Galtee Gaels enter Munster club championship for second time in three years

In 2017, Galtee Gaels were very unfortunate not to advance to the Munster Junior Club Football championship final after they were narrowly beaten by Dromid Pearses’ of Kerry.

This Saturday in the Gaelic Grounds they will have the chance to avenge that defeat when they take on St Breckans of Clare, this time in the Munster Intermediate championship quarter-final.

Galtee Gaels will have the added advantage of playing the game in the LIT Gaelic Grounds, a venue that has proved very successful for the South* side in recent times.

A fortnight ago, they would claim the Limerick Intermediate Football Championship title in the same ground in a replay against a strong Gerald Griffins side.

That victory should act as a catalyst for John McGrath’s side as they attempt a second assault in three years on the Munster championship.

 Up against Galtee Gaels are Clare Intermediate champions St Breckans who hail from Lisdonvarna.

Breckans played their trade in the Senior ranks up until this year before they were relegated as part of an overhaul in the championship structure in the Banner.

In their first season back in the Intermediate championship, they accounted for St Joseph’s Doora Barefield in the semi-final by a point before defeating Kildysart by the same margin in the final three weeks ago.

They have previous in this competition having contested the final in 2010 losing out to Kerry’s Gneeveguilla.

Indeed, no team outside Kerry or Cork have won the competition since its inception in 2003 with sides from the Kingdom winning in twelve of the last thirteen seasons.

Once again Galtee Gaels will look to the Childs’ brothers to lead the side.

With Tommie in midfield and Bob positioned in the full-forward line, the talented siblings have played a huge part in the sides recent rise from the Junior grade.

However, Galtee Gaels have a number of talented forwards and notched thirteen goals in their run to the county title whilst only conceding eight.

Against a St Breckans side who have come out the right side of a number of low scoring games, they will need to be clinical in front of goal with chances promising to be few and far between.

What is encouraging is the sides never say die attitude, having come back from the dead against Mungret in the semi-finals and a late onslaught against Gerald Griffins in the replayed final.

As such, if Galtee are within touching distance down the home stretch, they should have enough to see out the game.