*Gordon Kelly of St Joseph’s Miltown. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
WITH SIX quarter-final places up for grabs in the TUS Clare senior football championship, Seamus Hayes explains how the remaining spots can and will be filled this weekend.
Those behind the move a couple of years ago to reduce the number of teams in the Clare senior football championship to twelve were strong in the view that it would lead to a more meaningful competition.
Given the position teams find themselves in going into the final round of group games this weekend those who pushed for this format have been proven correct.
Title holders Éire Óg who are chasing a third Jack Daly cup win in a row and Kilmurry Ibrickane have sealed their quarter final places. The remaining ten teams are still in the race for the six places that are still to be filled.
In Group 1, Corofin must beat St. Breckans and hope that Kilmurry Ibrickane account for St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and if this happens it will be down to score difference between Corofin, St. Breckans and Doora/Barefield to decide which two progress as three teams qualify from this group.
In such a scenario the score difference will be calculated on the games between the three and their matches with Kilmurry Ibrickane will not come into the calculation.
In Group 2, a win for St Joseph’s Miltown over Clondegad will see them secure second place behind Éire Óg. Defeat for Miltown in this one would see Clondegad claim second place provided Éire Óg account for Doonbeg. That would see Miltown claim third place and put them in the play off with the third placed team in group 3 for the last quarter final spot leaving Doonbeg to contest the relegation play off.
A win for Doonbeg over Éire Óg would leave the loser of the Miltown versus Clondegad tie in the relegation battle and score difference would then be required to separate Doonbeg and Clondegad who drew in the second round.
Group 3 is arguably the most interesting of the lot with all four teams having recorded a win each.
Currently score difference has Lissycasey on top with +4 followed by Ennistymon on+1, Cratloe on -1 and Kildysart on -4.
This weekend Lissycasey play Kildysart and Ennistymon take on Cratloe and were both games to finish level Lissycasey would top the group with Ennistymon in second place leaving Cratloe in the play off and Kildysart in the relegation contest.
Assuming both games produce a winner then the winning teams will go into the quarter finals.
This is where it gets more interesting. A win for Ennistymon over Cratloe and for Kildysart over Lissycasey will see Ennistymon and Kildysart into the quarter finals with Ennistymon going through as group winners as they defeated Kildysart in round 1. That would then see Cratloe in the play off for the final spot and Lissycasey in the relegation play off as they lost to Cratloe in round 1
A win for Lissycasey over Kildysart allied to an Ennistymon win over Cratloe will see Lissycasey top the group ahead of Ennistymon and in that scenario Kildysart would be in the play off while Cratloe would contest the relegation play off as they lost to Kildysart.
Victory for Kildysart over Lissycasey and for Cratloe over Ennistymon would put Kildysart to the top of the group with Cratloe in second place and Lissycasey into the play off for the final spot leaving Ennistymon in the relegation play off. Phones are likely to be busy while these games are in progress on Saturday.
There are also some exciting permutations in relation to the intermediate championship. Kilrush, Wolfe Tones, Naomh Eoin and Kilmihil have qualified for the quarter finals and the remaining eight teams are still in with a shout of making it through but pointless Ennistymon and Kilfenora must win their games and hope other results go their way if they are to progress.
With two of the third placed teams after this weekend’s final round of games going into the quarter finals no one can be ruled out at this stage.
In Group 2, the winners of the Coolmeen v Liscannor clash will take second place behind Naomh Eoin while the winners of the Banner v Cooraclare clash in group 3 will take the runners up spot behind Kilrush.
In group 1, the losers of the tie between O’Currys and Shannon Gaels will be in the relegation battle whereas a win for Shannon Gaels will give them a quarter final spot. While both Wolfe Tones and Kilmihil are through to the quarter finals, there will be a lot of interest in this top of the table clash with both keen to seal top spot in the group.
In the junior A championship Killimer, Michael Cusacks and Kilmurry Ibrickane are sure of progress to the quarter finals and this weekend’s results will give a clearer picture as to who else will get through to the knock out stage in this competition.
