Experience holds key over youth

IT is doubtful that even the most perceptive punter would have predicted last spring that the protagonists in this year's IFC showdown would be Donaghmore/Ashbourne and Castletown.

Both had shown signs in recent years of producing the kind of form that would take them far in a grade that is notoriously difficult to win. Yet neither could be regarded as championship winning material.

And the way both started their championship campaigns this year would not have inspired a wavering punter to put the mortgage on either outfit making it through to the final.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne lost their opening game to Carnaross while Castletown were required to dig deep to get past Na Fianna in the opening round. Hardly inspiring stuff.

Yet here they are about to take on each other in Sunday's IFC final. It's 15 years since Castletown were last in the mix for the Keegan Cup. They won the IFC in 1976 and apart from the occasional encouraging result they found life inhospitable in the senior ranks.

In the days before automatic relegation they themselves requested a return to the intermediate grade to rebuild and start again. Donaghmore/Ashbourne have remained steady in the grade for most of the past 50 years. 

Castletown perhaps were not expecting to stay this long in the second tier with promising starts to the championship often petering out.

Having drawn one and lost two of their five group games Castletown just about made it into the quarter-final. They had to rely on other results to see them through. Then there was an up and down encounter with Dunderry in the last eight.

It looked for a time in that game that Castletown had lost their way. A few changes were made, Alan Smyth came on and rattled home a late goal. It was a close run thing. 

Time and again they have had to comeback from the precipice, delving into their resources of character and commitment. Usually they have pulled through.

One of their easiest victories in the campaign was the semi-final win over Gaeil Colmcille with Castletown taking an early stranglehold before cruising to victory with greater ease than the 0-10 to 0-6 scoreline suggests.

It was the character of the team that managers Sean Barry and Sean Kelly have alluded to on a number of occasions. That, and the willingness to work hard in training and on match days.

It could also be added that among Castletown's greatest strengths is the managerial combination of Barry and Kelly.

Both men have shown that they know how to shape a team at inter-county level, working together as selectors with the Meath minor team that won last year's Leinster final. They have a wealth of experience with local clubs.

Few people know as much about players in Meath than Kelly, who guided St. Ultan's to the JFC last year. Barry is a wily user of resources. Both men think deeply about the game and know what is required.

The word is that they have made the training interesting and varied. The players have no difficulty in putting in effort - and it has paid off.

Their counterpart Andy McEntee has shown himself to be a young manager with real promise. A former stalwart with Nobber and Dunboyne he and his selectors have moulded a formidable young team, taking players from Donaghmore/Ashbourne's productive under-age set up.

Despite their youth players such as David Morgan, Cormac McGill and Niall Farrell emerged as genuinely talented performers. They are bulked up by a number of players who helped them win under age titles in recent years. 

Sunday's finalists are sharply different in their age profiles. Castletown have a mix of youngsters and seasoned campaigners. Donaghmore/Ashbourne are a team with time on their side. They are the future. Manager Andy McEntee points out that the average age is just 22. The oldest is Ian Dowd and he's hardly a veteran at just 27.

The Castletown experience is provided by players such as the evergreen Aidan Young and Derek Clarke. Yet there are plenty of young, talented performers in the side. Jonathan Ginnity and Ger Farrelly were on the Meath minor team last year. Shane Farrelly is still in his teens. Overall though, Castletown are a more seasoned team.

Castletown may have crossed a significant psychological barrier in winning a semi-final at Pairc Tailteann. They have played four IFC semi-finals since 1995 without success. Now they have shown they can do the business on the big stage.

The Castletown half-forwards can cause significant damage when they move back to deep positions and run at opposition defences. Defensively they are strong with Kevin Barry one of their most consistent performers this year. He was his team's man of the match in the semi-final.

The manner in which Donaghmore/Ashbourne disposed of Nobber was extremely impressive, with hard work allied to some slick finishing. McEntee, who has settled well into his new role, has been pleased with way his young players have responded to the various difficulties they have encountered along the way.

It has been a sharp learning curve for his young guns. They appear to have absorbed some valuable lessons. It should be recalled they won three of their four group games. 

Still, Barry and Kelly are also shrewd observers of the game and Castletown might just have too much experience for their youthful opponents. Donaghmore / Ashbourne will have their day, it may not be on Sunday.