The GAA season has kicked back into life already with pre-season inter-county competitions providing an early sighting of new management teams and new players.
The main event of this first week back though is in the AIB GAA All Ireland Club Championship with the champions of Connacht, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster meeting in Croke Park this weekend for the Football Senior Club Championship semi-finals.
The action gets underway on Sunday, January 8th from 1.30 pm, as Kerry heavyweights, Kerins O’Rahillys face Dublin and Leinster kingpins, Kilmacud Crokes. Later in the day, Moycullen – impressive in their capture of the Galway and Connacht crowns – will face off against Derry and Ulster champions, Watty Graham’s Glen, with the throw-in set for 3.30 pm.
Saturday, January 7th will also see the curtain come down on another year of action in the AIB Camogie Club Championships, as BrÃdÃnà Óga of Antrim take on Wicklow champions, Knockananna, in the All-Ireland Junior A Club Championship Final, with the game fixed for 2 pm at Coralstown Kinnegad GAA grounds.
It will be a battle of the Walshes for the Dublin and Kerry match up with Shane Walsh leading the line for Kilmacud Crokes and Kerry star Tommy hoping to lead O’Rahillys to their first-ever AIB GAA All-Ireland Club Championship Final.
The Tralee men have had a year to remember. After their county title win, they went on to edge out Éire Óg Ennis (Clare) in the provincial semi-final before claiming their maiden Munster title last month when they got the better of Limerick champions, Newcastle West.
Watty Graham’s Glen upset the odds to dispose of reigning All-Ireland champions Kilcoo in a rip-roaring Ulster final in December. They will face a Moycullen team who claimed their first provincial title at the same time.
“The semi-final stage of the AIB GAA All-Ireland Football Senior Club Championships always proves to be fascinating, as we see the best clubs each province has to offer.,” said AIB Chief Executive Colin Hunt.
“The players involved in this weekend’s matches have represented their communities, clubs and counties with distinction so far, and will now do so on behalf of their provinces. ”
“We look forward to this weekend’s contests, and to the passionate support of fans attending from Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster. I also wish the best of luck to both teams competing in Saturday’s AIB Camogie All-Ireland Junior Club Championship Final – it’s been a wonderful year of action in the Camogie Club Championships, and no doubt we will see nothing short of a thrilling finale.”
“Following four enthralling AIB GAA Provincial Club Championship campaigns, we are delighted to welcome the four teams competing in this weekend’s semi-finals to Croke Park to kick start another year of Gaelic Games.,” added GAA President Larry McCarthy.
“To emerge from one’s county, let alone one’s province, is an incredibly huge achievement in itself – and those competing on Sunday can be incredibly proud of their feat in reaching the All-Ireland semi-finals as champions of their province. I would like to wish all four the best of luck in their quest to reach the final.”
Sport for Business Perspective:
The return to GAA action is swift with the Christmas tree still up in the corner of the room but with the Allianz Leagues returning at the end of this month and the AIB Club Championships picking up where they left off at Croke Park there is plenty of action to get people back in the mood for live sport as well as with continued TV and streaming coverage.
