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*Killian Normoyle and Lissycasey are in need of a win this weekend to turn their season around. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Football dominates the domestic adult GAA action this weekend with games in senior, intermediate, junior A and junior B championships.
All teams involved are still in the hunt for honours but for some this week’s games are particularly important as defeat could well put paid to championship ambitions for this season.
The meeting of Kilmurry Ibrickane and Cratloe is a repeat of last year’s final which the West Clare side won. Both are unbeaten after two outings and while both will be keen to win, a defeat is unlikely to knock whoever would lose out of the title race.
It’s a different situation for Ennistymon and Cooraclare who are in the same group and who go into their meeting on Sunday pointless. Defeat here would leave whichever would suffer that fate, struggling to make the play offs. Instead, whoever loses this one, could well be staring a relegation play off in the eye and with two teams to make the drop this year, it makes their meeting on Sunday all the more important.
Relegation could well be an issue for Clondegad, Kilrush, St. Josephs Doora/Barefield and Lissycasey who all lost their opening round games. Clondegad face one of the fancied teams in Éire Óg who will carry the favourites tag into Saturday’s clash. The Ennis side are awaiting fitness reports on David Reidy, Aaron Fitzgerald and Ciaran Russell.
One of the closest ties of the round is expected at Lissycasey where St. Josephs, Doora Barefield take on Kilmihil and there should be little between them at the final whistle.
Beaten semi-finalists last year, Lissycasey were hugely disappointing in the opening round and they will need to show a big improvement if they are to overcome Doonbeg at Kilmihil.
St. Breckans will carry the favourites tag when they take on Kilrush on Sunday. The West Clare side whose manager Aidan Daly stepped down after their first round loss, will need a big improvement if they are to keep their hopes of making the play offs alive. The favourites tag rests firmly with Donie Garrihy’s side.
There are also a number of crucial ties in the race for the intermediate title with the meetings of North Clare rivals Michael Cusacks and Kilfenora, the clash of O’Currys and the Banner and the meeting of Shannon Gaels and Éire Óg are among the key games.
Seven games are listed for decision in round 2 of the junior A championship while there are three quarter finals down for decision in the race for the junior B championship title.
