Fab Four for reigning senior hurling champions
FAMILY AFFAIR: Cathal Kenny and his nephew Nathan Flynn at Oran training ahead of Sunday's senior hurling final against Four Roads. Picture: Michelle Hughes Walsh
The Oran senior hurlers are like a bad flu — once they get inside you, no amount of medication can ease the symptoms.
Their latest patient was St. Dominic’s on Sunday week last, who they have beaten three times over the past 12 months, including twice in this year's championship.
In their recent semi-final, St. Dominic’s were in a winning position, 0-10 to 0-6 in front early in the second half. But on the same afternoon that Aoife O’Rourke became world boxing champion, Oran reeled them in, and the Mid-Roscommon club duly landed the punches to book their place in the final for the first time since 2016.
Incredibly, they have also left Sunday’s opponents Four Roads on the sick bed, beating the kingpins of Roscommon hurling five times in finals. Consequently, the latest instalment in the Hyde is no foregone conclusion.
Four Roads are chasing a four-in-a-row, and will need to have taken their vitamins in the build-up to this game. They will need to boost their immune system in the hope that they can fight off another virus getting inside their system.
This will be the ninth final between the sides. Oran are 5-3 ahead. Just for good measure, Francie Quine’s men won the 2016 final after a replay.
The sides met in a dead rubber group game a few weeks ago as Four Roads struck late to grab the spoils.
In the semi-final win against Pádraig Pearses, the defending champions played their best hurling of the season, striking early goals to get the job done in quickfire time.
Their hurling was slick and sharp, and their first touch was spot on. Their defenders won all their duels, with James Dillion and James Donnelly acting as road blocks at full-back and centre-back respectively.
Four Roads’ play was direct, with Liam Óg Coyle, Adam Donnelly, Conor Mulry, and Conor Morris razor sharp in attack. In goalkeeper, Noel Fallon, they have a lethal weapon who can turn defence into attack with one puck of the sliothar. His booming deliveries, which resemble a Rory McIlroy tee-shot, inevitably increases the pressure on over-worked defences.
If Four Roads have long puck specialists, Oran have their own trump card in Jerry Fallon. The former scoring machine, who haunted the Black and Amber in the 2016 final, looks so comfortable between the sticks. Like a good wine, he is getting better with age. He reads the game like a librarian, which ensures his defenders in front of him can play without fear.
Oran’s greatest strength is their workrate all over the field. They revel in games that are tight.
On one side of the coin, Oran have a scoring machine in Paddy Fallon who never fails to hit double figures and has amassed 1-55 in four games. Oran’s next highest scorer is defender Michael Hussey with 1-4, which leaves a massive gap to fill if Four Roads curb the threat of Fallon from frees and play.
The Kenny brothers are a solid supporting cast. Despite how well they have played to date, however, they have only posted 0-14.
Four Roads are in better shape in the scoring department with Conor Morris top of the charts on 5-26. Fifteen other team-mates have found the target. James Fitzmaurice is hungry for goals with four green flags. The champions have also bagged 12 goals, which throws the gauntlet down to Oran, who produce a brilliant display to remain in the chase.
Four Roads would have expected to reach the final from the opening whistle, while Oran would not have looked that far down the line when their voyage commenced.
After beating St. Dominic’s, the juices started to flow. Their confidence grew and they are a team that will relish wearing the underdogs tag. Crucially, they will not feel inferior to the champions.
Oran have been here before and taken out Four Roads, so the champions know what to expect.
Fairytales are wonderful in sport, but reality will probably bite on Sunday. Normal service will resume, and the four-in-a-row kingpins will be heading back to Coyle’s pub in the village for the celebrations with their beloved Mickey Cunniffe Cup.
The Roscommon LGFA senior, intermediate and junior semi-finals are down for decision over the next week.
A repeat of last season’s senior decider between Clann na nGael and St. Brigid’s is on the cards but both teams face tricky assignments, with St. Dominic’s and Boyle lying in the long grass and planning ambushes.
The Knockcroghery ladies, after beating St. Ciaran’s, are in great form. Aimee O’Connor and Aoife Gavin are sparkling like diamonds in attack. Boyle, after a slow start, are gaining momentum and will be ready for the St. Brigid’s challenge.
The intermediate championship is more intriguing than the current presidential election race. Fresh from winning last year's junior championship, Pádraig Pearses are on a roll and will fancy their chances of going all the way. They have registered five wins on the bounce and, in my eyes, are the market leaders on the stock exchange.
Kilbride have their own mantra of “Ollie’s winning matches” as former manager Oliver Lennon, who has returned to the hot seat, has the Green and White feeling good about themselves once more.
Following a prolonged losing streak, they are unbeaten in three games, and their victory against St. Barry’s shot the former five-in-a-row senior champions into the mix. But it will still take something special from Lennon’s charges to turn over Pádraig Pearses.
Last season’s beaten finalists, St. Barry’s, are keeping their heads down, despite losing to Kilbride, in the hope that the disappointment of losing to St. Ciaran’s 12 months ago can be the spark to ignite a place on the winners’ rostrum in 2025.
Standing in their way is St. Croan’s who needed at least a draw against Michael Glavey’s to book a last four spot. But they went one better, winning against their West Roscommon opponents on a scoreline of 0-14 to 1-10.
In what will be the battle of the Saints, St. Barry’s should have their prayers answered.
In the junior semi-finals, the smart money is on Northern Harps and St. Mary’s to clear their semi-finals hurdles against St. Faithleach’s and Kilglass Gaels/Kilmore respectively.
There is something special about a GAA championship game under lights. When it’s knockout football, it reaches fever pitch. Ballyforan on Friday night last ticked all the boxes.
The lights were on as St. Brigid’s and Roscommon Gaels went into battle, with the Kiltoom men shining as bright as the floodlights. By the finish, they had left the Gaels in the dark.
Earlier in the championship, the meeting of Elphin and Western Gaels on a wet night in Kilbride was also electric. The best floodlit game was Pádraig Pearses and Oran. That game in Kiltoom went all the way to extra time with loads of drama, tension and excitement at the home of St. Brigid’s.
In my view, the Roscommon GAA Fixtures Committee missed a trick last weekend. Instead of having three SFC quarter-finals on the one day last Sunday, why wasn’t one of them under lights on Saturday night?
Imagine the attendance and anticipation if Boyle and Pádraig Pearses had a prime time slot on Saturday evening.
As the fields at the Ploughing Championships were being beautifully tilled last week, my Teaser gang were busy perfecting their own furrows.
Can you name the last father and son to play international soccer as goalkeepers for Scotland? It was Bryan and Angus Gunn.
QPR, Frenchpark, was first to tend to the soil. Michael Scally Ballaghaderreen; Liam Dooley, Ballyhaunis; Fr John McManus, PP Castlerea; Murt Hunt, Ballyhaunis; John Croghan, Bundoran; Paddy Conlon, Taughmaconnell; Mary Gilfillan, Kilmore; Bernard Duffy, Longford/Loughglynn; Paddy Boland, Youghal; Mick Fetherston, Dublin; Paul O’Grady, Edmondstown, Ballaghaderreen; Pat, Sligo; Mary McCarthy, Holloway; Seán Toolan, Heston; Kevin Flanagan, Dartford, and Michael Kearns, Clapham, also mastered the art of ploughing.
This week’s Teaser. Can you name the goalkeeper who kept three successive clean sheets in All-Ireland senior football finals?
Answers by e-mail to willieefc@gmail.com or by text to 086 8356227. This week’s teaser came from London.
Star pupil: Paul Carey who hit 0-10 overall, including three successive nerve-tingling two-pointers in the closing seven minutes to drag Pádraig Pearses back from the brink against Boyle, and force extra-time.
Crucial win for: Western Gaels who maintained their SFC status for a 22nd year with victory over St. Dominic’s in their relegation final.
Much do better: Roscommon Gaels will be very disappointed with their second-half performance against St. Brigid's, as they were outscored by 1-12 to 0-5.
Spot of bother: Seven points ahead with eight to play, Boyle blew a glorious chance to beat defending senior football champions, Pádraig Pearses.
Weekend highlight: A “Super Sunday” of senior club football championship action — from Enfield to Rockfield, there were two extraordinary SFC quarter-finals.
The champions are still standing, while St. Faithleach’s landed six fabulous two-pointers to secure semi-final berths.
What a cracker: If Oran can bring their A game to King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park for Sunday's senior hurling championship final, they can go the distance with Four Roads.
“If you don’t separate yourself from distractions, your distractions will separate you from your goals.”
Birmingham City are unbeaten across their last 28 home league games, winning 23 and drawing five. It is currently the longest unbeaten run in England’s top four tiers.
Rockfield was open for business last weekend.
The first guests to arrive on Sunday were Michael Glaveys and St. Faithleach’s who had the honour of being the first senior football championship game to be played on Oran’s new pitch following its official opening by Seán Mulryan 24 hours earlier.
The Mid-Roscommon club has a wonderful facility that it should be so proud of. It’s another one on the list of superb venues in Roscommon GAA circles.
