Gaelic Games

All-Ireland club finals previews: Thomastown to have the edge in intermediate final

Kerry-Cavan All-Ireland rivalry renewed in junior football final

Stephen Donnelly of Thomastown pictured. Photograph: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Stephen Donnelly of Thomastown pictured. Photograph: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Seán Moran
Fri Jan 12 2024 - 18:44
AIB All-Ireland club finals at Croke Park [All live on TG4]

Saturday

IHC: Castlelyons (Cork) v Thomastown (Kilkenny), Croke Park, 7.0 – Between them, Cork and Kilkenny have won more than half of these titles but these clubs have endured a testing road to this point, clocking up plenty of disappointments. Both eased to provincial success – Castlelyons’s Anthony Spillane coming back from Dubai to hit a hat-trick in the Munster final whereas Thomastown were rarely challenged. The Cork side have some accomplished defenders in Niall O’Leary and Colm Spillane but will need that expertise against a John Donnelly driven attack that has been in powerful form and can add this to the junior title won 11 years ago. Verdict: Thomastown

JHC: St Catherine’s (Cork) v Tullogher Rosbercon (Kilkenny), Croke Park, 5.0 – Another Cork-Kilkenny showdown in a championship which has been won by the counties on 16 out of 19 occasions – 10 Kilkenny and six Cork. Tullogher were here in 2009, losing narrowly to another Cork side, Dripsey. A 17-year old Walter Walsh lined out that day and now supplies the veteran guile in attack. Catherine’s are guided by former Cork player and manager, Denis Walsh and have had Seán O’Donoghue leading the scoring charge. Verdict: Tullogher-Rosbercon

Sunday

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IFC: St Patrick’s Cullyhanna (Armagh) v Cill na Martra (Cork), Croke Park, 3.30 – Cullyhanna’s campaign has combined the relaxed, within the county, with more stressful outings since. They have survived, though and face another demanding afternoon against the Cork champions, managed by former senior club All-Ireland winning coach, John Evans, who took Laune Rangers to the 1996 title. Tadhg Ó Corcora has been dependable in defence whereas Micheál Ó Deasúna and Daniel Ó Duinnín are lively forwards for the Gaeltacht club. Cullyhanna though bring plenty of their own firepower in Armagh county notables Aidan Nugent, former AFL recruit Ross McQuillan and Jason Duffy. They edged out Johnny Doyle’s Allenwood in the semi-finals and can become Armagh’s first winners of this All-Ireland. Verdict: St Patrick’s Cullyhanna

JFC: Listowel Emmets (Kerry) v Arva (Cavan), Croke Park, 1.30 – An evocative renewal of the Kerry-Cavan All-Ireland rivalry pits a very impressive Arva, strengthened by the returns to fitness of Ciarán Brady and from Australia of former captain Johnny McCabe. Listowel however are heirs to the powerful Kerry tradition, helped by their championship structure, which has seen the county’s clubs win more than half the All-Irelands at this grade. Former Footballer of the Year Marc Ó Sé is their coach and they have been fired by the form of Brian Sweeney at full forward as well as David Keane’s reliable frees. Consensus even in Cavan suggests that good as Arva have been, this may be a step too far. Verdict: Listowel Emmets

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Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times