Momentum and revenge key in intriguing Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC quarter finals

After probably 21 hours of football spread over 20 matches, we're down to the knockout stages of the Connacht Gold Leitrim Senior Football Championship and if anything, we appear to know even less now than we did before as we head into next Sunday's quarter-final double header in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.

One unbeaten team has emerged in Mohill although they did draw with league champions Fenagh St Caillins while defending champions St Mary's Kiltoghert, 2021 winners Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins and Leitrim Gaels all finished just a point behind with one loss from their four outings.

Fenagh, many people's sentimental choice for the title, dropped three points in the first two  games and seemed to be in trouble but back to back wins saw them comfortably into the last six where they will be joined by Glencar Manorhamilton who edged Aughawillan on scoring difference.

Grounds for congratulations!

THE LAST POINT

The decisive game in this tale occurred in the very first game when Aughawillan forced a late draw but a heavy loss at the hands of St Mary's Kiltoghert and a big Manor win over Dromahair were equally important. Incredibly, at one stage, Aughawillan were reeling in the north Leitrim men but a 2-1 blast from Gortletteragh sunk their hopes of catching the 2019 champions.

In the relegation series, Aughawillan will battle it out with Gortletteragh again as will St Patrick's Dromahair who got the better of Aughnasheelin. Dates have yet to be fixed but these games promise to be quite ferocious as the teams meet once again to decide their championship status.

Mohill and St Mary's will be keen observers of next Sunday's semi-finals as they will be kept apart in the draw, a reward for filling the top two spaces although given the variety in who the teams faced in the group stages, it seems a somewhat  unfair aspect of the system that the Carrick men can win through by virtue of a superior scoring difference having faced three teams who ended up in the relegation series.

Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins beat two teams destined for the relegation semi-finals while Leitrim Gaels faced three teams who qualified for the knockout stages - hardly the fairest system but one that mirrors the situation from last year. Something perhaps for club delegates to think about ahead of the County Board Convention later this year as it usually takes a bit of time for these things to iron themselves out.

Champions St Mary's suffer first loss but still go into semi-finals with Mohill as quarter-finals leave intriguing draw

Aughawillan, St Patrick's Dromahair, Aughnasheelin and Gortletteragh into relegation semi-finals

We take a brief look at the next Sunday's Quarter Finals and wonder who will reach the semi-finals:

LEITRIM GAELS V FENAGH ST CAILLINS

If ever a game is full of intrigue, this is it! These teams have a deep rivalry going back to when they were both in the Intermediate grade and when the Gaels shocked Fenagh with an epic comeback in the first round of the championship, it only served to reinforce the notion that this game really is up for grabs.

Fenagh were left stunned by that defeat, having been in cruise control and five points up but the Gaels dug in and were well worth their victory. They know Fenagh will be coming strong at them with revenge in mind but they are one of the few teams to get the better of the League champions this year.

Ryan O'Rourke's return is a huge boost for Fenagh - they are a different team with him leading the line but the Gaels have got an equally big boost with Donal Casey back in action. Does one cancel the other out? Hard to know but the Gaels need to keep this game tight - Fenagh have an edge in scoring power but in a tight game and with their running power, Paul Prior's outfit are more than capable of pulling off the victory.

Yet momentum appears to be with Fenagh - they hit a road bump, have recovered well and if Ryan O'Rourke is in form, it will be hard for the Gaels. If the game is tight, the Gaels have the fortitude to come through and that wouldn't surprise me but I'm going with Fenagh in this one. 

BALLINAMORE SEAN O'HESLINS V GLENCAR MANORHAMILTON

Momentum is a difficult thing to gauge in this game for both teams lost their final group games, Glencar Manorhamilton fighting like cats and dogs to get the better of Leitrim Gaels in a game they felt they needed to win while Ballinamore lost to neighbours Fenagh but didn't really need the victory.

Does that give Ballinamore a slight edge? I don't know but losing by six points to your local rivals is hardly ideal preparation for a do or die championship encounter while Glencar Manorhamilton ended on a loss - their big question is did they expend all their emotional energy on avoiding the relegation trapdoor and can they pick themselves up again next Sunday?

The Championship form book is equally sketchy - Glencar Manor drew with Aughawillan, Ballinamore beat the Willies by a point but Mickey Graham's side beat Leitrim Gaels 0-14 to 0-11 while the north Leitrim side lost to the Gaels by a goal.

Glencar Manor did put it up to Mohill in a ferocious encounter but were Ballinamore lacking an edge against Fenagh knowing they were through to the knockout stages no matter what? There is a rivalry factor here too with this pair meeting in a fractious County Final back in 2019 while the controversial concession of a division 1 league game earlier this year saw Glencar Manor relegated on the same points as Ballinamore!

There are good reasons to go for either team and good reasons to go against them but at the moment, all I can go on is gut feeling and that is telling me Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins to edge through.