SHOCK & AWE

THE big names keep dropping. One after another. Stellar outfits that haven't made it through in a week-and-a-half of absolute carnage on the club football Championship scene.

- BY KARL O'KANE

These include the last three All-Ireland champions - Cuala, Glen and Kilmacud Crokes - who didn't even qualify for their respective county finals.

But to the survivors first.

This won't take long as there were very few of them pulled from the wreckage.

Sligo and Connacht champions Coolera-Strandhill are still alive and fighting after an extra-time draw against Shamrock Gaels in the county final, with a replay to come.

In Derry, holders Newbridge survived their semifinal in contentious circumstances, with Slaughtneil disputing whether Conor Doherty's last-gasp two-point free went over or not.

One of the few favourites to get the job done with something to spare over the weekend were Clare's Éire Óg. The Ennis side defeated St Joseph's Doora-Barefield, 1-16 to 2-6, to secure a fourth title in five years and land a remarkable senior double.

It pretty much stops there. More of the vanquished from a crazy weekend of shocks include club powerhouses Corofin, who completed a first ever All-Ireland three-in-a-row in 2020 and six-time All-Ireland winners Crossmaglen.

The only All-Ireland winner since Ballyboden St Enda's 2016 victory still standing are Down's Kilcoo, who went all the way to national glory in 2022.

The 2017 All-Ireland champions Dr Crokes bit the dust in the Kerry county Championship the weekend before last against Mid-Kerry. But the Killarney outfit could yet get back into the Munster club Championship if a divisional side wins the county title, as they landed the Kerry club Championship a few weeks ago.

With Paudie Clifford out injured, an East Kerry side that won four of the last six county titles were thumped by Rathmore (1-21 to 0-9), despite having David Clifford on board.