AIB All-Ireland Club Senior Football Championship final: Kilmacud Croke’s (Dublin) v Eoghan Rua, Kilcoo (Down) (today, Croke Park, 5pm – live on TG4)
REDEMPTION or regret – what’s it to be? Just like a couple of years ago, the village of Kilcoo will empty this morning as a community fuelled with hope hits the road for another shot at the big one.
After years of trying, Down was eventually conquered and subsequently dominated. Unsurprisingly, Ulster proved a tougher nut to crack, but they got there. Two in-a-row champions, the Magpies will take some knocking from their provincial perch should they get back there again.
For now, though, scaling the highest peak is all that matters. It was all that mattered in 2020 too but, having finally ended the search for the Seamus MacFerran Cup, there was comfort and consolation when a magical campaign drew to a disappointing close.
And then there was the Corofin factor. Few fancied Kilcoo’s chances that day but they gave the all-conquering Connacht kingpins hell before the three in-a-row was completed after extra-time.
Against Kilmacud Croke’s this evening, it’s Kilcoo who are the fancied force – marginally. There is no element of surprise, any shock factor long gone.
Now in their third year under Mickey Moran and Gilligan, Kilcoo have responded to that setback as you would expect; they have evolved and improved.
Younger players like Ryan McEvoy, Miceal Rooney and Shealan Johnston have blossomed into top class operators while Ceilum Doherty – ruled out through injury two years ago – adds drive and dynamism.
Conor Laverty may not light up the scoreboard as he once did but his game management remains every big as important to the Magpies. If any example is needed, go and watch extra-time from the semi-final win over St Finbarr’s.
Darryl Branagan barely featured through the Down championship and when finally handed a start in the county final, limped off after 20 minutes with a hamstring injury. Typically, though, his campaign caught fire when the biggest days came around.
St Finbarr’s asked the kind of questions Kilcoo hadn’t needed to answer through Down or Ulster. On a Portlaoise pitch with the same dimensions as Croke Park – and coming a fortnight after the Ulster final drubbing of Derrygonnelly - it was the perfect preparation for today’s All-Ireland final, even if bodies were left battered and bruised.
The provincial semi with Glen, Maghera was a chess match, where a huge, aggressive Barr’s side brought a physicality that forced the Magpies from their rhythm. In the first half especially, Kilcoo were turned over time and again, while an uncharacteristically high amount of frees conceded played right into the hands of Steven Sherlock, who barely missed a beat all day.
Only in extra-time did the Magpies manage to exert any control over proceedings, their fitness levels putting a tiring St Finbarr’s to the sword in the end.
Despite the relative success of the Cork side’s approach, Kilmacud are highly unlikely to follow that lead today. Since being ambushed by Mullinaghta in the dying moments of the 2018 Leinster final, the Croke’s are made much more in the Kilcoo mould, playing a patient brand of football that could see a similar final to Corofin 2020 unfold.
The driving runs of the experienced Craig Dias from midfield continue to catch the eye, and he can expect Kilcoo’s dog of war Dylan Ward for company today.
Paul Mannion’s ability to score from anywhere was central as, like Kilcoo, they struggled to find top form on the way to the county title. He also bagged 0-6 in the Leinster quarter-final win over Wolfe Tone’s before dragging Kilmacud across the line against Portarlington.
A knee injury has ruled Mannion out since that Leinster semi, and he is expected to miss out again today. Robbie Brennan’s men have had a greater spread of scorers without the three-time Allstar, while the pace of Dara Mullin and the ingenuity of Tom Fox is enough to worry any back line.
But, in an All-Ireland final where every inch is massive, his absence could be most keenly felt when they need him most.
Extra-time is absolutely not out of the question today, while the role of the benches could be critical. Subs Conor Casey and the pacy Cian O’Connor have made a huge impact for Kilmacud, and the southsiders might fancy their chances if they can keep Kilcoo in the trenches until the latter stages.
Having already played at Croke Park twice on their way to Leinster glory, they know the terrain better too, a run out on the sacred sod last Sunday morning representing a first return for Kilcoo since January 2020.
But if it comes down to a staring match to decide who lifts the Andy Merrigan Cup, experience tells you it won’t be the Magpies who blink first. Redemption, and the mother of all celebrations, awaits.
