Opportunity knocks for Courty - Munster quarter final preview

 

Despite making three Munster final appearances in the last decade (2004, 2006 and 2007), it’s hardly been a rich return for Déise sides in this company. Since the turn of the millennium, Waterford clubs have won five, drawn two and lost eleven out of eighteen provincial ties. Stradbally were the last team to record a win back in 2010 (0-7 to 0-4 over Doonbeg). Taxing and physically exhausting county finals haven’t helped their cause. In 2003 and 2008, the championship didn’t finish on schedule to meet the Munster deadlines. Ballinacourty are better placed to boost that record.

With a fortnight to retune the dial, Courty should arrive with a fresh appetite to kick on for the rest of the winter. Eight wins out of eight in the county by an average margin of eleven points breathes confidence. The forwards have reached the dizzy digits of around 19 points per game and the backs are letting through less than nine on average. A wholesome team performance knocked Stradbally over by seven. Eight different players split the uprights and they only conceded two points in 54 minutes of football. The bite was back in their play and that really showed in how they scoffed the breaks and surrounded the Red shirts in numbers. John Hurney’s suspension is the only minus mark ahead of the weekend.

Drom Broadford have collected seven out of twelve on Shannonside (2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2013) and lifted the Munster cup in 2008. In their latest triumph over Monaleen, they emerged as two point victors but bossed the game for the majority. New recruit Killian Phair from Cavan, was responsible for 1-3. He previously won county crowns in his native county and in London. Man of the match Gareth Noonan and Seanie Buckley are their only two current county representatives. Jason Stokes and evergreen attacker Michael Reidy soldiered under Liam Kearns when Limerick narrowly lost back to back Munster finals against Kerry in 2003 and 2004. They will start without full back Tom McLoughlin on Sunday.

This quarter final will be settled around the centre. Seanie Buckley resides there for the visitors and his creative influence will need to be curbed. Courty clearly studied Stradbally’s kick outs and they used Gary Hurney’s height to gain a leg up. They are unlikely to exert a similar vice like grip on this occasion and their hunger for dirty ball will have to be as high as two weeks ago. With Dr Crokes and Castlehaven on the opposite side of the draw and the Clare championship in disarray, a Munster final appearance is within the grasp of Sunday’s victors. Courty’s midfield (helped by attack minded half backs and hard running half forwards) can provide the platform to get around awkward opponents.

Ballinacourty 4/6 Draw 7/1 Drom Broadford 6/4

Prediction: Ballinacourty

Waterford's Munster club football record (2000-2012)

2000 quarter final

Moyle Rovers 2-2 The Nire 0-7

2001 quarter final
Drom Broadford 2-9 Stradbally 0-9

2002 quarter final
Monaleen 1-12 Stradbally 2-6

2003
No Waterford representative

2004 quarter final
Stradbally 0-11 Loughmore Castleiney 1-7

2004 semi final
Stradbally 1-12 Bishopstown 0-12

2004 final
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9 Stradbally 0-9

2004 final replay
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9 Stradbally 0-8

2005 semi final
Nemo Rangers 1-14 Stradbally 0-10

2006 semi final
The Nire 1-6 Aherlow 1-6

2006 semi final replay
The Nire 1-10 Aherlow 0-6

2006 final
Dr Crokes 2-5 The Nire 0-8

2007 semi final
Ballinacourty 2-6 Kilcummin 0-8

2007 final
Nemo Rangers 1-10 Ballinacourty 1-7

2008
No Waterford representative

2009 semi final
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9 Stradbally 0-6

2010 quarter final
Stradbally 0-7 Doonbeg 0-4

2010 semi final
Nemo Rangers 1-12 Stradbally 1-5

2011 quarter final
Dr Crokes 3-13 Ballinacourty 0-7

2012 semi final
Castlehaven 1-5 Stradbally 0-7

Courty’s steely side wins midfield war - Ballinacourty 0-12 Stradbally 0-5

A third title since 2007 for Ballinacourty and the seven point winning margin crowned their most fulfilling triumph. This was a thorough team performance as Stradbally were left grasping for air. The sending off tested their resolve but they continued to suffocate their rivals in fiery affair and eight different players posted a score.

 

Gary Hurney emphasised the collective effort afterwards. "We knew that sometimes we weren’t getting the best out of everyone but this time we got the absolute best out of everyone and we needed that to drive on and win today."

 

Even with fourteen, Ballinacourty remained in total control of their own destiny. Selector Neil Moore felt that the half time breather allowed them the opportunity to reconfigure their forces. “We were lucky with the timing of it in that it gave us a chance to regroup and reorganise. Maybe if it happened in the second half, it wouldn’t have given us the chance to get them together in the dressing room.”

They crossed the bridge in determined mood to tear up the pre match predictions. “The lads were determined that we weren’t coming over here and losing today. A lot of the talk around was that we were coming over to make up the numbers but we showed a few people that we can play football too.”

Ballinacourty showed a real willingness to scavenge. They pressurised from the front, forcing uncharacteristic errors from their opponents and didn’t allow Stradbally build patiently from the back. A true sign of their hunger however was their monopoly on breaking ball. During their second quarter purple patch, Mark Fives got his paws on three breaks in a row. The underrated captain, really rose to the occasion and polished off sixty minutes of sweat with two points from play.

On and off the field they outmanoeuvred an out of sorts Stradbally. Switching Sean O’Hare to full back and Shane Briggs to six allowed the latter to relax his defensive duties and move into advanced areas. The management resisted the temptation to place Gary Hurney at fourteen and instead used his aerial prowess to gain the upper hand at midfield. He also minimised the impact of the Ahearne brothers. Man of the match Hurney also came up with the crucial scores when they needed to enlarge their lead. In the second half, he produced two points and one assist. That point into the country end was something spectacular as he held off two Stradbally defenders to curl the ball inside the left hand post.

The Reds were seriously hindered from the moment that Michael Walsh hit the deck in the top right hand corner of the field. The Brick hobbled into the full forward line but was never able to run off the injury. Up to that point, he was probing for openings and proved almost impossible to dispossess as he surveyed each situation. His sumptuous pass played in Paddy Kiely for a point that was close to perfection. Stradbally didn’t seem the same without their link man pulling the strings. The supply line was completely cut off and amazingly, they only registered two points in 54 minutes of football after Kiely’s white flag on 11 minutes. The Ahearnes were also held scoreless from play.

They weathered the early Courty storm of singles from Patrick Hurney and Michael O’Halloran. David Grey, Shane Ahearne (smashing free from forty metres) and Kiely left them 0-3 to 0-2 in front. Normal order restored but there was a The Stradbally kick out collapsed for the second quarter of the contest. Gary Hurney competed strongly and Mark Fives swept up the crumbs coming his way. The industrious Fives levelled on eighteen minutes. James O’Mahoney nudged them ahead before Richie Foley sauntered forward from wing back for a brace of points. Cruising at 0-6 to 0-3 in front, they could have kicked on further but they sent six shots astray. Even John Hurney’s moment of madness didn’t deter them. The fitness programme implemented by James Keoghan was singled out for high praise afterwards as they maintained their intensity levels in the tackle and held their own in terms of the collisions. After the restart, Mark Fives added his second single and Gary Hurney screwed in that screamer off his left boot. No way back for the Reds.

The scoring statistics beforehand hinted at a looser final but familiarity tightened things up. The top three now meet so regularly that they know each other inside out. Space was at a premium and none of the forwards went on a scoring spree. The sides shared 27 goals beforehand but Courty only carved two openings and Stradbally mustered a half chance in the first half. There was needle in this one throughout and the free count rose above forty. Man in black John Condon controlled matters and flashed the colours when required (two reds and four yellows). The dismissals of John Hurney and Paddy Kiely were clear cut calls.

This is a revamped version of the Villagers. Five changes in personnel have been made from the victorious 2011 side. Under 21 medallists turned into senior starters this season. When hounding down Stradbally, you need a little extra. Sunday’s dominant march suggests that the green and white will be sticking around. For the pool of talent at their disposal and their consistency (five finals in seven seasons), they needed more silverware to show and a third Conway Cup for this group is a healthier return. The motivation now must be to build a long term reputation and that starts by putting together back to back titles.

Plenty of potential in familiar pairing - Stradbally v Ballinacourty preview

 

The Waterford football final frequently goes right to the wire. The last three deciders have been settled by the bare minimum. Since 2002, the teams have required a second day out on five occassions. The odds of a draw on Sunday? 7/1.  

On the semi final evidence, these two rivals are hitting peak performance at just the right moment. Stradbally’s dissection of An Rinn set an intimidating benchmark. The Reds appear to moving better than ever before. Michael Walsh and Paddy Kiely form a balanced partnership at midfield. The Brick can drop deep to start attacks while Kiely is given licence to attack. The Ahearnes are combining in perfect symphony. 2-22 posted between them in the last two knockout games. Stephen Cunningham integrated a number of new combination during the group stages and they are gelling with the old guard. Nearly a third of the team didn’t start last year’s final. Paddy Doyle, Kevin Lawlor, Tommy Connors and David Grey are now permanent parts. Jack Mullaney is also a regular replacement.

A week later, Ballinacourty swept The Nire aside with an explosive start. They led by 3-6 to 0-2 approaching half time. The most striking aspect of their seven successes has been their creation and conversion of goal scoring opportunities. Fifteen green flags raised thus far and only one blank fired (in the quarter final versus St Saviours). Mark Ferncombe’s flair is bringing out the best from those around him. His razor sharp finishing (5-15 banked in this year’s championship) and eye for a pass has increased their output. Patrick Hurney is taking on a greater leadership role in both codes and has outshone Gary to start Sunday’s final as the ace marksman in the Courty ranks (2-26). They too have added a different dimension to their playing pool. Shane Briggs and Sean O’Hare now start at three and six respectively. David Collins and Brian Looby provide freshness in defence while Jason O’Brien and Michael O’Halloran are regular contributors to the scoreboard.

In the scoring stakes, they are matching each other stride for stride. Ballinacourty tend to hit 21 points per game while the holders are running at rate of 20 per game. The spread of scorers is also encouraging for both sides. Not for the first time the weather may stop the landslide of scores. The 2011 mudslide should never have been staged. Courty got first use of the gale to score six points and Stradbally’s second half return fell a single short (0-6 to 0-5). Nobody wants to see a rerun.

Courty will look to dictate the tempo straight from the throw in. In a similar fashion to the semi final, they may chase an early goal to lure their opponents into an open contest. Positioning Gary Hurney close to the target may form part of that plan. Will they earn enough possession at midfield to ask those searching questions of Stradbally’s last line? Walsh and Kiely are supported by hard working half backs and half forwards that soak up the breaks. The Ahearnes can also put in a shift around the centre. The match ups also pose problems from a Ballinacourty perspective. Will Sean O’Hare shadow Shane Ahearne after his semi final masterclass? Will Shane Briggs follow Robert Ahearne or stay back and mind the house? Even if the twin towers are limited in their influence, David Grey and Ger Power need close surveillance. The Stradbally defenders are more versatile and flexible. They are no fazed by unfamiliar surroundings if they are dragged out of position.

Despite their congested mantelpiece, the Reds still harbour a hunger to top the pile. Nine titles in thirteen attempts is the latest piece of history in their sights. They start each season with a clean slate and their workrate remains as fierce as ever. Ballinacourty will feel that they should have more to show for the footballers at their disposal than two titles (2007 and 2011). Last year’s semi final loss offers further motivation.

The third time in four years for these two to wind up in the final but what kind of contest will emerge from this familiarity? If it turns into an arm wrestle or a more expansive spectacle, Stradbally can adapt. The accumulation of finals means that few situations surprise them and they adjust to their surroundings swiftly. The Brick acts as their sat nav to get them safely to their desired destination. The combination of the Ahearnes up front can steer them to the slimmest of wins. The recent tradition of football finals almost guarantees a tight squeeze. The average winning total from the last ten deciders is eleven points. The 2013 edition may prove an exception in that particular area.

Betting: Stradbally 4/5 Draw 7/1 Ballinacourty 5/4
Prediction: Stradbally

Paths to the summit – Stradbally v Ballinacourty

Stradbally

For: 12-106

Against: 6-43
Scorers: 16
Top Scorer: Robert Ahearne 4-17
Average winning margin: 12 points

Round 1: Stradbally 2-16 Gaultier 1-2
Round 2: Stradbally 3-17 St Saviours 1-10
Round 3: Stradbally 1-8 Clashmore 0-8
Round 4: Stradbally 0-19 Ardmore 1-7
Round 5: Stradbally 2-15 Kilrossanty 1-7
Quarter Final: Stradbally 1-13 Ballinameela 1-3
Semi Final: Stradbally 3-18 An Rinn 1-3

Robert Ahearne 4-17
Shane Ahearne 1-25
David Grey 1-13
John Coffey 1-11
Ger Power 2-5
Chris Casey 0-9
Paddy Kiely 1-5
Tony Grey 0-7
Tommy Connors 0-4
Michael Walsh 0-4
Own goal 1-0
Luke Casey 1-0
Eddie Rockett 0-2
Shane Lannon 0-2
Paddy Doyle 0-1
Kevin Lawlor 0-1

Ballinacourty

For: 15-101

Against: 3-54
Scorers: 15
Top Scorer: Patrick Hurney 2-26
Average winning margin: 12 points

Round 1: Ballinacourty 1-9 An Rinn 0-9
Round 2: Ballinacourty 2-15 Rathgormack 0-7
Round 3: Ballinacourty 1-15 The Nire 0-12
Round 4: Ballinacourty 6-17 Ballinameela 1-4
Round 5: Ballinacourty 1-20 Brickey Rangers 0-6
Quarter Final: Ballinacourty 0-14 St Saviours 1-5
Semi Final: Ballinacourty 4-11 The Nire 1-11

Patrick Hurney 2-26

Mark Ferncombe 5-15
Mark Gorman 2-8
Jason O’Brien 3-4
Michael O’Halloran 0-13
Gary Hurney 0-10
Mark Fives 1-4
Shane Donovan 0-7
John Hurney 1-2
Shane Briggs 1-1
Conor Maloney 0-4
Ross Dunford 0-4
John Power 0-1
Martin Lavan 0-1
Jason O’Mahony 0-1

Passage paradise – Passage 3-16 Ballygunner 3-13

 

A finish to give you goosebumps. You had to scrub your eyes to verify it. A sudden injection of 2-4 numbed the pain for Passage. The craziest climax to a county hurling final was beyond belief.

Passage rolled the dice all season long. They scored 17 goals and conceded 13 on the journey. They emerged as the great entertainers. With the attacking resources at their disposal, that approach was understandable. There was also a consistency to the manner they concluded all of their knock out matches. Five unanswered points in the quarter final and two goals in the third quarter of the semi indicated that they would last the pace.

Still, a uprising seemed unthinkable considering the opposition. Ballygunner simply don’t surrender these situations. Up to that point, they had done more than enough. The red and black ribbons were ready. They took decisive action in the third quarter. A seven point gain (2-3 to 0-2) during moving quarter. Their full forward line was working as well as it had done all season as they accumulated 2-3. Stephen Power’s aerial ability and 1-2 contribution came as a welcome bonus to Ballygunner. Since his De La Salle college days, he has struggled to pin down a regular position but he reminded everyone of his gifts on Sunday. David O’Sullivan provided a towering presence at wing forward and his defensive splitting run allowed Power to scramble the opening goal.

Their backs appeared impenetrable. Wayne Hutchinson picked the apples off a tree and shielded the inner line. Stephen O’Keeffe asserted himself around the goalmouth and dictated the pattern and pace of Ballygunner play. He directed the ball out from the back and they pinged it around precisely during the second half. They even hosed down the first flames of a fightback. Eoin Kelly hit two points, Owen Connors converted a free and John Whitty tested Stephen O’Keeffe in a five minute spell. Yet, points from Harley Barnes, Brian O’Sullivan and Power kept them seven up with seven to play.

The villagers still trusted their fitness. Fergal O’Brien had them running up and down Passage hill. Peter Queally moulded them as a group and put an end to the individualism that held them back. Very few had tasted any sort of club success. Four years ago in an Eastern Under 21 final, Ballygunner trounced them by 4-17 to 2-7. Ten survivors started for Gunners on Sunday and eight from Passage. This team, with an average age of 24.7, had matured throughout this campaign however. In those final five minutes, they learned how to win. A bit of risk taking was involved as Jason Roche wandered all the way up from the full back line to leave two goals in it. They kept plugging away and none showed more perseverance than man of the match Owen Connors. A reliable club performer since their promotion at senior level, he didn’t panic and chipped away with the frees. His first half goal recovered their balance and he spurred them on again following that damaging third quarter.

The take off was sudden and unexpected. It crept up on the Gunners and almost everyone else in Walsh Park. The rocket fuel came in the form of Sean Hogan’s goal. The seventeen year old substitute saw little action before the sliotar came his way right on the stroke of sixty minutes. From an acute angle and with Stephen O’Keeffe close to unbeatable, he scorched the ceiling of the net before the number one had time to raise a stick at it. Ballygunner were wobbly on their legs now. Passage had to push them to the canvas. They sensed and grasped the opportunity. They needed every last one of the 17 goals to get their mitts on the News and Star silver. The long serving Conor Carey lifted the roof off the net when he collected from Owen Connors. Cue commotion.

The next couple of minutes were a red and white blur. County final woes and an inferiority complex to the Gunners utterly dismissed. They lost three times (1993, 1994 and 1997) in different circumstances. The first two hurt the most while they were clinging on by the time the third came around. Names likes Barry, Cullinane and Connors were all prominent. Conor Carey and Rory Walsh were also knocking around. They spiralled out of senior in 2003 and only resurfaced in 2008. Hard knocks came their way initially. An Abbeyside annilihation in the group stages of 2009 (7-16 to 3-10) was followed by a semi final shellacking from De La Salle (2-21 to 2-5) a year later. They settled in senior helped by an underage crop that contained Noel Connors, Owen Connors, Thomas Connors, Eddie Lynch, Mark Wyse and Killian Fitzgerald amongst others. Peter Queally put the pieces together. Carey recalled their first encounter with Ballydurn man. “We were out and we were playing as individuals and we were shouting and roaring. He stopped the game and he said ‘lads if I don’t win a game with ye this year I’m going to make ye believe in each other and be positive to each other’.”

Life, death and hurling became tangled up in this tale. The memory of the Bolger brothers never left them. “It was always there in the background and it was always silently there,” stated Peter Queally on the pitch afterwards. “We spoke about it after our first night back training and it was a very emotional night. We said that we wouldn’t mention it again but every time we came into a huddle and there was silence, we think about the three brothers that lost their lives at sea. We wanted to honour their passing.” Eoin Kelly added: “It’s great to have some bit of joy in the village. The people of Passage need this and they will get some lift of this.”

They won’t feel the winter now in Passage East. The Munster championship can go on the backburner. As Conor Carey exclaimed: “Let’s go have a session!”

Gunners’ defence presents barrier to Passage breakthrough

 

Never mind the nineties. It’s time for Passage to grasp the nettle. In the here and now, they possess the forwards, the fitness and the strength in depth to hoist the News & Star cup just before five on Sunday.

To take the next step, they will have to answer the following queries. Will Noel Connors shadow Gunners’ director Pauric Mahony around all afternoon? Will Owen Connors or Eoin Kelly stand over the placed balls? Should Sean Hogan or Thomas Connors start after making a lasting impression last time around? Can they sustain their effort over the full hour after enduring barren patches in both the quarter final and semi final? All of these issues will have occupied the mind of Peter Queally in preparation.

The Gunners played within themselves during the semi final. They shot eleven wides and couldn’t kill off their opponents conclusively. They lean heavily on Pauric Mahony as creator and scorer. He is responsible for almost half of their scores in this year’s championship (47 per cent). Their full forward line can produce more and if either Brian O’Sullivan or JJ Hutchinson catch fire, Passage will seek shelter. The inside line only threw in 1-6 in the last two games. The two corner men are the most likely candidates for first goalscorer. The quality of their defending in the knock out rounds meant that they didn’t have to overextend themselves up front. They conceded 15 points to De La Salle over eighty minutes and just eleven to Abbeyside in the semis. Stephen O’Keeffe has also kept back to back clean sheets. He stops attacks and starts attacks. His distribution and puck out strategy are crucial elements to Ballygunner’s success. Barry Coughlan suffocated Patrick Hurney and held him scoreless. Another steady sixty will alert the next inter county manager. The half back line offer both protection and a launch pad. Only four goals have gone by this Ballygunner sextet. Numbers eight to twelve (Philip Mahony, Harley Barnes, Shane O’Sullivan, Pauric Mahony and David O’Sullivan) are all crisp in keeping possession and orchestrating scores. They hold the upper hand in terms of astuteness in this sector.

Passage hold the guns to blast through the bullet proof vest. 14 goals from eight different sources suggests that they carry an array of threats. Eights different players raised a flag in the quarter final and that rose to nine on semi final Sunday. Owen Connors, Killian Fitzgerald and Conor Carey contribute a couple of scores from play and they may keep recently returned Thomas Connors and county minor Sean Hogan in reserve. Incredibly, Eoin Kelly has only mustered one point from play in the last two games and Owen Connors assumed the free taking duties in the second half of the semi final. He retreated to midfield that afternoon but his goal scent must be used at number fourteen. Kelly can rise to the enormity of the challenge. The pacy Mark Wyse and the composed Noel Connors glue together the defence. Their attacking approach does result in some spaces appearing at the other end however and at times, the forwards can neglect to muck in defensively. Passage concede an average of nineteen points per game. They do tend to hold their discipline however. They conceded five from frees against Mount Sion and six in the previous encounter against Ballyduff Upper and those figures are acceptable at this stage of the season. John Whitty offers the engine around the middle and he keeps plugging away no matter what way the cards fall for him.

The start should be frantic and fascinating. Passage settled against Sion with 1-3 after just six minutes. Ballygunner will want to set the seed of doubt in their minds that this final will prolong the famine. Either way, the stamina of the underdogs (attributed to the work of Fergal O’Brien) will keep their supporters shouting in the last ten minutes. After tossing and turning, a mean looking Ballygunner defence backed by one of the best goalkeepers in the land can decide this neighbourly dispute.

Betting: Ballygunner 1/2 Draw 9/1 Passage 15/8

Prediction: Ballygunner

Umpires on their toes - Ballinacourty v The Nire preview

 

The Nire and Kilrossanty proved three weeks ago that the standard of club football in the county can soar to dizzy heights. The pace was fast and furious from throw in and never relented. Another evening of positive play should be in store during this second semi final.

The Nire survived a rigorous examination of their credentials in that quarter final. Following a humiliating hurling exit and starting minus Shane Lawlor, Jamie Barron and Shane Walsh, their younger lights showed conviction. Darren Guiry, Shane Ryan and Conor Gleeson kicked 1-8 between them. In defence, nobody knows this road better than Justin Walsh and John Moore but this pair continue to push for another Conway Cup and defy Father Time. The overall performance levels dipped during the group stages after driving Stradbally to the cliff edge in 2012. That was emphasised by a 1-15 to 0-12 humbling to Saturday’s opponents Only a late revival made the match appear somewhat competitive. At half time, they trailed by 1-11 to 0-3. They sourced the necessary hunger, work rate and precise shooting when the chips were down in the quarter final. Tipperary All Star Declan Browne is also lending a helping hand. Liam Lawlor retreated into a deeper position as that game wore on but his shrewdness in possession may be required closer to the target on this occasion. Five goals in six games reflects that need. An extra week of healing is also no harm.

On their group stage form, Ballinacourty looked like Stradbally’s biggest threat. Their forward fluency saw them sweep to five convincing wins. They sailed into choppy seas against St Saviours in Carraiganore however before they navigated to calm waters by the last quarter. They have realigned their forces this season with Shane Briggs falling back to number three and Sean O’Hare also dropping to number six. The fruits of their underage success are also starting to sprout with names like Collins, Looby and Maloney set to become more familiar in the future. Up front, the spike in Mark Ferncombe’s form has rubbed off on the rest. Patrick Hurney’s big numbers are not restricted to the small ball, Gary Hurney will hope to profit from the Nire’s difficulty under the skyscrapers and Michael O’Halloran is striking the leather with assuredness. 11 goals in six outings is an intimidating amount and the Saviour’s game was their only one without a green flag. They will relish a shootout should the game develop in that fashion.

There is clear motivation for both. Ballinacourty never put forward a strong case for retention of their title last term as they surrendered to Stradbally in the semi final. They have rediscovered the appetite that saw them escape from the monsoon with the silver in 2011. It’s all about unfinished business for The Nire. The Reds rarely give you two shots at a county title but the Ballymacarbry side couldn’t complete their mission on either occasion. Five years is a long gap without a trophy for a team with class dotted throughout the field. On the evidence of 2013, Ballinacourty score around twenty points per game and The Nire shoot around fifteen. Courty can justify their favouritism on a busy evening for the men in white coats.

Betting: Ballinacourty 10/11 Draw 13/2 The Nire 6/5

Prediction: Ballinacourty