Knockout lineup finalised in Offaly football championships
Top teams seeded in senior and intermediate semi-finals with draw to determine opponents
THE knockout lineup has been finalised in the big Offaly football championships with the completion of the group stages in the past week.
In Senior Football Championship, Rhode and Ferbane qualified direct for the semi-finals with impressive wins over Tullamore and Shamrocks on Saturday. In the weak group 2, Clara got away from Durrow in the second half to secure their quarter-final place, alongside Ballycommon who were already in.
Clara needed to win by more than three points to take top spot away from Ballycommon and their reward is a quarter-final against Shamrocks while Ballycommon meet four in a row seeking Tullamore, who have encountered very uncertain and unconvincing form.
Clonbullogue and Bracknagh drew in a parish derby clash in group 2 on Saturday but Clonbullogue were the “winners” as they avoid the relegation play off, where Bracknagh now face Durrow. Clonbullogue required Durrow to have a nine point win over Clara to make the quarter-finals but that was never even a remote prospect.
It means that Rhode and Ferbane will be seeded into separate semi-finals and there will be a draw to determine which of the quarter-final winners they face.
The semi-finalists were decided in the Senior “B” Football Championship on an evening of high drama on Thursday.
Tubber qualified with a terrific win over Tullamore but the losers scraped in with Ballinagar putting Cappincur out the same evening. Title favourites Daingean had a predictably easy win over Ballycumber and it all results in Daingean playing Tullamore and Ballinagar and Tubber meeting in the semi-finals while Cappincur and Ballycumber are in the relegation play off.
The following is the line up for the concluding stages of the championships:
Senior Football Championship
Semi-finalists – Rhode and Ferbane;
Quarter-finals – Tullamore v Ballycommon; Shamrocks v Clara;
Relegation play off – Durrow v Bracknagh;
* Rhode and Ferbane are seeded in separate semi-finals and there will be draw to determine the pairings against the quarter-final winners.
Senior “B” Football Championship
Semi-finals: Daingean v Tullamore; Ballinagar v Tubber;
Relegation play off – Ballycumber v Cappincur.
Intermediate Football Championship
Semi-finalists – Raheen and Ferbane;
Quarter-finals – Edenderry v Walsh Island; St Brigid's v Gracefield;
Relegation: No relegation this year as intermediate goes to ten teams for 2027.
* Raheen and Ferbane are seeded in separate semi-finals and there will be draw to determine the pairings against the quarter-final winners.
Junior Football Championship
Semi-finals – Doon v Shannonbridge; Erin Rovers v Clodiagh Gaels.