First win of the campaign will work wonders for either
Conor Hession is among Kiltimagh's chief attacking threats.
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The last two winners of the Mayo junior championship will be hoping to prevent a quick return to the grade as Cill Chomáin and Kiltimagh get set for what is expected to be a physical battle.
Quite where both teams are placed is hard to predict. Both had much improved displays in the final group games, but they came against Ardnaree and Kiltane respectively, who both had sealed their place at the top of the group before the final round of games.
In each of Cill Chomáin’s group games, a quality forward in Hollymount-Carramore’s Darren Coen, Parke/Keelogues/Crimlin’s Colm Lynch and Kiltane’s Josh Carey was their undoing as they lost all three group games. They performed well in their defeat to Hollymount-Carramore, but their poor display against Parke, scoring only four points, will have sent alarm bells ringing.
They responded well against Kiltane, but an eleven-point lead was overturned after half-time when the wind was against them.
Kiltimagh will have been bitterly disappointed after losing their home game against Islandeady, and seeing ‘Eady in the last eight will be of no comfort to them. They rallied late against Kilmaine, but the damage was done beforehand. However, their hard-earned draw against Ardnaree, which could have been a win were it not for two late points for the North Mayo side, will provide hope for the Blues.
Justin Healy was not brought on for the Glenamoy men against Kiltane until late in the second-half and what Cill Chomáin would give for him, along with Liam Maloney and Sean Murphy, to have their biggest games of the season and keep Cill Chomáin in intermediate for another year.
But Kiltimagh’s performances across the three games would suggest they have a higher ceiling currently, and their all-round strength, from Liam Kelly in defence to Conor Hession in attack, might be enough to ensure Kiltimagh’s return to intermediate is not a brief one.
