Super Sunday sees eight football clubs face critical games

CIARAN TIERNEY

PROMOTION to the senior ranks, a county minor title, and a place in the semi-finals of the senior football championship are among the prizes on offer during what promises to be a hectic weekend of club football action in Co Galway.

Top billing will go to the replayed senior quarter-final between Mountbellew-Moylough – playing for the fifth consecutive weekend – and Tuam Stars at Tuam Stadium on Sunday (3.15pm), part of an attractive double bill which also includes the minor final (1.30pm).The game between Mountbellew and Tuam ended in a 0-10 to 2-4 stalemate at the same venue last Sunday, thanks to a pointed late free from Tuam marksman Cathal Kenny.

Centre back Eoin Kilroy (hamstring) is an injury doubt for the Stars after picking up an injury in the first half of the drawn game and the expectation now is that Tuam will benefit from the game time after a long lay-off prior to last weekend.

“We looked very rusty last weekend, it has to be said,” admitted Tuam manager Alan Flynn, who was also named as part of Alan Mulholland’s Galway senior backroom team this weekend. “We did not look sharp and we are lucky to be still in the championship as Mountbellew missed a few late chances last Sunday.”

Two of the ‘superpowers’ in the underage ranks will clash in the curtain-raiser when Corofin will be aiming to win their third minor ‘A’ title in four years against Salthill-Knocknacarra.

Salthill have no injury worries following their six point win over St Michael’s in the West Board final last Sunday, but Corofin will await late fitness tests on free-taker Jason Leonard (back) and full-back Cathal Reilly (hand).The North Galway boys were lucky to e

dge out the North Board final thanks to a late goal against Annaghdown last Saturday evening, but will have to improve to overcome the challenge of the city boys – who were taken to a replay by Barna in the West Board semi-final.

Both managers, Sean Armstrong (Salthill) and Brian Murphy (Corofin), have been with these groups of players for half a dozen years at this stage and they have built up a healthy rivalry in some keenly contested battles since their U13 days.

Promotion is the massive prize on offer at Pearse Stadium, where Oughterard take on Kilconly in the County Intermediate Final (4pm).There is huge excitement around this fixture in Kilconly, as the North Galway men – led by Kevin Brady and U21 All-Ireland winner Adrian Murphy – aim to reach the top flight of club football for the first time. Murphy hopes to have recovered from a broken hand, having played just a small part in the semi-final win over Monivea-Abbey (1-11 to 0-8) four weeks ago.

Bernard Brady manages the side, coached by Frank Doherty, which has never reached an Intermediate decider before.

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.