Preview Senior / Junior Championship

Preview Senior / Junior Championship Final

All roads lead to Newtown Co. Wicklow on Sunday next for the final

instalment of the senior and junior championship campaign. Hopefully weather

conditions will be much improved for both finals this time round. The men in

black on duty on Sunday will be Declan Peppard, who will take charge of the

Junior final, while Pat Keogh will be the man in the middle for the senior

game, once again, extra time will be played if sides are level at the end of

normal time.

The junior championship title will be the first up for decision, with Eire

Óg ( Greystones) and An Tochar ( Roundwood)  taking to the field at

2-30pm.Beaten finalist last year Eire Óg are hoping to step up to the senior

ranks next season, having despatched strong contenders Baltinglass at the

quarter finals stage, they how face An Tochar.

An Tochar, who have a number of very experienced players on their panel, and

have a long tradition in championship football, having competed in ten

senior finals , and lifting the Jacob cup on eight occasions, their first

title was won in 1991 and they last lifted the senior trophy in 2002, the

Roundwood side regraded last season to rebuild, and now they are looking to

regain their place in the senior ranks next season.

While the Eire Óg girls will respect An Tochars pedigree, they will not

allow it to blur their vision of  competing at the highest level in the

senior ranks next year. Eire Ógs young guns Laurie Ahern, Tracey O’Halleran,
Caoilfhionn Deeney , Lorna Fusciardi and Emily Hanney to name just a few

will make every effort to ensure that the junior title does not slip from

their grip this time round, and with both sides at full strength it should

be a close competitive game, however, I will put my neck on the line and

favour Eire Ógs  inform forward line to clinch the title for the Greystones

club.

Referee Keith Tighe will throw in the ball at 4pm to start the much awaited

clash between  Bray Emmets and current champions Blessington, both sides

have contested four senior championship finals, with Blessington winning two

and Bray Emmets taking the Jacob trophy home on two occasions.

Bray Emmets go into this final having over come Arklow Gers in a tough

semi-final, that went all the way to extra time before Ciara O’Hagan’s goal

separated the sides after seventy minutes of football, while Blessington,

after a slow start got the better of Carnew in their semi-final game, and

the west Wicklow side have their sights firmly fixed on retaining the senior

title for the third time in as many years.

Bray Emmets will be without their influential captain Niamh Ryan, Ryan broke

her wrist in their semi-final game against Arklow and will be out of action

for up to six weeks. Again this is a hard one to call, Ryan will be a major

loss to Bray, but with Catherine Corbett back between the sticks  I think

that they will have the greater hunger and may just edge it over the current

Champs.

Regards.

Michael Forde.

10 Lamberton Heights

Arklow.

Co Wicklow.

PRO Wicklow ladies football.

0402-39457

087-6422658.

e-mail wicklowladiesfootball07@eircom.net