MUNSTER CLUB SFC FINAL
Clonmel Commercials (Tipperary) v Nemo Rangers (Cork): Mallow, 2.0 (Deferred coverage, TG4, 3.35) - Strangely, given that the county has been the best of the chasing pack in Munster for a while, Tipperary clubs have a poor record in the club championship. Between them, Clare and Limerick clubs have won a handful of provincial titles whereas Tipp have yet to register one.
There isn’t even much between the county and Waterford in terms of final appearances (eight, including on a couple of occasions Clonmel, against seven).
There has been an impressive cut to Nemo, in the second year of management by another of the club’s glittering alumni Steven O’Brien, as they made a relatively unheralded journey through Cork and Munster.
Ireland’s Paul Kerrigan has been playing well and the ageless Tomás Ó Sé has slotted in to the defence with a blend of experience and youth as well as an efficient sweeper system.
Clonmel may have had it easy against Milltown in the semi-final but the previous round was a major trial, as Limerick champions Newcastle West weren’t caught until the end when Michael Quinlivan’s 45 nudged Commercials in front.
“Newcastle brought an intensity to that game that we hadn’t seen yet in that championship,” according to Quinlivan, “really, really intense and to be honest they were definitely the toughest opponents we played in the whole championship.
“Their defending was superb for 55 minutes until we finally – we had been knocking on the door for long enough and eventually kicked it down but we always felt we had enough. We never gave up.
“That’s been a trait of us throughout this year. And we always feel that we do have legs coming off the bench, we are a very young team and if we can get a run we will kick on from that.”
ULSTER CLUB SFC FINAL
Crossmaglen Rangers (Armagh) v Scotstown (Monaghan): Athletic Grounds, 3.30 (Deferred coverage, TG4, 5.0) - There's a chance that Crossmaglen could finally meet Nemo Rangers in this season's All-Ireland final to provide a top-of-the-roll-of-honour shoot-out.
First things first though, and if the Cork champions are heavily favoured to win Munster this should be an altogether more awkward hurdle for the Armagh champions to negotiate even allowing for the perennial champions’ record in provincial finals – 10 out of 10 (literally) so far.
There have been times when Cross have been clearly dominant in Ulster but other times when they have simply out-fought all comers. Scotstown were themselves Ulster royalty in a different era, recording three-in-a-row at the end of the 1970s but haven’t even been in a final since last winning 26 years ago.
Managed by former Tyrone footballer Mattie McGleenan Scotstown have been playing eye catching football with the Hughes brothers, both playing different roles than with Monaghan: Kieran in defence and Darren as a prolific inside forward with 3-6 from his two Ulster matches to date.
They are well supported by a team that has looked accomplished in its outings to date.
Crossmaglen though have not made a habit of being taken apart by fancy football. There is plenty of experience in the team with Aaron Kernan still clocking up the miles and Jamie Clarke – whose travels make Ulysses seem agoraphobic – returning to lend wizardry and menace to the attack.
This could be a super contest between two in-form teams but however teams have wanted to play it over the past 20 years, Cross have generally found a way and will probably do so again.
LEINSTER CLUB SHC FINAL
Cuala (Dublin) v Oulart the Ballagh (Wexford): Netwatch Cullen Park, 2.0 (Live, TG4) - A strange situation in the Leinster final with Dublin eventually sending a club into action after a gap of eight years in search of a first title in 36 only to have them rated as the hottest of favourites against one of the country's most experienced campaigners at this level of championship.
The explanation is of course that Oulart’s experience is overwhelmingly negative, having lost four of the last five provincial finals and all six that the club has contested in the past 21 years.
The Wexford champions’ virtues are much what they always have been: a quality defence where Paul Roche, Keith Rossiter and Darren Stamp hold things together capably but which as a unit has also been known to develop glitches in finals.
Other misfortunes to befall the Wexford champions include a costly sending off and long, barren spells without scores. They go into this in the unusual position of underdogs and that might liberate them.
None of their defeats, however demoralising, have been crushing and there are old troupers up front where Des Mythen is in fine form.
But there’s a reason Cuala are favourites in their own right . The Dublin champions have made high scoring progress through the later stages of the county championship and the Leinster race to date.
Their defence, bolted together by Oisín Gough, has been alert and effective.
Darragh O’Connell has been in rampaging form at centrefield but he and Jake Malone are up against a crafty pairing in Rory Jacob and David Redmond.
Up front Mark Schutte has been creating havoc with the Treacys and Colm Cronin cashing in. There’s a flow and dynamism to the Dalkey club but this is their most serious test, as they have no element of surprise this time. Still, time moves on and Cuala can as well.
LONDON SFC FINAL
St Kiernan's v Tír Chonaill Gaels: Ruislip, 1.30 (Deferred coverage, Irish TV 6.0, Sky channel 191, Freesat 400) - Two clubs coming at it from opposite ends of the spectrum: Champions Tír Chonaill Gaels chasing a 16th title take on St Kiernan's, founded in 1984, who will be contesting a first senior final. Hard to see beyond TCG, who are under former Leitrim manager Barney Breen and who tested eventual All-Ireland winners Corofin in last year's quarter-final.
