IT’S CRUNCH TIME
Huge games in football championships this weekend
THE state of play in the football championships will be much cleared after this weekend in terms of the teams contesting the business end following the meeting of some of the leading contenders in this year’s campaigns.
Victory or defeat in some of the games fixed for this weekend will effectively end several clubs’ ambitions of winning the respective cups, with the Senior champions of 2016 being one of those perilously close to championship exit.
Baltinglass must beat Blessington to stay alive in the Renault Senior Football Championship when they meet at 6.30pm on Sunday evening in Joule Park Aughrim. A defeat to Paddy O’Connor’s side will keep Baltinglass on four points, one behind AGB who face St Pat’s on Saturday at 6.30pm in the county grounds where a win would see them overtake Casey O’Brien’s men who currently lead Group 1 on six points with three wins from three.
Rathnew will want no further slip ups in their passage to the closing stages and their recent dispatching of Kiltegan should give the Bray Emmets management team plenty of food for thought ahead of the sides meeting in Joule Park Aughrim at 5pm in Joule Park Aughrim on Saturday.
The only team to seriously trouble the defending champions, Hollywood, will be out in action at 6.30pm in Pearse’s Park in Arklow when they take on struggling Avondale who will be looking to keep their hopes alive with a win against Mick Murray’s side here.
The west side have shown serious organisation and huge ambition in this year’s champion- ship and they will be hungry for another victory after their win over Bray last time out.
Ahead of the Hollywood v. Avondale clash will be the meeting of Éire Óg and Kiltegan. A win here is vital for Kiltegan should Hollywood slip up, but Éire Óg, despite missing some key men due to suspension, will be looking to restore pride after a disappointing championship to date.
There are also some major clashes in the JAFC and the IFC this weekend with Ballymanus v. Donard-The Glen and Coolkenno v. Dunlavin in Baltinglass on Saturday being the pick of those.
And there’s also silverware up for grabs this week as the finals of the Junior ‘A’ and ‘B’ hurling championships are on this evening (Wednesday) in Newcastle and Joule Park Aughrim.