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Although I tried these predictions for the Ulster and they were completely wrong I’ll have another go this time to see if I can get any better.
Pipe Bands
So if you’ve been keeping updated this week these two bands have a history and it will be a heated battle between them. This competition will come down to whoever has the best music and overall puts on the better performance. I think that St Joseph’s Longstone are the more experienced band and will use last year’s All Ireland win as a good confidence boost. The Crimlin Batafada Band hasn’t been at the Fleadh in a few years and they haven’t competed against anyone recently so this may be a disadvantage to them. I think Longstone will just about win this one but it’s gonna be close.
1st St Joseph’s Longstone
2nd Crimlin Batafada Pipe Band
Junior Accordion and Senior Flute
In these two sections there are only one competitor. K and S have recently won All Ireland’s last year and in 2015 but you have to go back ten years to find the last time they beat a band at the All Ireland Fleadh. Obviously on Sunday they will win back to back All Ireland’s and I think the young accordion band will put on a really good performance. In the Senior Flute Maghery are the only competitors they will be aiming to win five All Ireland’s in a row and will no doubt succeed, they are one of the best bands in Ireland currently and I look foreword to watching their new routine.
Senior Flute – 1st Maghery Fife and Drum Band
Junior Accordion- 1st K and S Accordion Band
Junior Miscellaneous
This year there are only two bands there were four last year, the Blanchards Town Marching Band are a new band to Fleadh and it will be interesting to see their performance. It’s always great to see new bands coming to the Fleadh. But ultimately I can only see one outcome with the All Ireland going to Cloich Cheann Fhaola their performance was outstanding at the Ulster Fleadh and their just an experienced band who know what it takes to win the All Ireland. I say this however without knowing anything about their competitors they might surprise me or they might not even be there on Sunday who knows?
1st Cloich Cheann Fhaola Junior
2nd Blanchards Town Marching Band
Senior Miscellaneous
This will be the competition of the day and in my opinion the winner will have to be one of the top bands of the day. I’ll start with Ramelton Town Band, they have struggled a bit since 2016 only managing second place at the last two All Ireland’s I think this year that will continue and honestly they are lucky to be at the All Ireland, I think this will be another disappointing year for them. Foxford Brass and Reed Band will bring a different style to this year’s All Ireland, I think their music will be as good as the rest of the bands but I can’t see their drill being at the same standard of complexity and perfection as the other bands. But they could surprise everyone!
The last two bands are the two main contenders for this title and it’s really a battle between the young and the old. Cloich Cheann Fhaola are a reformed band made of old members of their Junior Band but Donegal town are all so young and have just made the transition to senior. There’s a lot at stake in this competition this year as the winner will have a guaranteed place at next year’s Fleadh, something that isn’t guaranteed anymore as Atticall Band found out this year. It’s a long way back for these bands in 2020 so they will be keen to avoid a fight for places at next year’s Ulster.
It’s going to be such an interesting battle because these two bands are so similar their music and drill are both as good as each other. So on the day I think it’s going to come down to who can perform the best? It will take everything to go right for the winner and I don’t think there will be much between first and second place. Ultimately I think Donegal Towns victory in Castlewellan will give them real belief that they can go against the best bands and win. That may just be enough to beat Cloich Cheann Fhaola who haven’t had any competition experience this year.
I think I’m going to have to go for Donegal Town I was shocked by them at the Ulster they’ve really stepped it up this year and if they can just go up another level they will be able to beat Cloich Cheann Fhaola. After all if anyone knows how to beat them it’s surely them?
1st Donegal Town Band
2nd Cloich Cheann Fhaola
3rd Foxford Brass and Reed Band
4th Ramelton Town Band
Tomorrow we will have live updates from the All Ireland so join us then if you can’t be there! 