Provincial showdowns!

St Pat’s, Dunlavin and An Tochar hit the road

IT’S full speed ahead into Leinster club competitions this weekend for Garden County sides as our Senior and Intermediate county football champions and our Junior ‘A’ representatives all hit the road to take on their provincial rivals.

The big one is on Sunday when Casey O’Brien takes his St Patrick’s outfit to Bord na Mona O’Connor Park in Tullamore for a meeting with Offaly champions Ferbane at 1.30pm.

The Offaly side accounted for Rhode in their county final by 2-13 to 0-14 with a superb second-half performance by Cian Johnson ending their long famine against four-in-arow seeking Rhode.

Johnson struck for two superb goals after the interval as Ferbane wrestled the crown away from Rhode to win their first title since 1994.

It was a stunning win for Ferbane, who struggled to find their A game in the first half and trailed by 0-8 to 0-6 at half-time.

Rhode were missing star attacker Niall McNamee, who only came in as a late sub having sustained a heavy blow to the head in their semi-final win and his loss proved to be a grievous one.

Casey O’Brien will be confident that his free-flowing and talented squad can get past this opening hurdle and set them up for a positive and productive Leinster club campaign and that the celebrations following their dramatic and entertaining victory over AGB won’t have taken too much of a toll on his charges.

There are two fixtures involving Wicklow sides on Saturday. The Darcy Sand Intermediate football champions Dunlavin head for Pairc Chiaran in Athlone for a 1.30pm throw-in against Wesmeath IFC champions Caulry who disposed of Milltownpass by 3-13 to 2-10 in their county decider.

Minus the services of centre back Paul Murtagh who has departed for Australia, Jonathan Daniels will he hoping that his strong defence and talented attack can get past the Co. Westmeath champs.

An Tochar are also set for a Westmeath opponent in the Leinster Junior club championship battle when the Roundwood men head for Lakepoint Park in St Loman’s for a 1.30pm throw in against Ballincargy.