Saints to get over Shannon

COUNTY SFC ROUND 2B

Shannon Rangers v St Brendans Saturday, September 8 Tarbert

5.30pm, Ref: John Dineen

IT’S last chance saloon for these two teams who met previously in last year’s preliminary round with the Saints inflicting a huge defeat on the north Kerry combination.

St Brendans were in the preliminary round again this year but failed to follow up that win over West Kerry with a win against a very strong East Kerry. The absence of Jack Barry and Stefan Okunbor didn’t help their cause and the hope will be that those two players will be back to firm up a team that is talented enough to reach the third round, at least.

Rangers had a chastening day out in Dingle last weekend and must extract the few positives from that heavy defeat to take to Tarbert on Saturday.

Obvious talents like Shane Enright, Danny Wren, Jeremy King, Paul Kennelly, Brian Ó Seanacháin and Mikey Boyle will have to step up a bit more, but they will get their fill of it from players like Kevin Shanahan, David O’Callaghan, Ivan Parker and Niall Sheehy.

Diarmuid O’Connor and Andrew Barry are another pair of Na Gaeil players with plenty to offer St Brendans in what could be a really tight and tough game.

With the benefit of a game behind them Rangers will be a more cohesive unit this weekend but the suspicion is that St Brendans are stronger down the middle and have a couple of better forwards who will get the necessary scores.

Verdict: St Brendans