Local Notes: Kiltimagh prepares for All-Ireland semi-final
Kiltimagh’s Conor Mallee and Oisin Mulderrig celebrate at the final whistle of the Connacht GAA AIB Club Junior Championship Final at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon, last month. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Kiltimagh manager Mick Regan has described his side’s upcoming All-Ireland Junior Club Championship semi-final as “a huge occasion” for everyone connected with the club, as preparations continue for Saturday’s showdown with Tyrone champions Clogher Éire Óg.
The Connacht champions will face the Ulster winners at Heartland Credit Union Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada in Carrick-on-Shannon on this Saturday, January 3rd, with a 12.30pm throw-in. The game will be streamed live on the TG4 Sport YouTube channel, and the prize on offer is a place in the All-Ireland Final at Croke Park the following weekend.
Mick said the significance of the occasion is not lost on anyone involved.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” he told the . “It’s a huge occasion for the club, for the players, for the community really. You know, it’s the whole package.”
Kiltimagh arrive at the semi-final on the back of an impressive Connacht campaign, having defeated Aughavas on Leitrim GAA’s home ground to claim the provincial title. Their opponents, Clogher Éire Óg, booked their place in the last four with a dramatic win over London side Tara, edging the contest with a late score.
Mick, who previously guided Kiltimagh to the All-Ireland Junior Final in 2010, confirmed that a small number of players and coaches in the current set-up were also involved in that earlier success.
“Brian Gallagher played,” he recalled. “Matty Commons was there, thereabouts. Liam Lydon and David Lydon were the pick of the bunch then. And we have Conor Heneghan and Micheál Schlingermann, two of the coaches now, who played on that team.”
Mick was also in charge at that time, but he believes comparisons between the two campaigns only go so far.
“It’s different now. It’s completely different,” he said. “The players are different. The main thing is to treat every game step by step, much the same as I did that time. You take nothing for granted.”
One lesson Mick feels has carried through from his previous experience is the importance of surrounding himself with the right people. He spoke about his current backroom team, describing it as a major strength. He said he is fortunate to have “two fantastic coaches” in Conor Heneghan and Micheál Schlingermann, along with Liam Murtagh and Shane Vahey, whom he described as “a different voice” who brings a fresh perspective to the group.
Mick also pointed to the impact of the new Gaelic football playing rules, which he feels have changed the nature of the game this season.
“It’s a different game with the new rules,” he said. “People don’t go as defensive really. Before, you might see 15 behind the ball; now you’re back down to 12.”
Having travelled to Tyrone recently to watch Clogher Éire Óg in action, Mick believes Saturday’s contest is finely balanced.
“After looking at that game, I’d say it’s 50-50,” he said. “There’s not much between the two teams. They might be a bit stronger up front than us, but I think we’re a bit stronger in the backs. Defensively, we probably looked a bit better, so it balances itself out.”
In terms of preparation, Mick stressed that Kiltimagh will stick closely to the routine that has brought them this far. Training sessions have continued at a steady pace, with no major changes planned. He said the focus is on maintaining intensity and keeping players sharp rather than introducing anything new.
“We won’t be changing it up,” he explained. “We keep the same routine and keep it as tight as possible.”
The squad, he confirmed, is carrying a few minor knocks, which he described as inevitable.
“You’ll always have niggles this time of year,” he said. “The biggest thing is the turnaround. If we win this game, we’ve only a week before an All-Ireland Final, which is probably ridiculous, but it’s the same for both teams.”
Mick emphasised that, despite talk of Croke Park, the focus remains firmly on the semi-final.
“We’re a long way from that,” he said. “It’s one game at a time. We’ve had a lot of tight games, and this will be another one.”
As anticipation builds across the parish, Mick and his players know they will have strong community support behind them. With a place in an All-Ireland Final on the line, Kiltimagh face one of the biggest tests in the club’s recent history - and, by Mick’s own assessment, a contest where fine margins are likely to decide the outcome.
Isaac Boyle claimed the honours in Round 12 of the Winter Poker League at Teach O’Hora last week. He finished ahead of Eddie McDonagh in second place, with Enda Ruane taking third and Majella Gilmartin in fourth. The remaining finalists were Sonny Maughan, Derry O’Sullivan, Martin Regan, Tom Maughan, and Michael Higgins, who completed the top nine on the night.
Adam Earley continues to lead the league standings and now sits on 213 points. He is followed by Derry O’Sullivan on 187 points and Michael Sheridan close behind on 185. The rest of the top twelve currently stands as Martin Regan 183, Keith Lydon 180, Paul Walsh 171, Majella Gilmartin 167, Andy Quinn 159, Michael Higgins 157, Gerry Groarke 155, Julian Keane 149, and John Reynolds 145.
Entry to each round is €50, which includes a rebuy or add-on. €5 from each entry and rebuy/add-on is added to the league final prize pool, with the balance paid out on the night. At the end of the league, the top twelve players plus two qualifiers will contest the grand final for an estimated prize pool of approximately €3,500.
The Kiltimagh Women’s Group will mark Nollaig na mBan on Tuesday, January 6th, at 2pm in the Park Hotel. All local women are warmly invited to attend, and the group extends festive greetings to all members and their families.
Season’s greetings are extended to all our readers and to all the people who submitted items for publication. Thank you all for your continued support.
