Preview: Weekend's senior club championship finals

By Paul Keane

It's a bumper weekend of county final activity with 10 senior deciders down for decision.

Eight of those are football finals, stretched across all four provinces, with senior hurling finals also in Wicklow and Kildare.

Sunday, October 12

Northern Switchgear Antrim SFC final

Dunloy Cuchullains v Erin's Own Cargin, Corrigan Park, 1.30pm

Five points separated these sides when they met in their group back in late August, holders Cargin coming out on top back then.

Ronan Devlin's Cargin subsequently hammered St Mary's, Aghagallon at the quarter-final stage before successfully navigating a tense penalty shoot-out against Creggan in the last four.

Yet if final favourites Cargin, who continue to be powered on by the ageless Michael McCann, believe that the hard work has been done, they're in for a shock as Dunloy are desperate to make up for their 2023 final defeat.

The TG4 cameras will be on hand as proud dual club Dunloy - beaten at the semi-final stage of the county hurling championship last weekend - attempt to land a first big ball title since 1936.

Keelan Molloy and Seaan Elliott, perhaps best known for their hurling exploits with Davy Fitzgerald's county side, scored seven points each in the semi-final win over Portglenone.

KYTE Powertech Cavan SFC final

Gowna v Kingscourt, Kingspan Breffni, 4pm

Cavan star Padraig Faulkner hit the winning point to secure a narrow semi-final win for Kingscourt, eliminating last year's runners-up Ramor United.

A stoppage time Joe Dillon score was important for Stars too though Jordan Morris, the Meath forward recently nominated for an All-Star after a terrific championship campaign, remains their inspiration.

Morris, who blasted 1-6 for Meath against Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final at Croke Park, hit Ramor for 1-4 in that game and will no doubt be carefully tracked.

Gowna, managed by former Monaghan boss Vinny Corey, are bidding for their third title in four seasons and this is a repeat of the 2023 final which they won by 5-15 to 0-13. The nine-times champions took out holders Crosserlough in their semi-final, bouncing back from a slow start to win by five points.

TUS Clare SFC final

Eire Og Ennis v St Joseph's Doora Barefield, Zimmer Biomet Pairc Chiosog, Ennis, 3.30pm

A week after landing a breakthrough Clare SHC title, Eire Og are back for more, chasing down football success and a dream double.

Whereas the club's hurling win after 35 years was a landmark moment, they are pushing for a fourth football title in four seasons having emerged as the county's dominant force.

Eire Og beat this weekend's opponents by 4-12 to 0-14 when they met in their group in early August so St Joseph's, in their first final since 2012 and chasing a maiden title, have ground to make up.

After a poor group campaign, in which they took just a point from a possible six, St Joseph's ignited their season with a big win over Kilmurry Ibrickane before impressively taking out Colm Collins' Cratloe at the semi-final stage.

Joe Rafferty, Tom Curran and Paddy Bugler have supplied important scores for them and they will be required to step up again. Fionn Kelleher's hamstring injury is a concern.

Michael Murphy Sports Donegal SFC final

Gaoth Dobhair v Naomh Conail, O'Donnell Park, 3.30pm

This is an opportunity for Gaoth Dobhair to join St Eunan's as the two most successful clubs in Donegal football history, with 16 titles each.

Their opponents, Naomh Conail, have lifted silverware more recently though, and with great regularity, capturing four of the last six titles. That run was kick-started with a 2019 final win over Gaoth Dobhair, albeit after a second replay, having lost to the same opposition in the 2018 showpiece.

More recently, Naomh Conaill defeated Goath Dobhair in the 2023 final so this is game loaded with history and significance.

Naomh Conail have been without All-Star nominee Ciaran Thompson, who suffered an ACL injury in the All-Ireland final with Donegal, while Goath Dobhair are also without a key county man in Odhran McFadden Ferry. Current Donegal selector Neil McGee is still playing with Gaoth Dobhair who were grateful to All-Ireland final panel member Domhnall MacGiolla Bhride for his goal in the county semi-final win over St Michael's.

Laois Shopping Centre Laois SFC final

Courtwood v Portarlington, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 4pm

A first ever county SFC final outing for Courtwood who will run into neighbours and holders Portarlington in Portlaoise.

To get to the decider, Courtwood have taken some big scalps, overcoming 2024 runners-up Portlaoise at the quarter-final stage before beating 2023 winners St Joseph's in a dramatic semi-final.

Matthew Byron, son of legendary Courtwood and Laois goalkeeper Fergal, fired eight points in that semi-final, including three two-point frees, so his threat is clear.

They've put 2-23 and 4-11 on the board at different stages of the championship and haven't been flattered by their march to a maiden final. "They've been probably the best team this year," acknowledged Portarlington forward Ronan Coffey ahead of the final.

Still, Portarlington know they have the tools to claim a fifth title in six seasons. They had a dozen points to spare against Graigecullen in the semi-final - making up for an earlier group game loss to the same team - despite appearing to have more left in the tank.

Powerful forward Colm Murphy proved again in that game that he's a gamebreaker, shooting 1-6.

Peter Hanley Motors Longford SFC final

Colmcille v Killoe Young Emmets, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 4.15pm

Beaten after extra-time in a replay by Abbeylara in last year's Longford decider, Colmcille are just 60 minutes away again from claiming an eighth title, and their first since 2022.

A strong second-half display in their semi-final win over a talented Clonguish side underlined just how potent Ger Carberry's crew can be, particularly in attack.

Carberry has played for, and coached, Killoe teams since 2008 and will be on Junior C final duty for the club on Saturday before focusing on helping Colmcille on Sunday.

When these teams met in the last game of the round robin, with their qualification already secured, Killoe won by 2-10 to 0-10. They demonstrated their firepower in the knock-out stages, hitting Mullinalaghta for 2-18 and Rathcline in the semi-finals for 2-19.

A near clean bill of health should aid the Mickey Quinn inspired Killoe who, ominously, won all six of the county finals they qualified for between 2012 and 2023. Fergal Sheridan is the primary injury concern for Colmcille after coming off in the semi-final.

Fairyhouse Steel Meath SFC final

Ratoath v Summerhill, Pairc Tailteann, 2pm

This will be a fourth county final meeting in seven seasons with Ratoath edging the record by two to one, winning the 2019 and 2022 deciders. Mind you, neither gave the impression that they were on a title charge early in this year's campaign.

Summerhill, who beat Ratoath in the 2023 final, lost two of their three group games and advanced on scoring difference before beating Trim and holders Dunshaughlin, after extra-time, in the knock-out stages.

Ratoath, managed by Paul Galvin, have played in fits and starts, turning up the heat in the final quarter to see off Skryne last time out. Both teams possess huge experience with Conor McGill, the McGowan brothers, Bryan McMahon, Bobby O'Brien and current Meath star Jack Flynn all key men for Ratoath.

Meath captain Eoghan Frayne and his brother, Conor, will be marked men in the Summerhill attack while the form of David Larkin, Diarmuid McCabe, Adam McDonnell and the Ryans has been a constant. Many of the same players will meet again when Ratoath play Kiltale in the Meath SHC final, a week later.

Homeland Sligo SFC final

Coolera Strandhill v Shamrock Gaels, Enniscrone/Kilglass, 3.30pm

It must have taken a lot for Coolera Strandhill to lift themselves up off the canvas after being knocked out by Cuala at the AIB All-Ireland club semi-final stage last January.

And the Connacht title holders did admittedly stumble in Round 1 of the county SFC, losing by a point to, ironically, this weekend's final opponents, but they've virtually flawless since, racking up some big wins to place themselves on the brink of a historic three-in-a-row.

They beat Naomh Molaise Gaels in the last two finals so Shamrock Gaels will be novel final opposition. The Gaels have won all of their games so far and will hope to trouble the holders just like Drumcliffe/Rosses Point did for spells of their recent semi-final.

Class ultimately won out that day with ultra experienced Sligo forward Niall Murphy blasting an incredible 3-6 as the favourites finished strongly at Kent Park.

UPMC Kildare SHC final

Maynooth v Naas, Cedral St Conleth's Park, 3.30pm

A seventh consecutive Kildare SHC title would push Naas level with Ardclough on 13 titles in the overall county roll of honour, three behind Clane.

These are boom times for the powerhouse club who are also through to the county senior football final the following weekend.

Maynooth, managed by Meath boss Johnny Greville, were well beaten by Naas in the 2024 hurling decider, 3-20 to 0-12, and will be without Joe McDonagh Cup final star David Qualter due to injury.

Naas too have their own concerns with Richy Hogan, Harry Carroll, Conan Boran, James Burke and Cathal Dowling all missing their semi-final hammering of Coill Dubh. Kildare's Jack Sheridan was terrific in that game, firing 2-11.

Maynooth beat Eire Og Corra Choill by 10 points in the semi-final, the same team that Naas hit for 7-21 when they met in the group stage. So Maynooth have it all to do to capture a first title since 1939.

Boom & Platform Hire Wicklow SHC final

Bray Emmets v Carnew Emmets, Echelon Park, Aughrim, 3pm

Bray, on the brink of a seventh county title in a row, have won all of their matches in this year's championship by double-digit margins.

Old rivals Carnew, in contrast, lost their opening game and were forced to regroup but, to their credit, have done so impressively with four goals registered in each of their last two games.

Both teams topped their groups and are the undisputed heavyweights of Wicklow hurling with this their third final meeting in a row.

In all, the clubs have contested five finals in the last decade. Bray won last year's decider by three points and had just two to spare when similarly beating Carnew the previous year so another close encounter is anticipated.

Carnew's footballers lost the county SFC final to Baltinglass last weekend.