Randles Bros County Championship Semi Final Previews.

In the Randles Bros Senior Championship there are 2 semi finals down for decision on Sunday August 26th.

Southern Gaels v Rathmore, Ballinskelligs @12noon

Southern Gaels welcome Rathmore to Ballinskelligs at 12 noon in what could prove to be the match of the championship. Defending champions Southern Gaels accounted for Mid Kerry in the quarter final on a 4-13 to 2-13 scoreline after a hard fought battle,

Central to the Southern Gaels victory that day were Bernie Cronin, Mayers Cronin, Deirdre Corridan, Amy Fitzgerald and Linda Cronin and the south Kerry girls will once again look to them for leadership.

Rathmore easily accounted for Austin Stacks in their quarter final meeting and with players of the calibre of Aislinn Desmond, Brid Ryan, Sarah Murphy, Aoife O’Callaghan and Brid Ryan they will come into the game as favourites to lower the Southern Gaels colours.

Ballinskelligs is never an easy place to travel to though and the vocal home support is certain to inspire Southern Gaels. On balance it appears that Rathmore should come through in this one.

Castleisland Desmonds v Killarney, Castleisland @1pm

In the other semi final Castleisland Desmonds will entertain Killarney at 1 pm in Castleisland. Desmonds are going through somewhat of a transition period at the moment and with a number of their U/16 players expected to tog out. they will be hard pressed to defeat the visitors.

They can still rely on quality players like Kerry seniors Lorraine Scanlon, Andrea Murphy and Eilis Lynch, while Labhaoise Walmsley, Kayla O’Connor, Rachael Cronin and Mariah Curtin are others that they will look to for inspiration.

Killarney are backboned by the Dr Crokes, Spa and Fossa clubs an will bring a mix of young and experienced players to the game. County star Amanda Brosnan, Mairead Finnegan, Gina Crowley,Anna Clifford, Loreta Maher, Anna O’Reilly and Erica McGlynn are players of proven quality and Killarney will look to them to steer the team to the county final.

If Scanlon is on song then Desmonds have a chance, but the odds point to a victory for the visitors.

Randles Bros Intermediate Championship Semi Final

Na Gaeil v Beaufort , Beaufort @12 noon

Na Gaeil travel to meet Beaufort in the first Intermediate Championship Semi Final at 12 noon. This is a very difficult game to call as both sides are very evenly matched.

Beaufort enjoyed a comprehensive victory over Scartaglin in the quarter final and players like Sarah Houlihan, Hannah O’Donoghue, Amy Foley,Fiadhna Tangney and Ann Marie O’Donoghue were on fire that day.

Na Gaeil had a hard fought 2-9 to 0-12 point victory over Corca Dhuibhne in their quarter final and they have excellent players like Meabh Barry, Mary O’Connell, Eilis O’Connor, Deirdre Kearney and Jadyn Lucey in their ranks. They play at a high tempo and their experience of narrowly losing to Austin Stacks in the final last year could stand to them.

This game could go down to the wire but Beaufort’s electric forward division could swing the tie in the finish.