PREVIEWS: Quarter Finals headline weekend championship action

Knockout football is here with the Connacht Gold Leitrim Senior Football Championship Quarter Finals next weekend while the Smith Monumentals Intermediate grade is all but knockout with so many teams having so much resting on the last round of games.

After the emotion of coming through the final round of games last Saturday, Fenagh St Caillins, St Mary’s Kiltoghert, Allen Gaels and Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins are in win or bust territory, a win extends their season, a loss ends it and that raises the stakes even further.

In some ways, the pressure is off - reaching the quarter-finals means you’ve avoided the dreaded relegation final so, in theory, your season is a success unless you have higher ambitions and then a quarter-final exit is a huge disappointment.

Just seven clubs have contested SFC semi-finals from 2020 up to this year - Mohill have made the semi-finals each and every time, the only club to do so in the last seven campaigns, while Fenagh St Caillins can make it six appearances with a win over St Mary’s on Saturday evening.

St Mary’s could make it six semi-finals and Fenagh five in seven campaigns if they prevail in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada while Allen Gaels could add a new name to the list, joining Glencar Manorhamilton who have just one semi-final slot since 2020.

The Smith Monumentals IFC is equally tense - by my reckoning, only leaders Annaduff are absolutely guaranteed a knockout spot and while it would take some wild swings in scoring differences, even Melvin Gaels, St Patrick’s Dromahair and Aughavas on four points are not guaranteed a knockout spot.

Bornacoola need help from other clubs if they are to leapfrog to safety over Drumkeerin, Gortletteragh and Carrigallen as they need two of that three to lose if they are to reach the playoffs and avoid the relegation series.

It makes the four games absolutely crucial with events in Kilglass having as much impact as what happens on the field in Carrigallen - the crazy scenario is a win for the Bors and a draw between Carrigallen and Gortletteragh, all three teams level on three points and Bornacoola advancing due to a superior scoring difference!

It makes for a fascinating end to the Intermediate grade with so much at stake - below we take a brief look at the games:

CONNACHT GOLD SFC

Fenagh St Caillins v St Mary’s Kiltoghert: All we know about these two is that games between them tend to be tight and dramatic, draws as common as hell and both clubs go into this contest with renewed confidence and belief after hugely important wins last Saturday. Both had must-win games against fierce local rivals and both came through with flying colours, alleviating the pressure both teams had faced. Fenagh turned in a remarkable second half surge, coming from three down to win by ten, a stunning demo of their scoring power.

Few of the teams in the championship have the sheer scoring power of the O’Rourkes and McLoughlins and that is the challenge facing St Mary’s - only Mohill had a higher scoring return than Fenagh but much of that was accounted for by Mohill’s destruction of Aughawillan. Fenagh averaged 20.25 points a game in contrast with St Mary’s 17.5. The Carrick men conceded 16.5 points a game with Fenagh allowing 19 ppg. Small margins certainly, the 10 point win over Ballinamore boosting Fenagh’s number with both teams losing two games by a combined total of three points.

St Mary’s defence will come under fierce pressure from Fenagh but they have a knack of keeping themselves alive in tight games. The return of Gavin Reynolds has strengthened their hand in midfield where Fenagh are strong and the impact of some of their younger players in Fintan Earley, the Gardiner brothers, Hugh Bracken, Kyle McCrann and keeper Daire Shannon has been a huge boost. Fenagh’s defence has been a sticking point so far but are they hitting form at just the right time given their performance against Ballinamore? Or did they come up against an O’Heslins outfit not quite fully focussed as they had already qualified for the playoffs. And then there is the question: can both teams reach the same emotional pitch again just a week later.

Last year, Fenagh drew with St Mary’s in round 2 so the expectation is this could be a tight game - on that basis, Fenagh’s scoring power may just be the difference, Fenagh to edge it but don’t be surprised if it goes the other way, St Mary’s showing quite a bit of obduracy and spirit against Leitrim Gaels last week.

Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins v Allen Gaels: Sunday’s quarter-final can be painted as a classic David v Goliath clash, last year’s Intermediate Championship winners coming up against a team looking to reach a third Senior Final in a row - it doesn’t come any more of a contrast than that. Intermediate champions have tended to struggle a bit in recent years with the step up to Senior but Allen Gaels’ dramatic victory over Fenagh and solid performances against Leitrim Gaels and Glencar Manorhamilton show that the Drumshanbo men are not to be underestimated.

Injuries and new faces mean a different looking Allen Gaels outfit this year - the absence of Radek Oberwan and Kieran Kilcline has been sorely felt but the impact Senan McGowan and Daire McCabe have made has been crucial, McCabe’s tricky and speedy play giving them a real goalscoring threat. Statistically, the Gaels’ defence conceded the most of the six knockout teams, and more than Glencar Manorhamilton, but their attack is ranked sixth so if they can get a foothold in the middle of the park, their attack is more than capable of troubling Ballinamore’s defence.

Ballinamore's defensive stats weren’t helped by the ten point loss to Fenagh but it probably is a concern for the O’Heslins brain trust. Injuries have robbed them of, at times, Tom Prior, Michael McKiernan, Cathal McHugh and Wayne McKeon and that has to affect any team, hurting their stability. Tom Prior and Paul Honeyman have added huge attacking power to the O’Heslins’ attack and any hope Allen Gaels have of causing a shock has to come first and foremost from limiting the impact the county duo have on the game. Restrict those two, far easier said than done, and a shock might be on.

The question going round right now is how much damage, if any, has Fenagh’s ten point victory last Saturday done to Ballinamore’s psyche? Was it simply a case of Ballinamore having their eye on the quarter final or was it a significant blow? Either way, it might just be the perfect time to suffer such a loss, not affecting their qualification hopes and a kick up the backside beloved of managers in their team talks!

You’ve got to think Ballinamore will just have too much physical power and nous for Allen Gaels in this one but it is a free hit for the Drumshanbo men and you never know what might happen. Ballinamore to prevail.

SMITH MONUMENTALS IFC

Drumkeerin v Annaduff: Annaduff are the only team absolutely guaranteed a knockout spot but they need a win to guarantee themselves an automatic semi-final spot. They showed great resilience in battling back to get a draw against Bornacoola when a man down and the more game-time they are getting into Darren & Kenny Cox, the stronger they become. Drumkeerin started well with a win over Carrigallen but are battling them to avoid the relegation series. Two damaging defeats against Melvin Gaels and Dromahair haven’t helped but their greater urgency and home advantage will make them formidable opposition. Still, you have to go with Annaduff to take the verdict here.

Carrigallen v Gortletteragh: A true winner-takes-all contest - whoever wins will be on four points, the loser could be in the relegation final. Gortletteragh looked as if they were suffering a league final hangover when they lost to Annaduff the first day out but the manner of their loss against Aughavas will surely have the Division 1 bound side worried. Carrigallen have been up and down, losing heavily to Drumkeerin and Melvin Gaels but with a win over Dromahair in between. Sort out that fluctuation in form and they can trouble any side but that is the challenge they face. Gortletteragh have the better scoring return so far and that could prove the difference on Sunday - Gortletteragh to take it.

Bornacoola v St Patrick’s Dromahair: One of the hardest games to call that, on the face of it, should be the easiest - Bornacoola with one point coming up against a Dromahair side chasing a semi-final spot, having beaten Melvin Gaels into the bargain. That all points to a Dromahair win but the Bors showed enough against Annaduff to suggest nothing is simple. The south Leitrim side are scoring pretty well but defensively they need to find something more against a Dromahair with the second best scoring difference in the competition. Last year’s finalists have that bit of momentum and should take the verdict but I have a sneaky feeling about Bornacoola

Aughavas v Melvin Gaels: Aughavas and Melvin Gaels are in a tricky position - four points should be enough to see them through but an unlikely series of results could see the loser in big bother, however unlikely so that raises the stakes in a game already attracting a bit of attention with the appointment of Nicola Brennan as new Melvin Gaels manager. Losing a manager mid-campaign is not usually a good sign for any team but the surge in publicity could lift the Kinlough men significantly. It could also increase the pressure but you’ve got to think that if the Gaels can produce anything near their best, they should prevail.

LGFA INTERMEDIATE FC

Annaduff v Fenagh: If Fenagh are to avoid relegation, they need wins but they come up against a high scoring Annaduff team who have momentum and a high scoring attack to their name. You’ve got to think that Annaduff will take the verdict here.

Mohill v Kiltubrid: An intriguing clash here with a Mohill team capable of testing the best in the grade against a Kiltubrid team who look like the best in the competition. Mohill put Annaduff to the pin of their collars but Kiltubrid looks to have that bit too much here.

LGFA JUNIOR JFC QUARTER FINALS

Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins v Leitrim Gaels: A tricky game here with Ballinamore’s second string against first string Leitrim Gaels. Normally, you’d expect the Gaels to prevail here but Ballinamore beat Bornacoola’s first string and they won’t be distracted by a Senior Championship outing for their side. It’ll be tight but O’Heslins to edge it.

St Mary’s Kiltoghert v Glencar Manorhamilton: St Mary’s topped their group against Leitrim Gaels but the feeling that in the battle of the second strings, Glencar Manorhamilton probably have a slight edge.