Preview: Weekend's Senior Football Club Championship Finals
Westport and Ballina Stephenites go head to head in the Connacht Gold Mayo SFC Final on Sunday.
Saturday, October 18
Mannok Fermanagh SFC Final
Erne Gaels Belleek v Derrygonnelly Harps, Brewster Park, 6pm
Erne Gaels are bidding for back to back titles for the first time in their history but they face a formidable foe in the shape of a Derrygonnelly Harps outfit that has been the form team so far in the championship.
They beat Belnaleck, Lisnaskea Emmets, and Enniskillen Gaels in the group phase before powering to a comfortable 17-point semi-final victory over Teemore Shamrocks in the semi-final.
It was tougher for the defending champions in the penultimate round as they just about edged out Ederney by a single point having also come through the group phase with a perfect record of three wins from three.
It’s going to be a match of very fine margins, but Derrygonnelly’s recent form is a bit more convincing.
Go Ahead Ireland Dublin SFC Final
Ballyboden St. Enda's v Na Fianna, Parnell Park, 8pm
These are boom times for Na Fianna GAA club who contest both the Dublin senior hurling and football finals in the same year for the first time.
The hurlers are reigning All-Ireland champions so very much a proven outfit, but the footballers have been the surprise packets of the Dublin football championship this year.
They’ve always had quality, but it’s really knitted together nicely this year as they bid to win a first county title since 2001.
Ballyboden were champions more recently – in 2019 – but they too have upset the odds to make it his far.
Both teams showed serious character to eliminate the competition’s two favourites in the semi-finals as Ballyboden came from seven points down with five minutes of normal time remaining to beat reigning All-Ireland champions Cuala while Na Fianna recovered from a five-point half-time deficit to beat Kilmacud Crokes.
Na Fianna also came back from 11 behind against Ballymun in the quarter-final, so these two teams know how to stay the distance.
This will likely be a game of very fine margins but the cutting edge that forwards like Daire Sweeney,Ross McGarry, Colm Basquel, and Ryan Basquel give Ballyboden could prove decisive.
Sunday, October 19
O'Neill's Derry SFC Final
O'Donovan Rossa GAC, Magherafelt v Sean O'Leary GAC, Newbridge, Celtic Park 3.30pm
Newbridge are gunning for back to back titles for the first time since 1966/67 while Magherafelt are looking to win a first title since 2019.
Both teams have played some sparkling attacking football to get to the final so a rip-roaring game is anticipated.
Newbridge might be defending champions, but Magherafelt have arguably shown the better form en route to this game.
They beat 2024 All-Ireland champions Glen by 11 points in the semi-final and Bellaghy by 12 in the quarter-final.
Newbridge weren’t quite so fluid in their semi-final and quarter-final wins over Slaughtneil and Steelstown respectively.
The defending champions are a very hard nut to crack, but if Magherafelt can replicate the cutting edge they showed when putting 4-15 on Glen, you’d fancy them to win what would be their seventh county title.
Morgan Fuels Down SFC Final
Carryduff v Kilcoo, Páirc Esler, Newry, 3.30pm
Kilcoo are going for a seventh Down senior football championship in a row and 13th in 14 years in what has been an era of near total dominance for the club.
Their opponents Carryduff have yet to win a Down senior championship and have only appeared in one final before this, so the tale of the tape looks somewhat one-sided.
The form-line suggests though that the challengers are more than capable of putting it up to the champions, and maybe even knocking them from their perch.
A generation of players that won three Down U21 titles in a row from 2019 to 2021 have really come of age, and they were superb when beating a very fancied Burren team by eight points in the semi-final.
Kilcoo, on the other hand, have looked uncharacteristically vulnerable this year. They were run to a single point by Clonduff in the semi-final and two points by Loughinisland in the quarter-final.
Their huge experience and track-record of peaking on the big day still makes them favourites, but don’t be surprised if Carryduff pull off a shock.
Joe Mallon Motors Kildare SFC Final
Athy v Naas, Cedral St. Conleth's Park, 3.30pm
Naas will hope to a complete historic five-in-a-row of Kildare SFC titles when they play Athy in Sunday’s Final.
It looked like their stranglehold on the club championship might be loosening when they lost their first match in five years against Sarsfields in the group phase, but that loss seems to have served as a wake-up call.
They were convincing 10-point semi-final winners over a Celbridge team they only beat by point last year and two points in 2023, so it looks like they’ve found form at the right time of the season.
They’ll go into the final as warm favourites but an Athy team with quality performers like Kevin Feely, David Hyland, and Niall Kelly can’t be discounted.
They showed a lot of quality to edge out Sarsfields in the semi-final, and if they can limit the influence of in-form Naas attacker, Alex Beirne, they’ll be in with a shout.
Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Final
Ballinamore SOH v Leitrim Gaels, Páirc Seán MacDiarmada, 3.30pm
Leitrim Gaels are bidding to win their first ever Leitrim SFC title and come into the match with serious momentum having dethroned Mohill in the semi-final.
That was a real statement victory considering they led the defending champions by 4-10 to no score at half-time.
Leitrim Gaels have put a lot of work into developing a talented generation of young players and they’ve been given a considerable added boost this year by the addition of the Jones brothers - Ryan, Conall & Garvan - who joined the Gaels from Fermanagh club Derrygonnelly.
The return of former Leitrim captain, David Bruen, from Australia for the knock-out stages of the championship has been another great boost, so the Gaels are in great shape for the final.
Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins are a club with great tradition though and the prospect of playing in a county final may not unnerve them as much as it might Leitrim Gaels.
They showed their quality to beat Fenagh after a replay in their semi-final, but you’d wonder if their legs will be tired as they prepare to play a third hard match in as many weekends.
Connacht Gold Mayo SFC Final
Ballina Stephenites v Westport, Hasting's Insurance MacHale Park, 4pm
Ballina Stephenites go for a three-in-row of Mayo senior football championships when they play Westport on Sunday.
It’s a repeat of the 2022 Final which a young Westport team won by three points, a win that was expected to be the catalyst for more success.
Instead it’s been the Stephenites who have kicked on since then, and they’ll go into this match as favourites after a very business-like semi-final win over Knockmore.
Westport won’t mind being underdogs, that was their status in the semi-final against Crossmolina too but they showed great character to win an incredible game of football after extra-time so bring plenty of momentum into the final.
It’ll be a match of fine margins, but Ballina’s defensive steel could be the decisive factor.
Michael Lyng Motors Carlow SFC Final
Old Leighlin v Rathvilly, Newtwatch Cullen Park 4pm
These two teams drew in the group phase and another close match is anticipated in Sunday’s Final with Rathvilly perhaps slight favourites.
Both teams play an attacking brand of football that’s very much suited to the new rules so a high-scoring encounter is likely.
This is Old Leighlin’s first final since 2015 and they haven’t won it since 2013 whereas Rathvilly are reigning champions. Their greater experience of the big day could give them an edge.
