Longford Intermediate and Minor football titles and Ladies football honours at stake

Cathal Reilly on the attack for Colmcille in breaking away from Clonguish defender, minor Mark Cooney. Action from the SFC semi-final on Saturday evening last Photo: Syl Healy

placeholder image — Cathal Reilly on the attack for Colmcille in breaking away from Clonguish defender, minor Mark Cooney. Action from the SFC semi-final on Saturday evening last Photo: Syl Healy

Big battle for the Gerry Hennessy Cup

As Colmcille and Killoe prepare for a first ever meeting in the senior football championship final on October 12, the GAA focus this weekend is firmly fixed on the Intermediate title decider at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday, throw-in 4.15pm.

Ardagh Moydow and St Brigid’s Killashee will battle it out for the Gerry Hennessy Cup while the curtain-raiser is the Minor (U-18) A Football Championship final (2pm) with Clonguish Og chasing a remarkable five-in-a-row of Harte Cup triumphs.

Providing the opposition are Western Gaels, the Rathcline and Grattans amalgamation, and the key players for the underdogs are Peter Farrell and Conor McHugh.

Both Farrell and McHugh were members of last year’s Leinster minor winning team while six of the current Clonguish Og side featured in that fabulous extra-time win over Dublin on a memorable occasion at O’Connor Park in Tullamore.

The triumphant Longford U-17s were captained by Mark Cooney and with five other Clonguish players featuring in that famous win - notably James Hagan, Cormac Flynn, Alan Mimnagh, Josh Marsh and Michael Glennon - it looks like another underage success for the boys in green.

Prediction: Clonguish Og

Also on the packed programme at Pearse Park on Sunday is the Glenn Brady Cup Minor final between neighbouring rivals St Colmcille’s and St Francis Dromard (throw-in 12 noon) while the Junior ‘B’ (Granard v Dromard) and ‘C’ finals (Ardagh Moydow v Killoe) are down for decision at GAA headquarters on Saturday evening.

Ladies Football Finals

The main event in Longford ladies football is also scheduled for Pearse Park on Saturday with Clonguish and the title holders Longford Slashers clashing once again in the senior championship decider (throw-in 1.30pm) while Ballymahon/Forgney take on Dromard in the Junior ‘A’ final (11.30am).