Club Championships 2019-20

LoughNeagh2017 wrote: »

Slaughtneil were beaten by Glen this evening in Derry Football championship.

It is their first ever senior county final which is hard to believe as they had a few players in the county team in 1993.

They play Magherafelt who are in the final for first time since 1983.

What happened there - that must go down as a big shock.
So Slaughtneil are all in now for the hurling. What type of squad have they there now - will they be fit for Dunloy again assuming they beat Middleton and Ballycran respectively.

Dublin SHC heading towards predictable conclusion as revivified Cuala sweep all before them. Look better than ever and playing well within themselves.

Three days away still, and I know I won't get a good night's sleep for a while, but the Wexford senior football final is the main event in the county this weekend. It has all the tools to be a humdinger, with both Castletown and Gusserane averaging around the seventeen point mark in scores per game, but Gusserane have the leakier defence and more of a tendency to blow hot and cold.

Even though Castletown have the championship top scorer in their ranks (Ben Brosnan with 5-29), Gusserane have really hit their stride in the last three games, and have compiled 8-43 during that time-frame. They also have been something of a bogey team for Castletown in recent years-they beat them in the semi-finals of 2014 and 2016, winning the title in the latter year.

I love a good coincidental stat (perhaps to make myself more confident ) and the only other time Castletown won the title in the first year of a decade, they finished that decade as county champions too (1970 and 1979). We last won in 2010, which was incidentally the last time Liam Sheedy won the AI (our manager from 2010 has returned too ). Gusserane are going for their seventh title. If Castletown win, they will move to joint-top of the roll of honour with Volunteers (11)- although Vols last one came in 1956, and they have dropped down the grades since. It's going to be close and hard to call. I hope it's not though and we are comfortable winners, if only for my own health.

Ferns and St.Martin's clash in the first senior hurling semi-final on Saturday. Ferns have never won a senior, but by dethroning defending champions Naomh Eanna the last day, a lot of the hurling fraternity took notice. St.Martin's have been perennial favourites for a few years now, but there is a feeling that they are plodding along more than usual this season and haven't been as dynamic since a round one thrashing of St.Anne's. They also have injury doubts too, and if the two players involved don't make it, it tips the balance towards Ferns. I actually think Ferns will win anyway as they have had a full three weeks to prepare for this while Martin's had a gruelling football semi vs Castletown in the interim.

Rapparees and St.Anne's go head to head in the other one. St.Anne's sprung a surprise in beating Shelmaliers last weekend, and are back-boned by Dee O'Keeffe and Liam Og McGovern. They have improved immensely from an almighty hammering to St.Martin's in round one, and confidence is brewing. However, Rapps look better placed to win this one. They have been knocking on the door without reaching the final in recent years and have a good, young team led by Liam Ryan and Kevin Foley. Fancy them to win through to their first decider since 2001 (I think)

Not the highest of quality of games this Dublin quarter final between Judes and fairly recent AI winner. A little surprised with the small enough crowd attending this game.

Always_Running wrote: »

Not the highest of quality of games this Dublin quarter final between two fairly recent AI winners. A little surprised with the small enough crowd attending this game.

Very poor crowd-but 5 o clock on a Saturday is hardly an ideal time for many. You’d wonder how much of an impact it being on the telly has had?

Always_Running wrote: »

Not the highest of quality of games this Dublin quarter final between Judes and fairly recent AI winner. A little surprised with the small enough crowd attending this game.

Crowds always seem surprisingly poor enough any time I see Dublin SFC games on telly.

Given how the county team has been going in recent years you'd expect the club games to get a serious bump but not really.

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

I don’t see many more at any club games. People don’t care about club games for the most part.

Was over 6,000 was at a recent Cork semi final. At least this 2nd Dublin quarter final on RTÉ is better viewing so far but why have Dessie Dolan on both games (bad enough listening to him for one game)

Great game

"Incredible scenes" says Dessie

Slattsy wrote: »

How on earth the linesman thought McHugh worthy of a yellow for that is mind boggling.

Was he expected to just take it? Ridiculous officiating, he seen the whole things ffs.

Agree shocking decision. He was completely taken out of the game and was just trying to get forward in attack. No free given either.

Absolutely shocking decision to give a second yellow to Na Fiaana full forward at the end of the game. Should have been a free in for him and instead is given a yellow for trying to break free from a rugby tackle. I dont blame the ref as he was following the ball, it's the linesman looking straight at it that needs to give the ref some assistance.

Who is in the Dublin hurling final or is it over yet

Square ball for the goal surely.