Offaly GAA

Round 2 of the Tullamore Court Hotel Senior A and Senior B Football Championships take place on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. The Intermediate Championship will be played on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, while the Junior A Football championship gets underway at the weekend. We take a look at the week’s action.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior A Football Championship

Wednesday 18th April at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park
Clara v Rhode at 7pm
A repeat of last year’s decider, both these teams opened with wins in round 1. Clara beat Gracefield 4-17 to 0-11 with Graham Guilfoyle scoring 2-4, while their other goal scorers were Pa Smith and David Fleming. Rhode, meanwhile, opened with a 3-15 to 0-17 win over Cappincur, Niall McNamee scoring 1-6 with Anton Sullivan and Paul McPadden also among the goals.
Rhode beat Clara in last year’s final by 0-12 to 0-9, and also won 2017’s round 4 group game 2-18 to 0-15, with Clara’s last win over Rhode a 0-14 to 1-5 2011 semi-final win.

Wednesday 18th April at Clonbullogue
Cappincur v Edenderry at 7pm
Cappincur suffered an opening round defeat to Rhode, despite Ger Treacy’s impressive haul of 0-10. Edenderry beat Tullamore in round 1 by 1-12 to 1-10, with Cian Farrell scoring 1-3 for the Reds. Last year, Edenderry won the corresponding fixture, a round 6 encounter, by 2-16 to 2-6.

Thursday 19th April at Clara
Tullamore v Durrow at 7pm
Both neighbouring clubs were defeated in round 1. Tullamore were edged out by Edenderry in a game where Shane Kelly was their top scorer with 0-7 while Pa Cosgrove scored their goal. Durrow, in their first Senior A championship for three decades, were heavily defeated by Ferbane, though Paul Kinnarney kicked 0-5.

Thursday 19th April at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park
Ferbane v Gracefield at 7pm
Ferbane opened their campaign strongly with a 6-13 to 0-8 win over newcomers Durrow, where Joe Maher kicked 3-6, and Cian Johnson, David Cox and Aidan Keenaghan also among the goalscorers. Gracefield were beaten by Clara, Jack Walsh the Blackthorns’ top scorer with 0-4. Last year, Ferbane beat Gracefield 4-7 to 1-14. The west Offaly side also won the 2016 meeting 3-10 to 1-4, while Gracefield won the 2015 round 4 fixture 0-12 to 1-7.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior B Football Championship
Wednesday 18th April at Mucklagh
Erin Rovers v Raheen at 7pm
Both faced neighbouring clubs in round 1, Erin Rovers were beaten by Shamrocks 1-8 to 2-9, while Raheen drew with Walsh Island, 1-6 each, as Conor Carroll’s goal from a penalty rescued the draw.

Wednesday 18th April at Walsh Island
Bracknagh v Tubber at 8pm
In round 1, Bracknagh beat St Rynagh’s 1-8 to 0-8, while Tubber were pipped by Ballycumber 0-12 to 1-10. Last year, Tubber won the corresponding fixture 3-12 to 1-10. Later in the year, Bracknagh reversed the result in the semi-final, winning 4-10 to 1-11.

Thursday 19th April at Killeigh
Walsh Island v St Rynagh’s at 7pm
Walsh Island opened their campaign with a 1-6 each draw against Raheen, while St Rynagh’s lost out to Bracknagh.

Thursday 19th April at Tubber
Ballycumber v Shamrocks at 7pm
Neighbours, both were winners in the first round. Ballycumber narrowly beat Tubber 1-10 to 0-12 in which Nigel Grennan’s goal proved decisive and Cormac Quinn scored 0-4. Shamrocks beat Erin Rovers by 2-9 to 1-8, with Nigel Dunne scoring 0-7 and Paddy Dunican’s two goals. The sides met in round 2 last year, Ballycumber recording a single-point win, 1-18 to 4-8.

Tullamore Court Hotel Intermediate Football championship
Wednesday 18th April at Kilcormac
Ballycommon v Ferbane at 7pm
Both had competitive first round games, Ballycommon narrowly beaten by St Brigid’s, 1-9 to 2-8, recovering from early seven point arrears, while Ferbane drew with neighbours Doon, 2-10 to 3-7, thanks to Dermot Daly’s late penalty goal.

Wednesday 18th April at Ballycumber
Shannonbridge v St Brigid’s
Both were successful in their championship starts, Shannonbridge beating Kilcormac-Killoughey 4-19 to 2-9, while the Croghan based side beat Ballycommon 2-8 to 1-9 with the help of a late goal.

Thursday 19th April at Cappincur
Daingean v Kilcormac-Killoughey at 7pm
Daingean opened with a win over Clonbullogue by 1-17 to 1-12, Colm Brennan’s fisted goal opening a commanding lead late in the game, while Kilcormac-Killoughey were beaten by Shannonbridge, Philip Cooney and Conor Lowry scoring the K-K goals. The most recent meeting was in the 2012 Junior A semi-final, one which Kilcormac-Killoughey won by twelve points.

Friday 20th April at Croghan 7pm
Tullamore v Clonbullogue
Clonbullogue were beaten by Daingean in their first round tie, while Tullamore had a bye, the ninth team in the group this year. The sides met in round 7 last year, Tullamore winning 4-5 to 0-14, while they drew in 2016’s round 3, Tullamore 2-14 Clobullogue 3-11.

Tullamore Court Hotel Junior A Football Championship
Friday 20th April at 7.15pm
Clara v Ballyfore at Clara

Saturday 21st April at 6pm
Durrow v Edenderry at Durrow
Rhode v Birr at Rhode
Clonmore Harps v Lusmagh at Clonmore
Kilclonfert v Clodiagh Gaels at Kilclonfert