 2001.
The Boyle man leapfrogged players from the four beaten quarter-finalists to join the gang from All-Ireland semi-finalists Dublin, Kerry, Derry and Monaghan in making it onto the best 15 players of the championship.
Enda’s recognition was fully deserved after his outstanding season, which spanned right through the Rossies’ Division One League campaign until the final bell against Cork in the championship. To put it mildly, Enda was awesome in the Primrose and Blue jersey and has given the ordinary man hope that counties like Roscommon have players who are as good as there is in the country.
Enda’s selection on the team also proved that the All-Stars have a soul. To their credit, the selection committee looked outside the box to reward excellence from players outside the elite over the course of the season.
It’s some achievement for a player to win an All-Star award when his county didn’t even make the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals — Enda is the first since Charlie Harrison from Sligo in 2010.
Not even Storm Debbie or power cuts prevented my weekly Teaser from being a blackout as Roscommon Herald readers were full of energy over the last seven days.
Can you name the last Cork player to play in both the All-Ireland senior football and hurling finals in the same year? It was Seán Óg Ó hAilpín in 1999 who played against Kilkenny in the hurling final and Meath in the football decider.
QPR, Frenchpark, was first to remain switched on, with Liam Dooley, Ballyhaunis; PJ Martin, Kiltoom; Michael Scally, Ballaghaderreen; John Croghan, Bundoran; Eamon Campion, Castlerea; Murt Hunt, Ballyhaunis; Collette Smyth, Ballintubber; Mick Fetherston, Dublin; Mary Gilfillan, Kilmore; Paddy Conlon, Taughmaconnell; Luigi, Ballyhaunis; Pat, Sligo; Paddy Boland, Youghal; Seán Toolan, Heston; Kevin Flanagan, Dartford; Mary McCarthy, Holloway, and Michael Kearns, Clapham, also fully charged up.
Answers by email to willieefc@gmail.com or by text to 086 8356227. This week’s Teaser comes from New York.
The battle lines have been drawn. From now until the rest of the Premier League seasons, it will be Everton against the world after the club’s disgraceful ten-point deduction for breaking one FFP (Financial Fair Play) regulation.
After one discretion, Everton have been thrown under the bus by Premier League chiefs. Yet Manchester City, with 115 breaches, and Chelsea are still allowed to walk free.
If justice is done, then we can expect Man City to be playing in the Vauxhall Conference at the start of the 2024/2025 season next August, such will be their points deduction. Chelsea should also expect to lose points.
But it won’t happen because the big boys do not get point reductions. The gutless chiefs of the Premier League haven’t the backbone to tackle the big boys.
With 24 games remaining, Everton will not be relegated. Why? Because the Toffees do not do relegation. Come next Sunday at Goodison Park against Manchester United, Everton’s siege mentality will commence on home turf which is famous for its intimidating atmosphere.
Let the war commence.
After seeing its senior team winning a Connacht club championship game a few days earlier, St. Brigid’s GAA Club was plunged into sadness with the news of Vice-President Tommy Dolan’s untimely death last Wednesday.
Only a few weeks earlier, Tommy was in Dr. Hyde Park to watch his beloved St. Brigid’s win the Fahey Cup and the Roscommon SFC title for the 18th time. He was mentioned by joint captains, Paul McGrath and Mark Daly, in their victory speeches. His nephew Robbie was part of the victorious team, which made him so proud.
Tommy was a clubman to the core. He served on so many committees. He played a huge part in the progression and development of the club on and off the pitch, which has elevated St. Brigid’s to the highest standing at county, provincial and national levels.
Last Sunday was a tough day for the club against Mohill in the Connacht Club SFC semi-final. But the team honoured the late Tommy Dolan in the best way possible by booking their place in the provincial final against Corofin.
To Tommy’s family and friends, I extend my sincere sympathy.
Star pupil: Enda Smith who became the 12th player from Roscommon to win a GAA Football All-Star award.
Crucial win for: Connacht as they made it four wins from five in the URC after a hard-fought win over the Sharks in Durban.
Much do better: After failing to score from play in the opening half, St. Brigid’s survived a ferocious battle from Mohill. They know that massive improvement is needed before Corofin come to town on Sunday week.
Spot of bother: Wales’ hopes of qualifying automatically for Euro 2024 suffered a potentially devastating blow after they drew with Armenia.
Weekend highlight: Adam McDermott’s second goal for Castlerea St. Kevin’s in the Connacht Club IFC semi-final win over Easkey was, as the late Jimmy Magee would say, “different class”. The goal was worth the admission fee alone.
What a cracker: Manchester City at home to Liverpool in the Premier League next Saturday as the top two go head to head.
“Life isn’t meant to be easy, it’s meant to be lived. Sometimes good, other times rough. But with every up and down, you learn lessons that make you strong.”
For the third year in a row, Roscommon and Galway clubs will meet in the Connacht Club IFC final as Castlerea St. Kevin’s and Monivea Abbey go to post next Saturday.
In my opinion, Dublin’s James McCarthy should have been awarded Footballer of the Year instead of David Clifford. McCarthy was superb throughout the season and was the key to Dublin winning the All-Ireland title.
