Boardsmill picked to edge tight IHC B decider

There was an air of inevitability that Wolfe Tones and Boardsmill would meet in the Meath IHC B final on Sunday (11.30am) with Athboy providing the stage for a closely contested decider.

In the Meath Chronicle preview back in July Tom Gannon predicted that "Wolfe Tones and Boardsmill are expected to battle it out at the business end for the title". How right he has proven to be.

There has been little to separate the two sides throughout the championship, and their meeting earlier in the campaign provided ample evidence of that.

When the teams met in in July, they could not be separated, finishing level at 1-13 apiece.

The Tones led by seven points at one stage before a strong Boardsmill response brought them back into contention, while Evan Curley's late free ultimately secured the draw for Wolfe Tones.

That was in stark contrast to their league meeting back in April when Wolfe Tones won 2-11 to 0-6.

After their opening round draw Wolfe Tones saw off Kiltale, while Boardsmill edged out Kildalkey. Subsequent wins over Kilmessan and Kiltale respectively were followed by another form indicator with Tones held by Trim, while Boardsmill crushed Kilmessan.

Wolfe Tones secured their place in the final with an impressive 4-16 to 1-15 victory over Kildalkey. They produced a particularly powerful first-half performance, opening up a 3-10 to 1-6 interval lead before managing the game effectively after the break. Evan Curley was once again central to their performance, contributing nine points, while Sean McKeown, Conor Sheppard and Éanna Harrington all found the net.

After being beaten by Trim in round five, Boardsmill had to negotiate a semi-final against their neighbours Trim and came through with an eight-point victory.

They made a blistering start at Devenish Park, with goals from Stevie Gibbons and Eamonn Roche helping them establish a commanding advantage. Trim fought back in the second half, but Cathal Wall's late goal finally ended any prospect of a comeback as Boardsmill progressed on a 3-15 to 1-13 scoreline.

Wolfe Tones have already demonstrated their ability to produce a high-scoring attacking performance, while Boardsmill showed against Trim that they possess the goal threat to punish defensive mistakes. Gibbons' contribution will be one to watch after his influential semi-final display.

The negligible gap between the sides was also evident in their league as they both finished on 10 points, behind O'Mahonys and Donaghmore/Ashbourne on score difference only.

That closeness has carried into the championship itself. The earlier draw means neither side enters the final with the psychological advantage of having already beaten the other, and the game could once again come down to fine margins.

For Wolfe Tones, the accuracy of Curley and the attacking threat provided by players such as McKeown, Sheppard, Harrington and their Meath star Eoghan Donegan will be crucial.

Boardsmill will look to build on the attacking efficiency that saw them score three goals against Trim while maintaining the defensive discipline required to contain a Tones side capable of putting up a substantial total.

With promotion and silverware on the line, Athboy should witness a fascinating final between two teams who have been closely matched all season. After their 1-13 apiece draw earlier in the campaign, there will be no room for anything less than a full 60-minute performance from both and Boardsmill are fancied to gain revenge for their loss to the Tones in the 2020 final.