Final spot the prize as Tempo take on Belcoo

BELCOO and Tempo will both have their sights set on a place in the Intermediate Championship final when they collide this Sunday lunchtime at Brewster Park - and all indications are that this will be a tight encounter.

Belcoo had the better of things when the sides met in the league as they finished up resounding winners, but Tempo are a much improved since the end of the league and having come through their group unscathed with three wins out of three, Belcoo manager Barry Hanrahan feels that it is the Maguires who come into the game as favourites.

“We go into the game as underdogs, I suppose. Everyone seems to be tipping nothing more than a comprehensive victory for Tempo.

“It probably stands to reason that all the expectation is on them. They have three or four experienced county footballers and they are historically a very good championship team.

“They will be expected to put us to the sword. Most people would see it as a shock if we came away with the result but we are going there with the intention of causing an upset,” he said.

And Hanrahan says that the O’rahillys have to be very aware of the threats that Tempo pose.

“Another very accomplished team. They were playing Division One football and senior championship last year and they are littered with quality all over the pitch such as Aiden Breen. He’s a big match player and he will be expected to dictate the game. Tiarnan Bogue at full forward; we will have to be ready for that,” he added.

Tempo defender Rory Mccaffrey though disagrees with Hanrahan and feels that it is the O’rahillys who will be favourites to advance to the final.

“It is going to be a very tough test,” he said. “Belcoo have handed us two very heavy defeats already this year and if you let them play football they will take you apart.

“I thought that they were excellent in the second half last week against Irvinetown and they will go into the game on Sunday as strong favourites.

“We know that it is going to be a difficult afternoon but we will be going there to give it our best and see where it takes us,” he added.

Tempo though are coming into the game in good form as they set a poor league campaign behind them to rattle off three successive wins in the round robin stage of the championship.

“The league was disjointed, we had a few injuries and boys unavailable for one reason or another but we knuckled down after that and trained hard and everybody bought into what we wanted to achieve.

“We were happy to get the three wins but we are still looking for that complete performance and we know that we have to improve for this week,” added Mccaffrey.

Hanrahan also admits that his Belcoo side are moving in the right direction and he will be aiming to build on what was an excellent second half display against Irvinestown last Sunday.

“We are improving all the time. We are playing Division One football next year following on from our promotion from Division Two this year.

“We are playing in Brewster for the third time in 12 months so we must be doing something right.

“Brewster Park can do dummy things to some players minds. The occasion can get to them out on Brewster. There’s a lot of grass to cover.

“Who knows what could happen on the day. We will go out to perform and hopefully we will get the rub of the green on the day,” he said.