Ardnaree need to keep Conroy quiet on The Neale’s long trip north
The Neale's Tommy Conroy is among the best players at Intermediate level this year
The Neale will look get their path back to the senior ranks off to a winning start when they take on Ardnaree.
Of course, this is easier said than done. Kiltimagh, Hollymount-Carramore and Ballinrobe have proved over the years how difficult it can be to get out of the ultra-competitive intermediate tier but the Neale are more than capable of bucking that trend, the simple reason being they have the best player in the intermediate championship in one Tommy Conroy.
The Mayo star showed flashes of getting back to his brilliant best over the summer and if he can carry that into the championship, the boarder club will take some stopping.
Not a one-man team by any means, and in the likes of Dylan Keane, Ronan Hughes and Stephen Morrin, the green and white will look to make their stay in intermediate as brief as possible.
Ardnaree had an outside chance of making it out of the group stages last year but defeat to Louisburgh in the final group game put paid to their hopes. 2023 has been a good year for them so far, beating Kiltane in the Sweeney Cup intermediate final while they enjoyed an excellent run in Division 2A, winning seven of their nine games and securing promotion to Division 1 before being beaten by Crossmolina in the Division 2 final in a gallant effort.
They have firepower in the shape of Ethan Convery, Jonathan Doherty and John Timlin. Ronan O’Malley and Seaghan Duffy make a formidable midfield pair while Niall Murphy, Adam Parsons and Kevin Gallagher are part of a solid backline.
With Burrishoole and Islandeady to play in the group also, Ardnaree will feel they have a good chance of making it through to the quarter-final stage after their excellent league campaign. But if they cannot find a way to stop Conroy, they will likely be starting the intermediate stage with a defeat.
Verdict: The Neale
