Final places up for grabs
A replay was needed when Rathvilly and Palatine met in an epic county final in 2024. The teams meet again in a semi-final on Saturday. Photo: INPHO/James Lawlor
This is impossible to predict. It is hard to believe that it is four years ago since Palatine won their last senior championship title. Such is their aura in the county that one feels they have been more successful than they actually are.
Their opponents, Rathvilly, may not exactly be seething after they lost the county final to a last minute Old Leighlin point but they have an itch which continues to irritate. The only balm or cure for this is a senior football championship title.
For Palatine, Conor Crowley has had a good season but there is more in him one feels. On the other hand, Brandon Kelly continues to produce for Rathvilly. Throw in Conor Doyle, Colin Byrne, Dara Curran and Liam Gavin and talent is dripping off the jerseys of the Wicklow border side.
Palatine will look for some early scores from Mark Buggy. Ciaran Moran, Josh Egan and Crowley have to be consistent throughout. Kevin Byrne the Rathvilly manager is right when he says it is difficult to call. There is no valid reason for suggesting Palatine will win. Just that they seem a little bit fresher even though they had a quarter-final tester.
Palatine
After a disastrous year in 2025 when, but for the intervention of Diarmuid Ruth who took two balls of his own goal line, it is they who could have been relegated instead of Tinryland when the two met in the relegation final.
Now the YIs have turned it around while Old Leighlin are not firing yet after their championship success last season.
Both sides have players who know where the posts are. Adam McCarron and Ross Dunphy to name just two for the YIs. Old Leighlin will look more in the direction of Aaron Amond, Mikey Bambrick and James Dowling while Seamus Kinsella and Cathal Coughlan will also contribute.
If Éire Óg maintain their energy from the group games and Old Leighlin don’t rise themselves to another level after a lethargic season so far there can only be one winner.
Éire Óg
Kildavin-Clonegal have blown hot and cold all season. Despite three losses out of five in the group games, they still qualified for the quarter-final. Their second half performance against Éire Óg saw them prevail after they trailed by eight points on the change of ends. Joe Roberts scored a mammoth 2-9 out of 3-13.
Tinryland have been inconsistent throughout but still did enough to make it straight to the semi-finals.
Jamie Doyle, scored four points for them in their fifth round group game against Éire Óg. They need to have more scoring power. Diarmaid Walshe scored 2-1 in their group game against Ballon. That is the result they should be judged on. If they repeat their form from that game they could take another step forward back into senior football.
Tinryland
After their excellent performance against The Fighting Cocks in their quarter-final success Ballon were, in a manner speaking, tearing up the form book. After all they had scrapped into the knock-out stages with a measly three points from five games. Shane Duffy, Evan Corr and Fionn McCaffrey shared four goals that day.
St Patricks are the team to beat. They had a 100% record in the group stages beating the Cocks in their fifth game. Jack Kennedy continues to be their top scorer but Craig Staunton has been in great form this season. Ballon could be the sting in the tail of the Tullow team if they are not careful.
St Patricks
Leighlinbridge will be looking to atone for defeats in two finals in a row when they take on a Palatine side who have excelled at this level. Four wins out of five suggests Leighlinbridge are worthy contenders once again with Aidan Lillis provide the scoring threat.
Leighlinbridge.
With five wins out of five O’Hanrahans have been grabbing the limelight. They are the team to beat now but this is knock-out and the dynamic can sometimes change. Leigh Walker, Cian Dowling and Joe Doran provide the penetration up front for the Blues. Even though they lost two group games, Naomh Eoin have been improving all the time. Goalkeeper, Kyle Foley, takes the long range frees. Scott Tracey and Ben Nolan have been in good form for the Myshall side.
One feels O’Hanrahans innate football ability will see them make the final.
O’Hanrahans.
