Daingean and Ballinagar favoured to set up local derby final

By Kevin Egan

Tullamore and Daingean reaching the knockout stages of the Senior B football championship is no surprise, but while the first-round meeting between the two clubs was expected to be incredibly tight – albeit Daingean looked that bit better in the end – the Blues have lost some key contributors since then, including Oisín Keenan Martin and the aforementioned Davin Keegan.

Scratch one desperately poor showing in their contest with Cappincur and Daingean are averaging 4-17 per game outside of that. They won’t score that much in Glenisk O’Connor Park today (Saturday, 3pm), but they won’t need to either.

The second half of the double header between Ballinagar and Tubber (4.30pm) looks like the much more interesting fixture out of the two. Both sides are short one or two key players through injury that would elevate them to a different level, but on paper Ballinagar look slightly better equipped to handle those losses, while in terms of fitness and energy, they are a side that would be ready to make the step up to Senior A.

The style and panache that Ballinagar showed to power past Cappincur last time out would devastate Tubber just as much, if they can replicate it – and if there is to be a substantial margin between the teams when Fergal Smyth blows the final whistle, then it’s overwhelmingly likely that Ballinagar will advance.

If Tubber can turn it into more of a tense, tight arm-wrestle, then it’s a different story. They have the big-game experience and the physicality to thrive in that situation and if there is to be an upset across the four senior semis this week, then this is the game that is most likely to provide it.

For Cappincur, this has been a season filled with regret, and for two of their three defeats, they would have walked off the pitch knowing that they let a good position slip. Still, the life looks to have drained from Ballycumber and the trend of West Offaly clubs enduring a disproportionate number of relegations in recent years is likely to continue when the sides meet in Clara on Sunday (12.00).

The junior semi-finals are two pairings that already took place in the group stages, and while these are more games that should be very competitive, there is an argument to say that both teams that lost first time out might gain revenge tomorrow.

Erin Rovers will certainly benefit from the extra outing against a decent Shamrocks side so they get a moderately confident vote to overcome Clodiagh Gaels in Kilcormac on Sunday (12.00).

Shannonbridge now haven’t had a competitive fixture since the end of July, and no amount of challenge games and training sessions will compensate for that unfortunate quirk of how the fixtures have played out in this championship so far. Expect a good crowd in Ferbane today (Saturday, 2pm) for what should be another hugely enjoyable renewal of an age-old rivalry, with Doon’s edge in terms of match sharpness likely to prove significant.