Weekend previews

SATURDAY, APRIL 20 Group 1 Ballymacelligott v Na Gaeil Ballymacelligott 18.30

Probably the game of the weekend in this championship. Two of the form teams. Local rivals and almost a winner takes all affair. Scoring difference is such that Na Gaeil can afford to draw and top the group, but there ain’t gonna be nobody playing for a draw in this one. Doing so would be a very risky manoeuvre. What we’re going to have is a full blooded contest between two sides meeting in the group phase for the second year in succession. When they met last year Na Gaeil were lucky to take a draw from their home patch in Killeen. That’s got to give Ballymac huge confidence this weekend. Ballymac too seem to have pushed on to the next level so far this year with impressive wins over Skellig Rangers and Firies. You could look at Na Gaeil’s greater margin of victory over those sides as evidence for their superiority over Ballymac, but honestly we think it’s going to be very close. We’ll go with Na Gaeil just about, but Ballymac could easily turn the tables here.

Verdict: Na Gaeil

Skellig Rangers v Firies Portmagee 18.30

It’s been a bit of a horror show for both these sides over the past fortnight. Heavy defeats and desperately disappointing performances. Neither side would have much reason for complaint should they find themselves in a relegation play-off. Firies arguably have the greater potential, but they have to travel to Por tmagee and down there Skellig are hard beaten.

Verdict: Skellig Rangers

Group 2 Listry v Ballydonoghue Listry 18.30

Scrapping to avoid the relegation play-offs is not what either of these two clubs would have envisaged for themselves at the beginning of the campaign, especially not Ballydonoghue who were in a semifinal of this competition not so long ago. Alas it just doesn’t seem to be happening for the Coolard outfit over the past couple of seasons and there’s a really good chance they’ll find themselves back in the relegation process for the second year running. They play Listry this weekend and, while Listry don’t look as strong this year as last, the East Kerry men won’t fear a side they comfor tably saw off away from home last year.

Verdict: Listry

Group 3 Lios Póil v Churchill Lios Póil 18.30

Lios Póil look like a side who crested in 2018 with promotion in the County League to Division 3 and victory in the Junior Championship. They’ve found it tough going in both higher grades and that struggle will likely continue this weekend even on home soil against Churchill.

Churchill – with injuries affecting them – haven’t backed up their run to the semi-finals last year, but they’ll still be out to avoid the relegation process. Going away from home will make it that much more difficult, but they should just about be good enough.

Verdict: Churchill

SUNDAY, APRIL 21 Group 2 Finuge v Gneeveguilla Finuge 14.30

Finuge are no doubt the surprise package of this year’s Premier Junior Championship. They proved last weekend with their victory over Ballydonoghue in Coolard that their first round victory over Listry was no flash in the pan. Looking at the results to date there doesn’t seem to be a huge amount between any of these sides meaning that there probably shouldn’t be much between Gneeveguilla and Finuge in O’Sullivan Park this Sunday afternoon. League form and positioning would seem to suggest this is Gneeveguilla’s to lose – top of Division 3 versus midtable Division 4 – but in championship Finuge are a different beast entirely and at home even more so.

Verdict: Finuge

Group 3 Keel v Listowel Emmets Keel 14.30

Listowel have taken this group by storm and look now to be delivering to their potential. They weren’t necessarily favourites to emerge from the group before the competition began, but in hindsight it’s clear that they had the capacity. Big victories have put them in a commanding position at the top of the group. Their score-difference far outstrips Keel’s and, while that doesn’t guarantee their victory, it does give a good indication that they’re the form team in the group. The fact that the game is taking place in Keel should even up the odds a bit, but Listowel’s firepower is such that they should be able to get the job done here.

Verdict: Listowel Emmets

Group 4 St Senans v St Pats Mountcoal 14.30

North Kerry sides are having a good run in this year’s championship, but arguably the most impressive of the lot so far has been St Senans. Their big win in Fossa at the weekend unlined their quality and their aspirations to push on to the next level in their development. That St Pats could only manage a draw last weekend against St Michaels Foilmore at home isn’t hugely encouraging ahead of a trip to Mountcoal either.

Verdict: St Senans

St Michaels / Foilmore v Fossa Foilmore 14.30

Fossa’s form hasn’t matched last year’s and they really were rather poor last weekend against St Senans. Ballyfoilmore have been a little bit better and, while they wouldn’t have been as highly regarded prior to the competition beginning, we’ve a feeling they’re going to have enough to win this game at home and avoid the relegation play-off.

Verdict: St Michaels / Foilmore