FANTASY FOOTBALL

Nowhere to hide as championships reach tipping point

By 6pm on Sunday evening one of the big guns of the Renault Senior Football Championship will be out of this year’s competition.

If Blessington upset the odds and inflict the first defeat on Casey O’Brien’s St Patrick’s then the 2016 champions Baltinglass will have made their championship exit. Victory for the Wicklow town men will see last year’s county finalists done and dusted for the season. It’s that simple.

There are plenty of other pivotal battles up for decision over the next few days across all grades in Wicklow GAA. Should Blessington get the better of Pat’s and AGB defeat Annacurra in Avondale on Friday evening then Damien Redmond’s rejuvenated side will secure a semi-final place.

Barring a shock of monstrous proportions, Rathnew will take up one of the two semi-final spots win, lose or draw against Éire Óg Greystones. The only side who can stop Harry Murphy’s men from reaching the last four are Hollywood who would need to beat Kiltegan by a generous amount to better the score difference and that is unlikely to happen on Friday evening in Baltinglass when Mick Murray’s men go up against Trevor Doyle’s charges.

At the other end of the tables it is a crunch weekend for Avondale, Bray Emmets and Éire Óg as two of those three teams will be joining Annacurra and Newtown in the Keating Trophy relegation battle.

As intriguing as the Senior championship is, the Darcy Sands Intermediate Football Championship is reaching boiling point with the campaign’s top dogs facing off to see who will reach the last four and avoid the quarter-finals.

Coolkenno, fresh from their thrilling victory over Dunlavin on Monday evening last, will take on high-flying Tinahely in Joule Park Aughrim on Sunday at 2.30pm with the prize of a semi-final spot up for grabs. At 6pm the previous evening in Pearse’s Park in Arklow, Ballymanus and Laragh will clash for the first of the semi-final spots while Donard-the Glen will be hoping that Carnew Emmets can beat Rathnew on Friday to keep their championship hopes alive.

Key games in Junior ‘B’ and ‘C’ as well on what will be a hectic weekend. Fixtures inside.