Previews for Sunday August 24th. 1:00 pm Junior A Quarter Final. Roscommon v Armagh The first quarter final in this tough division will be played on Saturday night with a repeat of last years final between Astoria Gaels and Kerry at 6 pm. That promises to be a close encounter with the game going down to the wire. Roscommon take on Armagh in the second. After the top two in this division, Tyrone and St Rays, all the others had their moments of brilliance and games where things did not go exactly to plan. It translates into a very difficult playoff picture where any one of the final seven could go all the way. Roscommon will start favorites in their outing with James Faherty, Michael Travors, and Thomas Gilmore all game winners. Derek Hogan is the jewel in the crown, a big midfielder he is a dominant player. Remains to be seen how it ends up. 2:30 pm Senior Hurling Final Tipperary v Offaly. Senior Hurling in New York this season served up some excellent fare over the summer with all four teams performing brilliantly in the league games. It continues to defy the odds with a host of sixty day players available and top class weekenders out each week. Hard to get too creative with four teams but the double round works when they play each other twice and top team heads for final and 2 plays 3 in the one semi. This season Offaly started out with the county title to defend for the first time in fifty years. They were up on the pedestal with the other three looking to knock them off. Tipperary did unbelievable work to get back into contention after they missed the playoffs completely last season. It worked as they went through the regular season with only one loss, and that came after a player was deemed ineligible. Offaly won the playoff toss which left Tipp in a semi with New Jersey/Kilkenny, a game that went down to the wire. It now sets us up for one of the most anticipated games in years. Offaly have a very settled look. Alan Gleeson returns to man the slot between the posts and the former NY player of the year had few peers in NY. Willie Kiely and Darren Reilly man the full back line with both very physical players. Captain Richie Gaule stands tall at number 6 in all senses of the word. He is a mountain under the dropping ball and his monstrous clearances are a joy to behold. Toddler Callanan will slot in at wing back and the former All Ireland winner from Athenry Vocational School is a fiery number 7. Up front Stephen Brown is the scorer in chief. He is clinical from the placed ball and can not be allowed an inch in open play. Donie Broderick, Aiden Ryan and Damien Clifford will also find slots up front. Tipp will counter with a strong line out. Michael Smith or Thomas O'Meara will have the one slot, both are more than capable. John Madden will anchor the side at 6 and captain the side. He was also captain in 97 when they were champions. Ger Mahon from Galway and Gavin O'Mahoney from Limerick have been starting for the last couple of games and both will not be found wanting coming of county panels in Ireland. Martin Dunne is also having a brilliant year for Tipperary and he is a dominant player on the wing. Midfield will be home for Dave Loughnane and possibly John Purcell. Loughnane is energized throughout and never stops battling. Up front is where their strengths are most apparent. Kieran Bergin is having a brilliant year. On pace for player of the year accolades. Unstoppable in open play he can conjure up a score from nothing as he did in the semi final. Liam Costello is an outstanding goal getter; he had four against Galway in one outing. He will have Andy O'Connell outside him another flyer in open play. This year Tipperary have had some of the best players available in Ireland join their cause including Joe Canning for two outings. If they go top shelf again then it will project them into a clear favorite's mantle Offaly will most certainly want to hang on to their championship. They are extremely difficult to win, be it at junior level or here at the highest ranking, senior in New York. They have a well balanced team but they are coming up against a Tipperary side who are still perturbed from last season. Add to the defeat by Waterford last week in Ireland and certainly the likes of Eoin Kelly may be joining us this week. The Premier County holds the record with 26 NY county titles; they have defeated all comers in the league and semi final this season. The quality that Madden, Loughnane, Purcell, O'Connell, Costello and the "Kid Bergin" bring to the table will be too much for the Faithful to counter. Another championship for Tipp in a high scoring encounter, with the scoreline projected as follows Tipp 2-18 Offaly 1-15. 4:00 pm Ladies Football Final Cavan v Na Fianna The Ladies football final pits the cream of the crop this year with a battle between two squads who have played scintillating football in the last four months. Cavan are on course for there 13th title at this grade and the 08 panel are strong across the board. With players of the caliber of Mary Maguire, Linda McKeon, Emma Clarke, Kelly McArdle, Aimee Gomez, and Ger Rice they have a foundation that is second to none. Rice returned from a long term injury and she is playing fantastic in her new position of goalkeeper. The team is able run up huge scores on any given Sunday with Clarke outperforming all the 60 day players in town. Her trademark dummy move has faked out all, and she is adept at flicking the ball over the bar or finding the net. Dessie Reilly has the team in tremendous shape again and they will look to annex a four in a row title in this contest. Na Fianna stand in their way and this has been a revitalized team this year. After a couple of seasons when the squad was in the lower rankings they have under the tutu ledge of Ollie Flynn catapulted into contender status. The arrival of Joanne McKenna and Imelda Mullarkey to their ranks was a monumental boost. The return of Mary (Molly) O'Rourke a god send. She is a bonefide superstar at this level. Her scoring exploits outstanding, her battle with Mary Maguire and the Cavan defense will be worth the price of admission alone. Nora McGrail is very dependable goalkeepers for Na Fianna, Stephanie Bush, Stephanie Tierney, who belies her young age and is on course for greatness in NY are excellent defenders. The Wall girls, in particular Linda bring unbridled enthusiasm to the team. Linda is a brilliant ball carrier and her joist with McKeon will be another that will have a huge bearing on the outcome. It promises to be a dazzling final. If Na Fianna can keep the shackles on Emma Clarke then it will come down to the wire. Cavan may have enough to win a thriller by three. 5:30 pm Senior Football Knockout Cavan v Down. The second semi final in the senior KO cup competition. Cork and Leitrim are playing in the first on Saturday evening after the Kerry /Astoria game. Down finished second in the regular season and have been known in the last couple of years to concentrate fully on the championship. Cavan are now in the senior B championship stages after Kerry knocked them out of the A competition and they would love nothing more than putting one over on their close rivals. So close that The Dugout in Queens sponsors both squads. Cavan will look to Kevin Smith, Kevin McGeeney, Emmett Killeen and Paddy Smith to hit the scoreboard this time round. It did not happen against Kerry when they went 45 minutes without a score. Down have a strong defense with Brian Murray on course for a senior All star, Eugene O'Hagan back to his best after injury with Brendan McArdle and Mike Turley both impressive footballers. It may be the difference. Down to advance to the final by four. Tweet

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