GAA weekend preview: 3 things to watch

It’s another busy weekend in the GAA calendar with the All-Ireland club finals and National football and hurling action. Here are three things to look out for.

By Declan Whooley

Club finals

The highlights of the club calendar take place on Sunday and we are expecting two intriguing finals at GAA headquarters.

In the football decider, Ballymun have been the story of the football championship so far. After winning their first county title since 1985, when Barney Rock was tormenting defenders, his son Dean has shown that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, kicking 23 points in their last four games. Ted Furman has chipped in with 3-4 and they don’t cough up scores easy either, having gone seven games without conceding a goal.

Facing them will be a resilient St. Brigid’s outfit most impressive in finally getting the better of Crossmaglen after some painful defeats at the hands of the Armagh side in the past. With Frankie Dolan and Shane Curran in the side, big game experience will not be in short supply and will hope to create their own history by becoming the first Roscommon team to land the Andy Merrigan Cup.

First up will be the meeting of St. Thomas’ of Galway and Offaly’s Kilcormac-Killoughney. The Offaly side are the outsiders with the bookies, though that was also the case before they played the highly fancied Oulart- The Ballagh and Thurles Sarsfields in the competition.

Formed in just 1968, St. Thomas’s will hope to land Galway’s sixth title since the turn of the millennium. Backboned by the Burke family – six brothers involved plus the manager John – and some serious attacking threats in Conor Cooney, James Regan and Brendan Burke, they have looked a formidable team so far. All of which points to a titanic battle staring at 2pm.

Dublin v Tyrone

First plays second at Croke Park on Saturday night as the Dubs look to make it five from five against an impressive looking Tyrone side.

It goes without saying that Jim Gavin can only be happy with what he has seen so far. They have scored the most in the league, conceded the least and have a number of players, most notably Bernard Brogan and Ciaran Kilkenny, brimming with confidence. It is only March, but it does seem like they will take some stopping this year.

Tyrone came unstuck at home to Cork last time out after three wins on the trot. Some of the more unfamiliar faces have looked at home thus far but a trip to the capital will be a real litmus test of where Mickey Harte’s team are.

Kilkenny v Waterford

We are only two games into the league, but it does make for unusual viewing to see Kilkenny bottom of the table. No one will be shouting ‘Cody out’ even if they do lose to their near neighbours, but they could do with putting points on the board.

A one-point defeat to Tipp preceeded by a three-point loss to Galway means that the Cats will be well primed for the visit of the Deise to Nowlan Park.

Michael Ryan will be delighted with how his side have finished both games so far, edging past Clare in the opener before rescuing a draw against Cork in awful conditions in Dungarvan last week.

No quarter will be given, but you would think that Kilkenny wouldn’t lose three on the spin, especially with home advantage.