PREVIEWS: All to play for in SFC quarter-finals

Paul Fitzpatrick previews this weekend's SFC quarter-finals.

Lavey v Lacken
Sat, 5pm, Killygarry

If we read into last Sunday's annihilation at the hands of Cavan Gaels, Lacken should have no chance of progressing further in the SFC. There were, however, mitigating circumstances.
Lacken started without Damien McKiernan, James Galligan and Micheál Shanaghy, who have all been playing well, while they held Ray Galligan in reserve for most of the game as he nears a return to full fitness. Throw in the fact that Niall McKiernan went off injured early in the first half and it's clear the Celtics were nowhere near full strength.
Then there was the motivation, or lack of it. Cavan Gaels' need was certainly greater - Lacken wanted to win but the town side had to win and that's a crucial distinction. All told, then, while the manner of the collapse was concerning, it doesn't necessarily indicate an alarming collapse in form on the part of Damien Keaney's men.
In the opposite corner, Lavey (1/4 favourites) struggled for long spells against Shercock, who were missing Killian Clarke, and only really put them away in the closing minutes. That line of form does not read well either, whatever way it's dressed up.
Lavey, for all their qualities (and character is one of them), struggle to win championship matches with any degree of comfort. Surprisingly, from their last nine championship games, they have drawn four, lost two and won just three (by a point, three points and eight points).
That said, while Ray Cullivan remains out, they are otherwise pretty much at full strength and, crucially, their leading lights are playing very well. Chris Conroy, Gerry Smith and Shane Tierney have been excellent to date, with youngster Danny Cusack impressing at corner-back, too. Karl Duke, Dara Conaty and Darren Monahan are also good for a score or two, too.
Still, there's a  nagging doubt about the New Inns men at present. Had they beaten a stubborn Shercock with more to spare, as expected, they would be fancied to win this one. They didn't, though, and that question mark surrounding their true form makes tipping them a risky business. Then again, Lacken didn't tear up any trees against Cootehill and were woeful on Sunday last, even accounting for their absentees.
This could go either way but the Celts showed just about enough against Ramor and Kingscourt to suggest that, if they can replicate that level of form, they will get over the line here.
Verdict: Lacken

 

Castlerahan v Kingscourt
Sat, 5.30pm, Mullagh

Castlerahan were caught at the death on Sunday by Ballinagh in what was the only dead rubber of the round (Castlerahan were going through and Ballinagh were not, regardless of the result) so that game can be dismissed out of hand. Kingscourt, for their part, gave it everything to get both points against Crosserlough but came up short.
It is hard to make a convincing case for the Stars to get the job done here. Wins over Lavey and Shercock do not stack up well against Castlerahan's form 'in the book' in victories against Cootehill and Ramor and a draw with Cavan Gaels. Kingscourt are as physically strong up the centre (as far as midfield) as any of the sides remaining - Farrelly, Gray, Clarke, Faulkner, Dillon provide the spine while the in-form Philly Tinnelly is the pulse of the team at present.
However, the suspicion is that they lack firepower and that is borne out by the fact that from the eight teams still standing, only Lacken - whose stats were skewed by their paltry return of 0-7 last Sunday - have scored less.
Nothing comes easy against Kingscourt, as Crosserlough will attest, but they are a couple of players short of a championship-winning side (how they have missed the likes of Barry Tully and the retired Philip Smith) and the feeling is that Castlerahan, or the team that beats them, will be just that.
To win, they will need goals and they managed seven of those in the group but someone needs to take the scoring burden from Barry Reilly, who has kicked 0-18 from dead balls from their total white flag tally of 0-38. The Stars will battle all the way but Donal Keogan's side seem to hold all the aces.
Verdict: Castlerahan
 

Gowna v Cavan Gaels
Sun, 3pm, Lacken

Gowna's dubious reward for being the only team to come through the group stage unbeaten is a quarter-final tie against the champions at Crowe Park. The men from the lough shore will take heart from the fact that they drew with the Gaels 10 days ago and also earned a draw with Ramor, while beating Ballinagh impressively in their opener and drawing with Shercock.
Gowna's modern day pedigree is such that, like Kingscourt, doubts should not creep in; they will fully believe they are good enough to win this match and won't falter if it's there for the taking. Conor Madden, recently returned from America, has made crucial interventions off the bench in their last two matches and will surely start this time, which is welcome as they have not exactly been free-scoring to date, despite their quality up front.
What to make of the Gaels? Last week we noted the number of goal chances they had been squandering and that "proven goalscorers like O'Connor and Dunne are bound to find their groove at some stage". That occurred in style against Lacken as O'Connor, a brilliant goalscorer and a scorer of brilliant goals, netted a hat-trick and Dunne - off the bench - rifled home another.
Gowna, though, have not been leaking many green flags (just two in four group games) which gives them a good shot here, as does the expected absence of Sean Johnston (who was injured in the warm-up) and Kevin Meehan, arguably the Gaels' most important players along with Niall Murray, who is also on the injured list. 
Johnston makes the Gaels tick - they might not even have won their quarter-final last year but for his late intervention and would not have drawn with Gowna in the group only for his deft handpass which created their late goal - and if he is not playing, the onus will be on the rest of the forwards to step up and win what will not be a cakewalk.
Cavan Gaels are likely to be installed as long odds-on favourites to win this one but the game will probably be much closer than the odds suggest. Still, the Gaels, who are past masters at edging close games, are expected to find a way to win, as they usually do.
Verdict: Cavan Gaels



Crosserlough v Ramor United
Sun, 5pm, Crosskeys

First thing first, before our prediction column loses whatever smidgen of credibility it has remaining: reports of Crosserlough's challenge match win over Burren, which we referenced last week, were greatly exaggerated. Or, to be more specific, the game never happened... you just can't get the sources these days so mea culpa on that one.
Regardless, though, the Lough have been impressive, even if they squandered countless scoring opportunities against Kingscourt last weekend. Darragh McCarthy's young side showed their inexperience as they wasted chance after chance, blazing wide from easy positions on a few occasions. And yet they showed their ability, too, by grinding out the victory in spite of it.
Star man Dara McVeety - who may be carrying a knock? - wasn't nearly as influential as he has been in other matches and yet Crosserlough still got it done, with Pierce Smith excellent and goalscorer James Smith's fielding a feature throughout. This column is aware of a few punters who got on board the Lough at 20/1 for the championship before they beat Kingscourt - then again, there is plenty of confidence in the Ramor camp too and with good reason and at least one hefty wager behind them.
They say a team should ideally be getting stronger as it approaches the business end and Ramor certainly have, with James McEnroe and Damien Barkey coming into the side to help shore up a leaky defence last time out. The presence of those two, who bring toughness and experience, will be a big help while Conor Bradley is in Breffni All-Star form up top - the county player brought his tally for the championship to 2-19 (0-13f) against Gowna.
Given their age profile when they won a breakthrough championship title in 2016, Ramor were expected to emerge as the dominant force at senior level but it didn't happen for them last year. Whether their progress has stalled or if they are back on track remains to be seen - we will know, probably, by Sunday evening.
Crosserlough are a side with a similar profile (MFC medallists, county underage graduates), just younger again. It would be premature to call this one a changing of the guard if the Lough were to win - Ramor are going nowhere - but it would be a huge result for an up-and-coming side and is not beyond the realms of possibility provided they can be more clinical in front of goal.
All of that said, Crosserlough haven't been in a SFC semi-final since 2013 and of the team who played against the Stars, only Dara McVeety, Pierce Smith and David Shalvey remain from that loss to Ballinagh five years ago. Ramor have been in the last two semis and that experience may just prove the difference.
Verdict: Ramor