Tones facing formidable Crokes challenge

If Wolfe Tones were hoping to get an easy game to kick-start their Leinster Club SFC campaign they certainly didn't get their wish when they were picked out of the hat to play Dublin champions Kilmacud Crokes.

The sides meet in a quarter-final encounter at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday, 1.30pm and the Crokes will start as raging favouries to win - and it's difficult not to agree with that assessment.

After all the Crokes are one of the most powerful GAA clubs on the island of Ireland - a fact demonstrated in the way they not only won the Dublin SFC this year (their ninth title at that grade) they repeated the feat in hurling aswell.

They have won the All-Ireland SFC title twice in their history (2009 and 1995), another indication of their power. They overcame St Jude's in this year's Dublin SFC final final with the help of a Callum Pearson point in deep into injury time. The Crokes manager is Robbie Brennan, who was in charge of the Dunboyne seniors at one stage in his coaching career. Against St Jude's, Crokes looked like they were going to lose but they came back to win. They showed character.

They will bring a formidable side indeed to Navan with players such Paul Mannion, Andy McGowan and Craig Dias just part of a potent force, ensuring Wolfe Tones will go into the final as complete underdogs - a tag, you suspect, they are perfectly happy to wear.

They were underdogs going into the Meath SFC decider as well with many feeling Dunboyne would take home the Keegan Cup. It didn't happen as Micheal McDermott's side conjured up a powerful, cohesive performance to win 1-9 to 0-9. The most compelling aspect about Wolfe Tones this year is that manager McDermott has used his alchemy to mesh the Tones into a powerful force. He has shown the qualities of a skilled coach - a leader - by getting the best of players, encouraging them to express themselves and become better. He has helped revitalise the careers of some.

Shane Glynn, Cian Ward, Oisin Martin, Thomas O'Reilly and Conor Sheppard are among those who have had a truly memorable year. The Meath champions will cause the Crokes plenty of problems. They will make them work but in the end the Dublin side should shade it.