Murphy looks the man to beat on Markethill Road
The festival kicks off on Friday on the Viaduct Road at Tassagh with three top class scores. Two semi-finals of the Joe McVeigh Cup and a classic senior women’s doubles are Saturday’s main scores. The Joe McVeigh Cup final is Sunday’s feature.
Defending champion Martin Coppinger is prevented from trying for three-in-a-row in the Joe McVeigh Cup because he has not recovered from injury. However, with European champion David Murphy playing Gary Daly in one semi-final and Ulster champion Conor McGuigan playing Thomas Mackle, the winner of the Ulster qualifier, in the other, the competition retains its lustre.
Murphy won the title in successive years in 2008 and 2009, but he has not been on the podium since. He has had mixed fortunes on the Markethill Road, his most notable loss being to McGuigan in the 2011 All-Ireland final. That score will count for little ahead of Saturday’s semi-final against Daly, but what will almost certainly count is his lack of serious competition in recent months.
Daly has been very active on the Munster circuit and was a winner last Sunday against Christy Mullins in the JJ Murphy Cup at Bauravilla. While that was not his most outstanding career outing it was a win at a vital time and means that he will be sharp and focused for Murphy.
If Murphy shows any rustiness then Daly can beat him and go all the way on Sunday.
The opening semi-final is between Ulster champion McGuigan and the heir apparent to the Ulster crown Mackle.
McGuigan looked vulnerable in his recent loss to Cathal Toal on the Cathedral Road, but then Mackle was a lucky winner against Martin Toal in the qualifying final for this competition.
McGuigan has the experience but Mackle might have too much firepower.
The senior women’s double will attract a lot of attention on Saturday. Here Ulster’s top two players Kelly Mallon and Dervla Toal-Mallon take on All-Ireland champion Catriona Kidney and Queen of the Roads Silke Tulk. Home venue and a bit more high level early season action may tip this one in favour of the Ulster pair.
Sunday morning’s opening score of Eddie Carr and Martin Toal against Christy Mullins and Gavin Twohig is filled with imponderables. Twohig is the form player in the group, but Mullins has had just one meaningful outing in 2013. Carr and Toal have both seen action, but neither has really hit a decent vein of form.
Friday’s big score is the meeting of Cathal Toal and Killian Kingston.
Ból-Fada Programme: Friday: Viaduct Road, Tassagh, 2pm: Sinéad Kiernan/Erin Connolly v Megan Collins/Ciara Buckley. 3.30pm: Cathal Toal v Killian Kingston. 4.30pm: Austin McKeown/Niall Smyth v Thomas O’Callaghan/Celestine Spillane Jnr.
Saturday: Markethill Road, Keady: Caledonian Inn Joe McVeigh Cup semi-final, 11am: Conor McGuigan v Thomas Mackle. 12.30pm: Paul O’Reilly/Ruaidhri O’Reilly v Tony Carey/PJ Cooney.
Caledonian Inn Joe McVeigh Cup semi-final 2pm: David Murphy v Gary Daly. 4pm: Kelly Mallon/Dervla Toal-Mallon v Silke Tulk/Catriona Kidney.
Sunday: Markethill Road, Keady, 11am: Eddie Carr/Martin Toal v Christy Mullins/Gavin Twohig. 12.30pm: Colm Rafferty/Mark Kiernan v Kieran Murphy/Sean Murphy. 3pm: Caledonian Inn Joe McVeigh Cup final.
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