Bracknagh and Durrow plot shock wins as Offaly Senior Football Championship reaches knock-out stages
THE Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship will move into the business end of affairs with two quarter-finals and the relegation play off all down for decision this weekend.
The quarter-finals form an attractive double bill on Sunday with Ferbane taking on Bracknagh and Edenderry meeting Durrow. The stakes are as big in their own way in the relegation play off on Saturday where both Clara and Shamrocks are desperate to avoid the drop.
Tullamore and Rhode are in the semi-finals and will be seeded in opposite ones, having topped their group.
Bracknagh and Durrow will be plotting two shocks in the quarter-finals with Durrow looking to have the better chance of one.
Quarter-final: Ferbane v Bracknagh; Sunday in O'Connor Park 2pm
Bracknagh are in bonus territory as they have achieved their season's priority of retaining senior status. While a defeat will hurt them, this is a free crack of the whip for them and they have nothing to lose.
With Peter Cunningham on board and plenty of other good players, they should give a good account of themselves. Ferbane, however, have the best prospects of ensuring that it is not a Tullamore and Rhode final again. They have a lot going for them and it will be a big surprise if they don't win.
Verdict – Ferbane.
Quarter-final: Durrow v Edenderry; Sunday in O'Connor Park 4pm
You never know what Bracknagh will do but the possibility of an upset is much larger in the meeting of Edenderry and Durrow. Edenderry should be warm favourites and have enough very good players to be title contenders but they haven't convinced to date. Rory Egan should be back for this and will be a help but Edenderry are searching for their best form.
This is a banana skin for Edenderry and Durrow have a very good chance. A lot depends on their dual players. A couple haven't played and with Ballinamere going well in senior hurling, it remains to be seen what the collective attitude will be. Ballinamere didn't play a couple of their senior hurlers in a recent U-20 hurling defeat and this creates some doubts about Durrow.
Edenderry should be able to win but have a lot of improving to do, this game is ripe for an upset and no result will be a surprise.
Verdict – Durrow.
Relegation play off: Clara v Shamrocks; Saturday in Cappincur 5pm
Two struggling sides will meet in the relegation play off and its a hard one to call. Clara are marginal; favourites but they have been relegated before and are going bad enough to make the drop again.
Clara are better than their form suggests and they have plenty of good players. They should be favourites and Shamrocks have a handful of players who are struggling at this level but you can't trust Clara to perform – though they competed very well in their last game against Ferbane.
Shamrocks are missing a lot of players for various reasons but Jack Bryant in back and in Nigel Dunne, they have the most important forward in this game. Dunne is capable of shooting the lights out and his presence gives Shamrocks a chance.
Verdict – Shamrocks.