Galway and Connacht champions Oughterard take on Kerry and Munster champions Templenoe this Saturday at 2pm in Kilmallock in an eagerly anticipated All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship semi final, with a place in the All-Ireland final in Croke Park on January 25th the prize for the winners. Both sides were in impressive form in their respective provincial championships with Oughterard defeating both Roscommon champions Tulsk and Mayo champions The Neale away from home by a combined margin of 19 points, while Templenoe were equally impressive in beating the champions of Waterford, Cork and Clare by a combined 29 points.
The Kerry side are a half-parish of Kenmare and won their county intermediate championship last May after an 8 point win over An Gaeltacht. They boast four county players in Killian and Adrian Spillane, Gavin Crowley and Tadhg Morley, while John Spillane and (arguably their best player) Stephen O'Sullivan were part of the Kerry junior team that completed 5 in row last summer by beating Galway in the All-Ireland final. The Spillane surname is synonymous with the club as Sunday Game analyst Pat is a famous former player for the club.
Oughterards marathon championship run began with a draw against Clifden in the group stages of the Galway Intermediate Championship at the end of May, three weeks after Templenoe had already won the Kerry title! Saturday will be their 10th game in an extraordinary campaign and ahead of the big game in Kilmallock, manager Tommy Finnerty spoke to Ollie Turner...
Tommy also spoke about the player's motivation for victory on Saturday...
Oughterards championship results:
Oughterard 0-9 Clifden 0-9 (Galway IFC Group A)
Oughterard 1-14 Micheal Breathnach 3-6 (Galway IFC Group A)
Oughterard 0-16 Kilkerrin Clonberne 0-16 (Galway IFC Group A)
Oughterard 3-15 Caltra 3-6 (Galway IFC quarter final)
Oughterard 3-18 Dunmore MacHales 0-6 (Galway IFC semi final)
Oughterard 0-14 Micheal Breathnach 0-14 (Galway IFC final)
Oughterard 0-19 Micheal Breathnach 1-16 AET (Galway IFC final replay - Oughterard win 5-4 on pens)
Oughterard 2-16 Tulsk 1-8 (Connacht IFC semi final)
Oughterard 1-16 The Neale 0-11 (Connacht IFC final)
Templenoes championship results:
Templenoe 3-12 Spa 1-16 (Kerry IFC Group 2)
Templenoe 5-13 Laune Rangers 0-7 (Kerry IFC Group 2)
Templenoe 1-14 Glenbeigh Glencar 3-7 (Kerry IFC Group 2)
Templenoe 3-20 Glenfesk 1-11 (Kerry IFC semi final)
Templenoe 2-14 An Gaeltacht 0-12 (Kerry IFC Final)
Templenoe 5-12 St Saviours (Waterford) 2-9 (Munster IFC quarter final)
Templenoe 1-17 Eire Óg (Cork) 0-12 (Munster IFC semi final)
Templenoe 0-14 St Breckans (Clare) 0-5 (Munster IFC final)
Galway clubs record in All-Ireland IFC semi finals:
2006 Caherlistrane 4-16 Crettyard (Laois) 0-3
2008 Moycullen 0-9 Annascaul (Kerry) 0-8
2009 St Michaels 1-9 Ballyroan Abbey (Laois) 0-11
2010 Leitir Mór 1-10 Cookstown (Tyrone) 2-11
2011 St James 0-12 Gneeveguilla (Kerry) 0-10
2019 An Spideal 0-11 Naomh Eanna (Antrim) 3-9
