LAST UPDATE | 10 Sep 2022
1. Moving weekend in Dublin hurling
The final round of group games in the Dublin senior hurling championship takes place this weekend. In Group 1, Cuala and Ballyboden St Enda’s face-off in the tie of the round on Saturday evening.
Both south side clubs are already assured of their progression to the quarter-finals but a Cuala win would see them leapfrog ‘Boden and finish top of the group, sealing a last four place.
While Kilmacud Crokes were crowned champions last year, Cuala and Ballyboden shared the previous seven county titles and clashed in the 2020 decider, which Cuala won.
In Group 2, St Vincent’s meet Kilmacud Crokes in another top of the table encounter. A win for the Marino outfit would put them straight into the semi-finals.
2. Kerry county championship begins
There will be a great sense of intrigue as the flagship competition in the home of the All-Ireland champions kicks off. The Kerry county senior football championship gets underway with eight clubs and eight divisional sides set to battle it out for the Bishop Moynihan Cup.
With 10 clubs available to them, East Kerry are the favourites to add to the titles they won in 2019 and 2020. They’re bolstered by the addition of the Killarney Legion content, which only adds to their strength in depth.
A forward line containing the Clifford brothers and James O’Donoghue says it all about the quality manager Jerry O’Sullivan can call upon.
A big crowd is expected in Austin Stack Park for their Group 2 opener against 2021 finalists Kerins O’Rahillys on Saturday night. The absences of Jack Savage (travel) and Tommy Walsh (injury) will hurt the Tralee side’s chances.
3. Cork hurling quarter-finals
It’s quarter-final weekend in the Cork premier senior hurling championship.
Holders Midleton were knocked out in the group stage, while Erin’s Own wait in the semi-finals after winning the divisional/colleges section. 2020 winners Blackrock v 2017-2019 champions Imokilly promises to be a thrilling battle.
Perhaps the most intriguing tie sees St Finbarr’s meet Douglas on Sunday. Reaching the last four would be a big deal for both clubs. The Barr’s last reached the semi-final in 2019, while Douglas must go back to 2014. Douglas have never made a final, with the Barr’s last reaching the decider in 1993.
The neighbouring southside Cork city clubs boast a host of county players. The Cahalane brothers are on one side for Barrs, who also have young emerging players in Ben O’Connor, Ethan Twomey and Brian Hayes. The Cadogan brothers and Shane Kingston will be in action for Douglas.
4. Can Ballygunner be stopped?
Ballygunner’s nine-in-a-row bid brings them up against Mount Sion in Sunday’s Waterford hurling decider, which is live on TG4 at 2.30pm. Ballygunner won their maiden All-Ireland club title in February and their dominance in Waterford shows no signs of slowing down.
They are unbeaten in 47 championship games, winning 46 of those contests, and one more victory would bring them levels with the nine successive titles achieved by Mount Sion in 1961 and Erin’s Own in 1935.
The ‘Gunner are chasing a hat-trick of titles this weekend as their juniors and intermediates also prepare for county finals. Can Mount Sion upset the odds in their first final appearance since 2014 as they chase a first title in 16 years?
Their talisman Austin Gleeson, arguably the biggest name in the Waterford team, is chasing his first senior county medal.
Crossmaglen’s stranglehold on the Armagh senior football championship ran from 1996 to 2015, but in the six years since four clubs have shared the county title. Cross were victorious in 2018 and 2019, but have been beaten in the last two finals to Maghery and Clann Eireann.
Led by the O’Neill brothers, Cross are boosted by Jamie Clarke’s return, as the gifted forward is set to line out with the black and amber for the first time in six years.
They play Silverbridge, the club of recent All-Star nominee Jarly Og Burns, in the first round on Sunday, which will be aired by TG4. It’s the fourth year in succession that the south Armagh neighbours have clashed in the championship. Crossmaglen have prevailed in the last three counters.
The Armagh SFC is a straight knock-out format, with the eight first round winners advancing into the quarter-finals.
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