Ultimate punishment for Kenmare District is to draw Dr Crokes in losers round
WHILE there was plenty of drama in last weekend’s remaining first round matches – not least the shock defeat of Dr Crokes at the hands of Rathmore – this weekend sees four matches of proper championship football, i.e. knockout contests where the loser goes out of the county championship.
With that in mind the intensity should be even greater this weekend as eight teams put their championship survival on the line, including, of course, Dr Crokes who will be looking to bounce back after what was their first county championship defeat since late 2009. That they face Kenmare District merely adds to the interest in Dr Crokes first ever Losers Round match, given that the divisional side failed to field a team for their scheduled first round match against Dingle.
DR CROKES V KENMARE DISTRICT
AN air of uncertainty surrounds this one following last weekend's events. Kenmare District's inability to play against Dingle means we don't have any form to assess them on while we will now have to see what Dr Crokes' character is like after their surprise defeat to Rathmore last Sunday evening. The Killarney side have never gone this route in the competition before and they can't afford a repeat performance again this weekend or their five-ina-row dreams could all be over before they ever really get started.
It will be interesting to see how Johnny Buckley's fitness is after coming off early in the second half against Rathmore and while they will be heavily fancied, they can't allow any sense of complacency creep in regardless of their opponents own difficulties.
This will be former Kenmare District player Alan O'Sullivan’s first time facing his old team mates since his transfer to the Killarney side at the start of 2013. Can an under fire Kenmare District side mobilise themselves to cause the shock of all shocks this Sunday? It’s highly unlikely but they might benefit from some very underwhelming views about their chances heading to Lewis Road this weekend, Crokes should still get back on track however. Verdict: Dr Crokes
KERINS O'RAHILLYS V FEALE RANGERS
TRALEE opposition for the second consecutive week for Feale Rangers, but this time they are travelling to the town itself to take on Strand Road. Neither will necessarily be happy with their respective performances in their defeats to Austin Stacks and South Kerry, but with it all on the line now this Sunday it might just bring a great deal bet-
ter out of both. You might be inclined to give the district side a bit more leeway seeing as it was their first competitive outing but O'Rahillys do certainly look to be in transition this year with the big turnover in their panel.
The club side have the more experience in terms of going through this phase, they defeated Kilcummin in the Losers Round last year on their way to eventually making the semi-finals of the competition and won't be phased by the thought of (regardless of the opposition) going through this way. It might well be with their own backs to the wall that Feale Rangers prosper better on Sunday but they might just lack the craft to get over the line away from home and home advantage really is a big bonus for Strand Road here. They still have to make it count however.
Verdict: Kerins O'Rahillys
ST KIERANS V KILLARNEY LEGION
BOTH teams left the pitch in their respective First Round encounters with varying degrees of morale. St Kierans will wonder what might have been had their started their fight back against Mid Kerry a bit earlier but there is something there for them to work on ahead of this Saturday evening in Castleisland. Legion meanwhile left a very promising start against East Kerry slip away in their defeat in Fitzgerald Stadium and a trip to Castleisland is a tough thought for them at the outset. However it's a venue they have been successful on already this year when you consider their County League win over Castleisland Desmonds in April.
They are playing against the best of seven clubs at the venue on this occasion it must be said and it will be another fine test of where the Killarney side are as a club at the moment. They've been doing well in other spheres so far this year but a County Championship win against a fancied side would really be a big statement that they are going in the right direction. They defeated Mid Kerry at this stage last year (albeit at home) and if they can repeat that performance they might just pull through here.
Verdict: Killarney Legion
WEST KERRY V MILLTOW/C’MAINE (first round replay)
THIS first round replay goes ahead in Austin Stack Park tonight ( Wednesday) following their draw in Milltown last Sunday week when an oversight in the fixtures list meant extra-time wasn’t played when it should have.
West Kerry don’t get home advantage here but they will nonetheless be confident of beating the club side second time out, with the benefit of a good examination behind them. In Alan Fitzgerald, James Crean, Sean Mici O Conchuir and Declan O’Sullivan they have very good forwards, and alongside Marc and Padraig O Se, the Hickson brothers and Emmet Kennedy they are a formidable unit.
Milltown/ Castlemaine could easily have been well beaten the first day, but equally they had their chances to win it late on, and Wayne Quillinan’s team should be encouraged by their second half fight-back. There is an overdependence on Derek Twiss for free kicks, albeit that he is deadly accurate with them, but they will need to be more ruthless with their goal chances and will need to tighten up more in defence.
Verdict: West Kerry