Novel pairing kicks off the SFC quarter finals | Fr Caseys v Na Piarsaigh Preview

For the second year running, the Abbeyfeale men will have the Intermediate champions for company in the quarter finals.

There is a novel Limerick Senior Football Championship quarter final pairing on Saturday afternoon in Askeaton where Na Piarsaigh and Fr Caseys are paired together.

Throw in is at 4pm in the West Limerick venue with Adare awaiting in the semi-finals in a fortnight’s time.

It will be the first meeting of the teams since 2020 when Fr Caseys were dominant in booking their quarter-final spot against the Caherdavin outfit who would go on to contest the relegation semi final that year.

While they were victorious in that, the following year their time in the top tier came to an end but the response was impressive as they regrouped to claim the Intermediate title at the first time of trying.

On their return to the senior championship, three victories are enough to seal third spot in a competitive group two. Their first game saw them overturn Ballysteen before defeats followed against Adare and Monaleen, both of who would reach the knockout stages. Needing a pair of wins to book a quarter final berth, they did just that, seeing off Galtee Gaels and Ballylanders.

This will be their first assault on the knockout stages since 2016 when they qualified directly for the semi-finals after topping their group. On that occasion they were beaten by Drom Broadford. Interestedly, that is their only knockout game in the SFC since they were first promoted in 2014.

On the other hand, Fr Caseys are seasoned regulars in the quarter finals, although their record at the stage makes for abysmal reading for the Abbeyfeale men.

This will be their eighth quarter final tie since 2009 but they have only recorded one win in that time. That sole victory came last year against Kildimo Pallaskenry, ending a 13-year wait for a knockout win with three semi-final losses also in that time.

Fr Caseys Limerick SFC knockout results since 2009

• 2008 QF Beat Pallasgreen
• 2009 SF: Beat Pallasgreen
• 2010 QF: Lost to Monaleen
• 2011 SF: Lost to Monaleen
• 2012 SF: Lost to Drom Broadford
• 2014 SF: Lost to St Patricks
• 2015 QF: Lost to Ballylanders
• 2016 QF: Lost to St Patricks
• 2019 QF: Lost to St Kierans
• 2020 QF: Lost to Ballysteen
• 2021 QF: Lost to Monaleen

They were comfortable in that win over the 2021 Intermediate champions twelve months ago but will rue missed opportunities in the semi-final where they were beaten by Adare.

For the second year running, they will have the Intermediate champions for company in the knockouts but Caseys will be fancied after a positive campaign thus far despite the loss of more than a dozen players to emigration.

They kicked off their campaign with a loss to the back-to-back champions Newcastle West but have followed that with four successive wins over Claughaun, Oola, St Kierans and Kildimo Pallaskenry

Caseys are 2/7 favourites to return to the last four for the second year running while Na Piarsaigh can be got at 10/3. The draw is priced at 8s.

Yet, since their maiden promotion just over a decade ago, Na Pairsaigh have had the edge in this fixture, winning the first pair of meetings between the sides in 2015 and ’17. However, the 2020 clash is probably a fairer reflection of where they teams have since gone.

Recent Meetings

• 2020: Fr Caseys 3-14 : 1-4 Na Piarsaigh
• 2017: Na Piarsaigh 2-12 : 1-10 Fr Caseys
• 2015: Na Piarsaigh 0-12 : 1-8 Adare

Caseys built a very strong team last year and while that has been decimated in the meantime, they have plenty of young players coming through that have tasted minor and U21 successes in the county.

Na Piarsaigh themselves have developed considerably over the past 18 months. Whether it is enough to upset the odds will be decided on Saturday.

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