Gaelic Games Previews

SUNDAY/CONNACHT CLUB FC FINAL: Ballina Stephenites (Mayo) v Killererin (Galway), Ballina, 2.0 A classic club final will decide who carries the Connacht challenge into next year, as the province attempts to retain the All-Ireland won last year by Caltra.

Ballina, the town team appearing to hold most of the aces but haunted by under-achievement, take on the rural Galway side held together by their trio of Joyces and a die-hard spirit. Ballina's recent disappointments include a defeat last year by Sligo champions Curry and the intermittent pain of the All-Ireland they threw away for the benefit of Crossmaglen in 1999. But those watching the Mayo team this season are convinced that Ballina have discovered a new consistency.

Whereas local concerns are mindful that when bad the home side are appalling so far this year performances have been steady and effective. Killererin were outsiders in the Galway final against Salthill but aided by Pádraic Joyce's miraculous recovery, they sprang a surprise. The team play a cautious game, getting numbers back and leaving the Joyces, Nicky and Pádraic, as a stripped-down attack. The latter's brother Tommy takes care of matters at the back, pivoting the defence and breaking forward when the opportunity presents itself. Most of the Galway side's apprehensions concern centrefield where Thomas Hughes, a teenager who didn't make the county minors, partners the veteran John Wilson who captains the team.

They're up against the pairing that broke Tyrone in the All-Ireland quarter-final, David Brady and Ronan McGarrity. Ballina are used to booming ball down the middle and seeing their duo win most of it.

Killererin will try to crowd the area and disrupt their opponents' ball-winning capacity but this isn't guaranteed to be successful because Brady and McGarrity in particular won't easily allow disruption and also because Ballina's own half lines won't be work-shy if there's loose ball to be won. Roscommon Gaels, defeated by Ballina in the semi-final, are an ageing team and ended up badly caught for mobility.

The Mayo club's defence is big, fast and athletic and so far on this run hasn't conceded more than 0-8 in a match. "We were hoping for a wet, heavy day," said Roscommon Gaels' manager and former Ballina player, Kevin McStay, "and we got it but they still just ran us off the field."

A striking feature of that win over Roscommon was that 10 players scored whereas Killererin have depended on the Joyces for 2-19 out of the 2-21 scored to date. But Ballina don't always distribute their scores as effectively and Liam Brady scored 1-7 of the 1-9 county final total.

Killererin are, however, stretched too far. Maybe they can stifle Ballina and hope for a low-scoring win but the greater likelihood is that the Mayo side will shut out the Joyces and win enough ball at centrefield to take the title.

LEINSTER CLUB FC FINAL

Portlaoise (Laois) v Skryne (Meath), Newbridge, 2.0

Portlaoise's confidence before the provincial championship looks well founded. They have come through the tricky side of the draw whereas Skryne's form line of Allenwood and Starlights isn't as impressive, regardless of the victories being the club's first wins in the Leinster championship.

The Laois champions eventually brushed aside Kilmacud in the semi-final but the Dublin side were short three of their best players and yet at two stages looked as if they could actually win. Lacking mobility in the full-back line, Portlaoise are very strong throughout the rest of the field. Martin Delaney and Kevin Fitzpatrick are a dynamic centrefield and with a consequently blissful supply Colm Parkinson has been running riot up front with good support from Peter McNulty.

Skryne are built around a number of veterans. John McDermott and Trevor Giles won't be overrun in the middle but how much ball will thread through to player-manager Mick O'Dowd is open to question. O'Dowd carries the attack and he is supported by some good ball-winners, Paul O'Donnell and Brian Smith. If Skryne can exert pressure and maintain it, it will be interesting to see how Portlaoise react. But with their flair and strength in depth Portlaoise are more likely to be facing Crossmaglen in February.

MUNSTER CLUB FC FINAL

Kilmurry-Ibrickane (Clare) v Stradbally (Waterford), Thurles, 2.0

Not the first time that there's been a Cork-Kerry shutout in the club final. Six years ago Doonbeg broke the duopoly and defeated Tipperary's Moyle Rovers in the final. This year's Clare representatives have had a fine year to date and having regained their county title after two years, eked out a one-point win over Limerick's Drumcollogher-Broadford before winning comfortably against Milltown-Castlemaine from Kerry.

Although Odran O'Dwyer is the best known of the players, the rest of the team is full of intercounty players from different levels and the return of Pat O'Dwyer as manager restores the experience of two previous Munster campaigns.

Opponents Stradbally also have smart management. Shane Aherne, Eoin O'Brien and Michael Coffey played on the team beaten by St Finbarr's in the 1981 Munster final. Like Kilmurry, the Waterford champions have plenty of intercounty personnel including Michael Walsh, who has a Munster hurling medal with the county from last summer.

Their wins over both Loughmore-Castleiney and Bishopstown were achieved in adversity with Trevor Costello sent off in the first match (he returns tomorrow) and George Walsh in the second (he's suspended this weekend). First-time champions guaranteed, more likely Kilmurry.

ALL-IRELAND CLUB FC QUARTER-FINAL

Kingdom Kerry Gaels v Crossmaglen Rangers, Ruislip, 2.0

The London club won their first title since amalgamation with a final win over Tara. Although they can field in-form intercounty championship performers Colm Foody and Karl Scanlon, that's hardly going to stop the south Armagh juggernaut.

RAILWAY CUP HURLING FINAL

Connacht v Munster, Pearse Stadium, 2.0

Connacht return to the M Donnelly interprovincial final having lost an eight-point lead to Leinster in last year's final in Rome. Tomorrow sees a less exotic venue and daunting opposition. Because of all the carry-on in respect of the Galway management position, under-21 manager Vincent Mullins takes charge of the team again instead of Conor Hayes, who was reappointed to the seniors last month.

Also missing are Diarmuid and Eugene Cloonan and Damien Hayes, the latter two a major loss to the Connacht attack. Given the fire-power available to the opposition, the cup should be making tracks south.

CONNACHT (All Galway): L Donoghue; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, O Canning; F Healy, L Hodgins, F Moore; D Collins, D Tierney; A Kerins, M Kerins, K Broderick; D Donoghue, O Fahey (capt), N Healy.

MUNSTER: B Cummins (Tipperary); P Curran (Tipperary), P Maher (Tipperary), J Murray (Waterford); E Corcoran (Tipperary), R Curran (Cork), J Gardiner (Cork); T Browne (Waterford), O Moran (Limerick); D Shanahan (Waterford), N Gilligan (Clare), N Moran (Limerick); J Mullane (Waterford), E Kelly (Tipperary), J Deane (Cork).

The Leinster Council of the GAA and An Garda Síochána advise patrons who are attending tomorrow's senior club football final, Portlaoise v Skryne at 2.0 in Newbridge to travel early for the comfort to all.