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GAA Previews: Cork, facing relegation, must win Sunday

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By Mike Fitzpatrick

Junior Football A

Dublin vs. Rockland

1 p.m.

Dublin’s season took another hammering with their defeat at the hands of Down last week, and this tie versus an on-form Rockland side will be no easier.

Missing such crucial attackers as Ian Mullett and Pádraig Broderick has done Dublin’s cause no good whatsoever, and they must hope that these two return for this tie.

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Shane Nugent has been playing well for the Dubs recently, and if he can combine with the two aforementioned forwards, Dublin should be in with a shout of gaining something from this tie.

Rockland currently lie third in the table, behind Donegal and Rangers, and should they win here, they will move into joint second, and only a short trip from playoff contention.

Rockland may be just too strong for the lads from the capital.

Senior Hurling

Tipperary vs. Westmeath

2:30 pm

Tipp will surely start this tie as favorites, having won the knockout

tournament last week with a convincing win over cup holders Kilkenny. Corner forward Kevin Kennedy has been in unstoppable form for Tipperary recently, hitting nine points in his last outing versus Kilkenny last week, and in doing so, consolidating his position amongst the leagues top scorers.

Westmeath have lost two of their previous three games, and will be looking to put that run behind them, though facing such a threat as Tipperary is not something an off-form side will wish to do.

Westmeath have a number of exciting players and will surely take the game to their opponents. And if Brian Daly plays, it should be an interesting battle between him and Tipp’s Kennedy to see who will score the most points.

Tipp may sneak this one.

Senior Football Div. 1

Cork v.s Leitrim

4 p.m.

Cork are staring relegation in the face right now, having lost all five of their games this season, most recently being annihilated by Stamford. They simply must win this game, and hope Monaghan slip up in their remaining ties to stand any chance of avoiding the drop.

Leitrim have begun to pick themselves up a little, having opened the season in indifferent form. They are currently in mid table, but with high hopes of making the playoffs.

They possess a number of top notch players, and the return of Neville Dunne from suspension will surely do them no harm at all. Leitrim are heavy favorites to win this tie, and I feel they will gain victory and move up a couple of places in the table.

Senior Football Div. 2

Kerry vs. Longford

5:15pm

Longford make a long-awaited return to Sunday afternoon football at Gaelic Park with this highly anticipated clash versus table topping Kerry.

Both sides have won all their games to date, with Kerry’s most recent victory being a five point win over Roscommon two weeks ago.

This is a very tough match to predict. Kerry will go into the tie as slight favorites, possessing among their ranks such highly polished attacking players as Willie O’Donnell, Seamus Harkan and Dave McCarthy. However, Longford are no slouches when it comes to scoring, and if Kevin Lilly plays to his full potential, Kerry could be looking at their first defeat.

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