JFC Players Thoughts

These lads have played in the Junior championship so we should take held and listen to what they have to say about the final and Junior football in general.




Alan Murphy Lannleire

Standard of the junior Championship this year?
I think the standard has been good this year. My own club have not been at our strongest this year for various reasons and we got found out against the top teams.

Who will be the likely or unlikely Star of the Show?
William Woods is probably the most talented player on show but I think John Doyle and Ciaran Murphy could have a big say for the Finbarrs. If Brian Matthews is appointed the marking job on Woods, his performance will have a massive bearing on the result.

Who's gonna win and Why?
I'm going to go with the Finbarrs due to their habit of getting goals and crucial scores in tight games when it counts.


Cian Matthews Oliver Plunketts

Standard of the junior Championship this year?

Its hard to give an answer on the overall standard of the championship, wouldnt be fair to comment on some of the clubs that I havent seen. From our own experience no matter what team we have faced we've never been given an easy run of it. Looking at the results in the earlier stages of the groups there are gulfs between somes clubs and that probably comes down to the resources and player pools that are at their dispossal. In terms of the other championships the gulfs probably arent as apparent. But come the knock out stages the standard does rise particularly at the semi finals stage, where any of the teams involved would be more than capable of being competitive at Intermediate level. 

Who will be the likely or unlikely Star of the Show
In terms of the likely stars Hunterstown have had few players that have stood out throughout year particularly their forwards in Carrie, Burns and Landy. Padraig Matthews has also shown the importance of his experience as has Brennan. In terms of Finbarrs Woods has been grabbing all the headlines for his scoring exploits but he has been well assisted by the forwards around him. I think the unlikely stars could come in the form of both teams midfields. John Doyle brings a lot experience to the plate and having come up against him at close quarters wins his fair share of ball in middle. Likewise although playing the majority of his football at full back Richie Taaffe could be the Hunterstown go to man. Taaffe played well when taken out the field in the opening game of the group phase when the sides last met. Like most games the middle is the platform for going on to win games and that’s why these two could turn out to be the unlikely stars.

Who's gonna win and Why?
Its hard to call, I think it will be close. The Finbarrs are much improved from when the sides last met and will carry a lot of momentum and confidence into the final from their semi final win. But looking at the attacking options Hunterstown possess I think Rovers will shade it. Matthews will be there to provide plenty of experience and Brennan has been there before only in Senior finals with Collon. So I think a combination of them factors should see them through but the Finbarrs arent to be taken lightly.
 

Gerry McShane Dowdashill

Standard of the junior Championship this year?

I think there was only 3 teams that were likely winners before the cship started and 2 of them are in the final. While the standard among them is quite high I think it's proving harder for junior league teams to compete with intermediate/senior league teams in the cship. 

Who will be the likely or unlikely Star of the Show

I think it's between the two corner forwards, Woods has been prolific and Carrie has also been in fine form. Perhaps the corner back who limits their impact will be the star man. But I can't see the game finishing wit 15 a side

Who's gonna win and Why?

Both teams played after us in a group match and I was v impressed with the speed in which Hunterstown moved the ball. I seen them in the semi when they blitzed the Sean's and were relentless from start to finnish. Although I seen the Finbarrs beat the nicks in the quarter final and they were comfortable in the end they struggled at times. But their ability to score goals has kept them winning matches and they are a very hard team to kill off. It will be a tight game but for me I think Hunterstown will win by 4/5 points.



Daniel Bannon Stabannon Parnells
Standard of the junior Championship this year?
Very good. Games were played with level of high intensity and physicality. The finalists having implied these tactics better then most.


Who will be the likely or unlikely Star of the Show

For Hunterstown, Paul Carrie was the difference when they played the Westens, but you can't rule out William Woods or Ryan Burns. Possibly Tony McKenna and Conor Mathews the Hunterstown midfield.


Who's gonna win and Why?
I said at the start of the championship that I thought Hunterstown would do it. And ill rock with them. Although The Barrs have a nack of grinding out big results when their backs are against the wall. Hunterstown by 2.



Kevin McMahon Sean McDermotts

Standard of the junior Championship this year? – 
Standard of football is pretty poor. Huge gap between the higher and lower end of the scale as emphasised by some of the hammerings handed out!! Entertainment wise it has been really good with some of the ‘favourites’ finishing their season somewhat premature!!

Who will be the likely or unlikely Star of the Show
  – William Woods; his accuracy from the dead ball is phenomenal.

Who's gonna win and Why? 
– I genuinely think the Finbarrs will win this game. Their defence is a lot better than Hunterstowns’ and with Richie Taaffe absent I think Woods and co. up front can do serious damage. Finbarrs always seem to grind out wins when it comes to the business end of championship games and if they limit the direct supply to the Hunterstown forward line, they will prevail by 2 or 3 points.

James Ward Westerns
 
Standard of the junior Championship this year?
I thought the standard of the Junior Championship this year was strong and competitive. I felt we could have bet Hunterstown in the Quarter Finals the game got away from us in the second half. Hopefully next year we will be playing championship football in September next year.

Who will be the likely or unlikely Star of the Show
The star of the show will likely be in the forward lines. William Woods seems to be scoring a lot this year and Paul Carrie is a key player for Hunterstown. Could be who performs better of those two or who will be allowed to perform better.
Who's gonna win and Why?
I am predicting a close game, I feel Hunterstown will just shade it. They had a good campaign in the Intermediate League this year and that may stand to them. Best of luck to both teams.I am predicting Westerns to be in the decider next year.



Paddy Fanning jnr Wolfe Tones 

Standard of the junior Championship this year?
 The overall standard this year I believe has gotten worse, there hasn't been as many close games as last years. You can see teams like ourselves, the nicks and Mcdermotts have suffered with the loss of players and other teams. This has affected the gap between the top and the weaker teams. But saying that other teams have improved, most notably the Westerns, who failed to make it out of the group last year and this year were unlucky to be beaten by Hunterstown, a team who are doing well in their first year back in the intermediate league and who are favourites for the championship..


Who will be the likely or unlikely Star of the Show?
 A star is tough to pick form both teams, they both have stand out players on each but I reckon if anyone can swing a game it would be William Woods, having marked him in previous games underage he really is a handful for any defender.


Who's gonna win and Why?
 I reckon most people are probably tipping Hunterstown to win since they have already beaten the Finbarrs quite comfortably in the group stages but the Finbarrs have improved greatly since, the game against the Plunketts show's this. I would have to go for Finbarr's mainly because I love an underdog and have a feeling Hunterstown might feel they have this won already like the Plunketts have two years in a row.


Hunterstown Rovers 4 St Finbarrs 3
The players have spoken