Experience key as Kiltale tipped for 10th title

Not many people would have predicted that Kilmessan and Kiltale would end up in the SHC decider in Trim on Saturday at 2pm. Many expected Ratoath to breeze to a third SHC title in a row. In fact, they were a shade of odds-on to do so before they were dethroned in the semi-final.

There were big things expected of Trim who have won the Jubilee Cups twice in the last six years and in the other four years they were not a million miles away either. Some would have expected Kildalkey to get a bounce under the guidance of the newly appointed Meath hurling manager Mickey Cole.

Alas though, there are two traditionally very strong hurling clubs left standing. Kilmessan are in search of a 30th SHC title and their first since their last appearance in the decider 13 years ago.

Kiltale have never been far away since their last championship eight years ago and John Donoghue’s side will be hoping to win their 10th SHC title and their first since they completed five in a row between 2014 and 2018.

A youthful, exuberant Kilmessan side bolstered by fantastic talent that have a few u-21 HC medals in their back pockets have come of age sooner than some would have predicted and they really laid a marker down in the group stages.

Chucky Keena’s squad took everyone by surprise with how they manoeuvred to the top of the table and secured an automatic spot in the final despite their loss to Kildalkey in the last round. Their opening round draw with Ratoath laid down the foundations and from there they grew and grew with confidence.

On top of their young talent, Kilmessan have several players with fantastic experience. The likes of Kyle Donnelly, Shane Brennan and Sean Doyle have been fantastic servants to the club. However, as a team, they haven't a huge amount of experience in getting over the line on a big occasion.

What Kilmessan may lack is exactly what Kiltale have bucketloads of. Their stalwarts such as Jack Regan, James Kelly, Peter Durnin and Mark O’Sullivan have been crucial in their journey this year back to the SHC final. Those are just a few of the names within the Kiltale ranks that have “been there and done it”.

Within the starting 15 from Kiltale’s semi-final victory over Ratoath, 10 players featured for them in their 2018 SHC final win over Trim. They are now coming up against a Kilmessan side who only have Brennan and Doyle as survivors from their last SHC title back in 2013.

Kilmessan are fresh, exuberant and young. They will certainly win their 30th Jubilee Cup sooner rather than later and it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they may very well dominate the Meath senior hurling championship in the near future.

However, experience is hard to beat and John Donoghue’s battle-hardened soldiers may just have one last hurrah left in them.