Asdee, Lispole, St Senans and Ballydonoghue tipped to reach Novice semi-finals

St Senans v Renard

Saturday, April 25 6.30pm in Mountcoal ANOTHER big geographic distance in terms of the distance between both sides but one that brings together two interesting teams in their own right. St Senans were promoted last year from Division Five where Renard narrowly missed out on joining them but this is for a different prize at the weekend.

St Senans have the better record at the stage in terms of getting to semi-finals and will feel home advantage gives them a big opportunity to advance once more.

Renard were impressive in their victory over Valentia last weekend and while Killian Young will always be their key figure, it’s maybe some of the younger players coming through that is the more impressive feature of the South Kerry side at present.

This is a big test of their credentials, however, and it might just be a small bit too soon for them.

Verdict: St Senans

Lispole v Kilgarvan

Sunday, April 26 2pm in Lispole WHILE it’s no surprise that one of these sides has made it to the quarter-finals (Lispole), Kilgarvan’s victory over Ballylongford after extra-time was one of the results of the weekend as it belied a lack of competitive Football for the club so far in 2015.

Maybe that element of surprise worked in their favour in getting the better of their opposition last Sunday. However this is a much tougher test for the Kenmare District side in travelling to the home of last year’s runners-up and arguably narrow favourites for the title now with Beale’s shock exit at the weekend.

Lispole were very workmanlike against Moyvane, save for a late flurry of goals for the visitors to put a better complexion on the scoreboard. If Tom Kavanagh and Declan O’Sullivan click like they did last Saturday evening it will take something more special than what they did last Sunday for Kilgarvan to have a chance.

Verdict: Lispole

Tuosist v Asdee

Sunday, April 26 2pm in Tuosist THREE weeks after heading down to the same venue and emerging triumphant in the County League, Asdee return to Tuosist looking to book a place in the semi-finals that would have been barely imaginable prior to the throw-in against Beale.

While on the face of it, the result was a genuine shock, this isn’t the same Asdee who took some heavy trimmings in the past anymore. They have a Munster title (Knockaderry) to their names and seem to have a genuine belief now that they can beat anyone on their day. Tuosist play their first game at this level since they won the 2008 decider against Scartaglin but the club has suffered some big player losses in the intervening years to make a successful return very unlikely.

No team that has received a bye into the quarter-finals since it came in has won the corresponding fixture making this a tough task for Tuosist despite home advantage and the desire to reverse the County League result.

Verdict: Asdee

Ballydonoghue v Knocknagoshel

Sunday, April 26, 2pm THE shortest distance any teams in the Novice will have to travel to face each other this weekend and maybe the shortest gap in ability between any of the sides facing off against each other in the grade.

Ballydonoghue are on a big high at the moment with their decent start to Division Four and coming through a close contest away to Fossa at the weekend. They certainly won’t fear the challenge of Knocknagoshel but Knock have the memory of being moments away from making last year’s decider to try and erase. James and Edmund Walsh played big parts for them in the win over Sneem/Derrynane and they will be required again for a tantalising challenge at the weekend.

The hosts get a hesitant vote but these are the sort of games where you have to prove to everyone that you are heading in the right direction because if you don’t there are plenty willing to take you down.

Verdict: Ballydonoghue