Derby drama for Sweeney Oil LGFA Intermediate Final as championships get to the business end of the season

Maybe derbies between Drumkeerin and Dromahair are like buses - you wait a while for one and then two come along at once! It certainly feels that way as the neighbouring clubs are set for defining clashes in the Men's and Ladies Intermediate Championships.

Drumkeerin and St Patrick's Dromahair met in the last group game of the Smith Monumentals IFC in the men's football and now face a semi final meeting following Dromahair's win over Bornacoola last Sunday but it is the women's clash that commands the most attention right now.

Kiltubrid will host the first of this year's adult club championship finals on Saturday at 1 pm but even in a very competitive Sweeney Oil LGFA Intermediate championship, it always seemed destined that the two neighbours would end up facing each other in the final.

These two met in the final round of the group stages, Dromahair prevailing narrowly in horrible conditions on a 0-10 to 0-7 scoreline. That left last year's finalists as the only undefeated team in the competition with Drumkeerin beating everyone else.

The duo reinforced their superiority in the semi-finals - Dromahair had a nine point victory over Mohill in their last four clash while Drumkeerin had a much tougher test against a resurgent Fenagh, winning 1-8 to 0-4 and probably getting a much tougher battle into the bargain.

Since winning the Intermediate crown back in 2021 when they crushed St Mary's, Dromahair have endured a fair share of heartbreak, relegated from the Senior ranks the following year before suffering back to back defeats in Intermediate Finals.

St Brigid's beat them in the 2023 Final by eight points in Corlough but greater heartbreak followed a year later when St Francis grabbed two injury time points to secure a 2-9 to 2-8 victory.

Question is, does that increase the pressure on Dromahair that they've got to make it third time lucky next Saturday in Kiltubrid or does it give them a well of experience that Drumkeerin just can't match at the moment?

Drumkeerin come into the Final not having contested a final since they won the Junior crown in dramatic circumstance in 2020, beating Fenagh 3-12 to 3-10, but they have been a consistent and competitive presence in the grade since then.

In a curious twist, they have been defeated in the semi-finals by the last three winners of the Ladies Intermediate championship and their form this year, where they had the best scoring difference in the competition, suggests they are a team capable of going all the way.

Drumkeerin, however, did reach the Division 2 League Final earlier this year after Dromahair were defeated by Mohill in the semi-final, 4-4 to 3-8. Drumkeerin beat Keeldra Gaels comfortably in their semi-final but suffered a 7-6 to 0-11 reverse at the hands of Mohill in the decider. In the League game between the teams, Drumkeerin scored a big 5-17 to 1-14 victory over their neighbours and that should prove quite the inspiration.

The winners will face either Claremorris or Mac Hale Rovers of Mayo in the Connacht IFC Quarter Finals on Sunday October 19, but right now the emphasis is on lifting the Leitrim crown next Saturday. This is an incredibly difficult game to call, both will be rightly confident but Dromahair get the nod.

SMITH MONUMENTALS IFC RELEGATION SEMI-FINAL

Gortletteragh v Ballinaglera: Squeaky bum time here with the losers heading for the Junior ranks in 2026. Ballinaglera have been here before, upsetting all the predictions last year when they beat both Aughnasheelin and Aughavas by two points to retain their Intermediate status. Ballinaglera ended up without a point in the group stages this year but they came up against three of the eventual semi-finalist and a Bornacoola team who were very close to making the last four last Sunday. The Bors did inflict the heaviest defeat on Glera but up until that, they were more than competitive against Dromahair, Annaduff and Drumkeerin.

What to make of Gortletteragh’s struggles this year? Just like Ballinaglera, they came up against the draw of hell as they lost to Allen Gaels, Carrigallen and Dromahair before losing a wild final round shootout against Kiltubrid. Even at that, they were more than competitive against heavy favourites Allen Gaels and Carrigallen just sneaked by them. In the League meeting between the clubs, Gortletteragh were comfortable winners and if they can regain a measure of the form that had many thinking they were possible contenders this year, you’ve got to think Gortletteragh will advance.

SWEENEY OIL LGFA SENIOR RELEGATION FINAL

St Francis v Kiltubrid: There was just three points between the teams in this year’s group stages, St Francis winning by 2-8 to 2-5, but over the course of the championship, the Allen Gaels and Ballinaglera women ended up with two victories, beating defeated semi-finalists St Mary’s Kiltoghert and Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins. The closest Kiltubrid got to a victory was running St Mary’s to two points but St Francis were incredibly competitive against Glencar Manorhamilton in their final group game and they are playing like a team with a point to prove - this will be close but St Francis appear to have the strength and firepower to secure their senior status for 2026.

FRESH TODAY JUNIOR A FC SEMI-FINAL

Cloone v Glenfarne Kiltyclogher: This clash is a tricky one because Cloone, on their day, are more than capable of testing anyone in the grade. They don’t appear to have recovered from the trauma of losing last year’s semi-final to Bornacoola but in hunting down Mohill’s second string last weekend to earn a draw, they seem to be finding a bit of form that has eluded them. Glenfarne Kiltyclogher continue to defy the odds - they may have suffered an eight point defeat to Aughavas but one Aughavas supporter I talked to was very impressed by the north Leitrim men. They have a hard earned battling quality that makes them extremely competitive, particularly in close matches. If either of these teams hit form, it could be a blow out but right now, the formbook says Glenfarne Kiltyclogher.

Aughnasheelin v Mohill: On the face of it, this should be a simple enough proposition for Aughnasheelin as they face a second string Mohill team that might lose players if they see action in Saturday’s Senior Semi-Final. The likes of Ronan Gordon, Oscar Reynolds, Alan Tuthill, Harry & Johnny Boyle and Ryan Gordon give them a strong backbone and their second place in the grade means they can’t be underestimated. On paper, Aughnasheelin should be walking through this grade but they’ve been badly hit by emigration over the years and at nominal full-strength, they’d have a good crack at the intermediate grade. In Fintan Fitzpatrick, they have a proven scorer and if they can set the terms of this game, they should come through but Mohill are tricky.

FRESH TODAY JUNIOR C FC 

With most emphasis on these club's first string teams,  hard to know what to expect but expect Leitrim Gaels and Bornacoola to prevail over Drumkeerin & Aughavas.