Revenge, dreams and a rank, rank outsider: our weekend club championship preview

Remember when the odds were released to bet on who would be the next Pope?

You could get Father Dougal Maguire at 1000/1.

“1000/1?” many people actually thought about it.  “I know he’s a fictional character and all that but that must be worth a punt.”

No, no it wasn’t.  It was actually a near perfect example of how to waste one and how to waste a bet.  Do you know what else is?  Sticking a euro on Galway champions Corofin this weekend.  If that bet comes up, you’ll make approximately two glorious cents out of it, Labrokes pricing them at 1/50 to see off Lietrim side Aughwillan.

That Connacht clash isn’t headlining today’s events though as we finally, thankfully get back to the nuts and bolts of what our games are really about in the AIB Club Championship.

Down in Portlaoise, there’s the little small matter of a repeat of last year’s Leinster final when All-Ireland champions St. Vincent’s ride into town.

Since the Laois kingpins last won the provincial tournament in 2009, they have been beaten four times in a row by Dublin opposition.  And, guess what?  Three of the last four Leinster championships have been won by different Dublin sides.  Who’s to say what sort of success – even more of which – Portlaoise might’ve enjoyed if they weren’t in such a competitive province.  They’re back again though and they’ll be licking their lips at the prospect of Tommy Conroy’s men coming into their den on Sunday.  Zach Tuohy’s return boosts the reignited Laois men but it remains a tall order to upset the frightening form of Diarmuid Connolly and Gavin Burke.

Go back to Connacht though and you’ll find a clash just as tight.  Ballintubber and St. Brigid’s come head to head as the Roscommon men aim to make a fifth straight provincial final.  But with Alan Dillon and Cillian O’Connor running riot up top for the Mayo men, it might take a very special performance from the evergreen Frankie Dolan to keep the 2013 All-Ireland champions ticking.  St. Brigid’s goalie, Shane Curran, coyly suggested that the Mayo men were the favourites for the semi – of course he did – as we previewed the clash with the Rossies legend.

Meanwhile, a fascinating encounter presents itself in Munster as Clare and Tipperary come head-to-head in what is always a bloody fantastic affair.  Cratloe welcome Thurles Sarsfields to Ennis to fight for a place in the Munster decider and, having celebrated double honours this season in Clare, the men in blue are flying high.  A side boasting the like of Pádraic Maher and Lar Corbett is nothing to be sniffed at though.  Neither is 33 county titles and Cratloe will need Conor McGrath firing in the same vein that saw him rack up 2-4 last week against Ballygunner.  This very special season for the East Clare men might just keep getting better.

THE FIXTURES
(All games on Sunday)

Ulster Club SFC Quarter Finals

Slaughtneil (Derry) v Cavan Gaels (Cavan) – Owenbeg, 2.30pm
St. Eunan’s (Donegal) v Roslea (Fermanagh) – Letterkenny, 2.30pm

Leinster Club SFC Quarter Finals

Portlaoise (Laois) v St. Vincent’s (Dublin) – Portlaoise, 2.30pm
Garrycastle (Westmeath) v Emmet Óg Killoe (Longford) – Mullingar, 2pm
Rathnew (Wicklow) v Moorefield (Kildare) – Aughrim, 2pm
Rhode (Offaly) v Navan O’Mahony’s (Meath) – Tullamore, 2pm

Connacht Club SFC Semi Finals

Ballintubber (Mayo) v St. Brigid’s (Roscommon) – Elverys McHale Park, 2pm
Aughwillan (Leitrim) v Corofin (Galway) – Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, 2pm

Munster Club SHC Semi Finals

Kilmallock (Limerick) v Sarsfields (Cork) – Kilmallock, 2pm
Cratloe (Clare) v Thurles Sarsfields (Tipperary) – Ennis, 2pm

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10