Stradbally take on Town in final bid

STRADBALLY of Waterford must travel to Páirc Uí Rinn to take on Cork runners-up Bishopstown this weekend in the semi-final of the AIB Bank Munster club SFC.

The second semi-final between Kilmurry Ibrickane and the Kerry representatives has been deferred until November 21 in Quilty, Co Clare, because the Kerry representatives will only be finalised this weekend, when Laune Rangers play Miltown/Castlemaine.

As a result, the club football final has been put back one week to Sunday, December 5.

The hurling final between Mount Sion and Toomevara has been fixed for Sunday week at Semple Stadium, Thurles. If a replay is necessary it will be played on Sunday, November 28, in either Walsh Park, Waterford or Fraher Field, Dungarvan.

The Leinster Council have been the first to announce their schedule for the 2005 championships, with a meeting last night expected to rubber-stamp the arrangements drawn up by the executive.

Munster are on the point of finalising their fixtures plans and the same applies to the other two provinces.

Leinster will make much more use of Croke Park this year, arising from the unusual situation of having Dublin involved in a first-round game (against Longford). Had they made the semi-finals this year they would have been seeded and first-round games would then have been fixed for other venues.

Two years ago, the Council played three first-round games together in Croke Park and it was a bit of a financial disaster.

“We would never do that again. We would play the games at three separate venues,’’ said Council chairman Nicky Brennan.