Super 8s, Europa League and World Cup whet the appetite
AND then there were eight.
Following the final four Qualifier games at the weekend the line-up for the inaugural Super 8s is now complete. Provincial winners Kerry, Galway, Donegal and Dublin are now joined by Kildare, Monaghan, Tyrone and Roscommon.
Kildare continued their impressive resurgence in form by comprehensively disposing of Fermanagh, while Tyrone eased past the disappointing challenge of Cork. Roscommon eventually overcame Armagh in a terrific game in Navan, while Monaghan eventually stumbled over the line in defeating Laois despite a goalkeeping masterclass from Laois fly-keeper Graham Brody.
The route to the last eight is unchanged from previous years, but now we move into new territory, with the remaining eight teams facing off in two groups of four to determine the semi-final spots.
Kildare and Monaghan join Kerry and Galway in Group One, while Dublin and Donegal are paired with Tyrone and Roscommon. Each team plays the other three teams in the group once, with each county having one home fixture, one away fixture and one game in Croke Park. Dublin will have two fixtures at headquarters.
The mouth-watering ties commence this weekend with Dublin/Donegal and Tyrone/Roscommon on Saturday, followed by Kerry/Galway and Kildare/ Monaghan on Sunday, all four games taking place in Croke Park.
The format promises to be hugely exciting, with most people really looking forward to the second and third games at the various provincial venues, particularly Dublin’s visit to Omagh.
In the event of teams finishing level, then head to head rules apply and if that game was a draw then it’s down to score difference.
The four provincial winners are favourites to make the last four, but don’t be at all surprised if one or even two of the qualifiers cause an upset.
On the club scene, Newtown Blues opened the defence of their Senior Championship crown with a comfortable ninepoint victory over Naomh Mairtin on Sunday evening. Earlier in the day Dreadnots got the better of St Mary’s, Geraldines beat St Pat’s and O Raghallaigh’s accounted for St Joseph’s.
In Intermediate, Cooley had plenty to spare over Glen Emmets, while St Bride’s and Naomh Fionnbarra prevailed over Clans and St Kevin’s respectively.
Soccer
Dundalk are in Estonia this week to face local side Levadia Tallinn in the Europa League on Thursday.
The Lilywhites travel to the Baltics safe in the knowledge that they’ve gone four points clear at the top of the domestic league. The previous week’s 2-1 victory over title holders Cork was followed up by another excellent win against St Patrick’s on Friday night at Richmond Park.
The league’s top scorer Pat Hoban was again on target as he struck his 20th and 21st goals of the campaign to help Dundalk to their 10th win on the spin. This winning streak equals the record set by a Dundalk team going back 50 years to 1968.
Following his return from Oldham last week, Stephen Kenny will also have Patrick McEleney available for the Levadia Tallinn game but may not use him, depending on the playmaker’s match fitness.
The Estonian outfit, who have lots of European experience, will provide a stiff test for Dundalk and this will be their fifth time facing League of Ireland opposition.
Cork beat them 6-2 on aggregate in last season’s first qualifying round, while they also faced Bohemiams (twice) and Drogheda in the past.
Ten years ago, under the stewardship of Paul Doolin, Drogheda nicked a 1-0 victory in Tallinn before securing a 2-1 home win to proceed 3-1 on aggregate. That was the same season the Drogs came agonisingly close to ousting Ukrainian kingpins Dynamo Kiev, losing 4-3 over the two ties.
There’s so much sport going on at the moment that I’ve hardly any time or space for the World Cup.
Russia 2018 has been pretty good so far, with some fantastic games and performances.
Most of the big guns are already gone home, with just Belgium, France, Croatia and England remaining.
Although I’m trying desperately to ignore it, the tune ‘Football’s coming home’ keeps playing away in my head.