It’s a case of Newbridge or nowhere for Dr Crokes and Errigal Ciarán as they prepare for their rescheduled All-Ireland Club Senior Football Championship semi-final clash on Saturday.
The game was cancelled last weekend due to the adverse weather conditions and it was rescheduled for O’Moore Park in Portlaoise this Saturday.
Concerns were voiced, however, when television footage this week showed the Portlaoise grounds under a thick blanket of snow and it has now emerged that the pitch has been deemed unplayable following an inspection this Wednesday.
The game has been transferred to St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge, Co Kildare which will result in a longer return journey for Dr Crokes supporters.
The throw-in will be at 3.00pm and the winners will play the victors of the other semi-final between Dublin champions Cuala and Coolera/Strandhill from Sligo who meet in Breffni Park in Cavan at 5.00pm on Saturday.
Both games will go to extra time, if needed.
Dr Crokes supporters are expected to travel in big numbers with two coaches already almost fully booked and several more planning to make the journey by road and by rail.
The game will see some of the finest players in Kerry and Tyrone football in action with Crokes boasting the likes of experienced campaigners Tony Brosnan, Gavin White, Mark O’Shea, Brian Looney Micheál Burns, Fionn Fitzgerald and Shane Murphy while Errigal will feature star players Ruairi and Darragh Canavan, Peter Harte, Cormac Quinn and Joe Qguz.
If it’s a Dr Crokes v Cuala final it will be a day of mixed emotions for RTÉ sports broadcaster Des Cahill who played with the black and amber during his time working as a journalist in Killarney but he is now a passionate Cuala clubman.
The priority for the Killarney club, however, will be overcoming the Tyrone champions in what has all the makings of a testing and physically demanding encounter as Pat O’Shea hopwsto hlead his sice tho their third All-Ireland Club Championship crown.
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