Character is the key to Kilmeena’s success, insists Reilly

It took a second crack of the whip for John Reilly’s Kilmeena team to make the step up from junior to intermediate and they will be hoping that second time will also be the charm in their quest for senior football.

In 2020, they lost out to Kilmaine in the county junior final but twelve months later they were not to be denied against Cill Chomain. It was a remarkable campaign for Kilmeena, culminating in Croke Park glory as they lifted the 2022 All-Ireland junior title. Intermediate football awaited them later that year and they blazed a trail through all in their path before hitting a Ballyhaunis-shaped obstacle in the Sweeney Cup final.

So, how did it feel for John Reilly to see his team go the distance once more, to overcome championship favourites Moy Davitts after extra-time, despite trailing by seven in the second-half? In a word, “Class.”

“The emotions were high and I think when the final whistle went, it was just like, wow. That was amazing. That was a rollercoaster and there was a sense of, not relief, but just that that was class,” he said.

“There was pure joy because to be seven points down, ten minutes into the second-half with everyone writing us off. But our stats proved that we were well in the game, we just needed to be a bit more clinical. We got control around the middle and pushed on and could have won it in normal time.

“Moy Davitts were a serious outfit and they were high spirited and well drilled but look it, we came out on top and the feeling was class.”

The task at hand in the semi-final was made possible by another excellent display by Jack Carney, whose growth into a top-class footballer for club and county has mirrored the rise of Kilmeena. Reilly said the young midfielder has emerged as a real leader for the West Mayo club.

“We’ve always said to Jack when he finishes up with Mayo that we’ll give him space to get himself right because there’s no point in pushing him on, but this year he’s even better than last year.

“The way he talks and the way he leads within the group, he has got great camaraderie with the lads. His loyalty to everyone is brilliant and he’s got great humility about him. He listens, he’s coachable.

“Whatever experience he has he shares it with the group and he coaches the younger lads coming through as well.”

Another footballer who has caught the eye is Caolach O’Halligan. The Meath native works as a teacher in Knock and is living in Westport and joined up with Kilmeena through a connection with friends. He has brought a sense of completion to their front six, forming a devastating partnership with John McGlynn that has seen them score 2-34 between them (McGlynn 1-20, O’Halligan 1-14).

“He came down training with us last year and we could see he was a quality player but we were looking more at his character and his character is that he’s a quality person. He loves football and brings the standard and that brings another level to it as well,” said Reilly.

Character is the standard-bearer for any player involved in this Kilmeena story, said their manager. He said there is no denying the quality, skill and fitness his team possesses but character is the defining trait that he has looked for.

“Any players that might have fallen by the wayside over the years, they might have plenty of talent but they didn’t have the character or they didn’t buy into what we were doing.

“Everyone works hard and everyone has fun at the same time. We’re not out there being business-serious all the time. When we’re down with training, we make sure we’re going hard but we’re having fun while we’re doing it as well.”

Looking ahead to the final against Ballinrobe, John said he expects his opposite number Peter Ford to have his side well drilled on Kilmeena.

“Peter will have read us from a long way out and will have planned for us a long way out. They played us in the Michael Walsh final and they beat us by seven points.

“He has quality and has brought in more quality like Diarmuid Duffy, the Corcoran lads and then there’s the likes of Ewan Duffy, Joe Burke, Evan O’Brien, quality throughout that team.

“They are probably one of the best-balanced teams in intermediate because they have pace all over the pitch and guys who really put in the work,” he said.

For John Reilly and Kilmeena, victory in Saturday’s final would mean the continuation of one of the county’s, if not the country’s, best GAA club stories – but they know the stern test that lies ahead.

“We want to go all out on this and we want to go senior. If we do, that will the start of another amazing journey.”