THIS WEEKEND’S COUNTY FINAL PREVIEWS
TOMORROW ULSTER CLUB SFC FINAL
Slaughtneil (Derry) v Cavan Gaels (Cavan), Athletic Grounds, 3pm
Forty years after their only previous appearance in the final, Cavan Gaels are back on the biggest stage in the Ulster club game.
Slaughtneil are 1/5 to become the first club to win back-toback provincial titles in both codes which suggests this will be a futile exercise, but the Derry side is weakened by the loss of dual players Micheál McGrath and Cormac O’Doherty to injury.
After last weekend’s dramatic injury-time win over Derrygonnely, Jason Reilly’s team may also lean for comfort on the notion that momentum may be their friend.
But a cold reality eye-balls them; their chances of getting anywhere near that five-goal haul they managed against the Fermanagh champions is between slim and none against a defence in which the McKaigues, Chrissy and Karl, along with Brendan Rodgers have excelled for the champions.
And while Cavan Gaels will believe that their best chance may lie in an open game of ball, Slaughtneil showed against Kilcar in the semi-final that there is a price to be paid for taking on the champions in a shoot-out.
Verdict: Slaughtneil
CONNACHT CLUB SFC FINAL
Castlebar Mitchels (Mayo) v Corofin (Galway), Tuam Stadium, 2pm
If the pattern established over the past four years holds firm — which has seen these two clubs share the Connacht title evenly between them — it should make for a short journey home for Castlebar. But mathematical patterns are one thing, form and class quite another.
The Mayo champions have made heavy work of getting to the final against modest opposition in Mohill and Tourlestrane, and they needed a late goal from the outstanding Danny Kirby to see the Sligo champions off last time out.
In contrast, there was a breathless verve about Corofin when defeating St Brigid’s in a game of exceptional quality, which suggested that this is a team more than capable of repeating their most recent All-Ireland success in 2014.
They have outstanding ball carriers in Kieran Molloy and Dylan Wall who set the tempo for their running game, but it is the quality of their foot-passing, exemplified by the likes of Ronan Steede, Martin Farragher and Gary Sice that makes them a cut above the rest.
An eighth title will take them clear of Roscommon’s Clan na Gael at the top of Connacht’s roll of honour. Verdict: Corofin
MUNSTER CLUB SFC FINAL
Nemo Rangers (Cork) v Dr Crokes (Kerry), Páirc Ui Rinn, 2pm
The sight of the black and green is about the only colour that forces Kerry football into taking a backwards step.
But it is seven years and counting since Nemo won the last of their 15 Munster titles although Dr Crokes have reason enough to remember it.
That’s in the past, four provincial titles in six years was capped by this year’s All-Ireland success and the Killarney club are 2/5 favourites here.
Those odds, not only given Nemo’s tradition but the quality they possess in Paul Kerrigan and Luke Connolly, will not sit comfortably on the shoulders of the Kerry side.
But the champions’ depth is such that their bench is full of players who have worn the Kerry shirt at some level, and with Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper still showing the way they look the more likely. Verdict: Dr Crokes
LEINSTER CLUB SFC SEMI-FINALS
Rathnew (Wicklow) v Moorefield (Kildare), Aughrim, 2pm
This is perfectly set-up for Rathnew, who despite pulling off the biggest giant-killing act this decade as Aughrim bared teeth once more, are still very much the outsiders.
True, Moorefield, not least ace forward Eanna O’Connor, were impressive in seeing off Portlaoise while the Kildare champions welcome back the suspended pair of Daryl Flynn and David Whyte. But Rathnew will fancy their chances and if Leighton Glynn can reproduce the master class he offered up against St Vincent’s, they could be heading to their first final since 2001.
Verdict: Rathnew
St Loman’s (Westmeath) v Simonstown Gaels (Meath), Mullingar, 2pm It is hard to ignore the sense that the biggest benefactors of St Vincent’s unexpected demise may well be St Loman’s.
True, they will get nothing easy against the Meath champions here, but Loman’s are a hardnosed team and boast the best player by a distance left in this competition.
You can’t hang everything on one player, but Loman’s can hang enough on John Heslin — who has scored 3-13 in his last two games — to get them over the line. Verdict: St Loman’s