Nemo, Crokes to meet at neutral venue

AND THEN there were five. The AIB provincial club championship is reaching its climax with three finals down for decision this Sunday, and the remaining two on Sunday week – notwithstanding any dreaded replays, naturally.

It was announced yesterday that Nemo Rangers of Cork and Dr Crokes of Killarney decided against tossing for home advantage for their Munster club football final on Sunday week, December 5th, and the game has therefore been set for the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick, with a 2pm start.

“We gave them the option of tossing for home advantage,” explained Munster PRO Jim Forbes, “but for whatever reason they decided not to take that up, so we’ve gone for the neutral venue. But overall we’ve been very lucky with venues and weather conditions this year and everything looks like it will be finished up on schedule.”

The Leinster football final will also conclude the 2010 senior club championship on Sunday week when Kilmacud Crokes of Dublin play Rhode of Offaly, and that game – a repeat of the 2008 final, which Kilmacud won – has been fixed for Portlaoise, also with a 2pm start.

In the meantime the Ulster Council has confirmed Clones as the venue for their football final this Sunday, where former four-time All-Ireland champions Crossmaglen of Armagh take on Naomh Conall of Donegal.

The Munster hurling final between De La Salle of Waterford and Thurles Sarsfields of Tipperary also takes place this Sunday in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, as does the Leinster hurling final between O’Loughlin Gaels of Kilkenny and Oulart-the-Ballagh of Wexford, which has been fixed for Dr Cullen Park, Carlow.

Also confirmed yesterday were the pairings for the upcoming All-Ireland stages of the club championship: in football, the Ulster champions must first play the current London champions Neasden Games, with that game fixed for Ruislip on December 12th – with the winners progressing to play the Leinster champions on February 26th of next year in one semi-final. The second semi-final, also set for February 26th of next year, will involve newly-crowned Connacht champions St Brigid’s of Roscommon against the Munster champions.

In hurling, Ulster champions Loughgeil Shamrocks will play the Leinster champions in one semi-final on February 18th, with newly-crowned Galway champions Clarinbridge playing the Munster champions on the same day.

Kilmacud are still hoping Adrian Morrissey will be available for their meeting with Rhode on Sunday week. Morrissey missed Sunday’s narrow win over Garrycastle, having been suspended as a result of his sending off against Erin’s Isle in the previous weekend’s league game and, despite evidence given on his behalf at the hearing by the Isles’ manager and the player involved in the incident, Morrissey was handed a four-week ban.

The Dublin champions are intent on appealing that decision, with manager Paddy Carr reiterating their severe dissatisfaction at the entire process: “We will do everything we can for him. This is not about football, this is just about basic justice.”

Tipperary football champions Aherlow, who endured an agonisingly close defeat to Dr Crokes on Sunday, after extra-time, have now lost their manager with Liam Kearns confirming his intention to step down. The former Laois and Limerick manager has been with Aherlow for the past two years, losing last year’s county final before winning this year.

However, Sunday’s defeat was particularly hard to stomach as Dr Crokes only forced extra-time at the death, or three minutes and 43 seconds into injury-time – before prevailing 2-11 to 0-9 after extra-time.

Finally, Wicklow’s Competitions Control Committee (CCC) officials have launched an investigation into the mass brawl which marred the clash of neighbouring clubs Tinahely and Avoca in the Division Four South East League title last Saturday.

Up to 20 players from both sides were involved in the incident, and although referee Gerry Corbett managed to restore order, and Avoca won out on a scoreline of 1-7 to 1-4, the Wicklow CCC will examine the referee’s report to decide whether any further penalties will be handed out.