Judgement Weekend

The Gaelic games scene heads into what can only be described as a judgment weekend as the season reaches the knockout stages of many competitions.

Carrigaline LGFA who face bishopatown in the a county title decider in Mayfield at 4pm on Sunday (Carrigaline LGFA)

For the four teams left in the Procure.ie Junior A Football Championship, it’s a chance to make the all-important final.

First out of the traps are Carrigaline v Shamrocks, as they face off in the first semi-final of the Junior A Football Championship.

Set to be played in Crosshaven on Saturday at 2 p.m., Carrigaline will be expected to overcome the men from Shanbally, but with Shamrocks having a long tradition in the competition, you never know.

On Sunday, the red-hot favourites for the Pad Joe Cronin Cup, Ballygarvan, will take to the field in Belgooly at 12 p.m., where they face Ballymartle.

They met at the same stage of the contest last year and, while Ballygarvan won the game easily, you can expect a more competitive contest this time.

It will be interesting to see if Cork senior footballer Sean Brady returns to the ranks of the Ballygarvan outfit, or if Kevin Lyons retains his fitness to line out.

Ballymartle, who had a decent display in the league campaign earlier in the year, could spring a surprise here.

For that to happen, they will need to get up to the pace of the game from the start.

For Carrigaline footballers, there is the little matter of a quarter-final showdown with Newcestown in the McCarthy Insurance Group Senior Football Championship.

Carrigaline, who had a poor outing by their own standards against St. Finbarr’s recently, will need to bring their A-game as they face a side fresh from a win over Castlehaven.

This contest has a 2 p.m. throw-in at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday and will be followed by their ladies’ footballers facing Bishopstown in the B County Final at 4 p.m. in Mayfield.

Also facing all-or-nothing games in the ladies’ competition are Kinsale, who travel to O’Donovan Rossa in Skibbereen on Sunday for a 12 p.m. start; Ballygarvan, who travel to Mitchelstown for a 12:45 p.m. throw-in; and Ballinhassig, who face Youghal at home at 5 p.m.

In addition to the cracker expected between Ballinhassig and Ballygarvan in the Premier Intermediate Camogie Semi-Final in Shanbally on Saturday at 2 p.m., Sliabh Rua continue their championship run as they face Sars at Kerry Pike on Sunday at 4:45 p.m.

It is certainly going to be a busy weekend, with teams either disappointed at the end of it or eyeing up championship success.

Cillian O'Regan and his Ballygarvan teammates face stiff competition at the weekend as they play Ballymartle for a place in the Procure.ie South East Junior A Football Championship Final (Delores Kidney)