PREVIEW: Kilkerley Emmets and St Bride’s have their sights on a big prize

PREVIEW: CTI Business Solutions IFC final

Last year’s happenings are probably the last thing on Kilkerley Emmets’ minds as they prepare for Saturday’s intermediate championship final. And maybe not.

As one who’s likely to be giving the talk prior to taking his team on to Darver’s main pitch, Shane Lennon, filling the role of player-coach, might just ask the question: “You know what it was like after the match against Mattock twelve months ago – do you want a repeat.” If the answer’s not a resounding ‘no’, the former county star has a problem on his hands.

And when they make it onto the field on Saturday evening, Emmets will be faced by neighbours and keen rivals, St Bride’s. It’s a mouth-watering clash, one that would have packed out any venue in the county had life been normal. But it’s not normal, and because of Covid-19 restrictions, it’s only the very lucky two hundred or so who’ll be able to take in the action. But there’s some consolation for the others: the action’s being screened and will be available on screen.

Impressive throughout the preliminaries, Kilkerley hit a roadblock in their clash with Mattock Rangers in the 2019 decider, at Dunleer . They simply couldn’t get into the swing of things, and with David Reid popping them over from all angles, Mattock, who would go on to provincial glory, ended the proverbial mile clear.

The intermediate grade, however, is not all about bad memories. When the competition was revived in 1978, a Kilkerley team that had the likes of JP O’Kane and Shane Lennon’s father, Terry, as stalwarts, were first winners of the Seamus Flood Cup. In more modern times, there was the 2015 win, luckless Clan na Gael comfortably disposed of Haggardstown’s McGeough Park.

St Bride’s have yet to get their hands on the Seamus Flood Cup, which might come as a surprise to those who know the Knockbridge club’s history. They were beaten in the 2013 final by Geraldines, a game remembered for Jim McEneanery’s accuracy from play and frees for the winners.

But back in the 1930s, the village’s representatives were successful in the senior championship, and 18 years ago made another appearance in the final, a Aaron Hoey-inspired side going close to beating Mattock Rangers at Ardee.

Hoey was in his late twenties then; almost two decades on and he’s still lining out in the red jersey. On Sunday last the long-serving county player made an appearance in the last quarter as Bride’s put the seal on a hard-earned but thoroughly deserved win over those doughty championship battlers, Sean O’Mahony’s, and you would have to say he wasn’t the slowest to get around the field.

It’s unlikely coach, Dromintee man, Declan McCoy, and his sideline cohorts will give a start to Hoey, but they know he could do a trick for them if the need arises late on.

It’s a well balanced Bride’s side, one that plays the game with a lot of pace. Cillian Kirk, Conor Deane and David Kelly are strong at the back, and when they team up at midfield, Patrick Reilly and Liam Molloy can be a match for the best.

Sean Marry can, as they say, take a score, but more than that he’s more than a handful for whichever centre-half’s sent out to mark him. Emmets Kirk, Andrew Smith and Kevin Hearty are more than adequate allies.

It goes without say that whoever McCoy entrusts with the task of shadowing Shane Lennon will have to be right on top of his game. Lennon had a great record in county football, and it’s been unsurpassed at club level. He loves the big occasion, as witnessed of the 2015 final, when he got a bagful of scores in the defeat of Clans. As he fills his other role, the No 14 will, no doubt, bend the ear of his good friend, Oisin McConville.

Tadhg McEneaney is following in the footsteps of his more experienced colleague, racking up some impressive tallies in this interrupted season. The two Ciarans, McGlynn and Bellew, are part of a very solid half-back line, and Ewan McEnteggart and Conor Quigley complement each other at midfield.

This has the makings of a great final. It’s being played in exceptional circumstances, but all that’s going on will be ignored when the thirty players step over the white line. There’s a big prize and that’s where all eyes will be focussed.