Hodson Bay Hotel Group Roscommon SFC semi-final: Padraig Pearses v St Faithleach’s on Saturday at Dr Hyde Park (4.30 pm)
After a quite incredible quarter-final weekend, each of the four teams left in this year’s senior championship will feel that they have a chance to win the competition. However, most people would now install Padraig Pearses as favourites to win the Fahey Cup this year. This follows their impressive win over defending champions and hot favourites St Brigid’s.
St Faithleach’s will have a major say about that of course, and on the evidence of their superb win against Clann na nGael they are in with a great chance in this semi-final. It would be lazy analysis to label Faithleach’s as a team solely reliant on the brilliant Ciarán and Diarmuid Murtagh, although it must be said they are a major inspiration and potential match-winners on any given day.
Against Clann, the Faithleach’s half-back line trio of James Browne, Darren Nerney and Mikey Dunne were excellent, while in the middle of the field Connell Kennelly and Cian Glennon are very accomplished players who are playing well. Up front, Jonathan Hussey has been a regular on the scoresheet this year while Dave Rooney is having a good championship at full-forward.
Padraig Pearses have a super blend of youth and experience. The experience is supplied by the Daly brothers, Davy Murray, Niall Carty and Paul Whelan. Pearses will be pulling out all the stops to ensure that Niall Daly is fit enough to play his part. He is a huge player for Pearses.
The younger Pearses players have also been important to their campaign in recent years. The likes of Declan Kenny, Conor Harley, Caelim Keogh, Paul Carey and Eoin Colleran have been prominent over the past few seasons and they help to give the Pearses team a very balanced look.
Any team with Ciarán and Diarmuid Murtagh in their ranks must be greatly respected, but Pearses look the stronger outfit throughout the field and I take them to win by a few points.
Prediction: Padraig Pearses
Hodson Bay Hotel Group Roscommon SFC semi-final: Roscommon Gaels v Michael Glaveys on Sunday at Dr Hyde Park at 2.30 pm
Both teams were surprise winners in their respective quarter-finals and both will be eyeing up a final place now.
Glaveys looked to be down and out against Oran but they stuck to their guns and got through with almost the last kick of the game. That win has given them great momentum going into this clash.
The Ballinlough-based side have plenty of good players throughout their team, including match-winners in attack. Shane O’Malley and Liam Cregg have been playing well in defence this year, but it is further up the field where Glaveys have been particularly impressive.
Caoileann Fitzmaurice and Conor Hussey form probably the strongest midfield partnership in the competition. Up front, Glaveys have some cracking attackers and match-winners like Dylan Ruane, Andy Glennon and Robert and Cathal Heneghan.
Roscommon Gaels have been inconsistent so far this season but they are in the semi-final on merit. They have the nucleus of the team that has been playing over the past number of years allied to several young players who have lifted their performances this year under manager Mark Dowd.
James Featherstone, Scottie Oates, John McManus, Mark Healy, Kieran Kilcline, Cathal Dineen, Cian Connolly and Peter Gillooly are all experienced campaigners but the introduction of the likes of Tim and Senan Lambe, James Connolly, Eoghan and Rory Carthy, John McGuinness, Mark Purcell and Ryan Conlon has transformed the town team.
This looks set to be a close, hard-fought game. I am expecting the Gaels to reach the decider with a few points to spare.
Prediction: Roscommon Gaels
