Corca Dhuibhne and MKL Gaels get tentative vote to reach Intermediate final
BON SECOURS INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS
Scartaglin v Corca Dhuibhne
Sunday, September 22 Cordal at 12 noon
SCARTAGLIN will be hoping to reach their third final on the trot, where they lost to Dr Crokes and Rathmore in 2022 and 2023, but they will face stern resistance from a Corca Dhuibhne outfit that that have always been competitive in the Intermediate grade, and indeed reached the final in 2021 where they lost out to Castleisland Desmonds.
Scartaglin enjoyed two fine wins in the group stage, defeating Clounmacon/Moyvane by 4-6 to 1-8 and they were much too good for Beaufort, winning by 3-15 to 0-11. Next up was Austin Stacks and once again the maroon clad Scart won handsomely, this time on a 2-13 to 2-5 scoreline.
Corca Dhuibhne started their campaign with a 3-12 to 4-8 loss to MKL Gaels but redeemed themselves with a high scoring 5-15 to 3-14 win over Firies. Their place in the semi final was secured when they had too much for Austin Stacks in Round 3, triumphing by 4-14 to 3-8.
Scartaglin will be backboned by Kerry star Aishling O’Connell who returned to the club after her stint with Éire Óg in Cork, and they have other fine performers in the Dunlea sisters, Aoife and Denise, Leah Boyle and Katie Sugrue.
Corca Dhuibhne have a nice mix of youth and experience but they will undoubtedly be looking to 2023 Footballer of the Year Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Kerry All Ireland winner Níamh Ní Chonchúir to guide them home.
MKL Gaels v Clounmacon/Moyvane
Sunday, September 22 Listry at 12 noon
THIS has all the hallmarks of a game that could go right down to the wire. Clounmacon/Moyvane the 2023 Kerry Junior A champions against the 2021 champions MKL Gaels.
It’s fair to say that MKL Gaels have been well able to mix it at intermediate level over the last two years and would have started this years campaign as one of the fancied sides to take the overall title.
They defeated Corca Dhuibhne on a 3-12 to 4-08 scoreline in the first round and drew with Firies, 2-15 to 0-21, after a rip-roaring battle. These results were good enough to secure a home semi final for MKL and they avoided having to play a quarter final.
Clounmacon/Moyvane have made this semi-final against the odds. They were defeated by Scartaglin by 4-6 to 1-8 in their first group game and Austin Stacks also had too much for them in the next round, winning 3-11 to 2-11.
Next up was an encounter against Beaufort and Clounmacon /Moyvane’s 4-15 to 1-11 victory ensured a quarter final where they overturned Firies on a 4-7 to 1-8 scoreline.
So, Clounmacon/Moyvane may not have been terribly impressive in the early stages but they certainly made up for it in the last two games. In Kerry minor Kelly Enright, Clounmacon/Moyvane certainly have a player for the future and have other talented players in Erin Finucane and Tara Enright. They might also have an ace up their sleeve if Munster Rugby scrum half Muirne Wall gets the go ahead to line out.
MKL will be looking to All Ireland winner Ciara Murphy and she will have serious back up in 2023 Kerry senior panellists Caoimhe Evans and Niamh Broderick. Add in Lorna Hickey, Liath Lenihan and Ciara Tangney and it is clear that MKL have a formidable outfit ans should scrape through.