Desmonds to Field Three Teams at Weekend

Desmonds centre-forward and captain, Lorraine Scanlon looks for an option as Na Gaeil full-back, Deirdre Kearney challenges her with wing-back, Kim Enright arriving during the Ladies County Intermediate Football Championship final in Ballymacelligott on Sunday afternoon. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Desmonds captain, Lorraine Scanlon in action against Na Gaeil full-back, Deirdre Kearney and  Kim Enright in the Ladies County Intermediate Football Championship final in Ballymacelligott last month. ©Photograph: John Reidy

It may be the first week of October but for some Desmonds teams the season is still in full swing.  Three club teams are involved in provincial and county championship games this week end.

First out is the Ladies Intermediate team against the Waterford champions, Stradbally, on Saturday at 12.noon in Ballyhooley, Cork in the Munster championship. This side won the Kerry championship in convincing style and is quietly fancied to go all the way.

The ladies senior team face a much tougher assignment on Sunday when they encounter Banner of Clare in Rathkeale at 5pm. It is a very experienced, proven Clare side but the Desmond’s/Duagh combination is confident of  advancing to the Munster final.  Desmond’s will be backboned at the week end by their county stars: Lorraine Scanlon, Cait Lynch, Aoife Lyone and Aisling Leonard but have many other quality players such as Leeanne Mangan to tip the balance.

The team got a great boost last Saturday when they reached the final of the Kilmacud Croke’s 7-a-side  Intermediate final.   They won their five qualifying games and lost the final by a point despite injuries to three key players.

The late Dick Fitzgerald, Castleisland and Adare for whom a minute's silence will be observed on Sunday.
The late Dick Fitzgerald, Castleisland and Adare for whom a minute’s silence will be observed on Sunday.

The men’s senior team play Ardfert in the county Intermediate Championship semi final on Sunday at 2.30 p.m. in Austin Stack Park. This is a difficult call. Desmond’s had defeated Waterville and Gneeveguilla in the earlier rounds in April/May and had the long wait for five months for the next game.  Ardfert is an experienced team and is sure to give it all in the quest for victory.

Nevertheless, the Desmonds panel has prepared well under trainer Padraig Murphy and the team management of:  Tommy Hickey, John Brennan, Martin O’Donoghue and Patsy O’Donoghue.  They lost their last county league game to Tarbert last Sunday on a score-line of 1-10 to 3-8 but will have a fit and fully focused team on Sunday.

A minute’s silence will be observed before the game as a mark of respect to the late Dick Fitzgerald, Woodlands house hotel, Adare and Castleisland.