Castletown and Anne's get vote
Senior football semis on Saturday next
THE DRIVE for the WFC Senior football championship gathers pace with the staging of the two semi-finals at Wexford Park on Saturday afternoon next. It's a very open affair, with the reigning champions, Horeswood, coming out on the end of a surprising quarter-final defeat to previously under-performing Adamstown, while last year's beaten finalists, St. Anne's, have secured one of the semi-final spots.
The St. Anne's v. Kilanerin semi-final which will open proceedings should be a titanic struggle between two improving teams, and whoever wins this will provide a massive test for their final opponents.
St. Anne's really got their championship rolling with a stunning group victory over Gusserane, but they stumbled somewhat before finally getting the better of Duffry Rovers in the quarter-final.
Kilanerin will carry an impressive record of past clashes between the sides into this game. One can expectly a vastly-improved performance from Kilanerin from the one seen against Shelmaliers in the quarter-final, as they are a side showing improvement with each outing.
Winning this game could come down to individual performances. Matty Forde will not be held with the right ball as he has proved his side's match-winner right through the campaign, while St. Anne's will be minus their chief marksman, Redmond Barry, still out of contention with a broken thumb.
Barry will be visiting a specialist this week when he's hoping to have the plate removed from the thumb, but this game looks too early.
Kilanerin are breathtaking moving forward with Forde in possession, but there remains question marks over their full-back line.
St. Anne's could always rely on Barry to dig them out of a hole. It's the manner in which they cope in his absence that will be crucial. When he wasn't there against Duffry Rovers, it took two goals from substitute Graham Healy to push them over the line, but this will be a stiffer test.
It will be a cracking game but the St. Anne's midfield partnership of David O'Connor and David Fogarty should swing the game in their favour.
You would go back some five years for a previous clash involving Castletown and Adamstown, when the New Ross District side came out on top by the minimum margin. Adamstown, following their shock dismissal of Horeswood, have set out their stall, so Castletown will be extra cautious going into this game, as there will not be a hint of over-confidence.
Adamstown, with Eric Bradley in sparkling form in midfield, will not fear the Castletown challenge, as their quarter-final victory should prove a real boost to their confidence. But once Castletown get into a semi-final they will be difficult to beat.
They will be hoping that Tomás Sheehy gets at least an even break in his tussle with Bradley, which would go a long way towards deciding the outcome, as they carry more scoring power up front.
After their impressive surge to this juncture, the North county team look strong favourites to secure a final spot.
- BRENDAN FURLONG Sports reporter
