Appetising games ahead

THE championship semi-finals were made at the county grounds in Aughrim last Sunday evening and they have thrown up plenty of appetising clashes over the coming weeks.

All eyes were on the Senior football draw after Bray Emmets’ superb victory over the reigning champions Rathnew by 2-07 to 0-07.

This win for the Bray men has thrown open the Senior football championship and any of the four teams, Bray, Blessington, St Pat’s and Baltinglass will feel they have every possibility of winning the Miley Cup.

The semi-final draw for that competition has pitted St Pat’s against Blessington in what is a real heavyweight battle.

In the other semi-final Bray will take on Paul Garrigan’s Baltinglass who have gone about their business with no fuss but deadly efficiency and they may have made hard work of getting past Coolkenno but the Carlwo border men were never going to be a pushover. This is a fascinating clash.

In the Intermediate grade, AGB will face Kilmacanogue while the men of Donard-the Glen will go toe to toe with Ballinacor in what should be an absolute belter of a game of football.

The Junior ‘A’ football semi-final draw pitches Ashford against St Pat’s while Kilcoole, who toppled Barndarrig in the quarter-final, will take on a Coolboy team who dispatched their neighbours Carnew in the last game.

An intriguing set of Junior ‘ B’ football semi-finals awaits. Rathnew will be keen to claim some silverware from the season but they are facing a very capable Knockananna side in their last four clash. On the other side of the draw, Enniskerry will have to handle the physicality and doggedness of Kiltegan.

This Saturday one of the county finalists in the Senior hurling championship will be known when rivals Glenealy and Carnew go into battle in Aughrim. Ahead of that game St Pat’s will face Avondale in the re-fixed quarter-final to decide who goes forward to meet Bray in the second semi-final.

In the first of the Intermediate hurling semi-final, fixed for Satruday afternoon in Dunbur Park in Wicklow town, the Rocks of Arklow will take on Bray Emmets while in the second semi-final the men of Kiltegan will go up against Glenealy for a spot in the decider.

In the Minor football it’s high-flying AGB who await the winners of Avondale and Eire Og Greystones while Baltinglass are awaiting the victors of the Blessington v Pearse Gaels clash.

The Junior ‘C’ football championshipo semi-final draws throws up interesting clashes between An Tochar and Donard-The Glen and Kilcoole and the men from Coolkenno. See fixtures for details. Intermediate Hurling - ARP v Bray Emmets; Kiltegan v Glenealy.

Senior Hurling - Carnew Emmets v Glenealy; Bray Emmets v Avondale/St. Patricks.

Junior C Football - An Tochar v Donard-The Glen; Kilcoole v Coolkenno.

Junior B Football - Kiltegan v Enniskerry; Rathnew v Knockananna.

Junior A Football - Ashford v St. Patricks; Kilcoole v Coolboy.

Intermediate Football - Kilmacanogue v AGB; Donard-The Glen v Ballinacor.

Minor A Football - Baltinglass v Blessington/Pearse Gaels; AGB v Avondale/Eire Óg.

Minor B Football Play Off - 1=St. Kevins, 2=Luke O’Tooles, 3=Bray Emmets.

Senior Football - St. Patricks v Blessington; Bray v Baltinglass.