Croke Park awaits for the the toughest sides left in this year’s championship
What could be more romantic than seeing your club lift a Junior or Intermediate AIB GAA Club All Ireland title on Valentine’s Day. Forget dinner dates or chocolates, Croke Park is the hot date for February 14th with eight sides looking to set up a hot and heavy encounter for the Junior and Intermediate crowns next month when they meet in the last four this weekend.
AIB GAA All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship Semi-Finals
Brosna (Kerry) v Rock St Patrick’s (Tyrone), Ballinasloe, Galway, 2pm
Kerry v Tyrone. That’s all that really needs to be said ahead of this All-Ireland semi final as one of the greatest rivalries of modern GAA gets ready for another airing. The counties have played out several epic clashes in senior action and the intensity between them at club level is just as fierce with several clashes in the latter stages of the various championships in recent years.
Brosna’s Munster win over Glin was a typical example of North Kerry football at its finest. Solid defence aligned with an attack that cut the Limerick side open at times thanks to the ability of Alan Barry. His seven points effectively won the game for the North Kerry outfit and the biggest challenge facing the Tyrone challengers will be how to curb his influence.
The Ulster champions come in off the back of second successful provincial campaign after a previous win in 2007. Tyrone star Ciaran Gourley is the heartbeat of the side and he’s ably assisted by the scoring machine that is Conor McCreesh. He went into the Ulster final with a mammoth 8-152 to his name for 2014 and he then went on to score a further 1-6 in the final over Urris.
The Kerry side have shown no nerves so far in their campaign across both the Kingdom and in the provincial series but the Tyrone outfit will pose a test like no other. Rock St Patrick’s previously lost an All-Ireland Junior final in 2007 and that experience, even if the team has changed since, should be a boost to them ahead of the clash in Ballinalsoe. It could come down to a shoot-out between the two corner forwards and don’t be surprised if extra time is needed to separate the teams.
Moate All Whites (Westmeath) v John Mitchel’s (Lancashire), Páirc Tailteann, Navan, 1pm
The opening Junior semi final of Saturday’s action is a unique affair as John Mitchel’s of Liverpool look to make a piece of history by booking their place in the club final next month. The English side played most recently back in November when they overcame the Aran Islands in their q-final clash  by 1-14 to 1-9. In contrast Moate All Whites last game was a week later as they lifted the provincial title with a four-point win over Straffan of Kildare.
The travel factor may swing this game in favour of the midlanders and with the impressive John Corbally in full flight they should be able to finalise their plans for Valentines night.
AIB GAA All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship Semi-Finals-Seán O’Mahony’s (Louth) v St Croan’s (Roscommon), Kingspan Breffni Park, 2pm
Louth may have missed out on senior inter county glory to Meath a few years ago in Croke Park but Sean O’Mahony’s got a measure of revenge at least at intermediate club level when they beat Ballinlough by three points back in November.
The Louth side are just the third ever club from the county to win a provincial title but they face a very tough test if star forward Stephen Fisher isn’t fit after picking up an injury in an U21 challenge game recently.
St Croan’s are a new name to this stage of the All-Ireland series having claimed a first ever provincial title in November with victory over Killanin of Galway. Not even a second-half appearance by the current Galway manger Kevin Walsh could stop them from winning the title and their extra forward ability – having scored 1-14 in their semi final and 1-10 in the final – marks them out as a major threat.
If Fisher plays for O’Mahony’s they have a huge chance but Croan’s defence has been good in nearly every game and having come back from the dead almost against Killanin, they should progress to the club final in February.
Ardfert (Kerry) v Warrenpoint (Down), O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, 2pm
Down are still the only side at inter-county level that Kerry have never managed to get a win against in the championship. The men of St Peter’s Warrenpoint will be hoping to continue that tradition at club level when they meet Kerry champions Ardfert in the intermediate club semi this Sunday in Portlaoise.
Their lack of experience however may come against them as they face a side who previously won the All-Ireland club title in 2006 at junior and at intermediate the following year. In contrast Warrenpoint claimed a first ever provincial crown before Christmas with a narrow victory over Dungannon.
The North Kerry side should have too much experience for their opposition but the men from the Mourne County certainly won’t be affected by any of the so called ‘fear factor’ that other club sides associate with men from the Kingdom.
