February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Armagh made several key pickups in the offseason and they have paid off. Francie Sheridan, Barry Annette, and Kieran Traynor are on call for Cavan in the SFA final, where teammate Collie Fearon will play for Kerry. Those players, plus Mark Dobbin, make Armagh a slight favorite against a very good Meath side featuring David Callaghan and Cavan seniors Brian Newman, Shane McAnerney, and Jamie Shaw. This should be thriller.
2:30, SH Final
Connecticut vs. Limerick
Connecticut entered this season with only one goal: to win the New York Senior Hurling championship. After falling to Tipperary in last year’s final, anything else would be regarded as a failure.
Limerick, on the other hand, have been down in recent seasons before this year’s revival. Both teams were perfect in winning their respective divisions and semi-finals.
As division champs Connecticut will be favored with players like Aiden Kiely, Richie Purcell, Ollie O’Neill, and Bonny Kennedy leading the way. Limerick have Tadgh O’Callaghan, Shane McDermott, Dennis Kelly, Paul Murray, and Alan O’Neill to turn to.
Weekenders will also enter into it. Niall Gilligan featured well for Limerick last Sunday, but Connecticut will be very hard to beat with the Cup in sight.
4 p.m., SFA Final
Kerry vs. Cavan
Cavan may be peaking at just the right time to make this a great final. After struggling to recapture last season’s fluid style, Cavan showed some of what they can do in topping Clare last Sunday.
Cavan have a lot of depth and could pose problems for Kerry if Eoghan O’Carroll, Shane Russell or Barry Annette can play well at midfield. Cavan have good forwards, but they won’t have it all their own way against Kerry. The Breffni backs face their biggest challenge of the season against Kerry’s green and gold wave of forwards. They all can score and pass and can cause any defense nightmares.
It’s no longer just the Bingo O’Driscoll show, with Dave McCarthy, Stephen Flynn, and D.J. Fleming all dangerous. John Golden and Don Murphy are a talented midfield and the backs are very solid. Eanna Kavanagh has been one of the finds of the season, Pa Murphy is inspirational at center back, and the return of Paddy O’Connor is a big addition.
If Cavan strike form, they could cause the upset, but Kerry are solid throughout and should complete their half of the trans-Atlantic double.