RACE FOR MILEY BEGINS

Some interesting games in the SFC over the weekend

THE hunt for Miley begins in earnest on Thursday night when this year’s Renault Senior Football Championship gets underway with the meeting of Tinahely and Bray Emmets in Joule Park, Aughrim.

Six ties are down for decision so by Sunday evening we should know more about where teams are in terms of fitness and football and who is likely to be featuring in the hunt later in the year.

Reigning champions Baltinglass face one of the toughest tasks of the weekend – apart from Coolkenno, who take on a rejuvenated Rathnew – when they take on Casey O’Brien’s St Patrick’s in a repeat of last year’s decider in which Paul Garrigan’s men got the better of the Wicklow town side fairly convincingly to bring Miley back west for the first time in a number of years.

Looking at league form and Rathnew have to be one of the feared sides in this championship having only lost to Blessington early on and having since handed out hidings to almost all teams including Baltinglass and St Patrick’s.

The return of Harry Murphy has worked well for the Village and even the chance of a Jim McLaughlin Premier Trophy last Friday night couldn’t tempt some of the key footballers to tog out as they are now fully focused on the Miley Cup.

Losing to Bray Emmets last year stung the Rathnew faithful and they are on a mission to return Miley to where they believe he belongs.

They’ll first have to negotiate their way past Coolkenno and that could be trickier than many people think and it is sure to be an interesting clash.

TINAHELY V BRAY

Thursday, June 29 Joule Park, Aughrim - 8pm Despite beating Aughrim in their opener last year, Tinahely fell to Avondale after they had lost to Rathnew. John Smith from Rathvilly is the Tinahely manager and key men are Alan Dillon who helped himself to a collection of points against Newtown in a recent league match while Stephen Dillon, Oisin Furlong, Michael Byrne, and Tony Darcy will also feature strongly for them.

They are currently sitting mid-table in Division 1A thanks to a mixed bag of performances in the league that has seen them show better away from home hainvg recorded good wins in Annacurra and Hollywood.

They face a Bray team who are missing some key men this year with Arran Murphy, the Henderson brothers and several more out of the loop for most of the summer at least. Key men will be Marc Lennon, Niall Gaffney, if available following his recent wedding, and Paul Cunningham.

Their giant killing victory over Rathnew last year was the result of the championship andthat came after a win over North District, defet to Blessington, and victory over Hollywood.

Dreams of a county final appearance were scuppered by the eventual champions Baltinglass in the semi-final.

They had been struggling in the league but have picked up a couple of good wins in recent weeks that will stand them in good stead for their opener.

Prediction – Bray Emmets

RATHNEW V COOLKENNO

Saturday, July 1 Joule Park, Aughrim - 6.45pm The danger of Rathnew putting up a big score here is real but unlikely given the toughness and footballing ability of their Carlow border opponents. Coolkenno are nothing if not proud and with Paddy Dalton, Don Jackman, Connor Walker and their young guns coming through they will match the Villagers for most if not all of this game.

The difficulty for the Coolkenno men is the threat of the Rathnew attack and their strength around midfield but they will have taken real hope from the news that Ross O’Brien and Jamie Snell are not around for much of the summer so will go into this game with serious ambition. If Bray could do it last year, then why not Coolkenno?

Rathnew are sitting pretty on top of Diviison 1. Their early defeat to Blessington at Merrymeeting is not forgotten and they have since blazed a trail, accounting for some big guns with ease as they sent forth a warning that they are coming for Miley.

Men like James Stafford, Theo Smith, Damien Power, Jody Merrigan, and Leighton Glynn will leave nothing on the field in their search for progression in this most important of events.

Prediction - Rathnew

NEWTOWN V AVONDALE

Sunday, July 2 Ashford - Noon

These two met last year in the first roundwhere Dean Odlum scored 1-06 and Newtown won by one.

Odlum’s absence will be offset by the unavailability of Conor McGraynor to the Avondale camp and spectators of both and neutrals are robbed of being able to watch two of the best footballers in the county unfortunately.

It hasn’t been the most wonderful year for Avondale so far with the shipping of 10 goals against Baltinglass being the undoubted low point but the recent morale boosting victory against Eire Og thanks to two late points from 51-year-old will give them hope ahead of what will be a very difficult clash for them.

Avondale were put out by Blessington last year after earlier wins over Kiltegan and Tinahely.

Newtown on the other hand are building a totalyl new team with young men such as Darren Walsh, Aaron Toner, Sean Gregory, Declan Doyle, and Steven Davis all looking to return the Magpies to better times. They still have loyal servants in the form of Shane Mooney and Paul O’Riordan to name but a few and manager John Murphywill leave no stone unturned to return to Newtown with a win under their belts come Sunday night..

Newtown were evntually defeated by St Pat’s last year after earlier wins over Avondale and North District.

Prediction - Newtown

ANNACURRA V EIRE OG

Sunday, July 2 Ashford, 1.45pm

This one could be a belter. They met in an IFC final some years ago and there will be plenty of running and plenty of ambition in both squads.

Annacurra’s Martin O’Brien, Frank Clune, Gearoid Murphy, and Clive Horan will look to inspire the proud Annacurra club to more Senior success. They are down a key man in Bob Fitzgerald but the able Michael Doyle will stand guard between the sticks.

Last year Annacurra went out to Hollywood after defeat to Blessington.

Alan Costello’s Éire Óg went out to Coolkenno last year and injuries to Danny Woods and Sam Thompson will leave them asent of some important figures but you look down the list and hey can still boast warriors like Stephen ‘Chester’ Kelly and Daren Hayden and there’s no dounting that the Greystones men will see this game as eminently winnable and a great way to get their championship off to a victorious start.

Prediction - Éire Óg

BLESSINGTON V KILTEGAN

Sunday, July 2

Joule Park, Aughrim - 3pm

In what is to be Barry O’Donovan’s last year the men of Blessington will want to send him off around the world with a bang and what better way to do that tan to finally quieten the critics and bring Miley to Blessington.

They lost to Pat’s last year in the semi-final having toppled Annacurra and Avondale in earlier clashes and with key men like th O’Connor brothers, Mikey and Patrick, the athletically gifted McLoughlins, and the capable Curtis Geraghty to name but a few they will be a serous test for Trevor Doyle’s Kiltegan.

However, losing Caolan O’Gorman and Martin Shannon to the States is a blow but there are numbers in Blessington to help fill those gaps.

Kiltegan are going to be a force in this championship. Of that there is little doubt.

Currently sitting pretty on top of Division 1A after some very healthy wins and led by the one and only Trevor Doyle they are going to ask some immense questions of teams this year and the first of those questions will be asked of Blessington at 3pm on Sunday in Joule Park, Aughrim.

Now with the benefit of their county men, Seanie Furlong and Rory Finn, and with men like Cathal Fitzgerald and tigerish defenders like Niall Foley and capable full-backs like Blaine Harmon thbis could be a major year for Kiltegan who are always a good championship team when the mood takes them.

Prediction - Kiltegan

BALTINGLASS V PAT’S

Sunday, July 2

Joule Park, Aughrim - 4.45pm The last of the weekend’s championship clashes and possibly the best for last.

A changed Baltinglass team will look to get their defence of the Mily Cup off to a positive start and Paul Garrigan will have a plan for them to do just that.

They have their headaches with Ian Sheerin, Joey Kelly, and Mark Staines unavailable through travel and retirement and injuries to the likes of Dan Kelly and Pat Burle but Baltinglass are Baltinglass and they will bring the usual healthy support to Aughrim and they will be intent on a win.

Standing in their way will be Casey O’Brien’s St Patrick’s. How much this team have hurt over the last few years only the closest to the camp will tell you.

The cruel defeats will have cut them deep but under Casey O’Brien’s guidance they are back for another assault.

The beast that is Dean Healy, the clever Stephen Duffy and the rest of a richly talented panel will look to demolish the Baltinglass challenge and move on to the next challenge.

But all good plans can be ripped assunder and no better man to do that ripping than Paul Garrigan. A fascinating match awaits.

Prediction – St Pat’s.