Duagh, Renard and Tarbert assured of quarter-finals but rest must scrape it out

GROUP 1 Moyvane v Asdee Duagh v Renard

DUAGH and Renard, with two wins each, are already guaranteed qualification. Duagh have 10 points to spare in scoring difference but Renard, with the likes of Robert Wharton, Killian Young, Eoin McCrohan, and Conor O’Leary in good form, could well close that gap if they can raise at least one green flag. However, Martin Scannell and Anthony Maher will be expected to lead Duagh to top the group.

THE real meat in this group is in the other game. Moyvane will be fancied to have a slight edge over Asdee The likes of Shane Stack, Eamon O’Flaherty, and Tadhg McEvoy will be hoping to supply enough ammunition for top scorer Martin Stack to prevail.

GROUP 2 Scartaglin v Beale Valentia Young Islanders V Cordal

VALENTIA Young Islanders are the only team out of contention and it’s difficult to see them put up sufficient resistance against Cordal, despite the best efforts of great players like John Shanahan and Andrew Quigley. A win for Cordal, with the likes of Philip O’Connor and TJ O’Connor in top gear, would put them up to 4 points. Any result other than a draw in the other match would see Cordal go through in second place. However, if Beale and Scartaglin do draw, they would also finish on 4 points, leading to a three way play-off. In that eventuality, scoring difference would come into play, so Cordal will be looking to work the scoreboard against Valentia – and the islanders lie down for nobody!

SCARTAGLIN and Beale is the game to savour for neutrals. Deadlocked on three points and just 2 between them in scoring difference. This will be a real duel – winner definitely goes through, loser almost certainly does not. This is real championship bite. Scartaglin will be looking to the Horan twins – Eddie has been outstanding in the past two games – while Beale have players like Darragh Buckley, Tom Joy, and Johnny o’Sullivan. This one is far too close to call but should be a thriller.

GROUP 3 Knocknagoshel v Sneem Derrynane Annascaul V Kilgarvan

TO be honest, on paper at least this one looks fairly straightforward. If Annascaul beat Kilgarvan and Knocknagoshel beat Sneem/Derrynane (both will go in as favourites), then they go through.

IN fact, if Annascaul win, Knocknagoshel go through regardless – even if Kilgarvan did win to level with them on points, Knocknagoshel beat Kilgarvan in their head to head game. Knocknagoshel, with the Walsh brothers in good recent form, should beat a struggling Sneem/ Derrynane despite the likes of the great Ian Galvin. That would put them on 4 points.

ANNASCAUL have 4 points and have a team infused with some superb young talent like Killian Falvey and Colm O’Moriarty. However, Kilgarvan are a very tough test. John Mark Foley is as good a midfielder as is out there and the likes of Daniel Casey and Gearóid Fennessy rack up good scores. All Annascaul can really do is win their own game and leave it in the lap of capricious football gods!

GROUP 4 Tarbert v Castlegregory Lispole v Cromane

THIS is another hugely intriguing group. Lispole absolutely must beat Cromane to have any chance, but they should be able to if the likes of Tom Kavanagh is wearing his shooting boots. Cromane have some great players like the Walsh brothers and Sean O’Sullivan, but have struggled with panel depth.

THE game between Tarbert and Castlegregory will be a cracker. Castlegregory are just one point behind the leaders and can leapfrog them into first place with a win here. Alan Fitzgerald and the O’Grady brothers and Anto Kelliher are well capable of producing a winning total, even against a side as good as Tarbert. The trouble for Castlegregory is that they could end up head to head with Lispole – and that would put Lispole through. I’d say there’s a lot of twists and turns in this group yet before the final whistle!