Moneygall aiming to get back to Intermediate final
By Shane Brophy
Boherlahan-Dualla v Moneygall in Templetuohy on Saturday 30th September at 12.30pm
A match worthy of being the final itself. But for one club, their season will end on Saturday in bitter disappointment. Both Boherlahan and Moneygall have enjoyed successful campaigns, winning their respective divisional titles but both will have targeted county glory at the start of the season, and with it promotion to the intermediate grade.
The sides met just seven weeks ago in the second round of the group stage when they couldn’t be separated in Templederry, 3-19 to 1-25 with Moneygall recovering from a seven point half time deficit.
That familiarity is another ingredient to add to what should be another compelling encounter, but it could also lead to a cagey affair such is the big prize on offer.
The greater pressure is on Moneygall considering they got to the semi-final in 2021 and went a step further to a final last year whereas Boherlahan-Dualla are only junior champions as recently as 2018 but are a club on the rise once more.
The strengths of both sides lie in their respective attacks with Tossy Ryan, Seamus Leahy, Mark Downey and the evergreen Darragh Hickey providing a mix of youth and experience while the addition of Brian Og & Ger O’Dwyer to the squad this year has been a massive shove onto them, however, Brian Og will miss the game through injury.
Joe Fogarty and Sean Kenneally continue to be central to the Moneygall attack but the return of Sean Fogarty this year adds another scoring weapon to a side that have kicked on from last year’s disappointment.
This really is a battle of wills and for whoever emerges to take their place in the final, they will take a massive boost in confidence for it. Moneygall’s need is greater and that might be enough to see them to victory. Verdict: Moneygall
Golden Kilfeacle v Kilsheelan/Kilcash in Bansha @ 3.45pm
Kilsheelan/Kilcash will go into this game as hot favourites, but Golden Kilfeacle look to have found their form at just the right time.
Having emerged from the group of death that also contained Moneygall and Boherlahan-Dualla, whom they both lost to narrowly, they recovered to beat Skeheenarinky in the preliminary quarter final and Cappawhite in the quarter final. They have quality all over the field, but particularly in attack where Mark & Barry Kehoe will take stopping.
The concern will be how their busy recent dual schedule, including last Sunday’s senior football championship quarter final defeat to Upperchurch/Drombane, after a penalty shootout, will have drained them.
A six-day turnaround is tough, and this is something Golden Kilfeacle will aim to take advantage of by starting quickly and getting into the game. They were one puck of the ball away from being in the relegation stakes but are now one win away from a county final and with talent of the calibre of Jack Leamy, Jack Bergin, Niall Heffernan, Seamie O’Halloran, Eanna Ormond and Ben Currivan, they have plenty to bring to this semi-final. Verdict: Kilsheelan/Kilcash