Guide To The County Football Final 2012

Stradbally v The Nire

3.00 at Fraher Field

Betting
Stradbally 4/5 Draw 6/1 The Nire 11/8

Probable Teams
Stradbally: Oliver Costelloe, Tony Grey, Kevin Coffey, Trevor Costelloe, Shane Lannon, Eddie Rockett, Andy Doyle, Michael Walsh, Paddy Kiely, John Hearne, Ger Power, John Coffey, Niall Curran, Robert Ahearne, Shane Ahearne.

The Nire: Tom Wall, Justin Walsh, Thomas O’Gorman, Maurice O’Gorman, John Moore, Martin Walsh, James McGrath, Michael O’Gorman, Brian Wall, Seamus Lawlor, Shane Walsh, Jamie Barron, Darren Guiry, Liam Lawlor, Jamie Barron.

Story To Date
In game one of championship 2012, Stradbally lost out to Clashmore and their group form in general didn’t point towards title winning form. As a couple of their bigger names returned to fitness they picked up the pieces and peaked for the semi final to turn the tables on Ballinacourty. On the other hand, The Nire blazed a trail through the group stages and won their five games with something to spare. They managed to keep their head above water when Kilrossanty threatened an upset in the quarter finals before regaining their composure and running up a big score in the last four.

Leading Scorers
Both of Sunday’s finalists have shared the scoring burden among a wide range of players up to this point. While Niall Curran leads the way for Stradbally on 3-12, David Grey is a close second with 1-14 and Robert Ahearne currently occupies third place on 3-5. Shane Walsh is The Nire’s top scorer on twenty four points but Shane Ryan, Jamie Barron, Liam Lawlor and Brian Wall are all lurking close behind.

Key Battles
Stradbally opted for route one into Robert and Shane Ahearne to unsettle the Ballinacourty defence in the semi final but it remains to be seen whether they will try that again. No matter what plan they come up with, a full back line of Justin Walsh, Maurice O’Gorman and Thomas O’Gorman will line up against them. If they can get past that defensive wall, they will have one hand on the Conway Cup. The Nire lean heavily on Liam Lawlor at the other end and they will pin their hopes that he can get his hands on enough ball to control matters. The Reds will mull over who will keep tabs on the full forward for the afternoon.

Under The Radar
A number of Stradbally players can fit into a wide variety of positions and deliver a high level of performance. For example, Shane Lannon can switch seamlessly between defence and attack without getting the recognition he deserves. A couple of The Nire’s front men are also going about their business in a quiet but effective manner. Shane Ryan and Jamie Barron will look for their first senior medals on Sunday and they have played a major part on the road to the final. Ryan has fired 4-8 while Barron is not far behind on 3-10.

Off The Bench
Pat Curran can turn to a blend of the young and the old if he needs to freshen things up. Stephen Curran, David Grey, Tommy Connors and Trevor Curran all received game time during the semi final. His opposite number JJ Moore can call upon a couple of attacking options to change the course of the game. Connie Power, Craig Guiry and Diarmuid Wall are among the players at his disposal.

Prediction
Can a zebra really change its stripes? Stradbally appear to be taking a more offensive approach than in previous years. Their scores for column is a lot healthier with 10-76 already compiled over seven games. David Grey emerged from the shadows in the group stages but since the start of the knockout rounds, Niall Curran and the two Ahearnes have been their most prolific scorers. Robert and Shane Ahearne not only offer an aerial outlet but the ability to drive at defences and fire points from distance. Even at the age of 34, Curran still retains his cuteness around the goals and an eye for a score. He hit 1-5 from play last time out and he usually performs well in county finals. They can still keep things tight at the back however and they have only conceded an average of nine points per game.

The Nire also seem to be adopting a positive attitude this season and utilising the kick pass to feed their forwards. This is evidenced by a return of 14-105 in their eight championship games to date. Shane Walsh and Liam Lawlor lead the way and offer the leadership up front but players like Jamie Barron and Shane Ryan have also become indispensible members of the attack. They can make hay if provided with a decent supply and in the semi final they piled on the scores at will. Looking through county final meetings between these two over the last decade, they don’t usually turn out to be see saw shootouts. Will this latest episode deviate from this pattern? Conditions may ultimately decide whether these two teams go for broke or batten down the hatches.

Both teams have a couple of creases to iron out. Ballinacourty sliced through the Stradbally rearguard during the first half of the semi final and only a combination of some desperate last ditch defending and poor finishing let them off the hook. Michael Walsh has also not been as prominent as they would like around midfield but he may be saving a big one for final day. The fitness of Shane Walsh will be closely monitored by The Nire as he sat out the Clashmore game with a hamstring injury. Kilrossanty also dominated the middle third during their quarter final duels and that may an area of concern.

The Nire appear to have recovered from this blip against the green and gold however and struck a notable haul of 3-13 to get over Clashmore. They have displayed remarkable consistency since the start of the championship back in April and go into the final unbeaten. The only question hanging over them is whether they can shake off the baggage of a miserable knockout record when faced by those red jerseys. They tend to struggle against Stradbally when the heat comes on. Their last knockout win came back in the 2006 final. They will need to answer some searching questions in a convincing manner on Sunday again to get past the post. The Nire may start with a bit more youth in their fifteen but they are still well equipped to deal with the physical element that will be present in this final. Their solid full back line and a forward line capable of stretching the Stradbally rearguard and pouncing for a goal or two can make the difference on this occasion for the Ballymacarbry outfit.