Knockout time in Offaly football championships

THE biggest weekend in the Offaly football championships to date is on the horizon with huge games in the big three grades.

There are quarter-finals in the Senior and Intermediate Football Championships, semi-finals in the Senior “B” Football Championship and supporters have loads of mouth watering action to enjoy over the few days.

Senior Football Championship

Rhode and Ferbane have qualified for the semi-finals where they will be seeded and will be drawn against the winners of the two quarter-finals: Tullamore v Ballycommon and Shamrocks v Clara.

Tullamore v Ballycommon: Sunday, September 13 in O'Connor Park 4.30pm

You would be stretching it to say that this is a big banana skin for Tullamore but the champions will be threading very warily against Ballycommon after an uncertain year to date.

They certainly won't want to be taking anything for granted against their neigbours who have performed at optimum level to date and have done very well to progress out of the weak group 2. Ballycommon are fit, well prepared and hungry to impress and this is as close as you will get to a free shot for them – they are big underdogs, they have already fulfilled their season's objectives by making the quarter-finals and they are now very much in bonus territory.

You certainly couldn't accuse Tullamore of performing at their peak levels to date. Seeking four in a row, Tullamore have looked very vulnerable and enter the quarter-finals on the back of successive defeats against Ferbane and Rhode. This is very strange territory for a side that has been so dominant in recent years but the same hunger and powerful work rate just has not been present so far.

That is understandable for a side who have been on the road for so long but it remains to be seen if it can be turned on like a tap now that we are in knockout football. They have welcomed John Furlong back and while he may not start here, Tullamore will be trying to get more game time into his legs.

Their group form does not really matter and Tullamore remain the team to beat. They have been masters at operating to a system in recent years. That has not been present to date but Tullamore retain the potential to perform at a high level.

Ballycommon will hit them with everything they have but the expectation is that Tullamore will win – and if they do find their best form, it could be with a bit to spare.

Verdict – Tullamore.

Clara v Shamrocks: Sunday, September 13 in O'Connor Park 3pm

A very interesting game and Clara have a very good outside chance against an emerging Shamrocks side.

It should be an excellent game and it has the potential for what would be a mild upset. Shamrocks have done well to cruise out of the strong group but had a fairly spectacular malfunction in the first half of their last group game against Ferbane. They were awful before salvaging their pride in the second half when they almost got back into the game but left themselves with too much to do.

Shamrocks were down a few first team players and that was a big factor. They should be at full strength for this and it will be interesting to see what way they line up. All of their injuries have cleared up – Jack Bryant missed the Ferbane game but will be back while Paddy Dunican, David O'Toole-Greene, Alan Heffernan and Conor Egan are all available for selection.

Their forward line should bear no comparison to the one that started against Ferbane and Shamrocks will be putting their best foot forward for this. The big dilemma facing them is whether to start player manager Nigel Dunne in the attack or not. You can argue the case both ways. It's not ideal to have a player manager and it's unlikely that Dunne can last 60 minutes but the Ferbane game showed loud and clearly that they need to start their best team and he is definitely in their top most influential fifteen footballers – and very high up the list.

There is a lot of merit in starting him and seeing how long he lasts as they can't afford another bad start,

Clara will be very pleased with where they are. Last year's senior “B” champions have performed well and ticked all their boxes so far. They are still a work in progress but their half dozen plus best players would hold their own in most company.

They have also come out of the weak group but this is not a free shot for them in the way that Ballycommon's match with Tullamore is. There will be an air of expectation in Clara and there is an opportunity to make a semi-final. That will take everything they have but Shamrocks are the favourites. They have received a wake up call against Ferbane and you would presume they will be much more tuned in.

Shamrocks are further down the development road and the odds of them advancing look to be about 55-45%.

Verdict – Shamrocks.

Relegation play off: Durrow v Bracknagh – Friday, September 11 in Geashill 7.30pm

Durrow and Bracknagh will be desperate to stay up when they clash in the relegation play off on Friday evening. Bracknagh scraped to a fortunate win over Durrow in the group stages and are favourites but this is really a 50-50 game.

Bracknagh will perform and Peter Cunningham could once again be their match winner. We are less sure about the way Durrow will play but Ballinamere making the senior hurling semi-finals is a help and will allow their dual players to focus on football this weekend.

Durrow could go down with a whimper or they could turn in a really good display. There is an equal chance of both but if they do click, they will be hard to beat. It's a very hard one to call and no result will surprise.

Verdict – Durrow.

Senior “B” Football Championship

A very attractive Senior “B” Football Championship semi-final double bill takes place in O'Connor Park on Saturday afternoon. Neighbours Daingean and Ballinagar look to be on collision course for the final with Tullamore and Tubber plotting upsets.

Daingean v Tullamore: Saturday, September 12 in O'Connor Park, Tullamore 3.00pm

A hammering of a fancied Ballinagar in the group stages earned Daingean the mantle of championship favourites but they face a real banana skin in Tullamore.

Tullamore looked like they were the team to beat at the start of the championship. They won the intermediate last year, have a lot of depth in strength and a number of players who had played county at various grades.

Their form, however, has not been convincing and they have also done what all clubs should: made their senior team their priority and they have brought players up from this grade to senior at regular intervals during the year.

Liam Dillane and Oisin Keenan-Martin went earlier while Davin Keegan was an unexpected loss when he played for the seniors in their defeat by Rhode a couple of weeks ago – he sat out their senior B loss to Tubber the previous night as senior manager Paul McConway called on his services. Cillian Martin, not long home from a couple of months in the USA, was sent off after the final whistle in the Tubber defeat and has been reported by referee Eamon O'Connor for comments he made. He is likely to be suspended for this and it all means that Tullamore are much weaker than they might have been.

Tullamore fell into the semi-finals, requiring Ballinagar to beat Cappincur to survive but they are here and Daingean will be fully aware of the threat they now pose. Tullamore still have a lot of very good footballers at this grade. They have players who would make a lot of senior teams in the county and they have a definite chance.

Daingean can blow hot and cold. They looked unbeatable in the second half against Ballinagar and were awful when losing to Cappincur. The true reality for them is somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. Daingean have been the best team in the championship to date but they can be beaten. This is tricky for them and an upset is possible but Daingean are favourites.

Verdict – Daingean.

Ballinagar v Tubber: Saturday, September 12 in O'Connor Park, Tullamore 4.30pm

Tubber have provided the great story in the championship to date. Ballinagar got away for an easy win over them in the first round and when Daingean destroyed them in the second round, they were odds on for the relegation play off.

Yet they somehow managed to turn the tide, beating Cappincur, Ballycumber and Tullamore to make the semi-finals on merit. It is a sensational turnaround by a club who has been hit badly by emigration and injuries and it is a credit to the players and the management team, led by Padraig Farrell.

They are playing with terrific heart and character. They are underdogs for their clash against Ballinagar but the favourites certainly won't be taking them for granted.

Tubber have a limited panel. Padraig Robbins made a big difference when returning but was injured in the nerve tingling win over Tullamore while Padraig McLoughlin broke a collar bone that day. They are still using fifty year old former county star Ciaran McManus, who showed his experience when introduced late against Tullamore as well as converting a sensational two point free into the wind against Ballinagar.

Tubber will lay it all on the table on Saturday but it will take a huge performance for them to make the final. Ballinagar have a lot of very good footballers at their disposal. They have made a meteoric rise up from junior football since 2022 and were beaten in the senior B final by Clara last year. They certainly have the players and potential to reach the top flight but the window for doing this is a short one.

Ballinagar have a definite chance this year and apart from the second half malfunction against Daingean, they have played well. If both sides play to peak form, Ballinagar should be able to win this but it is a tricky one. You can't fully trust Ballinagar to perform and Tubber will relish this. Ballinagar have had injuries during the year and some players won't last the distance but they are younger than Tubber and should have an edge in fitness. Tubber have a potential match winner in former county star Bernard Allen and his influence will have a big bearing on the outcome.

Verdict – Ballinagar.

Relegation play off: Cappincur v Ballycumber – Sunday, September 13 in Clara 12 noon

Cappincur would have been aiming at winning this grade but now find themselves in the relegation play off and a drop back to intermediate would be a very retrograde step for them. Yet they find themselves in a vulnerable place. Their star player Bill Carroll has barely played this year, injuries have also diminished the influence of others and as a unit, Cappincur just were not fit enough to make the semi-finals.

Ballycumber have been the worse team in the championship to date. They have displayed all the hallmarks of a team who would not only be relegated but may be better served by taking a step back and rebuilding from the lower grade. They will, however, fight hard to stay up, they have some very good players and there is one interesting factor in this game: Ballycumber's best performance came in their opening round defeat by Cappincur, when they let a chance of a season changing win slip from their fingers.

Verdict – Cappincur.

Intermediate Football Championship

Raheen and a flying Ferbane are in the semi-finals, awaiting the winners of the two Intermediate Football Championship quarter-finals on Friday evening.

St Brigid's v Gracefield: Friday, September 11 in Rhode 7.30pm

St Brigid's implosion against Raheen was arguably the strangest result in the Offaly football championship season to date. Championship favourites from the off, they looked to be cruising to the semi-finals but blew up spectacularly in a dreadful 1-15 to 0-5 defeat to a Dylan Hyland inspired Raheen.

The scale of the defeat denied them a semi-final berth and means they now have to survive a very tricky quarter-final against Gracefield, who were relegated from senior “B” last year. Gracefield have not been brilliant but they will be solid and well organised and they will relish taking on the Croghan men.

It is a huge test of character for St Brigid's and it will be very interesting to see how they respond.

Verdict – St Brigid's.

Edenderry v Walsh Island: Friday, September 11 in Daingean 7.30pm

Once again Walsh Island have displayed a terrrific capacity to perform to optimum level and get the most out of their resources, with a few veteran players still putting their shoulder to the wheel.

Edenderry have been up and down but are slight favourites for this. Cian Farrell, a county player a few years ago, is eligible to play on this team and if he lines out here, he could have a decisive influence on this game.

With Edenderry seniors gone, they won't lose any players from this grade, and making progress is important for them. You can be fairly sure of Walsh Island perfoming at their peak, less sure of Edenderry and it will be fascinating to see how this goes.

Verdict – Edenderry.