THANK god for the club championships. They continue to deliver, just like the head-scratching enigma that is Tottenham Hotspur did last weekend. Indulge my Spurs support for a brief moment, the 4-0 away hammering of Premier League champions Manchester City was as welcome as it was unexpected. But the club championships delivered in style, too.
Dublin champions Cuala, who beat Tullamore 1-10 to 0-10, will face Louth champions St Mary’s Ardee in the Leinster club final, after the champions from the Wee County kicked only a single wide in a one-point win (0-15 to 0-14) over Westmeath champions, St Lomans. That’s incredible efficiency in such a tight contest. Also on Saturday, 2022 All-Ireland winners Kilcoo blitzed Monaghan’s Scotstown to set up a clash against the winners of Sunday’s contest between Tyrone’s Errigal Ciarán and Clann Eireann of Armagh.
I decided to eschew the multi-millionaire prima-donnas of the Premier League on Sunday afternoon to take in the far hardier fare of the Ulster club championship: semi-final between Errigal Ciarán and Clann Eireann. The decision was a good one as this was a game that did plenty to support the theory that the club championships are the most competitive competitions in the GAA and that the club game is providing more value for money and entertainment than its inter-county counterpart. For a start, it is far less predictable as different teams come to the fore year after year.
Ulster is bucking that trend to an extent as Errigal Ciarán, like Kilcoo, are seasoned contenders in the latter stages of the Ulster club championship, however Clann Eireann are one of the Armagh sides that has emerged from the shadows of the previously dominant Crossmaglen Rangers. The Armagh men will have fancied their chances after retiring for the break level, having played against the stiff breeze, with Errigal Ciarán totally reliant on the brilliant Canavan brothers, Darragh and Ruairi.
The game would turn when Armagh county man Tiernan Kelly received a second yellow card for persistent fouling midway through the second half, after which Clann Eireann struggled to get out of their own half and onto the scoreboard. Fittingly, Ruairi Canavan would claim the spoils with another wonder point from the left wing, his ninth of the day; Errigal Ciarán won 0-14 to 1-10. Ulster football – and the Ulster championships – have taken much stick in recent times, however it has to be flagged that many of the teams from the north have now added far more attacking verve to their gameplans. The five goals for Kilcoo exemplify this further, and the Ulster club final is one for the football diaries.
In Munster, Dr Crokes, conquerors of Castlehaven in the previous round, almost came a cropper in Fraher Field in Dungravan, as Waterford champions Rathgormack again came within a whisker of claiming a huge scalp. Games like this are just another reason to love the inter-provincial club championships, as teams from counties like Louth and Waterford can realistically compete for glory against more famous clubs from football powerhouses like Dublin or Kerry. Think of Longford’s Mullinalaghta winning the Leinster championship in 2018 and it’s safe to say the club competitions do more to promote football in counties that don’t come within a sniff of competing for Sam Maguire.
Dr Crokes will face dual specialists Loughmore-Castleiney in the Munster decider, after the Tipp men saw off the challenge of Eire Óg Ennis. Having lost badly to Ballygunner in the hurling semi-final the week previous, it was a fine recovery for Loughmore. The McGrath brothers will spearhead their challenge against Dr. Crokes where the Kerrymen will be warm favourites, while knowing they can’t take anything for granted.
The Connacht club showpiece will take place in Markievicz Park in Sligo this Sunday, where Coolera Strandhill will have home county advantage against Roscommon’s Padraig Pearses. The absence of teams from Galway or Mayo is further illustration of the unpredictability on the club scene. In an era where so many sports are dominated by a handful of teams, it’s a breath of fresh air to see the variety of teams that come to the fore at club level. In my book, it’s the best promotion our games can get to have so many clubs involved in these games at senior, intermediate and junior level.
Speaking of the intermediate and junior equivalents, there was mixed fortunes for Cork clubs at these grades. Kilshannig could not overcome the odds at home to Austin Stacks, although minds in the North Cork club, understandably, might have been elsewhere after panellist James O’Hanlon was seriously injured in a car accident nine days before the game. One man was killed in the two-car collision. Kilshannig showed superb spirit just to go out and play in the circumstances, and they made Stacks work for their win, despite indiscipline and injury seeing them finish with 12 players. Football comes a distant second in these circumstances.
It really should be the senior B county champions who proceed to represent Cork in this competition. It is intended for the second-tier champions from each county, and having a different name for our secondary level should make no difference. Kerry’s reduction to eight senior teams is somewhat farcical also, and the close contests and variety of counties winning titles is notable for its absence in Munster intermediate and junior grades. More than a little questionable for a county that scarcely needs to try and stack the odds in their favour to win their fair share to begin with.
Kilmurry will face Firies of Kerry after giving Cashel King Cormacs a heavy beating in the semi-final. This is Kilmurry’s third foray into the final of the junior competition after going forward to represent Cork having won the old Cork junior championship in 2022 before proceeding again after defeat to the Barrs second string last season. Kilmurry will be hoping it’s third time lucky after losing to Listowel Emmets and Fossa in the previous encounters. Again, the odds are stacked against the Cork team as it’s the fifth-tier winners against the third from Kerry, an arbitrary ranking system would see Kilmurry placed 49th in Cork against the 17th placed team from Kerry. It's nonsense, and it must be resolved.
Inter-provincial dominance might not have been the driving factor in Kerry’s decision to reduce their numbers at senior and intermediate, and I believe a move to ten at senior at least may be imminent, but their teams are happily reaping the benefits, and depriving clubs from other counties of a fair opportunity to claim provincial spoils and fulfilling the dream of playing in Croke Park with their club.
Kerry have now won 19 of the previous 22 junior iterations, with only ourselves in Carbery Rangers in 2003, Canovee in 2007 and Knocknagree in 2017 breaking the dominance. At intermediate level, Kerry clubs account for 15 titles, with our back-to-back successes in 2004 and 2005 amongst the five wins for Cork clubs.
For a county with so many football honours, there is little to brag about for Kerry clubs winning with the odds so stacked in their own favour. As the senior club championships continue to show, fair competition is the heart of good sport. There is little merit in gaming the system to your own advantage.
