Clonoe May Have A “Point” To Prove!

Friday 04.11.2011

Club

The second of the Division One League semi finals between Clonoe and Dromore is one of the top games of the weekend. Although some people may think that the league has dragged on somewhat there will be plenty of intensity and commitment from both sides on Saturday with a place in the league final at stake. Clonoe will be very keen to win something in a year that promised so much and facing their championship conquerors will provide them with the ideal opportunity to exorcise their championship ghost.

The O’Rahillaighs have a very talented squad and know they were within a whisker of lifting a second championship in four years. Players like Aidan Brady, Emmett Teague, Stephen Mc Nulty and Shane O’Hagan will provide the defensive steel for the home side while Colm Donnelly, Daniel Mc Nulty, Conor Mc Aliskey and Ryan O’Neill know they can cause the Dromore defence serious problems. The St Dympnas have looked vulnerable when facing the direct approach of Balllinderry and Clonoe in their last two games and it will be interesting to see if Clonoe attempt to exploit this perceived vulnerability.

As for Dromore they have always taken the league very seriously and their record over the past decade shows they have won it more often than any other team. To win the championship is a great achievement but to lift the double puts a team on a different level altogether. How Dromore recover from the disappointment of last Sunday’s defeat will have quite a bearing on their chances of winning. Men like Fabian O’Neill, Cathal Mc Carron and Sean O’Neill are all very proud footballers who will have been stung by the nature of last Sunday’s narrow loss and will be keen to “set the record Straight”. Ryan Mc Menamin loves situations like these while Colm Mc Cullagh knows he might not have too many more league seasons in him and will be keen to finish this year on a real high.

Clonoe struggled in the county final to cope with the pace and movement of Mc Cullagh and Eoin Mc Cusker but the smaller, tighter O’Rahilly pitch might suit the home team’s style better.

Games between these sides are historically close and low scoring and you can expect Saturday’s encounter to be no different. Goal chances will be scarce and whoever manages to find the net could win it. Home advantage and the chance to beat the county champions will play a role so we will go for a narrow win for Clonoe.