VHI Connacht Club Preview

VHI Connacht Club Preview

3 down and more to go is probably the best way to decribe the Club Championship. Last weekend Roscommon, Galway and Sligo lost one third of their chances to win Club Titles this term. Only Mayo managed to keep their 100% record with both Clubs managing it safely into the semi finals.

This weekend Clubs from lovely Leitrim will take their bow. Junior Leitirm winners St Mary’s will enjoy home advantage in what is a double bill in Leitrim Village when they come up against Four Roads. With both Clubs making their first appearance in Connacht Club either of them will fancy their chances of claiming a Final Place. Not since the days of Aughawillan has a Leitrim Club Claimed the Junior Crown in Connacht so maybe this is the Year that static changes. The South Roscommon outfit Four Roads will have different ideas and hoping to go a step better than Kilbride did a year ago in the Junior.

In the second Semi Final Sligo’s St Michael’s play Mayo’s Knockmore in Tourlestrane. Having already had an ouing in this competition following their slender win over Glenamaddy last weekend Knockmore will probably have a slight advantage and fancy their chances of being a step closer to being the first Mayo side to inscribe their name on the Junior Cup. Sligo

Champions St Michaels return to Tourlestrane for their third Championship game on the trot having been victorious in both the Co semi Final and Co Final played there last weekend. The Saints will not only be hoping to go a step near to keeping the title in Sligo for another year but they also sport the Green and White colours just like Curry did a year ago. Indeed St Michael’s were one of the few sides to have defeated Curry in the Junior Championship in 2007 doing so on the opening day of the Championship, that of course being in the Group stages.

In the Intermediate Championship, winners last day out Sligo’s Eatern Harps will enjoy Home County advantage with Tuam/Cortoon as visitors. Having surprise some of Us the last day out with their win in Kilbride, The Harps will be hoping of going all the way and thus joing both St Nathys and Geevagh as winners of this competition. Unlike the last day out, this Time the Gurteen/Keash/Clonloo/Ballinafad outfit face up to the Connacht Junior Club winners of 2006 with amongst others Galway Co Player Edel Concannon in their ranks.

In the other semi final Mohillwho played in the Junior Club Final back in 2001 – going down to Ballymote after extra time – travel to Mayo to face the Neale who a year earlier made their exit from the Connacht Intermediate Club Championship at the semi final stages – oddly enough losing out to St Nathy’s after extra time – this time one of the two has to survive extra time or no extra time to fight another day.

In the Senior Club Championship Carnacon and Corofin come face to face in a rematch of the 07 Final. The defending Champions go into this encounter as favourites and a quick glance at their panel one will see why given the amount of Couty players on duty. Still a surprise isn’t beyond Corofin, something they did before. In the Other semi final All Ireland Intermediate Club Champions of 2004 St Brigids travel to Leitrim Village to play Aughawillan in a repeat of the 2004 Connacht Final and Senior semi final repeat of 2006. St Brigid’s should survive but there is bound to be a shock somewhere this weekend!!

Seery’s Weekend Verdicts!!

Probably after last weekends outcomes one and all are hoping that I don’t pick their Club to win! Given that I managed one third of the correct winners and given what game that was one could say I managed a total of 0% winners in the games played on both Saturday and Sunday last. I guess no one will look for tips from me! Whatever here goes again.

Junior: Four Roads & St Michael’s
Intermediate: Neale & Tuam/Cortoon
Senior: Carnacon & Aughawillan