Club Championships 2009

Sport
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SFC Group 1, Round 3,

Dromcollogher-Broadford v Hospital Herbertstown, Kilmallock, Saturday 6:45pm

Drom should have far too much for Hospital who have yet to win a game this year and are red hot favourites to be contesting the relegation play off. Drom will use this as a platform to get their season back on track after stuttering aginst St Senans
Prediction: Drom

Saint Senan’s v Ballylanders, Ballyagran, Sunday 6:45pm

Has the makings of a great game and a win for Ballylanders would see them gaurenteed to make the quarter finals and possibly straight into the semi. Senans on the other hand will be looking to build on their draw against Drom in the last round and badly need the win here to be in the shake up for 3rd spot.

I’m going to go for Senans, just about.

Prediction: St Senans

SFC Group 2, Round 3

Pallasgreen v Ballysteen, Claughaun, Saturday 6:45pm

Top of the table clash here with Ballysteen 2 from 2 and Pallasgreen with a win and a draw so far. A win for Ballysteen would guarantee them a QF place and would put them in poll position to top the group and get the semi final spot but a win for Pallasgreen will throw the race wide open again.

Pallasgreen are a dogged, physical team but also have plenty of fine footballers but are known to have their off days. Ballysteen are on a roll at the moment and may just have the momentum needed to grind out a result.
Prediction: Ballysteen just about.

Saint Kieran’s v Claughaun, Bruff, Sunday 6:45pm

The winner of this game keeps themself in the QF hunt, but for the loser it means they are facing a relegation battle. Claughan shocked everyone with a win over Adare in the last round, while so far Kierans have only managed a draw against Pallasgreen.
I’m not convinced by Claughan though so will give Kierans the nod here.

Prediction: St Kierans

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Football Championships in Laois are off the mark this week. Here’s the games for the upcoming days

Senior Football Championship Round 1
The Rock v Arles/Killeen
Ballylinan v Graiguecullen
Ballyroan Abbey v Stradbally
Portlaoise v Mountmellick
The Heath v Crettyard
O’Dempsey’s v St Joseph’s
Portarlington v Arles/Kilcruise
Timahoe v Emo

Two games over with already, Killeen beat The Rock by 1 point on Weds night, and Ballylinan and Graiguecullen drew last night.

Killeen were lucky to scrape through, despite having a feared forward line of Donie Brennan, Beano McDonald, Donie Kingston and Jason Enright. Their backs might let them down though over the course of the campaign despite many fancying them to be Portlaoise’s biggest challengers. Kingston is a serious addition to any club side, his 6th club and he’s only 19, odd enough at the best of times. Killeen had Mick Leigh to thank for their win in the end, making 5 top notch saves including a penalty save.

Graigue would have been fancied to handle Ballylinan with ease, but only managed to grab the draw with the last kick of the game from Laois full back Mark Timmons.

The Laois SFC is played off with a losers group, so first round and second round losers go in the losers group to be recycled back into the pot, giving everyone a second chance.

Portlaoise will of course be favourites, but are down a lot of players this year due to lads travelling and injuries and transfers. They’re without the likes of Cahir Healy, Colm Parkinson, Tommy Fitz, Zach Tuohy to name a few, but if anyone has the numbers to get by its the Town. Its theirs to lose. However they face a tough challenge in the first round from Mountmellick who have been coming strong in recent years. Will be an interesting clash.

So this is how I see the remainder going

Ballyroan Abbey v Stradbally
Portlaoise v Mountmellick
The Heath v Crettyard
O’Dempsey’s v St Joseph’s
Portarlington v Arles/Kilcruise
Timahoe v Emo

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Group 1

Drom 3-16 Hospital 0-5
St Senans 1-16 Ballylander 1-13

So Drom move top of the group, with Ballylanders back to 2nd and Senans up to 3rd.

Group 2

Ballysteen 0-12 Pallasgreen 0-9
Claughan beat St Kierans but don’t know the score.

Ballysteen stay on top with 3 from 3, Pallasgreen drop back to 3rd and Claughan move into 2nd.

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Drom will be hard bet.

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They will indeed. Hospital are shit though.

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just got word that Newmarket hammered Clooney/Quin 3-25 to 2-12 or something similar in the Clare cup play off, the now play Clonlara in a repeat of last years semi, which the Clon won in probably the worst weather conditions I ever played in…Broadford v Crusheen in the other semi…Clooeny yet again shit themselves when they get to the business end of a competition, shower of soft cunts…they will do well to get out of their group now…

Third round of the hurling championship is down for the week coming…

Second round of the football championship was on over the weekend and after a couple of tough weekends KIB got back to winning ways by beating Wolf tones with a bit to spare

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[quote=“The Puke”]just got word that Newmarket hammered Clooney/Quin 3-25 to 2-12 or something similar in the Clare cup play off, the now play Clonlara in a repeat of last years semi, which the Clon won in probably the worst weather conditions I ever played in…Broadford v Crusheen in the other semi…Clooeny yet again shit themselves when they get to the business end of a competition, shower of soft cunts…they will do well to get out of their group now…

Third round of the hurling championship is down for the week coming…

Second round of the football championship was on over the weekend and after a couple of tough weekends KIB got back to winning ways by beating Wolf tones with a bit to spare[/quote]

Not going as well as last year tho is the call from the Wesht. Caveat empor if your thinking of getting stuck in Puke.

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TBH i wouldn’t be betting on the football wouldn’t know much about the clubs outside of the ‘duel’ clubs and KIB…Was surprised to see KIB beaten in the 21’s last week, first time in a long time they won’t be in the 21’s final!

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Was at the game and were deservedly beaten by a better drilled Ennistymon/Inagh outfit.

Mark McCarthy has all the attributes to be a top county player though. He is a fine forward and needs to decide for himself if he wants to be the next Dessie Mollaghan or next Odhran O’Dwyer. Darren Hickey is a great fielder but lacks a bit on the ball. They were carrying a few players tho truth be told.

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[quote=“myboyblue”]
Ballyroan Abbey v Stradbally
Portlaoise v Mountmellick
The Heath v Crettyard
ODempseys v St Josephs
Portarlington v Arles/Kilcruise
Timahoe v Emo [/quote]

So much for Mountmellick causing an upset, the Town bet them out the gate, 5-9 to 0-6 I think it was.

Stradbally won 0-11 to 0-5, Ballyroan Abbey, last years Leinster IF winners are a weaker outfit this year.

The Heath and Crettyard drew.

Jospehs beat O Dempseys, Joe Higgins and Tom Kelly gave masterclasses up front for Josephs, despite Kelly being on one leg.

Port got 3 early goals, but Ross Munnelly kicked something like 8 points to pull a draw out for A Kilcruise.

Emo beat last years beaten finalists Timahoe by 1 point. Brendan Quigley and Pauric Clancy are the main men for Timahoe, but Emo look to have a more solid team, might cause an upset or two before the year is out.

Losers enter into a losers group, replays due mid week. Tie of the next round sees big spending Arles Killeen up against Portlaoise, should be a cracker.

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Cork has progressed a little bit further in last week.
Senior Hurling
Quarter-Finals
C.I.T. 3-10 Bride Rovers 2-07
Sars 1-22 Na Piarsaigh 1-09
Newtownshandrum 1-21 Glen Rovers 0-13
Erins Own vs St.Finbarrs

Semi-Finals
Sars vrs. CIT
Newtown vrs Erins Own/The Barrs.

Think its safe to say the best 4 teams are there, expecting Erins Own to have too much for the Barrs. Sars are still the favourites. Michael Cussen came on after half time the other night and won MOTM, scoring 1-06. Aisake and Ray Ryan (who had a blinder) belted the shite out of each other.

Senior Football
Semi-Finals
Carbery vrs. The Barrs
Clonakilty vrs. Bishopstown

Carbery are the favourites, and deservidly so, they did beat Nemo and have 21 guys who have played for Cork at Minor, U-21, Junior or Senior. I would never write off Clon or the Barrs though, both have huge traditions. There is only one Cork player between the two of them as well, Shields, so their preperation will be good. Bishopstown are young and handy, but wouldn’t think they’d have the experience for Clon.

Premier Intermediate Hurling
Semi-Finals
Ballincollig vs Douglas
Newcestown vs Ballymartle

Wide Open, Douglas would have been my favourite at the start, but they are stumbling along. Impossible to call at this stage.

Premier Intermediate Football
Quarter-Finals
St.Vincents 0-09 Grenagh 0-09
Bantry vs Clyda Rovers
Valley Rovers 2-09 Newcestown 0-11
Ballinora vs Glanmire

Ridiculous how hard it is to call this. I’ve seen a number of games and their is no pattern. Nobody blowing the world away, been a poor year in this.

Intermediate “A” Hurling
Semi-Finals
Kilworth vs Blackrock
Aghada vs Valley Rovers

Brilliant competition this year. Aghada who came down last year are looking good. Pierce O’ Neill was frightening for them on friday night when they scraped passed All-Ireland Junior champs Dripsey in a cracker. The winner should come from their semi-final.

Intermediate “A” Football
Final
Cill Na Matra vrs. Carrigaline

Think Cill Na Matra will do it. They beat a very fancied Adrigole team saturday night. Carrig robbed Fermoy and are generally the biggest bottlers in Cork. Watched them last friday and their full back line is terrible.

On a related subject. Ballincollig won the U-21 “A” Football title last night in a big surprise win over The Barrs. Ballincollig have lost 8 Minor Premier (or old “A”) in last 15-16 years and a good few U-21 semis and finals as well. Huge monkey off their back. They should avoid relegation easily in Senior and i expect them to win a Senior title in next 3 years.

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Kev do the winnners of the intermediate get promoted to premier intermediate or what is the story?

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Ya thats how it works. They wanted to just have 16 teams in every competition, so they kinda relegated a few teams in the old Intermediate and promoted a couple extra junior. Its taken a few years, but the grades are very close and competitive now. Some teams were just floating along in the old Intermediate with no threat of relegation or anything. Now there is. The Junior teams that came up have risen their game as well.

Premier Intermediate teams are the ones who represent Cork in All-Ireland Club.

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[quote=“The Puke”]just got word that Newmarket hammered Clooney/Quin 3-25 to 2-12 or something similar in the Clare cup play off, the now play Clonlara in a repeat of last years semi, which the Clon won in probably the worst weather conditions I ever played in…Broadford v Crusheen in the other semi…Clooeny yet again shit themselves when they get to the business end of a competition, shower of soft cunts…they will do well to get out of their group now…

Third round of the hurling championship is down for the week coming…

Second round of the football championship was on over the weekend and after a couple of tough weekends KIB got back to winning ways by beating Wolf tones with a bit to spare[/quote]

Heard about the C/Q collapse. Presumably the Clare People will now retract their earlier assertions that C/Q were serious championship contenders. Congrats as well to Clonlara on capturing the Junior B league title. Did you get a run puke?

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I am waiting til they get promoted to the junior a championship before I make the drop…Should win it this year, although you never know…

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So your saying your refusing to put on the jersey. the level don’t matter Puke, if you elligble then you play, end of.

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i ain’t eligable to play junior kev:rolleyes:

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disgraceful attitude pukey…i played junior, inter and senior all in the one week a few weeks back and i’m the wrong side of 30…:popcorn:

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Thats fair enough.
I did something similar scum. Never played senior hurling championship, but togged out for division in a few challenges.

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Wouldn’t see the point in dropping down a few levels for the sake of it and take the place of a young lad…Would be fairly pissed off if the roles were reversed…

The juniors have around 25 at msot training session so they ain’t stuck for numbers