In a busy weekend ahead in the Galway Intermediate Football Championship, four preliminary quarter-finals take place, in addition to two relegation group games.
Involved are four teams who topped their groups, Glenamaddy, Monivea-Abbey, Kilconly, Oileáin Árann, who will be looking to advance to the quarter-finals proper after this weekend. However, many games are difficult to call with little between the teams at this level. Weather could play its part in determining the quality of the games on show - the forecast is not looking so kind for free-flowing football.
The first preliminary quarter-final is the meeting of Oranmore-Maree and Cortoon Shamrocks in Monivea on Saturday afternoon at 4pm.
Cortoon Shamrocks recorded their first win of the intermediate championship a fortnight ago against Kilkerrin-Clonberne which was enough to put them through to this stage and avoid a relegation battle. Crucial to that victory was Joseph Donnellan who bagged a brace of goals. There is uncertainty surrounding his availability at the weekend due to work commitments. His unavailability would be a big boost to opponents Oranmore-Maree, who were beaten in their bid for a top spot after their final round defeat to Oileáin Árann. However, they have shown improvement on last year’s campaign and will be hopeful of booking a quarter-final berth.
Next up on Saturday evening is the clash of near neighbours Caltra and St Gabriel’s in Duggan Park at 5.15pm.
Niall Coyne’s Caltra side was desperately unlucky to miss out on a direct route to the quarter-final as Monivea-Abbey pipped them only by score difference in the standings following their final round draw against each other.
Caltra would have been kicking themselves after that game, having led for the most part and looking good to secure the win. They will, however, fancy themselves to get the better of a plucky St Gabriel’s who secured their intermediate status for 2024 and a chance of a place in the final eight with a dour victory over Killererin last time out. It remains to be seen if they will have a full pool of players due to Cappatagle’s advancement in the hurling championship.
Sunday’s fixtures throw in at the same time of 2.45pm. Mícheál Breathnach and Williamstown face off in Tuam Stadium, while St Brendan’s and Clifden do battle in Pearse Stadium.
Mícheál Breathnach would have been extremely disappointed with their defeat to Kilconly two weeks ago which saw them finish in second place. Yet they are likely to see themselves as not far off the top two or three favourites to go all the way.
Williamstown delivered a sucker blow to An Cheathrú Rua in their final round win and will be aiming to take huge momentum into this weekend’s encounter in Tuam. St Brendan’s have been impressive in patches of this year’s championship and will be seeking a full 60-minute performance against Clifden, who qualified with a last-gasp victory over Corofin. If Clifden are to advance further, they will have to shut down players such as Rory Cunningham and James Mulrooney, which is not easily done.
There are two intermediate relegation fixtures this weekend: Corofin vs An Cheathrú Rua in Pearse Stadium at 3.30pm, and Killererin vs Kilkerrin-Clonberne in Milltown at 6pm.
Senior championship
Coming into the final round of a thrilling group stage of the Galway Senior Football Championship, amazingly only three of the 17 teams that cannot progress are in the same group. Some big wins will be needed for a few teams, but all six sides in group two and all five teams in group three have a possibility of a quarter-final or preliminary quarter-final to look forward to in two weeks’ time.
