For the second successive season The Nire and Rathgormack will lock horns in the Co. Senior football Final with the Ballymacarbry men vying for back to back titles while Rathgormack are aiming to win the title for the first time since 2019.
Rathgormack are contesting their fourth County final in a row as they disposed of Gaultier in last weekend's semi-final (3-7 to 0-6) with Déise attacker Conor Murray hitting 2-2.
The Nire were comfortable 2-12 to 0-6 winners over Ballinacourty last Sunday with Aaron Ryan and Dylan Guiry raising green flags for Michael Ryan's charges.
The Nire will face Rathgormack in the Waterford SFC Final next weekend at Walsh Park #WLRSport @NireFourmile @WaterfordGAA https://t.co/Kmgwh44u6X
— WLR (@wlrfm) October 23, 2022
Former Waterford star Tommy Prendergast featured on Monday evening's "On The Ball" programme and the Kilrossanty man admitted that the two standout teams are contesting this weekend's showpiece in Walsh Park; "I suppose realistically when you look at the start of the year if you were going to pick two teams again you would have been picking the two of them maybe with Ballinacourty pushing and like that again, Gaultier. Gaultier are knocking on the door with a while there but you would have been realistically going by the form again this year, the two best teams in the county".
Both sides possess two brilliant free takers in Dermot Ryan and Jason Curry, two inter-county stars who have been knocking over scores for fun so far in this year's club Championship. Ryan nailed five placed balls last weekend while Curry did likewise for Rathgormack, these two will have a big bearing on the outcome of Sunday's decider and both defences will be very weary of conceding frees anywhere from the 45 metre line in.
Tommy Prendergast believes midfield will be a real cauldron on Sunday as both sides will seek to get on top in this vital department; "If you go into the midfield area, The Nire's midfield is very strong, Tholom (Guiry) and Sean Walsh there, that's a big area so like Michael Curry whose nearly embedded in there at this stage, he's a serious midfielder and they've Hennebry too so that to me is a key area. If Rathgormack can hold the two boys I think it'll give them every chance going forward, I think both teams like to attack so the half-back half-forward line is going to be crucial, Rathgormack love that running game, they both pretty much play a similar style".
There promises to be some intriguing battles all over the pitch and no doubt there'll be plenty of noise in the stands as well as these great Comeragh rivals go head to head on the biggest day in the Waterford club football calendar.
WLR will bring you all the action live from 1:45pm on Sunday thanks to George Corbett Skoda, with commentary team Kieran O' Connor and Gary Hurney.
The opening Co. Final of the weekend will take place in Kill on Saturday afternoon as St. Molleran's and Shamrocks face off in the Junior "A" Football decider (2pm throw-in).
The Intermediate Final will take place on Bank Holiday Monday (31/10) in Walsh Park at 2pm where Roanmore await the winners of Wednesday night's Western Final between neighbours Ballinameela and Modeligo (8pm in Fraher Field).
A Halloween Weekend full of @JJKavanaghBuses Football Final Action! 🎃
Full fixture details below ⬇️
Purchase your tickets🎟️https://t.co/HffetT93v2 pic.twitter.com/bid51gHauF— Waterford GAA (@WaterfordGAA) October 24, 2022
