Eamon O’Neill’s gifted outfit, however, weren’t as impressive as in previous outings, only putting on a spurt for home towards the end.  Twelve months ago, the south outfit came through this fixture by three points and while this time around the winning margin was five (1-11 to 0-9), it took them an age to shrug off the determined challenge of Newcastle West in Ballyagran. 

Pallasgreen are also a sound bet for qualification to the next phase, the quarter-finals at the very least, after they accounted for Athea 2-6 to 1-4.  Athea, county finalists in very recent times, now find themselves in very deep relegation territory with a terrible negative scoring difference.  In another battle in the relegation stakes here, St. Kieran’s posted a comfortable win against Hospital/Herbertstown.

The smart money is for Ballylanders, Newcastle West and Pallasgreen to emerge from Group One for the next phase of the championship.

As predicted, last year’s finalists Dromcollogher/Broadford secured their place in the semi-finals with a runaway 0-9 to 0-3 victory over Fr. Casey’s, a team that distinguished themselves in the recent Munster Senior League through a great win over Austin Stack’s of Tralee. Still, Fr. Casey’s of Abbeyfeale would appear to be safe in terms of qualification a step further in a competition in which they are favourites with some bookies.

Without around half a dozen regulars, who are in the US for the Summer, Adare carried way too much momentum for Claughaun, winning 2-15 to 1-7 at the Gaelic Grounds. 

The outcome was a foregone conclusion by the interval, with the Maiguesiders 2-9 to 0-2 ahead, the goals arriving from the ageless Peter Lavin and Brian Sexton, while Conor Fitzgerald knocked over four lovely points.

Elsewhere, St. Senan’s remain in qualification territory after a slender 0-6 to 0-5 win over Monaleen at Kevin Long Memorial Park in Feenagh.  In an often ill-tempered game – three players were sent off in the opening half, two from Monaleen – St. Senan’s overturned a 0-4 to 0-3 interval deficit to squeeze home by the narrowest of margins. The winners were without ace Ian Ryan, in Australia on an AFL club trial.

The final round of games go ahead next weekend.

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