Bruen action this weekend

IT’S a busy weekend ahead with the beginning of the Cups and Shields and the action takes place in the West Munster qualifiers at Castleisland and Ceann Sibeal in the Jimmy Bruen Shield.

It’s pretty straightforward at Ceann Sibéal where eight teams fight it and the opening match at 8.30am on Saturday sees the host club take on Ross from Killarney followed by Tralee versus Dooks (9.10am), Castlegregory versus Ballybunion (9.50am) and Killorglin versus Ballyheigue (10.30am).

I might as well have a go at my famous predictions where I see the host club beating Ross in the first match. Tralee versus Dooks is a really difficult one to call and could go either way, but I’ll opt for Tralee and I fancy Ballybunion to beat Castlegregory and Killorglin to beat Ballyheigue.

If I get it right in round one, then it should be Ceann Sibeal against Tralee (3pm) and Ballybunion against Killorglin (3.50pm) in the next round and I fancy Ceann Sibeal and Ballybunion to go

through to Sunday’s final (9am) with Ceann Sibeal emerging as the qualifiers for the West Munster area final.

At Castleisland there are just two round one games with Killarney versus Doneraile in the opener at 8.30am and Newcastlewest versus Berehaven at 9.10am at the other end of the draw.

In round two, Beaufort play Ring of Kerry (9.50am) and Kenmare take on Waterville (10.30am) while Kanturk await the winners of the Killarney/Doneraile game

in the afternoon at 2.00pm and Castleisland await the winners of Newcastlewest/Berehaven game at 2.40pm.

So, to my ‘Mystic Ger’ predictions where my crystal ball tells me that Killarney will beat Doneraile and go on to beat Kanturk in the afternoon.

I also see wins for Ring of Kerry and Kenmare and while I fancy Newcastlewest to beat Berehaven I see them losing to Castleisland in the afternoon.

Again, if I’m right Sunday

morning’s semi-finals should see Killarney versus Ring of Kerry (8.30am) and Kenmare versus Castleisland (9.10am) with Killarney and Castleisland emerging to contest the afternoon final where I see Castleisland emerging as qualifiers.

This time around I have gone for both host clubs to qualify as that has been the trend over the last number of years in most cases anyway, but of course I never get it all right and it may well be two other clubs that get through.