Shamrock Gaels, Curry and Castleconnor all in with a chance in the intermediate championship
THE battle to win the Joe McMorrow Cup kicks into gear this weekend as the competition moves into the knock-out stages with three spots up for grabs to join Shamrock Gaels who topped group A and went straight to the semi-finals.
Three interesting matches will be played over the next two weeks, Looking at the fixtures, all three games look to be very interesting.
Ballymote, who shocked a number of Sligo people recently when they got the better of Geevagh to send them into the relegation battle, have been handed a quarter-final meeting with Enniscrone who they will know very well from playing in two finals against them last year. Enniscrone/ Kilglass this year by former Coolera Standhill player Con O’Meara will be plotting a way for his side to make the semi-finals which would be massive for the West Sligo side.
Ballymote will be underdogs for the game after the west Sligo side made it two wins from two in the group stages and an opening round win over Castleconnor has meant that Enniscrone must be taken seriously under O’Meara.
The tie of round must be the meeting of Curry and St Farnan’s, last year’s beaten finalists form has been up and down.
The west Sligo side were very disappointing against Bunninadden and they will know they will have to up their performance against Curry.
Farnan’s will be hoping that Patrick O’Connor and Finnian Cawley will be able to use their inter county experience as they bid to end Curry’s hopes of making it back to senior after being relegated last year.
Curry on the other hand looked like they would top the group at the experience of Shamrock Gaels but score difference ensured Curry would have to face Farnan’s in the quarter-finals. There is plenty of experience in the Curry side with Sean Davey and Adrian Marren still two main players for south Sligo side.
But they have youthful players coming through such as Red Og Murphy and Oisin Higgins.
This means Curry are a formidable side and could take some stopping in this year’s Kennedy’s Intermediate Championship.
The last game of the quarter-finals is the meeting of the third west Sligo side Castleconnor as they take on
Bunninadden in what should be another excellent contest. Bunninadden have been impressive to date in the championship, making it two wins from two.
They have one of best finishers at intermediate level with Vincent Frizzell who will take marking at this level.
Castleconnor won the Division Two league crown and they will be very dependent on Sean Carrabine and Kevin McDonnell if they are see the final just like in 2015. when Easkey got the better of them in that final.
This will be another close game in store extra time could be required.
But Castleconnor will be favourites to make it to last four of the championship. Favourites for the championship will be Shamrock Gaels.
But don’t write off Curry to return to senior football for 2108.