‘Bridge in way of Fechin’s SHC double mission
GAA CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
TWO more major trophies are up for grabs in Dowdallshill this weekend as the Senior Hurling and Intermediate football finals go down for decision.
First-time winners St Fechin’s are bidding to retain their title in the Anchor Tours SHC decider (3.30), but will have to overturn a group stage defeat to Knockbridge, who are looking to reclaim their crown.
The Reds topped the group section of the championship to book a path straight to Sunday’s final and will be slight favourites to wrestle back the Paddy Kelly Cup.
But there was bothing between the sides when they met last month, with Knockbridge prevailing on a 3-13 to 3-6 scoreline.
The ‘Bridge won all of their group games, while that lone defeat meant St Fechin’s had to beat last year’s beaten finalists Pearse Og twice in the space of 14 days to secure their passage to the final.
Those games should stand to them on Sunday against a Knockbridge team who have been idle since September 1st.
Meanwhile, in the intermediate football decider, Mattock Rangers will be bidding to bounce straight back to the senior ranks when they face St Joseph’s.
The latter finally broke their semi-final hoodoo against Hunterstown Rovers two weeks ago, having lost the previous four.
Mattock’s big-game experience will make them slight favourites with the bookies, but a close encounter is expected.
The Joe’s early-season injury worries have cleared up just in time for the business end of the campaign although they will be without influential forwards Alan McKenna and Darragh Smyth.
Mattock should be at full strength for the showdown, which sees Joe’s manager Wayne McKeever bid to swap places with his hometown club O’Connell’s.
The latter succumbed to St Patrick’s on Friday night in the relegation play-off final as the 2015 county champions finally secured their status.
Their Joe Ward crown will pass to either Sean O’mahony’s, who they beat in last year’s final, or St Mary’s, who pulled off a shock to dump out Dreadnots on Saturday night.