KERRY DUO PAUL Galvin and Eamonn Fitzmaurice and Dublin’s Ciarán Kilkenny are amongst those on the All-Ireland club trail this weekend.
The eight games in the club intermediate and junior hurling and football semi-finals are pencilled in for Sunday.
The teams involved are all aiming to secure the dream of getting to play in Croke Park in the All-Ireland finals on the weekend of February 9th and 10th.
Kerry player Galvin and Kerry manager Fitzmaurice will be lining out together for their club on Sunday against Kildare’s Monasterevin in the IFC semi-final.
Monasterevin are managed by former Offaly senior footballer Pascal Kelleghan ahead of a game that will take place in the Gaelic Grounds.
While in Mitchelstown in the JFC semi-final the talented Dublin youngster Kilkenny will make his first Gaelic football appearance since cutting short his AFL career with Hawthorn, when his club Castleknock face Kenmare.
Kerry outfit Kenmare will be spearheaded by attacking duo Paul O’Connor, who has featured for Kerry in the McGrath Cup already this year, and Stephen O’Brien, a recent county U21 and Sigerson Cup winner with UCC.
Other stars in action this weekend include Tyrone’s Owen Mulligan whose Cookstown side face Charlestown in the IFC semi-final in Longford. The Charlestown team will include Tom Parsons and Aidan Higgins, a duo who have Mayo senior experience.
While in the other JFC semi-final in Cavan, Galway’s Ballinasloe – who have county senior Keith Kelly in their defence – will meet Armagh’s An Pórt Mór who have former Tyrone All-Ireland winner Collie Holmes in their ranks.
In hurling Tipperary prodigy Jason Forde, who has been drafted onto the county’s extended senior panel this year, will feature for his club Silvermines in the IHC semi-final in Portlaoise.
Their opponents Clara have Lester Ryan, a member of the Kilkenny squad that lifted the Liam McCarthy Cup last September, and Conor Phelan, a former Cats senior hurler, on board.
The other IHC last four clash sees London champions St Gabriel’s are in action against Galway’s Killimordaly, who will include 2011 All-Ireland U21 winner Declan Connolly.
St Gabriel’s include Cork sharpshooter Martin Finn in their side while former Galway goalkeeper Aidan Ryan is one of nine Tribesmen natives in their line-up.
In the JHC semi-finals, Peter O’Brien and Michael Walsh, who has featured strongly for Cork at underage level, will be in action for Kildorrery in Cashel against Thomastown.
The Kilkenny club have players like Dylan Walsh, Thomas O’Hanrahan and John Joe Farrell who all have recent inter-county underage experience.
The other semi-final in this competition sees Down’s Bredagh meet Warwickshire’s Fullen Gaels in Coolock.
Sunday
(All games at 2pm unless stated)
All-Ireland IFC club semi-finals
Charlestown Sarsfields (Mayo) v Cookstown Fr Rocks (Tyrone), Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford
Finuge (Kerry) v Monasterevan (Kildare), Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
All-Ireland IHC club semi-finals
St Gabriel’s (London) v Killimordaly (Galway), Birr, 1pm
Silvermines (Tipperary) v Clara (Kilkenny), O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, 2pm
All-Ireland JFC club semi-finals
Ballinasloe (Galway) v An Port Mór (Armagh), Kingspan Breffni Park, Cavan, 2pm
Castleknock (Dublin) v Kenmare Shamrocks (Kerry), Mitchelstown, Cork, 2pm
All-Ireland JHC club semi-finals
Bredagh (Down) v Fullen Gaels (Warwickshire), Parnell’s GAA club, Coolock, Dublin, 1pm
Kildorrery (Cork) v Thomastown (Kilkenny), Leahy Park, Cashel, 2pm
