No comparing the importance of them of course, with the outcome of Sunday’s league tie of little more than academic interest alongside the June 1st showdown that has a place in the provincial final as the lucrative prize for the victors.

That said however, it would be wrong to treat next Sunday’s game with anything other than serious intent.

For starters the psychological value of victory in advance of the Semple Stadium championship showdown shouldn’t be underestimated, although the reality is that next Sunday is unlikely to have any major bearing on the events that will unfold on that first Sunday in June.

Technically both ourselves and the Shannonsiders are battling to avoid relegation from the top flight in the league, but with Derry pointless at the bottom of the group its as near to certain as makes no difference that it is the northerners - they come to Walsh Park on Sunday week - who will be plying their trade in the lower division next time.

As I write I’m not privy to the selectorial deliberations, but with most of the relegation pressure off I’ll be surprised if Sunday’s game isn’t given over to a greater level of experimentation than has hitherto been the case.

In any event John Mullane and Ken McGrath remain sidelined, but it could be that Seamas Prendergast will be ready to return for what would his first action of the league campaign to date.

And say what one may about the strapping Ardmore clubman, he has been sorely missed around the fringe of the square in what was our unsuccessful, if unlucky, challenge to remain in league title contention.

Limerick’s league form has been even more inconsistent than our own, and new boss Dave Keane has come under unexpected pressure so early into his managerial term.

He’ll be more than anxious to get back onto a winning track, and where better to do so than on their own Kilmallock patch on Sunday. It would be a nice one to win, and I hope every player will approach the game in a determined frame of mind.

I know that players on both sides will have their minds at least partially focussed on June 1st, but Sunday’s game is there to be won and that should be the primary objective of our trek to Kilmallock.

The sense of countywide relief that greeted the confirmation of a four week ban on Ken McGrath was palpable.

Justice was undoubtedly done by the Games Administration Committee, but until their verdict was etched in stone there was the genuine fear that Ken might be scape-goated for a past event!

We all saw how John Mullane had been dealt with by a committee that had no independent evidence to be guided by.

Yet the De Las Salle clubman was slapped a three month suspension that has already seen him miss out on vital league ties and will have him still sidelined when we play Kerry in the first round of the Munster championship.

It was in the wake of that blatant injustice that we awaited the verdict on Ken with understandable trepidation.

But equipped with video evidence, and supported by County Board chairman Paddy Joe Ryan and PRO Paddy Dunphy, the members of the GAC were quickly and decisively convinced that the red card brandished to him by Westmeath referee Barry Kelly was - in a sentence - way over the top.

It’s a huge relief then to know that our most influential player will be available to club and county from Sunday week.

It may well be however that Ken is now something of a ‘marked man’ and he would be well advised to take that possibility on board. Neither Waterford nor Mount Sion can afford to be without this rich and rare talent even for one game let alone two, three, or more.

One final word on Ken. His selection as the WLR FM/Lawlors Hotel GAA Sports Personality Of The Year last Saturday night was pretty well “as expected” and went down the proverbial bomb with everyone at the function.

Coupled with his earlier selection as the Park Hotel’s Waterford Supreme Sport Star Of The Year (2002)it has certainly brought the curtain fittingly down on the momentous twelve months to date in the exciting career of this gifted sportsman.

With a major drainage and resurfacing scheme set to get under way at Fraher Field this week, the famous Old Boro venue will remain closed until at least the end of August.

That’s a significant blow to both the Western and County Boards, but given the necessity, indeed the urgency, of the work it is totally unavoidable.

As a consequence the Waterford/Tipperary Munster senior football championship game next month has been switched to Walsh Park as has the Waterford/Clare game in the Under 21 football championship.

The closure certainly comes at an inopportune time and will cause more than a few problems for officialdom in trying to sort out alternative venues for the busy championship months that lie ahead.

On the other side of the coin of course venues that wouldn’t ordinarily be under consideration for important games will now benefit from the closure of Fraher Field. As the old adage goes it’s an ill wind...!

All credit to the Western Board for sticking by its guns to play all the first round games in the divisional Under 21 A and B hurling championship games this coming Sunday.

That said however, it’s unfortunate that Stradbally will have to take on St. Mary’s in their first round B game without the services of their senior inter county player Michael Walsh who will almost certainly be on duty with Waterford in the National League game against Limerick.

There are four first round games in the A championship down for decision with Sunday afternoon’s doubleheader at the Cappoquin venue brimful of promise and expectancy.

Fourmilewater and Lismore get the action under way at 2 o’clock and with the bulk of the side that so unluckily lost last year’s divisional decider to eventual county champions by a solitary point still eligible in the grade Fourmile’ will be fancying their chances more than a little here.

Lismore of course can never be taken for granted at this level, and rest assured they’ll not go down easily, if at all. Still on balance the odds would seem to be tilted in Fourmilewater’s favour and they are given the vote to garner the spoils after what should be a rousing battle.

Defending divisional and county champions Tallow put both titles on the line in the second game in Cappoquin when they engage neighbours Ballyduff in a real local derby affair (3.15).

The titleholders will have a significant number of last year’s players again available, including current county senior panellist Paul O’Brien.

The Kearney twins, Paul and Aidan, are a year older and will be all the better for it, and all round this looks a really formidable Tallow outfit.

Ballyduff however will relish the local derby element and can be relied upon to give it their very best shot. That said however, it will be a surprise of significant proportions if the defending champions fall at this first hurdle. Frankly I don’t see it happening.

In the remaining two first round games Abbeyside may shade a tight one against St. Olivers at Colligan (3 o’clock), while the Dungarvan/Kilrossanty combination just might have enough in the tank to edge out former champions Ardmore. This one has been pencilled in for the Ring venue, also with a 3 o’clock throw in time.

With Clashmore already assured of a semi-final place thanks to the luck of the draw which gave them a bye, just three first round games will be played in the B championship on Sunday. All three will have a 3 p.m.start.

Brickey Rangers against Gaeltacht could be the pick of them, with this one being played at the Abbeyside venue.

Colligan will be strongly fancied to send Cappoquin packing at Touraneena, but the Stradbally/St. Mary’s game at the Dungarvanclub grounds has that wide open look about it.

If Stradbally have the services of Michael Walsh I would strongly fancy them to advance but if, as expected, Walsh lines out with Waterford in the National League against Limerick in Kilmallock the odds may be marginally in favour of a St. Mary’s win.

The first weekend of May, the bank holiday weekend, will feature both the Western Under 21 A and B football championship finals.

The ‘big one’, the eagerly awaited A decider between the Nire and Ballinacourty, will be played in Cappoquin on the Sunday at 3 o’clock and if ever a final was to be looked forward to this is the one. It promises to be a battle royal, and we’ll have a much more indepth look at it in a few weeks time D.V.

The B final between Stradbally and Kilgobinet also has the makings of a thriller and is one not to be missed. It goes ahead at Leamybrien on the Friday evening (May 2nd) with a 6.45 start. More anon!

A rather important meeting of the County Board takes place in Dungarvan next Monday night when a serious look will be taken at the first round senior hurling and football championship games, and more importantly, when it is proposed to play them.

The weekend of April 26th/27th had originally been pencilled if, as has now happened, we failed to remaining in National Hurling League contention going into the second phase.

Now it seems that the screw is being turned to have the ties postponed until after our probable Munster hurling semi-final against Limerick on June 1st.

Quite honestly that would be a crazy move and one certain to ensure another late late finish to both senior championships.

Even if we were to lose to Limerick in the hurling semi-final we will be in action in the qualifiers on the weekend of June 14th/15gth so there is no way club championship games will be played in advance of that date.

And what if our title hopes (Munster or All-Ireland) remain alive for longer?

If County Board has any sense (and I believe it has) then as many first round games in both domestic senior championships will be played before this present month of April has run its course.

If not we will pay a heavy penalty when the autumn and winter months arrive.

It’s nice when readers go to the trouble to make a telephone call to express thanks and appreciation about the column and its contents. It doesn’t happen all that often to be sure, therefore it is appreciated all the more when it does.

Our recent tribute to the phenomenal achievements of the greatest group of young players ever to represent the Ardmore club was very well received throughout the parish. Three county Under 21 A football championship titles in a row was the icing on the cake for them, an achievement I’m certainly unlikely to see emulated in my life time.

That doyen of Ardmore clubmen, Paddy Foley, was in touch to inform us that half a dozen players were involved in all three title winning campaigns.

The sextet were Billy Harty, Paddy’s son Eoin, Declan Prendergast, the Hennessy brothers Richie and Niall and their first cousin Wayne Hennessy.

The Ardmore juvenile club came into being in 1982 with Paddy Foley a founding member and he served loyally and efficiently as secretary without interruption for all of twenty years.

Paddy recalls that they won their first Under 12 championship in 1991, and two years they brought off a treble - the Under 14 hurling and football and the Under 16 hurling championships.

Minor and Under 21 titles followed in subsequent years, and I would hazard the guess that they rate their most famous championship title win of all as the Under 21 A hurling victory over famed Mount Sion at Fraher Field.

My thanks again to Paddy Foley, and at the risk of repetition the column salutes a group of young players whom we may never see the likes of again.

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