Can Tinryland bounce straight back to Senior?
Grange defeated Ballon in last year's Talbot Hotel Intermediate Football Championship Final after a replay but who will prevail this year? Photo: Pat Ahern
Tinryland were stunned by their relegation from the senior grade last year so they seem the obvious to bounce straight back by capturing this year’s Talbot Hotel Intermediate Football Championship, but by no means is it a forgone conclusion.
The extra games in the new championship allow teams to build momentum, and a slip-up in the early stages isn’t necessarily fatal to their chances.
Last year’s beaten finalists Ballon will be in the reckoning again, and the likes of Clonmore, St Patrick’s and Kildavin-Clonegal can be a match for anybody at this level on their day. After their heroics in Carlow and Leinster in the Junior Championship last year, it will be intriguing to see how Fighting Cocks fare out at the higher grade.
Éire Óg are the eighth team in the Championship.
Not selected yet.
Pierce McCarthy from Coolkenno
They lost their first game and then won three in a row. Ended up with four wins and lost in the quarter-final.
Thomas O’Donovan and Daniel Dunne are included in a number of young players coming in while Robert Sansom and Gary Dunne are not playing this year.
“We will give it our all, do our best and hope we will do better than last year,” says Ben Kavanagh.
“You have to fancy Tinryland after they came down from senior. Also Ballon won the league so they have a chance.”
“It should be better. More games in the group.” First Game: Ballon on Friday at The Training Centre.
The question is have Ballinabranna improved over the last number of years. Probably not as much as some of their rivals in the championship. It could be a difficult season for them and they could end up in a relegation dog-fight.
Conor Bolger
Michael Daly from Wicklow
“It was very good. We won the league final after extra time against Kildavin-Clonegal,” says Conor Bolger.
Edward O’Byrne and Freddie Gibson are a number of minors who have come into the set-up. They haven’t lost anyone from last year.
“After losing in the final last year we want to go and win it now.” If you don’t win it, who will? Either Tinryland or The Fighting Cocks.
“You can do the football and hurling now so that will be tough to get both training sessions in during the week. When the hurling is in, we will focus on hurling and when it is football we will concentrate on the football.
Ballinabranna at The Training Centre on Friday.
Ballon are hurting after last year’s defeat to Grange. They seem to have added to their squad and a final place beckons.
Enda McGrath
Damien Farrell.
“We went ok and got to the quarter-final of Division 1 where we lost to Tinryland,” says Matt Cullen.
A few players have come up from minor including Fiac Byrne and Brian Whelan. There are a small number of retirements from last year.
“Get to the last stages, make the final and hopefully win.”
“It is hard to know. Tinryland who came down from senior so they will be hard to beat. Ballon are going well too.”
“It is great to be playing football during the summer. Even getting breaks between games is huge.” First Game: Fighting Cocks on Friday in Brother Leo Park.
There are banana skins all over the Intermediate Championship where there is a fine line between victory and defeat. It will be on the day but a quarter-final spot could be their lot.
Liam Sheppard
Garry Nolan
The Cocks won the Division 3 league Players In/Players Out: Same panel as last season.
“We would hope to be contesting the final,” says Will Kelly.
St Patricks.
“For non-hurlers they are getting going a lot earlier in the year. It gets the footballers playing a lot earlier in the year.
Clonmore on Friday at Brother Leo Park.
They had a tremendous year getting to a Leinster final after winning in Carlow in 2025. Has that improved them and brought them up another level? Time will tell. A quarter-final place is on but that could be it.
Niall Hickey
Daithi Byrne
“League form was good. We got to the Division 2 final against Ballon and lost in a close game,” says Liam McGuill.
A number of young players coming through including Joe Warren and Fionn Doyle.
“It is a close intermediate championship. Everyone wants to win it. We are one of them. It will be close.”
“I couldn’t put a name on it. It is too tight.”
“The summer football will be nice playing in good weather and it will give players, if they are not hurling, a bit of a break.”
Éire Óg on Friday in Netwatch Cullen Park.
It could be argued that Kildavin-Clonegal are too good to be an intermediate club but, then again, their results don’t tell lies. Such is the jeopardy in this competition, the Wexford border club could be the one to end up in a relegation place.
Lee Kavanagh Manager: Shem Comerford
“Struggled a bit in Division 1 and were beaten by Rathvilly in the quarter-final,” says Lee Kavanagh.
Willie Doran is injured and two others have cruciate issues
“We want to win it.”
“Tinryland came down last year and will be going all out to get back up.
“It is a change. We will see how it goes. We are starting early so that is good.”
Tinryland on Friday at The Training Centre.
For as long as these players have been involved the club has been going up and down the grades. They are hard to beat but they struggle to win themselves when it really matters. Such is the nature of the championship a quarter-final place could be their lot this year and that is not casting aspersions about their preparations.
Paddy Regan and Cormac O’Brien are joint captains.
Eamonn Whelan and Shane Cullen
“We were missing players through injury and being with the county so we had a shaky start. When some of them got back and a few younger lads as well, we picked up a bit of form and finished strongly. Getting to the semi-final was good,” says Paddy Regan.
A few young players are stepping into adult football. After that the panel has a familiar look about it.
“The goal is to win it. We were disappointed to be relegated last year so we want to go back up.”
“It will be hugely competitive. There are a lot of strong teams. Ballon are a good and young strong team. Kildavin-Clonegal as well.”
“I think it is great. The last few years were slightly condensed. If a player picks up a knock he could have a week or two to recover. I definitely prefer it.”
St Patricks on Thursday in The Training Centre
They should make the semi-final at the very least. Nothing else will be enough for them. After that, they will need to be on top of their form if they are to progress. They might not go all the way this year.
St Patrick's vs Tinryland, Training Centre, Fenagh, 7.30pm
Kildavin\Clonegal v Éire Óg, Netwatch Cullen Park, 7pm
Ballinabranna v Ballon, Training Centre, Fenagh, 7.30pm
Fighting Cocks v Clonmore, Br Leo Park, 7.30pm
