Promotion and relegation at stake in Galway club football leagues
Semi-final and relegation playoff ties fixed from Thursday to Sunday
THE serious business in the Galway club football season is just around the corner and the group draws for the Senior, Intermediate and Primary Junior Championships will be conducted at RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta studios in Casla this evening (Tuesday) from 8.30pm. Full details will be available on the Tuam Herald website (www.tuamherald.ie) later tonight.
The Division 1, 2, 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B Leagues have also reached the latter stages with important ties fixed from Thursday through to Sunday.
With the exception of 4B, all divisions contained eight teams and ran on an 'all county' basis with seven regulation league games guaranteed per team.
The action commenced in mid-March with fixtures on a fortnightly basis and now each club will play a knockout match before finals are scheduled for early July.
The top four in each division face off in semi-finals (1v4, 2v3) and the bottom four in relegation semi-finals (5v8, 6v7), with higher placed finishers enjoying home advantage.
It's a 'two up, two down' format with both finalists promoted and both relegation semi-final losers demoted.
This is the lie of the land in each division heading into the weekend. Fixtures as per the Galway GAA website on Tuesday afternoon.
DIVISION 1
Semi-finals: Maigh Cuilinn v Tuam Stars (Thursday at 7.30pm in Baile Doite), Claregalway v Corofin (Saturday at 5pm in Knockdoemore).
Relegation semi-finals: Salthill-Knocknacarra v Oughterard (Saturday at 12.30pm in The Prairie), Naomh Anna Leitir Móir v Milltown (Saturday at 1.30pm in Leitir Móir).
DIVISION 2
Semi-finals: St. Michael's v St. James' (Friday at 8pm in Westside), Dunmore MacHales v Mountbellew-Moylough (Sunday at 1pm in Dunmore).
Relegation semi-finals: Annaghdown v Micheál Breathnach (Saturday at 2pm in Cregg), Bearna Na Forbacha v Monivea-Abbey (Saturday at 5pm in Barna).
DIVISION 3A
Semi-finals: Caherlistrane v Glenamaddy (Friday at 8pm in Caherlistrane), Killannin v Oranmore-Maree (Friday at 8pm in Killannin).
Relegation semi-finals: Corofin v St. Brendan's (Thursday at 7.45pm in Corofin), Caltra v An Cheathrú Rua (Friday at 8.15pm in Caltra).
DIVISION 3B
Semi-finals: Kilconly v Oileáin Árann (Saturday at 11.30am in Kilconly), An Spidéal v Headford (Saturday at 5pm in An Spidéal).
Relegation semi-finals: Clifden v Cortoon Shamrocks (Saturday at 4pm in Clifden), Kilkerrin-Clonberne v Cárna-Caiseal (Saturday at 5pm in Clonberne).
DIVISION 4A
Semi-finals: Menlough v Claregalway (Sunday at 1pm in Menlough), Killererin v Annaghdown (Sunday at 1pm in Barnaderg).
Relegation semi-finals: Corofin v Williamstown (Friday at 8pm in Corofin), St. Gabriel's v Tuam Stars (Saturday at 5pm in Kilconnell),
DIVISION 4B NORTH & WEST
In both Division 4B North and West, the top four qualified for the quarter-finals where the pairings are: Oranmore-Maree v Maigh Cuilinn (Saturday at 5pm in Oranmore), Na Piarsaigh v Glinsk (Saturday at 5pm in Ros Muc), Athenry v Salthill-Knocknacarra (Sunday at 1pm in Athenry), Clonbur v Kinvara (Sunday at 7pm in Clonbur). Finalists move up to 4A.