Junior and Intermediate Finals for Walsh Park
County Board Chairman Michael O'Brien presents the cup to Tramore captain Matthew Thomson also include is match sponsor Tony Kirwan
With the senior football final fixed for Dungarvan on Sunday Walsh Park has been freed to host the county Junior and Intermediate Football Finals in an attractive double header on Saturday.
First up at 1.30 pm on Saturday we have the Junior final with Fenor back in the decider for the second successive year and seeking to make up for last year’s one point defeat by Affane when they face newly crowned Western champions Ballyduff Upper.
Ballyduff scored a dramatic one point win over former county champions Shamrocks on a score of 3-12 to 3-11 in an extra time thriller in Lismore on Sunday last and will be coming to Walsh Park full of confidence on Saturday. In Fenor, they will face a side equally confident following a strong campaign in the Eastern championship while drawing on their experience in last year’s final defeat.
Fenor will be looking for big performances from their experienced players such as Eric Lonergan, Jimmy Halley and John Flynn in defence, a strong midfield pairing of Eoin O’Connor and Eoin Nolan and speedy youngsters in such as Sean Mackey and Richard Lynch in attack.
Ballyduff Upper will be seeking a return to Intermediate ranks with victory here and will be looking to their hurling stars Mikey Kearney, Oran Leamy, Seamus Hannon, Shane Kearney and Sean Hickey to provide leadership here.
This should be a very close game between two determined sides with Fenor hoping that last year’s final experience will stand to them this time.
The Intermediate final is a very hard game to call. Tramore have spent mor yearts than was at first expected in the Intermediate grade and a return to what many would see as the clubs rightful place in senior football is long overdue. They can take a step in that direction on Saturday but here they face a very good Tourneena side with their own agenda that has come through what was arguably a tougher Western championship. On Saturday last they came through in dramatic fashion with a late Jason Sheehan goal securing a one point win over a strong Nire second string side. With Sheehan backed up by such as David Coffey, Jack Power, Mike Kearns and Sean Condon Sliabh gCua will be a hard side to beat.
Tramore’s big players are the experienced Martin and Tony Whelan with other accomplished footballers in Mattie Thompson, Conor Butler, Mikey Brennan and Harry Butler. It will all come down to who hits form on the day but there should be little between these sides at the final whistle.
Senior and Premier Intermediate Play Off Saturday Fraher Field 6,15 pm. Roanmore V Stradbally Outside of the Junior and Intermediate finals the other big game on Saturday is the clash between Stradbally and Roanmore in Fraher Field to decide which of the teams will play senior football next year. This is a game that should not be taking place as both sides have earned the right o play senior football. Stradbally go into this game seeking to avenge last year’s defeat by Roanmore, then Premier Intermediate champions, that ended the clubs long and successful tenure in the top tier. It will all come down to which side is better than they were last year and in that regard it must be said that Roanmore acquitted themselves well in the senior championship matching themselves well against sides such as Gaultier and The Nire. Those performances can give them an edge here.
