By Conor Martin
Four clubs battle to save their Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship status, when the bottom-placed teams from each of the four groups feature this weekend in the relegation play-offs, with the two losers being relegated to Senior 2 football for 2025.
St Sylvesters take on Skerries Harps in the first of the relegation play-offs on Saturday as the two clubs look to end their Championship on a high.
Malahide’s St Sylvesters won their relegation play-off last year, beating Templeogue Synge Street. But just like their performance last year, they failed to win a single group game this year and once again lost all three matches in the group stage.
Sean Guiden can do damage when he’s given service, but the men in blue and green must shake off another disappointing showing in the group stage if they’re to preserve their Senior 1 status.
You could argue that Skerries Harps are unlucky to have just a solitary point to their name from their group stage matches after giving defending champions Kilmacud Crokes a scare in the first game of the Championship before losing to Thomas Davis in a game that was a complete goalfest.
They lost those two games by just two points, and a last-gasp equaliser from St Vincents’ Kalem O’Brien stopped them from securing a first win as it finished 1-7 to 0-10. Paddy Kelly was the coastal club’s goalscorer last time out and he, alongside the likes of Adam Fearon, Greg McEneaney, Killian McGinnis & Ciaran Murphy, make Harps look very dangerous.
Sunday’s action sees Fingallians take on Lucan Sarsfields for a spot in the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship next year.
Fingallians have been underwhelming this Championship and have struggled with the step up to Senior 1 football having been promoted last year.
Oisín Lynch has been one major positive for the Swords side, as they face a challenging task this weekend against a plucky Lucan Sarsfields.
Sarsfields won the relegation play-off last year and now find themselves battling to save their Senior 1 status once again this year.
However, after defeats against Castleknock and Raheny, they played out a thrilling 4-11 to 1-20 draw with Na Fianna.
They’ll look to take the momentum into Sunday’s game as they look to avoid the relegation trapdoor once again.
Alongside their attacking options, Dublin’s Daire Newcombe is a key part of their defence in what should be an exciting encounter.
