Cill Chomáin on a mission but Islandeady stand firmly in their way

Last year's TF Royal Hotel JFC A beaten finalists Cill Chomáin have been on a mission every since losing that decider to Kilmeena, who went on to great heights after annexing the county title.

The Erris club have reached a second successive decider this year but they won't get anything easy against Islandeady in tomorrow's final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar (12.30 p.m.).

Manager Paul McGarry feels the team has learned from that game against Kilmeena last year, however.

“Being there last year will hopefully be a help to us,” he said. “We were probably a bit unlucky with the goal Kilmeena got before half-time last year. The experience of that game should stand to us this year.”

Does it add to the pressure this year though? “Every final has pressure. It's the same as last year. We just hope the hurt of last year's loss will help us this year. Early on in that game we made a lot of mistakes, forced the game and gave away a lot of ball, so I think we'll just have to settle into the game (on Sunday) and try and cut out the mistakes.

“You have to hand it to Kilmeena – we did say to them after last year's final that they could go all the way, and they did. And now they're in the intermediate final this year, and they've a great chance of winning that. So it just shows you the level that they're at.”

Cill Chomáin had a close shave against Killala in the semi-final, a game they were expected to win with relative ease.

McGarry observed: “They (Killala) beat Swinford in the quarterfinals and we knew it was going to be tough. We had the lads ready for that. A lot of people thought we would win by seven or eight points but we knew it would be hard, and fair play to the lads, they battled it out and got the win. Hopefully that will stand to us in the final.”

They certainly look to be in great physical condition for any battle. “We screen them at the start of the year and in fairness to the lads, they are doing the work themselves,” the manager said. “They're all good athletes, and that's a credit to the work they're doing in their own time, getting themselves ready.”

What about tomorrow's opponents? “Islandeady are a good team," said McGarry. "They finished mid-table in Division 2. They're a big, strong, physical team. They're going to be hard beaten; there's no point saying otherwise. But we'll be hard beaten too.”

For Justin Healy, one of Cill Chomáin's star players, last year's defeat gave them extra impetus this year. “The feeling after last year's defeat was devastating, and for the couple of months after that too. But it was the first time getting to a final while Kilmeena had been there the year before, so we knew they were favourites.

"Then it was just about getting back at it this year and knowing we had to work harder to get close to it again. That's what we've done, and thankfully we've found a way back to the final.”

EXCITEMENT

Islandeady’s Peter Collins has been enjoying the feeling of excitement leading up to the decider against Cill Chomáin tomorrow.

He said: “There’s a good buzz to have around the underage structure of the club looking at a team getting to a final. Hopefully that can have an influence. There is players coming through so yeah, everything is good. We have three or four new players come through this year, which has given us a lift.

"The last two seasons were difficult to take. We got comprehensively beaten by our near neighbours (Kilmeena) last year in the county semi-final. That was tough to take but Kilmeena are a quality side. The year before in the relegation final (against Swinford), that was hard to take. But you bounce back. That’s sport and that’s life and you have to be resilient.”

Islandeady were last in a junior final 11 years again, a game in which they defeated Ardnaree. The year before that they lost to Parke. Peter can recall both of those games.

He recalled: “If you rewind back further, we were beaten by Achill in a county final in 2007. We played in a few semi-finals then before the Parke final in 2010. We bounced back and won in 2011. Then we were an intermediate team until 2020.”

And this year's run so far? “I found the quality in junior championship this year very high. We played Killala at home. They pushed us every step of the way and they were unlucky in some ways. It was a dreadful day weather-wise.

“The quarterfinal against Ardagh, they pushed us all the way too. We pulled away at the end and were a bit flattered by the scoreline at the end.

“Eastern Gaels made a surge in this year's championship too. You can see the underage work they’ve put in and you need to have young players come into your adult teams.”

One name that has come up in recent weeks is Brian O’Flaherty, who has put in impressive performances in goal for Islandeady and has scored some big points also.

“He’s given us a lot of positives this year in his goalkeeping and impressed both defensively and offensively, kicking frees,” said Peter. “But that’s one part of our team and collectively, we work as a team.”

As for Cill Chomáin, Peter agrees they will probably be seen as favourites after reaching the final last year. “I watched the county final last year and they pushed Kilmeena all the way, and we saw what Kilmeena did from there. But I think it’ll be an evenly contested final. We’ve played them in the league in the last number of years. There’s not going to be anything in this game. Cill Chomáín are a bit similar to ourselves in that they were intermediate and now back in junior football and want to get back to intermediate football.

“They’re solid defensively, with Eoghan McGrath and Brendan Moran. They don’t leave a lot of scores. Big and strong around the middle of the field. Up front, they have Justin Healy, Dylan Walker and the experienced Derek Moran. We’re under no illusions whatsoever.”

And a final message for Islandeady supporters? “Come out and cheer us on! Hopefully we can deliver a performance for ye in the final.”

Islandeady manager Shane Hopkins also knows that Cill Chomáin will be a formidable opponent, but he believes he now has a nice blend in his team to meet the challenge head on.

“I saw them in the final against Kilmeena last year and we played them earlier in the year in the league, but they were missing a few players so it wasn't a true reflection of them.

"We have a blend of experienced players from 2011 and a few younger players who have come in this year. We've a good bunch of lads who are committed to the job at the moment. We have decent numbers at training. We were lucky too when we started that we didn't have too many lads away.

“You always want to be trading at the highest possible grade and fellas probably felt hard done by in the relegation game two years ago – five points up coming down the home straight against Swinford and got turned over. There was a bit of hurt there from last year as well, but that's no harm – it probably focuses the mind a bit.”

Reporting by Stuart Tynan and Brian Gillespie