Home comforts should help Dromid into Junior final
MUNSTER CLUB JFC SEMI-FINAL
Dromid Pearses v Galtee Gaels (Limerick)
Saturday, November 18 Dromid GAA Grounds at 1pm
WITH two of Kerry’s representatives confirmed in Munster Club Finals, Dromid Pearses will look to make it three this Saturday when the club plays host to Galtee Gaels of Limerick at lunchtime in the Munster Junior Club semi-final.
The South Kerry side came through the start of their South Kerry Championship campaign successfully last weekend when they got the better of St Michaels/ Foilmore, and the focus nor returns to provincial matters. Manager Declan O’Sullivan is reporting a pretty much clean bill of health as he agrees the schedule is starting to pile up on a lot of fronts.
“It’s either a feast or a famine in terms of the fixtures,” the Dromid boss said. “You play two matches in September/October after Kerry are knocked out of the All-Ireland until the County Final is over and then you have to play practically week in, week out from November onwards if you want to succeed. It’s great to have these games though and our squad are all playing a part in keeping us going.”
In 2011 in their previous Munster Junior success, Dromid did have a victory on South Kerry turf, at the semi-final stage as well, but that was in Waterville after a titanic battle with Kanturk. This Saturday sees the club play host to probably its biggest fixture yet at the Dromid pitch.
O’Sullivan acknowledges the effort that has gone in by the club in general to bring their facilities up to standard to host such a match.
“The club have invested a lot of money in our facilities and it’s great to see that being rewarded with the game able to take place there. A lot of work is going in to cater for all the logistics on the day but we’re trying not to get too distracted by that and getting too caught up in the occasion because we have our own job to do on the pitch,” he said.
Galtee Gaels face probably the reverse of what Dromid had in the First Round when they travelled up to Clare to face Naomh Eoin, as the Limerick club must head down the N21 to the Iveragh peninsula to take on Dromid. O’Sullivan agrees that home advantage can be a big factor on occasions like this but is impressed by the Limerick side by what he has been able to learn those far.
“They are a young and committed side and there seems to be a lot of freshness and progressiveness about them as they would have been an Intermediate club previously in Limerick.
“Familiarity with the pitch and surroundings is a big advantage to have at this stage and we hope to have a strong local and South Kerry support on Saturday. The experience of some players from 2011 is a nice thing to have but we’re not making it a huge factor for ourselves because the squad has changed a bit and your next game is the most important at this level. As a management we’re working hard on our tactics and trying to get our match-ups right.”
Limerick sides have come through regularly enough to face Kerry sides in Munster Junior Club Football Finals over the last decade but a win still remains elusive for a Treaty county side against the Kingdom.
Saturday appears to be the worst card Galtee could have been dealt with, getting the bye in the semi-final and then having to make the long trek down to their opponents venue to make their bow.
Dromid won’t be looking too far beyond what is in front of them this Saturday but the drive of Denis and Aidan ‘Shine’ O’Sullivan, as well as the craft of Dylan O’Donoghue, Niall O’Shea and Graham O’Sullivan should provide them with a good impetus to try and reach another Munster Junior decider.