The business end of all the football championships has arrived and Meath Live has dusted down our crystal ball for a preview of the action.
SFC; Skryne v Ratoath; Páirc Tailteann, Saturday 27th September at 4.00pm. Referee: Kieran Olwell
The outcome of this one could hinge on a doctor’s decision. Skryne’s big fielding midfielder Harry Rooney suffered a concussion the last day and if the medics give him the okay to play the Tara men’s unlikely renaissance can continue. Relegation has concerned Skryne in recent seasons and they would be regarded as the outsiders of the four remaining teams. Given Rooney’s aerial prowess they can gain enough possession to edge this local derby, without it Ratoath’s county man Jack Flynn can dominate centrally.
At times Skryne can look like they don’t know what they are doing such is the organised chaos of their attack with numbers on shirts meaning very little positionally.
Defensively Ratoath have tightened up as the seasons progressed but they did kick 21 wides in their quarter final to come from behind over Donaghmore/Ashbourne.
Verdict; Skryne to be wild about Harry and scrape into the final.
Dunshaughlin v Summerhill; Páirc Tailteann, Sunday 28th September 4.00pm. Referee: Patrick Coyle.
The last two Keegan Cup winners clash here and despite eventually beating Wolfe Tones in the quarter final Dunshaughlin had to rely on a brilliant Conor Gray goal and some good goalkeeping to do so. In short, the holders were far from impressive, and will need their A game here. The smart money says Adam Flanagan will win enough ball to ensure the ‘Hills Eoghan Frayne inspired attack can make hay. Above photo; Eoghan Frayne, Summerhill and Sean Ryan, St Peters Dunboyne in action in last year’s quarter final.
Verdict; Summerhill to dethrone the holders.
IFC semi finals;
Moynalvey v Castletown; Páirc Tailteann, Saturday 27 Sept at 2.00pm. Referee: Derek Ryan.
The pre competition favourites play the team that came out of nowhere, and while this is certainly Moynalvey’s toughest test yet they are on the crest of a wave and the return of Hugh, the third Sullivan brother has helped enormously. It’s a relatively short period since Castletown put it up to Fossa, Clifford’s and all, in an All Ireland junior club semi and they swept undefeated to the division 4 league title this season.
As the highest ranked side in that section they would have been expected to win it and they lived up to those expectations in fine style with Adam Matthews and Rian McConnell steering the ship superbly from the middle sector while the full forward line of the fluid Kevin Ross, Declan Cribbin and Darragh Weldon have run up big scores. Crucially Moynalvey may have to step up a gear to win this, while Castletown need to maintain the level of performance they have displayed so far.
Verdict; In what could be a thriller Castletown to advance.
Outside the respective clubs it is fair to say that few envisaged either of these sides reaching this stage, but as the man says here they are.
Anthony Moyles has cut his managerial teeth well with Kilbride and they have been steadily building to this point while the Saints are a typically solid crew. Michaels quarter final defeat of Oldcastle was their stand out result so far. Kilbride though are a coming force an can make the decider.
Verdict; Kilbride to bring the return of their golden era a step nearer.
JFC SEMI FINALS;
Slane v Clann Na Gael; Dunganny Sunday at 7pm. Referee: Robert Purfield
It’s not often a seventeen point victory comes with a caveat, but there is a big question as to whether the Athboy teams success by that margin over Dunderry in the quarter final can be taken at face value. True they shot the lights out, scoring 4-13 with Ben Corkery and Tomás Doyle leading the charge. The ‘but’ is that their goalkeeper Eoin Griffith won man of the match producing at least five top class saves suggesting they may not be as strong defensively as they undoubtedly are attack wise.
Slane on the other hand have a more solid look about them and their seven point group stage win over the Vincents was all the more notable because the Blues were missing score getter Podge McGowan with a knee injury. Slane’s Conor Forde has a healthy attitude to two pointers, if he misses one he thinks try again and if that fails he thinks try better, mostly he doesn’t miss though and aided by Matthew Tully and goal a game midfielder Fran Marry combines to give Slane a reasonable attack.
The Boyneside side came through a tough group dropping just a point in a draw with Syddan in which uncharacteriscally they kicked a lot of wides, coming into this on the back of a third successive league promotion, they can go one step further than last seasons semi final exit, but it won’t be easy.
Verdict; Slane to squeeze through.
St Vincents v Ballinlough; Dunganny, Saturday at 7.00pm. Referee: Cormac Reilly.
Vincents are a team on a mission to rectify last years final defeat to Dunsany. They have been strangely off form this season struggling to beat an average Syddan and Nobber sides before losing comprehensively to Slane in the group stages. A game they didn’t need to win while Slane did. They have got here while missing Michael McIvor through illness, and while Adam Tuite has stepped up scoring wise, the Ardcath men don’t look the force of recent years. They did however, come out of a far tougher qualifying section than Ballinlough and perhaps crucially are far more experienced at this stage of the competition. All season they have been doing just enough to get by, and will probably do what is required again
Verdict; St Vincents can do enough.
