Football

Junior/Intermediate semi-finals this weekend

19 January 2016 - 12:00AM

The AIB All-Ireland Junior and Intermediate Football and Hurling Championship semi-finals take place this weekend.

Among those seeking to extend already remarkable club championship runs are Bennettsbridge (Kilkenny) and St Mary's (Kerry).

Starting with Bennettsbridge, and their resurgence has been spectacular over the last few seasons. Once the kingpins of Kilkenny senior hurling, Bennettsbridge won 11 Kilkenny senior titles from 1952-71 and are second only to Ballyhale Shamrocks and Tullaroan on the roll of honour.

However, the club were in the doldrums for decades until a new generation of talented youngsters came to the fore at adult level in recent years - and how it has shown on the field. Bennettsbridge won Kilkenny, Munster and All-Ireland Junior titles in 2014/2015 and last November, they added the Leinster Intermediate title to the Kilkenny crown they won, making it five significant championship titles won in little more than 12 months.

They face Clare and Munster champions Wolfe Tones in the All-Ireland Intermediate semi-final this Sunday and if they were to go all the way and win the All-Ireland Intermediate title, they will become the first hurling club to win junior and intermediate All-Ireland titles in successive years. Ardfert (Kerry) previously achieved that distinction in football (2006, 2007).

As for St Mary's of Kerry, they too are on something of a mission. The home club of star forward Bryan Sheehan, Kerry legend and current manager Maurice Fitzgerald and Kerry icon and four-time Footballer of the Year Jack O'Shea, the Caherciveen club were All-Ireland Junior football champions back in 2011.

After a few years of steady progress at Intermediate level, the South Kerry club made the breakthrough in 2015 and won the Kerry Intermediate title, although due to a complicated restructuring of the Kerry Senior Championship in 2016, they do not have the option to go senior this year, as is usually the choice afforded to intermediate champions in the county.

Their credentials as a potential stand-alone senior club were enhanced by their dominant march through Munster, which was completed last November with a sweeping 1-16 to 0-9 victory over Carrigaline (Cork) in the final. St Mary's face Meath and Leinster champions Ratoath this Sunday, and should they advance, they will be looking to join that special group of clubs that have won All-Ireland club titles at two different grades.

There are a number of other intriguing club duels taking place this weekend - see all fixtures below.

The All-Ireland Junior/Intermediate club finals in football and hurling will take place at Croke Park on the weekend of February 6/7. The football finals take place on the Saturday, February 6, with the hurling finals taking place on the Sunday, February 7.

CLUB FOOTBALL FIXTURES

AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Football Club Championship Semi-Finals

Sunday, January, 24

Hollymount-Carramore (Mayo) v Loughinisland (Down), Kingspan Breffni Park, 2pmRatoath (Meath) v St Mary's (Kerry), Gaelic Grounds, 2pm

AIB All-Ireland Junior Football Club Championship Semi-Finals

Sunday, January, 24

Ardnaree (Mayo) v Rockcorry (Monaghan), Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, 2pmCurraha (Meath) v Templenoe (Kerry), Kilmallock, 2pm

CLUB HURLING FIXTURES

AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Club Championship Semi-Finals

Saturday, January 23

Bennettsbridge (Kilkenny) v Wolfe Tones (Clare), Banagher, 2pm

Sunday, January 24