St. Johns in bid for first time silverware
St. Johns v Lough Rovers
A REAL humdinger lays in prospect on the meeting of St. Johns and Lough Rovers in the County Junior C Football Championship Final at Carrigarohid on this Friday evening.
St. Johns can vouch for a productive run this season in both domestic and county competitions. Earlier in the year, they relied on encouraging form within Duhallow to build momentum ahead a free run to a quarter final and a somewhat surprising easy win over Abbey Rovers.
On doing so, St. Johns overturned a defeat in last season’s semi-final against the same opposition that fielded without a number of key players in this campaign.
And in a semi-final, St. Johns moved forward in a strong and imposing fashion to account for Freemount. From the all Duhallow clash, heavy rain made for greasy underfoot conditions, before St. Johns rose the tempo after the interval, applying a more direct pattern yielded excellent scores.
Key figures to the St. Johns line up in the semi final were Tim Murphy and Denis O’Keeffe in defence with David Barrett, Neal Corkery and Jamie Kelleher grafting effectively.
Lough Rovers can vouch of a proud history in both hurling and football, winners of a County JAHC in 1932 over O’Donovan Rossa followed by intermediate titles in 1933, 1942 and 1944 at the expense of Bride Rovers, Carrigtwohill and Old Castletown.
Falling on lean times, they remain in contention for a possible hurling and football championship double this season. En route to this decider, they incurred a loss to Gleann na Laoi first day out but recovered via the back door to overcome neighbours Redmonds and turned the tables on Gleann na Laoi when the sides renewed rivalry in a semi final.
This is a contest that promises wholehearted endeavour and good football thrown in and given the magnitude of the prize, no quarter will be asked or given.
From a game that won’t be easily won, if St. Johns perform as they did earlier in the campaign, might have enough ammunition to sample a historic title.