Leinster Club Championships

[Billys Boots]

Ferbane are Offaly Senior Football Champions. First time in 25 years. Tears were shed.

Congrats big lad, that was a bit of a wait.

[Hound]

Dublin quarter-finals:

St Judes 0-11 St Vincents 0-4
Kev Mac and the Culchies prevail! Kev started with 3 wides, but put on a masterful performance after that, he was everywhere, a real leader. Vins were shocking.

Ballyboden 3-15 Na Fianna 1-15 (After extra time)
Great match, the highlights being superb performances from Colm Basquel (3-4) and Conor McHugh (0-6). An utterly appalling second yellow card for McHugh right at the end of normal time was probably the deciding factor. Despite the linesman looking right at it he allowed the ref to make an awful decision (McHugh dragged to the ground by a Boden player who basically lay on him to prevent him taking part in the last Na Fianna attack. Ref turned and saw them both on the ground and gave them both yellows, so McHugh could not play in extra time, which was an enormous loss to Na Fianna). 

Kilmacud Crokes 0-16 Clontarf 0-8
Surprisingly, Clontarf led by a point at the break. But 4 minutes into the second half, the ref gave Jack McCaffrey a straight red for a high tackle and that was game over. Another very poor decision, it wasn't remotely a red card offence. Mannion only came on at half time, but still ended as top scorer with 0-4.

Thomas Davis 3-12 Castleknock 1-17
Great win for the Tallaghtmen, Kilkenny got 3 points for Knock, but goals crucial for the Davis win.

Semi-finals:

Ballyboden St Endas v St Judes
- Have to fancy Boden, but can't write off Judes.

Thomas Davis v Kilmacud Crokes
- Should be reasonably straight forward for Crokes, great achievement for Davis to get this far.

[LooseCannon]

Offaly representatives are as follows:
Senior A winners: Ferbane (senior)
Senior B winners: Bracknagh (intermediate)
Intermediate winners: Shannonbridge (junior)

[Dinny Breen]

Naas in the Hurling Intermediate.

Ballymore in JFC
Monasterevin in the IFC
Sarsfields/Moorefield drew yesterday in the SFC, replay next Sunday.

[joemamas]

Dublin quarter-finals:

St Judes 0-11 St Vincents 0-4
Kev Mac and the Culchies prevail! Kev started with 3 wides, but put on a masterful performance after that, he was everywhere, a real leader. Vins were shocking.

Ballyboden 3-15 Na Fianna 1-15 (After extra time)
Great match, the highlights being superb performances from Colm Basquel (3-4) and Conor McHugh (0-6). An utterly appalling second yellow card for McHugh right at the end of normal time was probably the deciding factor. Despite the linesman looking right at it he allowed the ref to make an awful decision (McHugh dragged to the ground by a Boden player who basically lay on him to prevent him taking part in the last Na Fianna attack. Ref turned and saw them both on the ground and gave them both yellows, so McHugh could not play in extra time, which was an enormous loss to Na Fianna). 

Kilmacud Crokes 0-16 Clontarf 0-8
Surprisingly, Clontarf led by a point at the break. But 4 minutes into the second half, the ref gave Jack McCaffrey a straight red for a high tackle and that was game over. Another very poor decision, it wasn't remotely a red card offence. Mannion only came on at half time, but still ended as top scorer with 0-4.

Thomas Davis 3-12 Castleknock 1-17
Great win for the Tallaghtmen, Kilkenny got 3 points for Knock, but goals crucial for the Davis win.

Semi-finals:

Ballyboden St Endas v St Judes
- Have to fancy Boden, but can't write off Judes.

Thomas Davis v Kilmacud Crokes
- Should be reasonably straight forward for Crokes, great achievement for Davis to get this far.

Nice summary, Thanks for taking the time.

[Silkyskillssunshinee]

Can't see anyone but the Dublin champs winning this, but I said that last year and look what happened. Brilliant competition in fairness.

I'd say maybe Ferbane would be a dark horse. That Cian Johnson lad looks an unbelievable talent. Portlaoise were poor by their usual standards in Laois, but they do usually up it when they get into Leinster

[seafoid]

Can't see anyone but the Dublin champs winning this, but I said that last year and look what happened. Brilliant competition in fairness.

I'd say maybe Ferbane would be a dark horse. That Cian Johnson lad looks an unbelievable talent. Portlaoise were poor by their usual standards in Laois, but they do usually up it when they get into Leinster

Dub teams have won 10 out of the last 16 Leinsters

[shark]

Can't see anyone but the Dublin champs winning this, but I said that last year and look what happened. Brilliant competition in fairness.

I'd say maybe Ferbane would be a dark horse. That Cian Johnson lad looks an unbelievable talent. Portlaoise were poor by their usual standards in Laois, but they do usually up it when they get into Leinster

Dub teams have won 10 out of the last 16 Leinsters

Off top of my head, so may be incorrect, the others being:
Moorefield x2
Portlaoise x2
Mullinalaghta
Garrycastle

All were seasoned Leinster campaigners by the time they won. That's why someone like Ferbane won't win it. But maybe they will in a few years time.

I predict semi finals to be Portlaoise v Moorefield/Sarsfields and Dub champs v Garrycastle. Dub champs to win it if it's Crokes or Boden.

[AZOffaly]

I can't see Ferbane winning it, in fact I'd nearly expect seasoned campaigners like Saint Pats to win on Sunday. However the last time Ferbane won the county after a significant fallow period (15 years) they won the Leinster at the first time of asking. Just saying

[redsetanta]

St Rynaghs travel to Portlaoise in two weeks to take on Rathdowney/Errill. R/E intend a big push for a win in Leinster club. Hasn't happened for a Laois team in a while although they have come close. They have a good mix of current county players, King, Purcell, Kavanagh, Kelly, Killeen as well as old campaigners like Joe Fitz, John Purcell and Brian Campion

[IronMike247]

Three games in the senior football this weekend:
Ferbane (OY)   v   St Patricks (WW)   
Eire Óg (CW)   v   Castletown (WX)
Garrycastle (WH)   v   Killoe Emmet Og (LD)

I'll go for all home wins here.

In the intermediate:
Bracknagh (OY)   v   Mattock Rangers (LH)
Caulry (WH)   v   Dunlavin (WW)
Carlow   v   Fr Manning Gaels (LD)

I note that the Carlow IFC final is on Friday night, with the winners playing in Leinster on Sunday afternoon. I'll go for wins for Bracknagh, Caulry and Fr Manning Gaels here.

In the Junior:
Ballinacargy (WH)   v   An Tochar (WW)
Shannonbridge (OY)   v   Fenagh (CW)
Roche Emmets GFC (LH)   v   Castletown Gaels (LS)

I won't pretend to have any inclination about how these will go. I imagine Shannonbridge would be strong being intermediate champions in Offaly.

[LooseCannon]

I'd be reluctant to give Ferbane the nod after seeing AZ's post.
Bracknagh should win.
Kevin Corrigan (local journalist) reckoned that Shannonbridge were better than the 3 point winning margin suggested last Saturday in today's Tribune. He reckons that they and Bracknagh will go far. That being said, they've a 7 day turnaround, while Bracknagh and Ferbane have 2 weeks. Not sure of the turnarounds for the respective opponents. I reckon that 2/3 will win, most likely the two teams that don the blue and gold. That being said, it'd be better again if our clubs won 3/3.

Anyone have any thoughts or know anything about any of the opponents of our 3 representatives?

[Hound]

Wooly has a very good interview with Cian Johnson of Ferbane on his podcast. Cian is gas!
Some will probably moan about his self confidence, but he's a breath of fresh air and definitely makes me want to see him playing!

'There's no point me chasing back and making tackles back up the field, because I'm no good at it. Let the other lads do the donkey work, get the ball to me and i'll get the scores' 😄

In his last 3 club championship matches, he hasn't missed a shot. Something like 2-16 from 18 shots.

[LaurelEye]

I can't see Ferbane winning it, in fact I'd nearly expect seasoned campaigners like Saint Pats to win on Sunday. However the last time Ferbane won the county after a significant fallow period (15 years) they won the Leinster at the first time of asking. Just saying

St. Pat's put up a good display for the first half last year against Rhode and that was after having played a county final replay the night before with attendant celebrations. Still reckon Ferbane should get by them in O'Connor Park though.

[LaurelEye]

Kenagh beat Berlin 3-15 to 3-5 in the junior championship. Angela Merkel unavailable for comment.