Championship reaches knockout stages

The Football Championships reach the knockout stages this weekend and while those teams who topped the group can put their feet up and assess who might join them in the last four, the teams in action this weekend are fighting to keep their season alive. Kieran Murphy preview the action. 

Senior Football

Éire Óg v Mount Leinster Rangers

Netwatch Cullen Park, Saturday, 7.15pm

Consistency has not been an issue for the reigning champions, Éire Óg. Not so Rangers who only at the weekend appeared to consign the memory of their senior hurling final loss to one side when they beat Tinryland.

Éire Óg have been consistently average. They will get better and a number of players such as Colm Hulton still has to get going. Ross Dunphy has excelled so far for the YIs. There is at least another gear in them and they will need it here.

Verdict: Éire Óg

Rathvilly v Bagenalstown Gaels

Netwatch Cullen Park, Sunday, 4.30pm

There is a question mark about Rathvilly so far. How good are they? At times they look great but being edged out by Palatine in their opening round match does ask questions. The winners in that game did beat Éire Óg but could have conceded 2-6 in the final quarter if the champions had been a little sharper.

There is only a slight case to be made for the Bagenalstown side here. Perhaps the fact that they won two games in the group means they are coming in under the radar. Sunday will confirm whether this is true or not.

Verdict: Rathvilly

Intermediate Football

St Patricks v Naomh Eoin

Netwatch Cullen Park, Saturday, 5.30pm

On paper this should be close but Naomh Eoin have disappointed this year. Their two-point defeat to Fenagh in a round 2 game suggested they were set to launch their challenge but Fenagh’s subsequent annihilation by Kildavin-Clonegal suggests neither side will be serious contenders. St Patricks were poor against Grange but they may have the firepower in Brian Byrne, Jack Kennedy and Craig Staunton to secure a place in the semi-finals.

Verdict: St Patricks

Fenagh v Ballinabranna

Netwatch Cullen Park, Sunday, 2.45pm

Here were two sides with realistic championship ambitions at the start of the group stages but there are serious question marks surrounding them now. Fenagh did have two wins to get to here but they were against a stuttering Naomh Eoin and a disinterested St Mullins.

Ballinabranna scrapped a win against a luckless Éire Óg and lost to Grange. A 4-17 to 1-7 mauling by St Patricks on Saturday has to have damaged them. Both are down the pecking order when it comes to discussing championship winners.

Hard to know. Toss a coin and it comes up heads for Fenagh.

Verdict: Fenagh

Junior Football A

Asca v Ballon

Netwatch Cullen Park, Friday, 7.00pm

It is hard to call this one. Asca took a mauling from their Carlow Town rivals, O’Hanrahans conceding seven goals. John Phiri and a number of other players were absent. Apart from their loss to Leighlinbridge, Ballon are in good form with five of their starting forwards including Liam Brennan (0-3) and Peter Zerafa (0-5) all featuring. It has to be Ballon but Asca will be a different side than they were in their final group game.

Verdict: Ballon

O’Hanrahans v Fighting Cocks

Netwatch Cullen Park, Friday, 8.30pm

The Cocks are not the side that contested the junior A final last year and were edged out by St Mullins. They will be looking to the youthful Billy Nolan and Dylan Townsend for scores. O’Hanrahans had a bad start to their campaign losing heavily to the Cocks but wins over Palatine and Asca has them firmly back in contention. Joe Doran is in scoring form and Ray Walker is a nice one to have as a leader in a central role.

Verdict: O’Hanrahans

There are also two Junior 'B' Football Championship quarter-finals to played in Tinryland on Saturday - Éire Óg v Old Leighlin at 2.30pm and Ballinabranna v Clonmore at 2.45pm.