Tones tipped to take bragging rights
SFC QUARTER-FINAL PREVIEW
From Simonstown's Proudstown Road grounds to Wolfe Tones' Kilberry venue it is a straight 5km drive. Around six or seven minutes in the car, a handy 20-minute run for any of the senior players from both clubs.
Next Saturday evening the distances between both sets of players will be considerably less as they come face-to-face in an eagerly anticipated SFC quarter-final at Pairc Tailteann (5.l5pm).
Off the back of very different SFC campaigns in 2022 which ended way below expectations for both clubs Simonstown and Wolfe Tones advanced to where they want to be and Wolfe Tones have belief that they can go even further than last year's semi-final and regain the Keegan Cup they won in 2021.
Last year Simonstown found themselves in relegation worry and managed to avoid getting dragged further into the mire when they saw off Ballinabrackey at the first hurdle after a dramatic penalty shootout.
Now the north Navan men are are looking up instead of down and with justifiable cause.
One of the reasons Simonstown are on the rise again is down to the new found defensive fortitude under manager Gordon Ward. The Navanmen are notoriously difficult to break down and Ward has insured that if they are going to be beaten it will take a team with patience and nous to find a way through their rearguard.
Five wins and three draws in A FL Div 1A suggests they built well through the league and honed their style in preparation for the championship.
They conceded just 1-5 against Trim in the opening round of the SFC and after they retook the lead in that game from a Ben Hoey penalty they shut up shop[ superbly to seal the win.
The next day out they conceded 11 points, but more importantly they let in no goals and that allowed them stay in the game against a St Peter's side who were the better team on the day and with that sniff of a chance they pounced for a late goal to snatch the win.
With their place in the quarter-finals secured they gave game time to returning players and shipped 2-13 in their draw with Seneschalstown, but as always Ward will have taken plenty of learnings from that performance.
While Group B was undoubtedly tough, Simonstown are likely to find Wolfe Tones as their hardest test yet.
Wolfe Tones still have the bulk of their championship winning team from '21 to call on and that experience will be crucial in what is sure to be a tight game. When the teams met in the league in April it was the Tones who won 3-8 to 0-7.
Wolfe Tones will need to be patient and cunning and in players like Thomas O'Reilly and Cian Ward they have just the right ammunition to shoot down Simonstown.
Add in the powerful midfield of Alan Callaghan and Adam O'Neill, a teak tough defence that includes Dan O'Neill, Shane Glynn and Stephen Sheppard and additional forwards like Fiachra Ward, Caolan Ward, Tom Gavigan and Oisin Martin and it is easy to understand the belief that backs up Wolfe Tones.
Simonstown will make it difficult. Stephen Moran, Josh Carolan have been excellent for them. while Podge McKeever continues to prove that he is one of the leading attackers in club football.
However, overall Wolfe Tones look to have too much in termns of options and experience of games at this stage and while it could well be tight, it should be the Kilberry/Oristown side who will have the bragging rights around Navan on Saturday night. Verdict - Wolfe Tones.