Pats and Kilkerley vie for final berth

GAA FOOTBALL ROUND-UP

AFTER the ups and downs of a dramatic final round of league games, the focus switches back to the championship this weekend.

The re-arranged clash between St Patrick’s and Kilkerley Emmets takes top billing at Dowdallshill on Sunday as both sides scrap for the final Anchor Tours SFC quarter-final spot.

St Patrick’s possibly have a slight psychological edge after beating Emmets in their own backyard to retain their Division 1 status last weekend, but the latter will be determined to avoid a relegation battle after making an instant return to the senior ranks last term.

Pat’s too will be keen to sidestep a relegation fight for the second week running, but will also view Sunday’s clash in Dowdallshill as a chance to re-ignite a lacklustre season.

The 7.00 throw-in is the main event in an attractive double-header at St Brigid’s Park with Roche Emmets and Glen Emmets locking horns in a surprise quarter-final showdown.

The Tullyallen men suffered a shock defeat to Lannleire in their final group game ensuring a second place finish, while Roche cruised through the four-team Group D with plenty to spare.

Sunday’s clash will be Roche’s first big test of the campaign and Emmets will be buoyed by the re- turn of county man Conor Grimes, Andrew Mooney and Keith Boylan.

The clash is being billed as a Championship-decider, but St Kevin’s, for one, may have something to say about that.

The Phillipstown outfit take on Dowdallshill in Tallanstown on Saturday night and will be hot favourites to book their place in the last four.

On Friday night the remaining two quarter-finals take place in Darver with Lannleire and Naomh Malachi throwing in at 7.00 and Westerns facing Sean McDermotts at 8.30. Both games would be expected to go right to the wire.

Last weekend, meanwhile, St Patrick’s, Newtown Blues and Naomh Mairtin all avoided the relegation play-offs in Division consigning St Fechin’s to that fate, while Sean O’Mahony’s and Kilkerley held on to their top four spots along with Geraldines and Dreadnots.

In Division 2 Dundalk Gaels dramatically pipped St Bride’s to the title on the head-to-head rule following Clan Na Gael’s draw with Dundalk Young Irelands.

Bride’s win over the Finnbarrs was in vain, but it condemned the Togher men to the play-offs.

In Division 3 Roche, St Kevin’s and Stabannon will be bidding to join Glen Emmets in Division 3 in a four-way play-off with Naomh Fionnbarra.

St Nicholas were relegated automatically, while Cuchulainn Gaels will enter the play-offs with the teams ranked 2nd, 3rd and 4th in Division 4.