PREVIEW: It's Semi-Final weekend in the PTSB Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship

Image courtesy Paul Barrett

The finalists for this year’s PTSB Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship will be decided this coming weekend, with the last-four clashes taking place across Saturday and Sunday in Parnell Park.

With the Intermediate Club Football Championship semi-finals an added attraction as curtain-raisers on both days, a festival of football is guaranteed at the Donnycarney venue with bumper crowds anticipated as eight teams look to secure precious final berths.

THOMAS DAVIS V CASTLEKNOCK (Parnell Park, Saturday, 5.30).

It would be harsh to say that both sides are surprise packages at this advanced stage of the Championship but they’ll be looking to make the most of this great opportunity having avoided favourites Ballyboden St Enda’s and Cuala in the semi-final draw.

Castleknock raised a few eyebrows when overcoming Kilmacud Crokes last Saturday week but many observers were right to fancy them given the absence of Dara Mullin, Shane Walsh and Joe Quigley from the Crokes attack.

Manager Dara Brady has moulded a strong team that has gained confidence from their progress to date with their centrefield pairing of Senan Forker and Kevin Stephenson crucial to their improvement.

Forker has arguably been the most influential midfielder in this year’s renewal while Rob Shaw could justifiably lay claim to the wing-back equivalent.

His four points against Crokes reflects his scoring threat and they’ll also look to the likes of Dylan Clarke and Shairoze Akram to chip in with scores in what is expected to be another tight encounter.

Thomas Davis were equally impressive when getting the better of Ballymun Kickhams at the last-eight stages, winning far more comfortably than the 1-16 to 1-13 scoreline would suggest.

The Tallaght outfit controlled large portions of that match with Fionn Murray’s development this year a crucial aspect of that supremacy.

His brace of two-pointers in the second-half highlighted his ability to keep the team’s scoreboard ticking over with full-forward Mark Nolan scoring their crucial goal.

Seán Benton, Aaron Kennedy, Cian Murphy and Josh Lambert showed serious intent in attacking from deep while Ryan Deegan and Adam Waddick will look to gain at least parity around the middle third.

Their drop-off in the final quarter and inability to make life easier for themselves remains a concern for manager Ciarán Farrelly but they’ve displayed sufficient character in accounting for strong sides such as Na Fianna and Skerries Harps in the group stages.

How they curb Ciarán Kilkenny’s influence will be central to their chances but all evidence points to a contest that will go right down to the wire, with extra-time a distinct possibility.

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S V CUALA (Parnell Park, Sunday, 4.00).

This seismic clash between these southside giants looks equally difficult to call and we can only hope that the teams produce something on a par to their thrilling clash at the corresponding stage last year.

Defending their county, provincial and national titles, Cuala looked on course for victory as they led by seven points by the 55th minute but two goals from the excellent Daire Sweeney, the second in added time, saw Boden time their comeback to perfection, winning by 3-21 to 2-22.

Sweeney remains a central cog in the St Enda’s attack and while they might not hit the scoring heights of twelve months ago, they have enough firepower in their ranks through Colm Basquel, Ryan O’Dwyer, Ross McGarry and Ryan Basquel to post a winning tally.   

At the opposite end of the field, Shane Clayton has assimilated himself back into the side after injury to provide a calming and experienced presence at full-back while there are few more tenacious and feared corner-backs at this level than Cathal Flaherty.

For Cuala, Dublin captain Con O’Callaghan has been a model of consistency in terms of his scoring returns with nine points in each of the three group matches followed by a match-winning 0-8 against Skerries Harps.

The absence of Niall O’Callaghan from their attack is a blow but Conor O’Brien has stepped up at crucial times, including a pivotal 1-2 last Sunday week.

The 2025 All-Ireland winners are probably best served by their half-back line of Eoin Kennedy, David O’Dowd and Charlie McMorrow with the latter developing into a player of the highest calibre.

How the holders deal with their regular sorties into their territory could well decide the outcome while there will be pressure on Céin D’Arcy, Aran Waters and Ciarán Duggan to curb the aerial abilities of Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, Cillian Dunne and Peter Duffy.

The ability to raise more green flags proved the deciding factor last year and with Con O’Callaghan due a goal despite his 0-35 so far this year, that might be just enough to overturn the result of 2025.

Both games will be preceded by the semi-finals of the PTSB Intermediate Football Championship, as Naomh Ólaf, Clann Mhuire, Ballyboughal & Man O'War aim for a place in the Intermediate Final & promotion to the Senior 2 Championship for 2027.

See fixtures below.