Anne’s and Ballinastragh in Under-14 semi-finals

THE NEW Ross Standard Under-13 football championships are moving towards their final set of fixtures following the completion of round six last week. The semi-finals are almost set in Division 1 after three fixtures were completed.

St. Anne’s and Ballynastragh Gaels are assured of spots in the last four and they are likely to be joined by St. Martin’s and Naomh Eanna, both of whom picked up important wins during the week. Castletown are still in the mix but they need a bit of help if they are to get into the semi-finals.

Much like last year, the bottom four in the Division 1 table slip into the Division 2 championship. They will join current front-runners Duffry Rovers and Bannow-Ballymitty in those last eight clashes.

Elsewhere in that division, Oylegate-Glenbrien and Blackwater did their hopes the world of good with strong victories last week.

In Division 3, the race for the top four spaces is 75 per cent done. St. James’, HWH-Bunclody and Cloughbawn will face-off versus the bottom four from Division 2 in the quarter-finals, and they will be joined by Crossabeg-Ballymurn if the Wexford District side can defeat the Mersheen boys in the final game. If they lose, the winners of Marshalstown-Castledockrell and Fethard will take fourth.

There’s an extra round still to play in Division 4A where Féilebound St Mary’s (Rosslare) lost their first game of the season on Wednesday to table-toppers Ballyhogue. Both of those sides are favourite to make the Division 4 championship quarters, with St. Joseph’s and Taghmon-Camross battling to join them.

Monageer-Boolavogue were in fine scoring form against Adamstown in Division 4B as they strengthened their grip on a Division 4 quarter-final spot. The New Ross District side could make the play-off for a spot against the third place team in 4A but will likely have to fend off a charge by Craanford to book that position.

With only one automatic spot to the Division 5 quarter-finals available, the 13-a-side teams are not exactly given much to aim for.

Clongeen look like the club to take that spot with a perfect record while Our Lady’s Island/ St. Fintan’s will take the play-off spot. The rest of the original Division 5 sides will play in the shield competition.

Naomh Eanna are within touching distance of an automatic semi-final spot in the Gorey Guardian Under-15 football Premier championship after a thumping victory over Buffers Alley on Thursday.

If Sarsfields can win their final two games they will join them but Glynn-Barntown, Fethard and Ballinastragh Gaels are all nipping on their heels.

Wins for Ballyhogue and HWH-Bunclody last week mean both clubs are close to securing quarter-final positions out of Roinn 1A. The other two spots are likely to come down to a three-way battle between Davidstown-Courtnacuddy, Monageer-Boolavogue and Oylegate-Glenbrien with two rounds still to play.

In the traditional cross quarter-finals the top four will match off against the Roinn 1B leading four. Shelmaliers and St. Anne’s didn’t play their game last week but are well out in front and will surely make up two of those spots.

Wins for St. Mary’s (Maudlintown) and Horeswood last week have those two in the mix, with Clúain O’Rahilly’s, for the other last eight positions.

Castletown won a tough battle with Blackwater to secure their spot in the Roinn 2 quarter-finals with two group games still remaining.

The Over The Water boys can join them with a solid finish to the group stages while Cloughbawn, Duffry Rovers, Craanford or even St. Patrick’s could potentially follow them.

Taghmon-Camross, Adamstown and Rathgarogue-Cushinstown should all join them from Roinn 2B in the last eight. The group has been hit by a few concessions but St. Mary’s (Rosslare) and Bannow-Ballymitty are battling away, with the former likely to round out the qualifiers.

The Wexford People Minor football championship returned last week after the exam break and the battle for a top two finish and an automatic semi-final spot got interesting.

Shelmaliers had a hard-earned win against St. Martin’s to remain perfect, Starlights did the same against Horeswood, but Na Piarsaigh lost their one hundred per cent record in an entertaining draw with Ballinastragh Gaels.

It’s a race for a top four spot and quarter-final berth in Roinn 1. St. Joseph’s lost their first game of the season against St. Mary’s (Maudlintown). Both sides are favoured to make the quarters, as are the other two winners last week, Sarsfields and Rathgarogue-Cushinstown.

Meanwhile, it remains any four from Ballyhogue, Crossabeg-Ballymurn, Cloughbawn, Blackwater and Glynn-Barntown in a hotly-contested Roinn 1B.

Monageer-Boolavogue, Buffers Alley and Réalt na Mara all won last week in Roinn 2A and they should be safe in the race for a quarter-final slot. Hollow Rovers are in pole position to take the other spot but Kilrush are also in the running.

Finally, Kilross Gaels look the class of Roinn 2B but any three of Adamstown, Moguegeen Gaels, Oylegate-Glenbrien or Bannow-Ballymitty could feasibly join them in the quarters.