The final round of the Galway Senior Football Championship group stages will take place this weekend.
The fate of many clubs will be decided with some advancing to the quarter finals and others facing a relegation battle.
Once again, following last week’s announcement from the Government, all games will be played behind closed doors. However, as has been the case since round one, there will be a selection of games streamed online and available on the Galway GAA website.
Group 1
Seán Conlon’s Barna will be hoping to make it three wins from three and continue their hot form which has placed them in pole position to claim top spot.
They face St Michael’s who produced a vital win over An Spideál and now know a victory will give them a fighting chance of reaching a quarter-final.
It is all very close within the group, as An Spidéal, despite being on zero points after two games and looking likely to be heading for relegation, still have an outside chance of qualifying from the group should they overcome Salthill-Knocknacarra and other results and scoring difference fall in their favour.
Group 2
Mountbellew-Moylough and the county’s form team Moycullen go head to head in Tuam Stadium on Saturday evening to decide which will finish top of the group.
It is these two sides that currently seem to be best equipped to challenge Corofin for their title.
Val Daly’s side has bundles of experience, while Moycullen’s firepower has been the stand-out feature of their play thus far in the championship. They have posted scores of 3-12 and 4-9 against Michael Breathnach’s and Annaghdown respectively, with inside forwards Dessie Conneely and Conor Bohan both impressing.
The other game in the group will see Michael Breathnach’s and Annaghdown scrap it out to see which will avoid the dreaded relegation battle.
Group 3
This group contains the potential for the greatest drama at the weekend. With all teams on two points, it is finely poised.
The mouth-watering tie of last year’s finalists Tuam Stars versus a young up-and-coming Claregalway side is probably the tie of the weekend.
Tommy Carton’s side showed its mettle in the victory over Killanin two weeks ago and will need similar guile to get past the Donie Buckley trained side.
Both know victory will ensure a ticket to the quarter-final. The same applies in the match between Killanin and Larry Bane’s Caherlistrane. Killanin are waiting on the fitness of Cathal Sweeney, who will be crucial if they are to get over the line.
There are two preliminary quarter-finals taking place this coming weekend as the teams in group 4a and 4b are in action. Both the senior and intermediate All-Ireland champions will be taking to the field.
Corofin will be facing An Cheathrú Rua in Pearse Stadium on Friday evening, while Oughterard and St James will clash on Saturday. There is also a relegation play-off between the bottom clubs from these groups, as Milltown and Monivea-Abbey do battle on Sunday.
