Can Kiltale keep the bid for four alive?

Can Kiltale win the four-in-a-row? Nothing has happened since early summer to suggest they can’t. 

It is the question that hung over the SHC before even a sliotar was struck in anger, or a point registered on a scoreboard - and it still hangs there, a tantalising conundrum that may, or may not, be answered this weekend.

Not suprisingly Kiltale’s manager Cathal Sheridan says that the four-in-row hasn’t been mentioned in his team’s camp ahead of the semi-final encounter against neighbours Kimessan. It’s one game at a time and all that.

Sifting through the evidence available it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that Kiltale will overcome Kilmessan, book their place in another final. 

What is such certainty based on?

For starters there is the argument that Kiltale have the most talented panel of players in the county.

That luxury ensures that when injury strikes, others are waiting in the wings all too willing and able to step up to the plate.

Then there is the form the reigning champions have shown in the championship so far with victories, sometimes resounding victories, against Kildalkey, Killyon, Blackhall Gaels and Boardsmill. Not that manager Sheridan is reading too much into those wins. 

“We’ve had a good championship campaign so far, but we’re down to the business end of things now and I remember in 2007 we had an average enough group campaign, were lucky to win the quarter-final but we ended up winning the championship that year, things can change a lot between the group stages and knock-out stages,” he said. 

Kiltale have also been implicated in an embarrassing episode in this year’s championship - although it had nothing to do with them - when they were given a walkover by Dunderry.

What does that say about the SHC? One thing it did mean is that Kiltale had a game less than any other team in the championship.

To maintain sharpness they embarked of challenges against teams from Dublin and Westmeath in recent weeks as well as Bennettsbridge in Kilkenny, where they narrowly lost.

“It is a help to Kilmessan having had a real tough game against Killyon in the quarter-finals and while we’ve had challenge games to keep us ticking over they are not the same,” added Sheridan.

His job is to keep a lid on the expectations and, as if to ward off any sense of complacency, he points out the Kilmessan clash is a local derby and therefore can be something of a lottery. He points to Kilmessan’s tradition.

“You can never, never write them off.”

Kilmessan are more than happy to get into this clash as underdogs. 

“We might as well not turn up at all,” said one member of the Kilmessan camp to this correspondent after the victory over Killyon. He said it with a twinkle in the eye clearly expecting, hoping, his team is given little or no chance. 

Yet Kilmessan are, well, Kilmessan, the club, who are the only team in the county ever to win a six-in-row (1943 to 1948) and they showed in the quarter-final victory over Killyon the kind of gritty approach that hinted at steel in their ranks.

Granted a reprieve with Paddy O’Rourke’s late goal in normal time they defeated Killyon 3-21 to 1-23 in the quarter-finals after extra-time. 

That was a game in which Steven Clynch had a big influence. He bagged five points against Killyon, three of them boominig efforts from play that indicated he still has the the sheer class to make a difference.

Others such as Kevin Keena, Joey Keena, Kevin Reilly and Darren Reilly will ensure a testing contest for Kiltale. 

“What happened (against Killyon) shows that heart and guts will get you over the line,” Kilmessan manager Anton O’Neill memorably said after their quarter-final victory.

Kilmessan will no doubt once again show plenty of heart and guts against Kiltale. However, it is unlikely to be enough to stop Sheridan’s troops march to another final.