Campaign at pivotal point for Furze men
THE Meath club championship kicks into action in earnest this week and it will likely be full steam ahead over the next couple of weeks to get the group stages completed.
Not all senior teams are in action over the weekend, but there are five SFC ties down for decision, including three back matches from round two.
All games are crucial at this stage, but the clash of Group A leaders Seneschalstown and Gaeil Colmcille at Syddan on Sunday (noon) could be the pick of the lot of them.
The Yellow Furze men have two wins from as many outings, but if their league form is anything to go by they have gone off the boil of late. They have lost a couple of important league matches which ended their chase for a knockout spot, following a dip in form.
Gaeil Colmcille were surprisingly beaten by Rathkenny in their last championship outing and won’t want to slip up again at this stage. On their day they are a match for any side, but their discipline has let them down on occasions.
Seneschalstown will be seeking to put a few indifferent displays behind them and if the Sheridan brothers and Bryan Clarke hit top form they should win.
Also in Group A, Blackhall Gaels and Ballinlough clash in a round two tie in Kildalkey (7.00). Both lost opening-round ties to Skryne and Gaeil Colmcille respectively and the losers of this one could be fighting a battle against the relegation play-offs. If it comes down to a scrap, then Ballinlough should scrape through.
The all-Navan clash of champions O’Mahony’s and Simonstown is another interesting tie in Group C. O’Mahony’s lead the way with three points from their two outings, while Colm O’Rourke’s Simonstown have only one draw to show from their two outings to date.
Bizarrely, O’Mahony’s gave a walkover in a Division 1 league tie last weekend, hardly ideal preparation for an important championship encounter. Simonstown went down to Moynalvey by the minimum in their last outing but are an improving team. They could just cause a shock here.
Ratoath, who lost to Summerhill on their senior debut, face another tough task, this time against Dunboyne. The Dunboyne men have been boosted by the acquisition of former St Peregrines duo Stuart Lownes and Robert McCarthy and they could go close to outright success. Ratoath have had their injury problems of late and will be up against it here.
The remaining SFC tie is between Dunshaughlin and Wolfe Tones. A lack of consistency has been both teams’ Achilles’ heel in the recent past, but Dunshaughlin could edge this one and give manager Anthony Moyles his first championship win.
In the Intermediate grade there is a full round of games, with cham- pionship favourites St Colmcille’s taking on Nobber in Slane on Sunday at 2.00. After a succession of defeats in Division 1 of the league, the Cille’s gave themselves a boost with victory over Na Fianna last weekend.
They have full points from their two championship outings to date, and with a number of players back from abroad they should continue their winning way against the Nobber men.
In the same group Syddan face Cortown and need nothing less than a win or they could be facing the relegation play-offs. Cortown have one win from their two outings, but it’s Syddan who get the nod here.
The remaining game in the group is between Ballivor and Ballinabrackey. If Ballivor can repeat the form shown when seeing off Syddan they should win.
In Group C Curraha take on Drumbaragh at Kilberry on Sunday at 3.30 and will be fancied to pick up their second win from three outings.