Spotlight switches to Galway Club Football Championships

By BILLY COSS AFTER a fortnight of wildly contrasting fortunes, inter-county matters will be put on hold next weekend as the Claregalway Hotel and Bon Secours Hospital-sponsored Galway Senior Football Championship swings into action. There was a levelling out of standards last year with precious little separating the top sides in a closely-contested, if not quote vintage Championship. Corofin and Killererin have been regular winners over the past couple of decades but for only the fourth time since the late 1980s, neither club featured on County final day. Tuam Stars recovered from one final defeat to reach another, emerging clubs St Jamesâ€â„¢s and Mícheál Breathnachs put together their best-ever Championship seasons but when all was said and done, Salthill-Knocknacarra hit form at just the right time to claim their first title in seven years, and third in total. Twenty-one clubs line up this year with all ten of next weekendâ€â„¢s first round winners, along with NUIG, qualifying for the last 16 in mid-August. It will be â€Ëœdo-or-dieâ€â„¢ Championship football in the traditional sense for the defeated sides with the five remaining slots filled by each of the qualifier winners. Two clubs, Claregalway and Killanin, were relegated to Intermediate Championship football last October, a result of relegation being scrapped in 2011, but only one team will make the drop under this yearâ€â„¢s format.[private] So far, only four of Galwayâ€â„¢s successful U21 team â€â€ Fiontán Ó Curraoin, Thomas Flynn, Shane Walsh and Tom Healy â€â€ have made the step-up to Senior level and with most eyes on the future following last Sundayâ€â„¢s demoralising defeat to Mayo, there is sure to be an increased level of interest in the progress of other members from that team, although several are set to travel to the United States for the summer. There are wholesale changes on the managerial front with only a handful last yearâ€â„¢s bainisteoirs still patrolling the sidelines this season. Willie Hughes (Annaghdown), Val Daly (Mountbellew-Moylough), Seán Ó Cualain (Cárna-Caiseal) as well as Kevin Reidy and Jimmy Oâ€â„¢Dea (Tuam Stars) remain in charge but there is an above-average turnover, highlighting the heavy demands involved in club management these days. Pat Fallon (Barna), John Concannon (Milltown), Billy Joyce (Killererin) and Seán Breathnach (An Cheathrú Rua) have all returned for another stint at their clubs. Others such as Frank Doherty (St Jamesâ€â„¢s), Tommie Joyce (Kilkerrin-Clonberne) and Cyril Ryan (Caltra) have taken on a new challenge after spells elsewhere in recent years. There are a number of new faces on the line too, as Brian Moran and Kieran Collins take charge of Kilconly, Cathal McGinley succeeds Gerry Hughes in Salthill-Knocknacarra and David Morris replaces Brian Silke as manager in Corofin with Stephen Rochford, an All-Ireland Club winner with Crossmolina in 2001, joining their backroom team. The Frank Fox Cup has been retained just six times over the past half-century, underlining the challenge facing Salthill-Knocknacarra this season, and several clubs will harbour realistic ambitions of dethroning them in a campaign that throws up no shortage of questions. Will Tuam Stars recover from the psychological blow of losing successive finals to win at the third time of asking, something thatâ€â„¢s never previously been done in Galway SFC history? With former Kildare player James Kavanagh on board and a couple of Division 1A League titles under their belts, does this season represent Milltownâ€â„¢s best chance of bridging the gap since their last title in 1981? Will the return of a couple of superb young players and the emergence of some others provide the catalyst for another Corofin title? With Pádraic Joyce still providing the firepower, can Killererin rediscover their 2010 form and challenge again? Or, will St Jamesâ€â„¢s make further strides and deliver on their under-age potential or teams such as Caherlistrane, Cortoon Shamrocks or Mountbellew-Moylough emerge from the pack? All will be revealed over the next five months, starting this weekend with ties down for decision next Saturday and Sunday at Tuam Stadium, Pearse Stadium, Corofin and Inverin. The Intermediate Football Championship began with Salthill-Knocknacarraâ€â„¢s win over St. Brendanâ€â„¢s last Saturday and continues next weekend, with the meeting of the last two All-Ireland Junior Club champions, Ballinasloe and Clonbur, and the clash of Oughterard and favourites Claregalway, among the stand-out ties. The remaining five fixtures are Oranmore-Maree v Dunmore MacHales, Monivea-Abbey v Williamstown, An Spidéal v Athenry, Killanin v Menlough and Corofin v Glenamaddy-Glinsk. St Jamesâ€â„¢s vs Caltra (Saturday 3.45pm - Tuam Stadium) The rise of St Jamesâ€â„¢s has been one of the success stories of Galway football and itâ€â„¢s a sign of changing times perhaps that they are regarded as live contenders for this yearâ€â„¢s Championship. Minor â€ËœAâ€â„¢ titles in â€Ëœ06, â€Ëœ07 and â€Ëœ09 were precursors for their breakthrough from Intermediate ranks in â€Ëœ10 and another chapter was added last year when they collected a first-ever U-21 â€ËœAâ€â„¢ title. No fewer than nine members of that team went on to feature in their one-point quarter-final loss to Corofin, a match in which St Jamesâ€â„¢s launched an incredible comeback only to come up just short. Frank Doherty has taken over as manager after a successful spell as part of Kilconlyâ€â„¢s backroom team and inherits a side that collected Division 1B silverware last year and remains unbeaten in this yearâ€â„¢s League under his watch. Their form lines and continuing development suggest they will be a formidable outfit with Paul Conroy, Jonny Duane and Eoin Concannon leading the way for what was one of the Championshipâ€â„¢s youngest sides last year. Almost a decade has passed since Caltraâ€â„¢s All-Ireland Club success in Croke Park and with many of those big-game players retired from the side, they have gradually slipped down the rankings in Galway football. Michael Meehanâ€â„¢s injury problems compounded matters in recent years and they were forced to endure some difficult seasons, particularly in â€Ëœ10 and â€Ëœ11. With their marquee forward back in the fold, results were more positive last season and theyâ€â„¢ve made an encouraging start to life under new manager Cyril Ryan with an away win over Salthill-Knocknacarra in Division 1B among the more eye-catching results so far this season. Last yearâ€â„¢s second round clash between these teams was a dour struggle that produced an astonishing number of wides. It eventually ended 1-10 to 0-8 in St Jamesâ€â„¢s favour and it is expected that the East Galway City side will come through again. Verdict: St. Jamesâ€â„¢s Milltown vs Caherlistrane (Saturday 5.30pm - Tuam Stadium) Championship matches between these two clubs have been low-scoring historically and you have to go all the way back to 1986 for Caherlistraneâ€â„¢s sole win in the fixture. Since then, Milltown have taken the last five, including each of the past two years. While Milltown retained their Senior 1A League title and finished last season on a high, their Championship form was far less consistent and they simply had no answers against a rampant Tuam Stars at the quarter-final stage. Former St Jarlathâ€â„¢s and Kildare forward James Kavanagh completed his transfer from Ballymore Eustace recently and his versatility and scoring threat gives manager John Concannon plenty of options. Diarmaid Blake, Darren Mullahy, Cathal Blake, Damien Brennan will again be key players in the middle third while Michael Martin and Mark Hehir provide the main scoring threat in attack. Larry Bane has taken over the managerial reins in Caherlistrane and theyâ€â„¢ll be aiming to reverse the result of this fixture over the past two years. They were the architects of their own downfall on both occasions when they carved out more than enough chances but woeful finishing and crippling wide counts compared to Milltown (15-5 last year, 11-4 a year earlier) proved their undoing. Rory Glynn has been one of the best defenders on the club scene for some time and Stephen Burke emerged as a real find in defence last year, while up front they have the potential to hit match-winning tallies with Eric Monahan, Oisín Oâ€â„¢Brien and their chief marksman Cormac Bane providing plenty of scoring threat. Verdict: Milltown Salthill-Knocknacarra v Cárna-Caiseal (Saturday 5.45pm - Pearse Stadium) In what will be an emotionally-charged day for all connected with the club, Cárna-Caiseal will take to the field for Saturdayâ€â„¢s meeting with Salthill-Knocknacarra against the backdrop of the tragic death of 23-year-old Daniel Conroy, a member of their Intermediate title-winning team in 2012, who was laid to rest last month. They were worthy champions last year, defeating Athenry with plenty to spare in the final, and the extent of their dominance was reflected on the Intermediate Championship Dream Team with Colm Mac an Rí, Seán Seosamh Ó Curraoin, Seán Ó Cillín, Seosamh Seoige, Niall Coyne, Colm Ó Dúbháin and â€ËœPlayer of the Yearâ€â„¢ Seán Ó Cathasaigh all gaining selection. Eight years ago, these two sides met in a Senior final won by Salthill-Knocknacarra, a match that was Carna-Caisealâ€â„¢s last Senior Championship fixture before they were relegated through the league later that season. Salthill-Knocknacarra look well-equipped to challenge once again and they go into this match as overwhelming favourites. Defence was the cornerstone of their success last year as they consistently restricted the scoring return of the oppositionâ€â„¢s marquee players and went through the Championship without conceding a single goal. It was no surprise as a result that Finian Hanley swept the â€ËœFootballer of the Yearâ€â„¢ awards while Cian Begley, Gearóid Canavan, David Tierney and Alan Kerins all had stellar campaigns. Seamie Crowe and Seán Armstrong, outstanding in last yearâ€â„¢s final, supplied most of the scoring power and their attacking threat has been strengthened this season by the return of Gearóid Armstrong and possibly Aonghus Callanan (hurling commitments allowing) along with plenty of emerging talent from one of the countyâ€â„¢s top under-age systems. Verdict: Salthill-Knocknacarra Corofin v Mícheál Breathnachs (Saturday 7.30pm - Pearse Stadium) This will be the fourth Championship meeting between the sides in just five seasons. Mícheál Breathnachs produced a shock in â€Ëœ09 but Corofin have made them pay heavily since then, gaining revenge in both â€Ëœ10 and â€Ëœ11 and also edging a closely fought League final during that time. Mícheál Breathnachs were vastly improved under Seán Ó Domhnaill last year. They put together their best Senior Championship run but were left nursing plenty of regrets after spurning late chances in a drawn quarter-final with Killererin before eventually going on to lose in a replay. Gerry Ó Curraoin has taken over the managerial reins and their campaign has proved extremely testing so far with League defeats to Oughterard and Menlough following a win over Barna. Their hopes of springing a surprise will hinge on Fiontán Ó Curraoinâ€â„¢s ball-winning ability in midfield as well as Peadar Ó Cionnaith, Seán Denvir and Seosamh Ó Conaire supplying the cutting edge to an attack missing itâ€â„¢s chief scoring threat, Peadar Ó Gríofa, due to a cruciate ligament injury. Corofin were far from their best in 2012, living dangerously against both Cortoon and St. Jamesâ€â„¢s before misfiring badly in their semi-final defeat to Tuam Stars. The manner in which they relinquished their title inevitability led to questions over their ability to bounce back yet they retain a core of highly experienced campaigners with plenty of Championship know-how and an injection of youth could well be the catalyst for them to contend strongly once again. Ronan Steedeâ€â„¢s return from Australia is a major plus as is that of Michael Farragher, who had limited involvement in last yearâ€â„¢s campaign, while Ian Burkeâ€â„¢s creativity and finishing was central to Galwayâ€â„¢s All-Ireland U21 success. Add in some promising players from last yearâ€â„¢s Minor-winning team and Corofin have the raw materials and strength in depth to go close again. History suggests they are at their most vulnerable in the Championshipâ€â„¢s early rounds but everything looks heavily weighted in Corofinâ€â„¢s favour this weekend, especially given their impressive early season form. Verdict: Corofin Killererin v St Michaelâ€â„¢s (Sunday 1.00pm â€â€œ Corofin) After going down heavily to Salthill-Knocknacarra in the opening round last year, St. Michaelâ€â„¢s were regarded by many as destined for a relegation battle. Yet, they turned around their Championship impressively and surprised Moycullen in the qualifiers to both stave off the threat of Intermediate football and reach the last 16. There waiting was their city neighbours once more, and although St. Michaelâ€â„¢s were unrecognisable from their first meeting, they fell just short of forcing extra-time against the eventual champions. Injuries and emigration have taken a toll but they still include a number frontline players, such as Alan Glynn and Eddie Hoare, from their All-Ireland Intermediate Club final team of four years ago. David Cunnane more than played his part in Galwayâ€â„¢s recent U21 success but it remains to be seen if another All-Ireland winner features for this them season as Shane Maughanâ€â„¢s transfer to Salthill-Knocknacarra remains up in the air. The fine line that so often divides success and failure was evident in their â€Ëœ09 and â€Ëœ11 meetings when Nicky Joyce proved the game-breaker, firing late Killererin goals that sunk St. Michaelâ€â„¢s on both occasions. Salthill-Knocknacarra exposed Killererinâ€â„¢s frailties in last yearâ€â„¢s semi-final to knock them out for the second year running and their form overall has been indifferent since the disappointment of losing the Connacht Club final in â€Ëœ10. Manager Billy Joyce will be without the retired Alan Keane and Tommie Wilson this season and it remains to be seen what involvement Tommie Joyce will have, but itâ€â„¢s dangerous to write off any team that can call on forwards of the calibre of Pádraic Joyce (who racked up a Championship tally of 4-24 last year, including 3-12 from play) and Nicky Joyce as well as Colin Forde, Tomás Fahy and Micheál Boyle. Verdict: Killererin Mountbellew-Moylough v Naomh Anna, Leitír Móir (Sunday 2.30pm - Pearse Stadium) Recent seasons have proved something of a disappointment for Mountbellew-Moylough. After taking Corofin to the brink in both the drawn and replayed County finals in â€Ëœ09, they looked set to contend regularly but instead have consistently come up short since then as an inability to close out big matches from winning positions has proved costly. Killererin defeated them in a semi-final replay in â€Ëœ10, Tuam Stars ended their rollercoaster season in a quarter-final replay in â€Ëœ11 while they were the highest profile casualty of the early rounds last year when again falling narrowly to Tuam in one of the matches of the Championship. Joe Bergin has retired from inter-county football but the 2001 All-Ireland winner remains the key man for Mountbellew-Moylough, while Gary Sweeney and Joss Moore both featured for Galway last Sunday and are other key components in Val Dalyâ€â„¢s team. It remains to be seen if any of the stars of last yearâ€â„¢s excellent Minor team graduate to the team but on the downside, they are definitely forced to plan without their chief attacking threat as Cathal Kenny, one of the Championshipâ€â„¢s top forwards in recent years, is in Canada. After plotting Naomh Anna Leitír Móirâ€â„¢s promotion to Senior and their unforgettable Connacht Club final win in â€Ëœ09, Ciarán Ó Fátharta has stepped down with Bert Curran taking over. The men from the Islands have consolidated their status in Galway footballâ€â„¢s top flight in recent seasons and are always dangerous Championship opponents. Last yearâ€â„¢s run ended at the hands of a Pádraic Joyce-inspired Killererin and despite the absence of Ferdia Breathnach, they will line up with key players Toto Ó Gríofa, Cormac Ó Conghaile, Patrick Mark Ó Fátharta and Fiachra Breathnach all still on board. Verdict: Mountbellew-Moylough Kilconly v Moycullen (Sunday 2.45 pm â€â€œ Corofin) Itâ€â„¢s just a couple of short years ago that Kilconly earned an unwanted reputation of being the bridesmaids of Intermediate football as they regularly contended but were forced to watch on as St. Jamesâ€â„¢s, Naomh Anna Leitír Móir, Moycullen and St. Michaelâ€â„¢s all made the breakthrough ahead of them. These days, they are thriving at Senior level. A first-ever Intermediate Championship turned 2011 into a landmark year for the club in which they added League silverware to complete the double. Despite falling to An Cheathrú Rua in the last 16, their continued rise was one of the success stories of last season also. They consolidated their Senior Championship status and enjoyed a superb league campaign that ended with promotion. Seven wins, two draws and just three losses amounted to an impressive debut at the top table of Galway football and they have acquitted themselves well in Division 1A with two wins from three so far this year. Joint-managers Brian Moran and Kieran Collins, along with selector Tommy Ronan, have taken over from last yearâ€â„¢s manager Bernard Brady and coach Frank Doherty, a major figure in their rise, and theyâ€â„¢ll look to the inspirational Kevin Brady and other key players in the Murphys, Adrian and Michael, John Paul Steede and Pádraic Moran. Moycullen fielded Senior teams in both football and hurling last year, the first time a parish had operated at the top level in both codes since Abbeyknockmoy hurlers and Monivea-Abbey footballers. It proved to be a difficult season for their footballers, however. After losses to Milltown and St. Michaelâ€â„¢s in the Championship, they secured their Senior survival with a win over Killanin and theyâ€â„¢ll hope to recapture some of the form that made them such a dangerous proposition in the years following their All-Ireland Intermediate Club success. Tomás Higgins, Conor Bohan, and the Lydon brothers, Mark and Philip, are among a large core of key players juggling demands across both codes and they will join Gareth Bradshaw and All-Ireland U21 winners Eoin Walsh and Philip Ezergalis in the side. Verdict: Kilconly An Cheathrú Rua v Barna (Sunday 3.45 â€â€œ Inverin) Between League, Comórtas na Gaillimhe and Championship meetings, this will be their fifth clash since the start of 2012 with An Cheathrú Rua holding the upper hand in each of the last four encounters. An injury-time free separated the teams at this stage last year, a victory that sparked An Cheathrú Ruaâ€â„¢s run to the last eight where they lost narrowly to Salthill-Knocknacarra. This year, the form of Micheál Ó Briain and the de Paor brothers, Ciarán and Cillín, will be central to the chances of a young side that will be without Niall Ó Briain and Ciarán Ó Cualain. Seán Breathnach returns as manager, having guided An Cheathrú Rua to their greatest-ever season in 1996 when they captured the Frank Fox Cup. Former Mayo star Pat Fallon has returned to the helm in Barna. Three years ago, they confounded all expectations to reach a first SFC semi-final with a well-executed game plan built on being difficult to break down. It evolved into the clubâ€â„¢s best-ever season, bringing just one defeat in League and Championship. Recent campaigns have proven more difficult, however. They could and probably should have beaten Corofin in â€Ëœ11 and only a relegation play-off win over Claregalway saved them from dropping to Intermediate Championship football last October. Paddy Naughton and Kieran Hanley have been extremely impressive in recent seasons with Brian Conneely, Paddy Kennedy and D.D. Flaherty other leading lights that are expected to front their challenge. Verdict: An Cheathrú Rua Cortoon Shamrocks v Tuam Stars (Sunday 5.00 pm - Tuam Stadium) There may be no recent Championship history to speak of but if their epic Senior A League final of four years ago - won by Cortoon Shamrocks in extra-time after a replay - is anything to go by, we can expect another rip-roaring and fiercely contested match in what is undoubtedly the pick of the opening round ties. Itâ€â„¢s hard to credit that Cortoon have won just two Championship fixtures since reaching the 2008 County final and while the statistics donâ€â„¢t lie, theyâ€â„¢re a vastly superior side than that record suggests. Last yearâ€â„¢s run ended against Corofin in the second round, a match they could have taken with a bit more composure down the home stretch. Should they keep everyone fit and available, Tom Newellâ€â„¢s side have the potential emerge as dark horses in the year of their 125th Anniversary. Derek Savage continues to be a central figure while David Finnegan and Donal Oâ€â„¢Neill also provide plenty of leadership. Add in the in-form David Warde and thereâ€â„¢s no shortage of experience to go along with emerging young talent that includes their highly-promising trio of All-Ireland U21 winners - the Varley brothers, Paul and Adrian, and Cathal Mulryan. Thereâ€â„¢s plenty to admire about Tuamâ€â„¢s character and resilience in recent times, firstly during Alan Flynnâ€â„¢s three-year tenure and more recently under the joint management of Jimmy Oâ€â„¢Dea and Kevin Reidy, but it remains to be seen if they can recover from the disappointments of losing back-to-back final to mount another serious challenge. After building up a head of steam with wins over Mountbellew-Moylough, Milltown and Corofin, they mislaid their form at exactly the wrong time last year and never fired in last Octoberâ€â„¢s final. Defensive solidity has been the cornerstone of their challenge in recent years with Tony Costello, Gary Oâ€â„¢Donnell, Aonghus Tierney and Ian McGough all key players in one of the most miserly rearguards around. Their attack has been dealt a blow, however, with the departure to Australia of Shane Curtin, whose scores kept them in contention until late on in last yearâ€â„¢s final, and results in even greater responsibility falling on Conor Doherty and Jamie Murphyâ€â„¢s shoulders in attack. An outcome that is likely to come down to fine margins and given Tuamâ€â„¢s poor early season form, perhaps the pieces are in place for Cortoon to spring a shock against their near neighbours. Verdict: Cortoon Shamrocks Kilkerrin-Clonberne v Annaghdown (Sunday 6.45 pm - Tuam Stadium) With five titles to their name, Annaghdown possess no shortage of Senior Championship pedigree but recent years have proved challenging with emigration hitting them harder than most clubs. Their early season form has been encouraging under Willie Hughes and they currently top Division 1B with three wins from three, including an impressive win over Killererin recently. The Corribsiders struggled without the injured Niall Coleman in last yearâ€â„¢s heavy second round defeat to Mícheál Breathnachs and the Galway midfielderâ€â„¢s availability represents a massive boost to their chances in this tie. Theyâ€â„¢ll look to Fergal Oâ€â„¢Doherty, Anthony Pender, Brendan Dooley and Frankie Burke, the sideâ€â„¢s top marksman in recent years, to provide the leadership while plenty of interest will centre on Damien Comer, whose emergence to play a pivotal role in Galwayâ€â„¢s U21 success was one of the stories of that campaign. Defeats to Mícheál Breathnachs and Leitír Móir dragged Kilkerrin-Clonberne into the relegation play-offs last year and they needed a final round win over Killanin to secure their Senior Championship status. There were plenty of high notes too, however, as their season ended with promotion to Division 1A and the club also took their second County U21 B title in three years. The performance of Shane Walsh, one the rising talents in the game, will be closely watched in the wake of both his All-Ireland U21 heroics and Connacht Championship debut against Mayo last Sunday. Tommie Joyce has taken over from Enda Daly, who combined playing and managing roles last year and continues to be a key player in their team. Brendan Ryan will be a loss at midfield and much will depend on Kilkerrin-Clonberneâ€â„¢s youthful forward line containing Walsh, Conor Rabbitte and Jonathan Ryan - all All-Ireland under-age medal winners â€â€œ along with Declan Murphy, who showed a sharp eye for goal throughout last season. Verdict: Annaghdown[/private]