Previews: Club Championships

Sunday

Leinster SF semi-final replay refixture - Sarsfields (Kildare) v Na Fianna (Dublin), Newbridge, 2.0

Consideration of this AIB Leinster fixture has been dominated by the controversy surrounding Na Fianna's six substitutes. Here's a proposal to avert such crises in the future: it's fairly clear that few administrators actually believe in the strict implementation of Rule 109 (b) (i) - the automatic forfeiture of matches for fielding too many substitutes. Therefore the rules should be changed to allow an element of discretion. Is that unenforceable? Not according to Rule 109 (c) - infringements of the obligation to furnish a referee with a list of players - which provides for forfeiture or fine depending on the circumstances. This formulation should be extended to 109 (b).

Someone should whack a motion for next year's Congress forthwith. Otherwise - to avoid unwelcome precedents for the authorities - you're left with teams like Sarsfields being obliged to do the decent thing as they did last Monday. But these deus ex machina solutions create unwelcome pressures.

Anyway how will last week's fiasco and its resolution affect the teams? Initially Na Fianna were very downhearted over the evaporation of their fine win, even though the alternative to a refixture was a lot worse. Sarsfields have been handed a reprieve just as they were being cut down from the gibbet and also now have home advantage. The only thing that didn't go their way this week was Niall Buckley's need to spend more time with his hamstring in Chicago.

His return would have been welcome given that the placed ball gave Sarsfields a lot of problems last week with David Earley and even Padraig Brennan missing good opportunities.

What will concern the Dubliners is that things clicked for them last week and their incisive moves from the back helped set up a slightly flattering nine-point win. But they were - so to speak - five or six points the better side. Tomorrow's game will be played on a tighter, heavier pitch and if Sarsfields improve on their accuracy and smarten up a bit at the back, the match will be a lot closer.

But in both the drawn match and last week's replay, Na Fianna looked sharper going forward and have been able to score goals. The feeling that they're a better side suggests they'll make sure this time, albeit on a narrower margin.

All-Ireland SF quarter-final - Tir Chonaill Gaels (London) v Ballinderry (Derry), Rusilip, 2.0

The London side have dominated the British championship with five of the last six titles. Nonetheless they're not on a par with the team of 10 years ago that only lost in extra time to a Lavey side en route to an All-Ireland. Tyrone's All-Ireland midfielder Jody Gomley is currently their best-known player and although they have proved tough opponents to mainland opposition in recent years, Ballinderry have too much class to slip up here.