West Limerick rivals Newcastlewest and Drom Broadford clash in refixed league final.

With both sides already through to the semi finals of the Limerick Senior Football Championship after topping their groups, the game serves both as a chance to win silverware and a vital high quality run out in a week when both their semi final opponents will be decided.

Throw in is this evening at 8pm at Mick Neville Park. Speaking to Sporting Limerick prior to tonight’s game, The Weekly Observer’s Matt O’Callaghan is expecting a cracking game of football.

“They will have a right cut off each other. This has the capacity to be one of the games of the year. I can recall the last two league finals in particular and Drom are playing in a third league final in a row. Two years ago almost on Christmas Day, they had a fantastic league final against Na Piarsaigh at Mick Neville Park. Last year they had a fantastic final with Newcastlewest played in Tournafulla.”

The game sees the winners of the the last two league titles with Newcastlewest beating Drom 2-5 to 0-5 to claim the 2016 title and Drom Broadford winning the 2015 title against Na Piarsaigh.

O’Callaghan believes the timing of the fixture fits well in to both teams championship preparations.

“There is no doubt, this fixture is ideal. Both managers will be delighted to have a fixture at this time because. while the quarter finals are going on semi finalists are ideal an this is an ideal chance for the semi finalists to get a right good game under their belts at the same time that the quarter finals are going on so the will not be coming into the semi finals cold.”

The semi final line ups will be confirmed following Thursday night’s   mouthwatering double header at Kilbreedy which sees Adare and Ballylanders (6:30pm) go again in a bid to find a winner in their 1/4 final replay with Drom Broadford awaiting the winner. Monaleen and Oola are set to clash at 8:15pm with the defending 2016 county champions Newcastlewest lying in wait.

Both sides are laden with county stars and should serve up a quality game of football. So who does Matt think will emerge victorious on Tuesday evening?

“Newcastlewest have held the upper hand over Drom Broadford in recent final meetings, they beat them in the 2015 County Final,  they beat them in the 2016 League Final.

“They will start favourites Newcastlewest, there is no question about but Drom Broadford since 2000 aren’t seven times champions for nothing. You could never write off Drom Broadford, we did it this year and we got found out. I’m loathe to do it again, I am not going to do it again other than to say that Newcastlewest are favourites but watch Drom Broadford.”

You can listen to the preview in full on the link below.