PREVIEW | Granagh Ballingarry and Knockaderry look for breakthrough as they meet in Junior B Football County Final

The final of the Limerick Junior B Football Championship is down for decision this Sunday as Granagh Ballingarry take on Knockaderry in a repeat of the West final.

When the sides met in the divisional final last month, Granagh Ballingary claimed an impressive 1-11 to 1-6 victory.

Incredibly, this will be the third meeting of the sides who also met in the group stages of the West championship.

Past Winners

• 2019: Banogue
• 2018: Drom Broadford
• 2017: Ballybrown
• 2016: Oola
• 2015: Fedamore
• 2014: Kildimo Pallaskenry
• 2013: Feenagh Kilmeedy
• 2012: Bruff
• 2011: Croom

In their opener, Granagh Ballingarry signalled their intent with a one point, 1-12 to 1-11 win over 2019 West champions Knockaderry. Granagh Ballingarry received a walkover against Newcastle West in the second round. This was followed by another walkover, this time against Glin with their win over Knockaderry enough to top the group.

In the West semi-final, they played Athea in Coolcappa where they were ten point winners, earning a 3-13 to 1-9 victory to set up a West final clash with this weekend’s opponents.

Knockaderry recovered from that opening round loss to Granagh Ballingarry with a comprehensive win over Glin where six goals helped them to a sixteen point win at home. Like this weekend’s opponents, they received a walkover from Newcastle West that ensured second spot in the group and progression to the knockout stages.

In the knockout stages, they faced Ballysteen in a rematch of the 2019 final. They progressed by virtue of a sing point, 0-6 to 0-5 in a tense affair.

In the West final, Granagh Ballingarry improved on their opening round win over Knockaderry this time having five points to spare.

In the county stages, Granagh Ballingarry overcame Fedamore with a 0-10 to 0-6 win in Croom. The following week, they booked their place in the final as they defeated Claughaun comprehensively. In the end they had twenty points to spare in a 3-13 to 0-2 drubbing.

Knockaderry were paired with 2019 county runners up Knockane in the quarter-finals. The west outfit ran out 1-10 to 1-8 winners to set up a last four clash with Galbally. Again, they faced a tough task, overcoming the south champions by a solitary point, 1-8 to 0-10 to book their passage to the final.

Path to the Final

Knockaderry

• Group: Lost to Granagh Ballingarry 1-12 to 1-11
• Group: Bt Glin 6-10 to 1-9
• West SF: Bt Ballysteen 0-6 to 0-5
• West Final: Lost to Granagh Ballingarry 1-11 to 1-6
• County QF: Bt Knockane 1-10 to 1-8
• County SF: Bt Galbally 1-8 to 0-10

Granagh Ballingarry

• Group: Bt Knockaderry 1-12 to 1-11
• West SF: Bt Athea 3-13 to 1-9
• West Final: Bt Knockaderry 1-11 to 1-6
• County QF: Bt Fedamore 0-10 to 0-6
• County SF: Bt Claughaun 3-13 to 0-2

Granagh Ballingarry will be appearing in their second final in three years after losing out to Drom Broadford in the 2018 final. GB fell by a point on that occasion, losing out 2-6 to 0-13 in a repeat of that year’s West final. Granagh Ballingarry were last crowned champions in 2010 as they outlasted Blackrock in a low scoring encounter, winning 1-4 to 1-3.

This will be a first final in recent times for Knockaderry who have fallen at the penultimate hurdle three times in the last six years. In 2019, 2017 and 2015 they were beaten in the semi-final, losing to the eventual champions on two of those occasions.

Granagh Ballingarry will be favoured but beating a team twice in the one year is difficult enough, with GB needing a third successive win to move into the Junior A ranks.

Granagh Ballingarry v Knockaderry throws in this Sunday at 2.30pm in Feenagh.