Senior Football Championship Semi Final Previews
Sunday Sept 11th @ Brewster Park, Enniskillen
Erne Gaels V Roslea 13:30, Ref: Eugene Mc Donagh = Its another re-run from last season’s SFC Semi Final when Erne Gaels somehow managed to throw away a 5 point lead with 2 minutes to go in the corresponding Semi final fixture last season. The replay was all about Roslea as they booked their Final place against amazingly the 11 men of Erne Gaels in an ill-tempered replay. Erne Gaels have plenty of fight about them and in players such as Daniel McGullion, Thomas McCaffrey and Seamus Ryder then anything is possible.
Roslea have the Quigley brothers with Conor, Sean and Seamus all having fabulous games against St Patricks Donagh in the Quarter Final. Shane McMahon will give 110%, Niall Cosgrove will touch every blade of Brewster Park grass while James McMahon oozes class in defence for the Shamrocks who are looking for a 5th SFC title in just 7 years.
Derrygonnelly V Devenish 15:00, Ref: Ferghal Cleary = The last time Devenish won the Fermanagh SFC it was a changed world. Manchester City were being relegated from the Premier League and teams such as Newcastle and Aston Villa were playing in the Uefa Cup. Fast forward 20 years later and a Devenish side brimming with quality players will go in as underdogs against County champions Derrygonnelly.
Malachy Cullen’s Devenish impressed in the Quarter Final victory over Teemore with Barry Mulrone, Jason Love, Terry O’Flanagan and Martin Doherty all impressing in the 0-17 to 0-14 win.
Derrygonnelly never really got out of second gear in their 1-14 to 1-9 victory over Ederney but that being said it was the mark of County champions to play badly but still win. The likes of Garvan McGinley, Declan Cassidy, Ryan Jones and Jonathan McGurn impressed the last day out and it’s the same players that will be expected to do the same this Sunday.
Intermediate Football Championship Semi Final Previews
Sat, 10 Sep @ Derrygonnelly, Maguiresbridge V Tempo, 18:15, Ref: James Lewis = Tempo were made to work hard for a 3 point victory over Enniskillen last weekend, while the weeks rest for Maguiresbridge will have done them the world of good. Both sides will meet again in a Relegation decider to see who will feature in next seasons Division 2. For now the return of Aidan Breen is a huge boost for Tempo, on the other hand the scoring exploits of Daniel Teague and Sean Corrigan is superb and this game should go down right to the wire.
Sun, 11 Sep @ Tempo, Kinawley V Lisnaskea, 18:15, Ref: Dermott Love = An all Division 2 clash brings the curtain down on this weekend’s football and it’s to Tempo for a clash between the favourites for the IFC title against the underdogs.
Kinawley have been hugely impressive in this seasons Division 2 league campaign and with performers like Sean McManus, Conor Murphy, Ruairi Corrigan and Patrick McGovern then it’s no wonder they are bookmakers favourites to lift the title this year.
Lisnaskea tasted All Ireland IFC glory back in 2011 when they defeated St James Galway. In this year’s IFC they defeated Belcoo in the Quarter Final, 0-14 to 1-9 with County player Daniel Kille proving that anything he hit that evening would go over the bar as he finished with 0-10. Sean Keenan and Mark Little are playing good football while younger talent such as Niall Keenan and Ryan Flanagan have impressed this season as well.
Junior Football Championship Previews
SEMI FINAL 1 = Sat, 10 Sep @ Roslea, Newtownbutler V Belnaleck, 15:30, Ref: Joseph Corcoran = A clash of both red jerseys in this game has already seen Belnaleck win that toss of a coin and so Newtownbutler will tog out in as expected the Fermanagh jersey on Saturday afternoon in Roslea.
Newtownbutler impressed many with a solid victory over Aghadrumsee in the opening round and they are once again strong favourites here. Players such as Ryan Carson, Brendan McBrien and Jarlath Jackman are all naturally talented footballers and they will have two bites of the cherry to make this seasons JFC Final.
Belnaleck got the better of Brookeborough in the opening round and Ciaran McBrien once again impressed with some fantastic scores that has seen him become his side’s chief scoring operator this season. It will take a huge Belnaleck performance to upset favourites Newtownbutler, stranger things have happened though.
QUALIFIER = Sat, 10 Sep @ Roslea, Brookeborough V Aghadrumsee, 14:00, Ref: Martin Higgins = It’s the same sides once again who meet in this JFC Qualifier clash which sees the two losers from round 1 meeting with the winner facing the loser of Newtownbutler v Belnaleck in Semi Final 2.
Brookeborough put in a good showing against Belnaleck but just fell away at the end and will look to players such as Frank Greene, Sheamus Creighan, Aidan Boyle and the hugely talented Conor Goodwin who is a huge player for the future.
Aghadrumsee were to go into the Newtownbutler clash without attacker Eddie Courtney and that was a massive blow for them. Courtney is still 50/50 for this weekend’s clash but they can look to players such as Sean McManus, Eugene Kearns and Ryan Boyle for scores.
Another hugely close game to call but certainly a game neither side wants to lose.
