Weekend previews
July 02, 2010Saturday, July 3rd
All-Ireland SHC Qualifiers Phase 1 - Antrim v. Carlow
Carlow's win over Laois last weekend will have given the Barrowsiders a major lift and confidence will be high as they head to Casement Park for this clash. Paudie Kehoe was the star of the show for Carlow against Laois as he finished his side's top scorer. His accuracy from placed balls is a real threat for the Leinster side, who are steadily improving in the top tier.
Antrim will have learned little from their facile win over Down in the Ulster SHC final, but their performance against Offaly in the Leinster championship suggests that they are back to their best. The return of Liam Watson is a huge plus and he registered 1-5 against Down.
They certainly have the players to trouble most teams in the qualifiers and although Carlow will provide a stern test, the Saffrons should prevail. Verdict: Antrim
Ladbrokes.com odds: Antrim 4/11; Draw 12/1; Carlow 9/4
All-Ireland SHC Qualifiers Phase 1 - Tipperary v. Wexford
Tipp have had plenty of time to digest their heavy defeat to Cork in the Munster championship and if a recent challenge against Waterford is anything to go by, they look to have returned to form.
The defeat to the Rebels was a bitter pill to swallow and it will be interesting to see how they react to that defeat. Despite having a number of experienced players in the side, they are still considered a relatively young team, which was highlighted in the Munster championship. The Tipp defence was ripped to shreds on that occasion and they will have to regain their form sooner rather than later.
Wexford proved to be a match for Galway when the sides met earlier in the month and had they had a bit more luck on their side on that occasion, the scoreline could have been a lot different. The Model County is a work in progress and they may yet be three or four players away from being the finished article.
They are a proud bunch down in the south east and they will push Tipp all the way, but the Munster side are still genuine contenders for the Liam MacCarthy Cup and are favourites to progress here. Verdict: Tipperary
Ladbrokes.com odds: Tipperary 1/12; Draw 14/1; Wexford 7/1
All-Ireland SFC Qualifier round 1 replay - Antrim v. Kildare
Kildare were left to rue a number of missed chances in the drawn game and had they taken even half of the 18 wides they kicked, they would have won the drawn game comfortably. Instead it's off to Casement Park for them this Saturday. The Lilywhites played poorly and they will know that. Their reliance on Johnny Doyle for scores was evident and although James Kavanagh worked tirelessly throughout the match, they will need to perform as a unit the next day.
Antrim will be pleased to get another bite of the cheery and at home, they are a formidable side. Paddy Cunningham is in exceptional form and he is becoming one of the top forwards in the county. The Saffrons have the advantage now and it is up to them to make the most of it.
Expect another close contest, but don't be surprised if it's Antrim that go through to meet Leitrim in the second round of the qualifiers. Verdict: Antrim
Ladbrokes.com odds: Antrim 11/10; Draw 13/2; Kildare evens
Connacht SFC semi final (replay) - Sligo v. Galway
Sligo should be preparing for the Connacht final at this stage, but instead they let Galway back in for another bite at the cherry and it remains to be seen whether that could prove detrimental or not. In the first half of the drawn game, Sligo were very impressive. Corner forward David Kelly was outstanding and a similar performance by him could help the Yeats County finish the job this time around. Sligo proved that they play well at Markievicz Park when defeating Mayo in the last round and they will be confident of completing the job on Saturday.
Galway manager Joe Kernan will know that his charges must improve considerably if they are to reach this year's Connacht final. Michael Meehan is sure to start the replay. It is hard to see Galway playing as poorly again and they did show great character to come back from nine points down. Another tight match is in store, but home advantage could swing it in Sligo's favour. Verdict: Sligo
Ladbrokes.com odds: Sligo 3/2; Draw 15/2; Galway 2/3
Christy Ring Cup Final - Kerry v. Westmeath
Croke Park will host a triple header of hurling finals on Saturday and this will be main attraction as these two sides battle to make it into the top tier of hurling. Westmeath have already won this second tier championship on two occasions and the majority of the current side was involved in those successes.
Players like Darren McCormack, Eoin Price, John Shaw and Brendan Murtagh would not look out of place on any team in the county. The Midlanders started the campaign slowly and lost to Kerry in Tralee, but they have the experience to turn that result around.
Kerry have beaten all before them and they have yet to lose a competitive match this year. John Meyler has instilled a confidence into the side that hasn't been there for a number of years. Their form is all the more impressive in that they have done it without talismanic forward Shane Brick, who has been injured for most of the campaign, but should be among the subs this weekend.
The Kingdom are gong in search of their first title and all the signs point a win for the Munster County, but Westmeath's greater experience at GAA headquarters could tip this tie in their favour. Verdict: Westmeath
Ladbrokes.com odds: Kerry 10/11; Draw 9/1; Westmeath Evens
Nicky Rackard Cup Final - Armagh v. London
The Orchard County came out on top when the sides met just a few weeks ago, but that game will have little bearing on Saturday's match. Both teams deserve their final place as they have been the most impressive outfits in the grade.
Armagh look to have solved a lot of in-house problems that threatened to ruin their year and have been playing very well of late; comfortably beating Sligo in the semi final.
London were installed as early favourites to win this title, but they haven't had it all their own way as Armagh defeated them and then they had to dig deep against Roscommon, with the Connacht men pushing them all the way in the semi-final. In Martin Finn, they have arguably the best forward in the third tier championship and he will cause any defence problems, but they are certainly not a one-man team.
The Exiles are probably driven on by their unceremonious exit from the Ulster championship and they will be keen to end the year on a high. Verdict: London
Ladbrokes.com odds: Armagh 11/10; Draw 10/1; London 4/5
Lory Meagher Cup Final - Longford v. Donegal
Wins over Longford, Warwickshire and Fermanagh have earned Donegal a place in this year's final and they have looked the most impressive side in the championship so far. Having already defeated their final opponents will give them great confidence, but they cannot take the Ulster side for granted.
Apart form that opening round defeat to Donegal; it has been relative plain sailing for Longford as wins over Warwickshire, South Down and Leitrim have resulted in them getting to the final. In Gareth Ghee, they have an exceptional marksman, but if the Donegal defence can cut out the amount of frees they conceed and keep a tight reign on Ghee, then they should lift the title. Verdict: Donegal
Ladbrokes.com odds: Longford 7/4; Draw 9/1; Donegal 8/15
Sunday, July 4th
Munster SFC final - Kerry v. Limerick
Limerick enter this match as huge underdogs and understandably so, as they are up against the best team in the country. Most of the focus in the Munster campaign was on the Cork against Kerry semi-final, while Limerick quietly slipped into the final.
Having won the division four league title will have been a massive boost to the Shannonsiders and they are an experienced outfit that will not be overawed by Sunday's final. Limerick will certainly have their homework done and they should match Kerry in the physical stakes, but their defence will be under serious pressure to quell the threat of the Kingdom forwards.
Paul Galvin will be a huge loss to Kerry as he seems to be the one player that can really make them tick. However, their strength in depth is well documented and if they get a good start and put Limerick on the back foot early on, then the winning margin could be quite significant.
Limerick's main aim will be to stop that and allow themselves to settle in the game, which they may do, but whether they can sustain that for the full 70 minutes is questionable. Verdict: Kerry
Ladbrokes.com odds: Kerry 1/7; Draw 19/2; Limerick 6/1
Leinster SHC final - Kilkenny v. Galway
This is the Leinster final that all hurling fans have been waiting for as these two hurling giants go head to head.
Kilkenny easily disposed of the threat of Dublin in the semi-final and although they showed signs of rustiness during that game, it will have brought them on a lot. The return of Noel Hickey is another plus in favour of the Cats and his duel with Joe Canning could have a major bearing on the outcome of this game. At the other end, the match up of Ollie Canning and Eddie Brennan could have a similar impact on the game. Indeed, you could say this about many of the duels around the field, but these two in particular stand out.
The two games against Offaly will have shown Galway that they need to step up a gear or two very quickly if they are to dethrone the Cats. In both games against the Faithful, they allowed their opponents back into the match and if they do that against Kilkenny, then they will pay the price.
The Cats are seeking their sixth consecutive Leinster title and unless Galway show a marked improvement, then the Cats will be crowned champions once again. Verdict: Kilkenny
Ladbrokes.com odds: Kilkenny 1/3; Draw 10/1; Galway 13/5 Tweet
