Today’s previews
FOOTBALL Munster Club SFC final
Clonmel Commercials (Tipperary) v Nemo Rangers (Cork), Fraher Field, 2pm INEVITABLY, the build-up to this tie has been dominated by the dramatic conclusion to the last time they met in a Munster final four years ago.
Nemo looked set for their expected victory, despite fierce resistance from Clonmel, as they led by two points with the final in Mallow drifting into a second minute of injury-time. Then Aldo Mattassa’s hopeful punt found Michael Quinlivan who fired to the net.
In an instant, a moral victory had turned into a real one for Clonmel, gifting both their club and the county their first outright success in the competition,
Could history repeat itself? Perhaps, but at least that moment in time has lent this game a degree of intrigue that might otherwise have been absent.
Is it justified? Most likely.
Much of the same cast that took part in that drama are still there, most significantly
Quinlivan who is still very much focused on the club despite opting out of the Tipperary set-up for 12 months.
They are much more than a one-man team, with the likes of Jason
Lonergan, Kevin
Fahey, and the
Kennedy brothers –
Colman, Conal and
Seamus – part of the team’s enviable depth in quality.
With Nemo, quality is a given and the manner in which they cruised to the Cork title suggested that this is a team in the best traditions of one of the GAA’s most iconic clubs.
That said, standard-wise the Cork Championship was nothing to write home about this year, while Nemo were also gifted a soft provincial semi-final draw against a ring-rusty and substandard opposition in Kerry representatives Austin Stacks.
Mind, Limerick’s Newcastlewest pushed them hard in the opening round – a challenge that will, at least, be replicated by Clonmel.
But with headline talent such as Paul Kerrigan and Luke
Connolly, Nemo are likely to duck the drama this time on their way to a 17th Munster title.
Verdict: Nemo Rangers
Ulster Club SFC final
Naomh Conaill (Donegal) v Kilcoo (Down), Healy Park, 2pm NO matter who prevails, Omagh will be rocking to the raw joy that only first-time winners can bring to an occasion like this.
And both clubs can claim to have paid their dues. Glenties lost their only previous final appearance in 2010 while Kilcoo hope this will be third time lucky after losing in the 2012 and ’16 deciders.
The latter loss came at the hands of Slaughtneil whose then manager, Mickey Moran, now occupies the Kilcoo dug-out.
On top of that, they are also seeking to bridge a 31-year wait since Burren were the last club to bring the Séamus McFerran Cup to Down, while Naomh Conaill are bidding to secure a first in securing back-to-back titles for Donegal clubs. Kilcoo’s dominance in Down – they have won seven out of the last eight championships – is largely fuelled by a desire to get over the line in Ulster, so they will hardly lack for motivation.
It is questionable, though, as to whether they are as strong as the side that burst on to the Ulster scene at the start of the decade, but they will be driven by the five Branagan brothers and, in particular, their excellent centreback Aaron as well as the Johnstons – Ryan and Jerome.
However, physically, they struggled in the semi-final against Derrygonnelly, which makes them particularly vulnerable when faced with a team as powerful as the Donegal champions, not least their exceptional midfield partnership of Leo McLoone and Ciarán Thompson.
Add in the reassuring presence of Thompson’s older brother, Anthony, the play-making ability of Ethan O’Donnell and Eoghan McGettigan’s accuracy in front of the posts, and Glenties look the more likely by a distance. Verdict: Naomh Conaill
HURLING Leinster Club SHC final
Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) v St Mullins (Carlow), MW Hire O’Moore Park, 2pm
THE main hope, in terms of ensuring a competitive final, is that this comes down to a shoot-out between Ballyhale’s TJ Reid and St Mullins’ Marty Kavanagh.
The latter top-scored with 1-9 – 1-4 from play – as the Carlow champions saw off Rathdowney-Errill to reach their first Leinster decider, and it was a performance in keeping with his form all season.
Meanwhile, in the other semifinal, TJ Reid made the journey from the sublime to the ridiculous when he nailed 2-14 on his 32nd birthday as the All-Ireland kingpins put the unfortunate Wexford champions St Martin’s to the sword.
But there is much more to hurling than two gun-slingers shooting it out, and that is likely to offer some comfort to St Mullins who will bring considerable quality – not least in the exceptional James Doyle – and much spirit to the fight. However, the scale of the challenge is underlined by their odds of 8/1.
True, Ballyhale will be without Richie Reid, while there is some concern regarding the fitness of young hurler of the year, Adrian Mullen, who sustained a dead leg against St Martin’s, but no matter what way you add this up, it still amounts to a 10th Leinster title for Ballyhale.
Verdict: Ballyhale Shamrocks