The final pairing of the club football championship will be decided this weekend as a semi-final double-header at Tuam Stadium should separate the county's top four teams. The clash of the week sees favourites Salthill/Knocknacarra face defending champions Corofin with a 5pm throw in, while Mountbellew/Moylough take on Caltra in the other last-four tie.

The Claregalway Hotel senior football championship has thrown up some interesting results, especially in the early stages, when Corofin tasted defeat to Michael Breathnach's. However, the 'back-door' handed the All-Ireland runner-up a second chance, which they gladly accepted and have improved with every subsequent game.

Despite struggling for long periods in their quarter-final against Killererin, Corofin showed their class late on and eventually won by three points, with Kieran Fitzgerald and Kieran Comer pushing the champions over the line.

Salthill/Knocknacarra made the last four thanks to a virtuoso display from Sean Armstrong and was ably backed up by the always-dangerous Seamie Crowe against St Brendan's. Their clash with Corofin would have been the dream final, but spectators at Tuam Stadium are in for a treat on Sunday.

Corofin, one of the tightest defences in the province, face one of the most dynamic attacking forces around. How Damien Burke copes against his county colleague Armstrong should be one of the highlights and defining match-ups of the day, with the victor likely to lead his team to the final.

In the opening semi-final the most impressive last round winners, Mountbellew/Moylough take on 2004 All-Ireland champions Caltra. Caltra came through a nail-biting clash against Tuam Stars last time out, when a first-minute goal from Michael Meehan proved the difference and led them to a one-point win.

Mountbellew/Moylough had five points to spare against Annaghdown when a man-of-the-match performance from Joe Bergin and the unerring accuracy of Cathal Kenny proved the difference between the sides.

Four weeks have passed since the respective quarter-finals but the battle-hardened Caltra team should start as slight favourites. Declan Meehan has been experiencing a second coming of sorts and has carried his impressive late-season county form onto the club scene.

How the Mountbellew/Moylough full-back line cope with the razor-sharp triumvrate of Michael Meehan, Shane Hogan and Michael Kelly will be key, and if the Caltra men can be held to eight or nine points Mountbellew/Moylough will be in with a real chance.

Bergin, as usual, should lord midfield and Caltra will aim to smother his influence there with clever kick-outs, but if deployed as an emergency full-forward he can cause havoc as he did late on against Annaghdown.

Both ties are delicately balanced and a kick off the ball is likely to separate them come full time. Nonetheless, should form run true we should see a Salthill/Knocknacarra Caltra final in three weeks time.

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