Longford SFC: Who will make it through to the quarter-finals?

While Killoe, Colmcille, Rathcline and Abbeylara have qualified for the last eight in the Connolly Cup, a fierce battle has developed to determine who the other quarter-finalists will be?

There is just one place to be filled in Group A with the winners of the Granard v Mostrim clash at Lynch Park on Sunday (2.30pm) making it through to the knockout stage, although a draw will suffice for St Mary’s due to their superior scores difference.

There are a number of permutations in the final round of fixtures in Group B with Dromard facing a must win match against Longford Slashers in the aftermath of their collapse against Clonguish last weekend. 

The wide margin of 14 points (2-17 to 2-3) separated the sides in the finish and Dromard will have to recover quickly in order to survive and thus avoid the dreaded drop into the relegation play-off zone.

This most intriguing game at Monaduff on Saturday evening (7pm) is expected to go right down to the wire and it is much the same situation in the meeting of Mullinalaghta and Carrickedmond at Leo Casey Park at the same time.

Completing the ‘group of death’ programme is the clash of Clonguish and Abbeylara at Emmet Park and last year’s beaten finalists will be heading back to Pearse Park if they can overcome the challenge of Frankie Dolan’s unbeaten side.

Predicting what will happen is extremely difficult, to say the least, with the strong possibility of yet another draw in this minefield and thus scores difference could come into play.

Fixtures

Thursday 29 August 

Mulleady Group Intermediate Football Championship Group Stage Round 5 

Allen Park: Fr Manning Gaels v Ballymahon, 8pm

Prediction: Fr Manning Gaels 

Friday 30 August 

Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship Group A Round  5

Monaduff: Kenagh v Killoe Emmet Og, 8pm

Prediction: Killoe

Mulleady Group Intermediate Football Championship Group Stage Round 5 

Páirc Chiarán: St. Brigid's Killashee v Ardagh Moydow, 8pm

Prediction: Killashee

Saturday 31 August 

Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship Group B Round 5

Leo Casey Park: Mullinalaghta St Columba's v Carrickedmond, 7pm

Prediction: Mullinalaghta  

Monaduff: Dromard v Longford Slashers, 7pm

Prediction: Dromard

Emmet Park: Abbeylara v Clonguish, 7pm

Prediction: Clonguish  

Sunday 1 September

Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship Group A Round 5

Keenan Park: Rathcline v Colmcille, 2.30pm

Prediction: Colmcille

Lynch Park: Mostrim v St Mary's Granard, 2.30pm

Prediction: Granard   

Mulleady Group Intermediate Football Championship Group Stage Round 5

Moran Park: Sean Connolly’s v Cashel, 4pm

Prediction: Connolly’s

Pictured at the Longford GAA Competitions Sponsors launch in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park recently were Seamus Boyle (Longford GAA), David Hanley from Peter Hanley Motors, sponsors of the Senior Football Championship, and Albert Cooney (Chairperson Longford GAA)