Beaufort have all that they

ALL IRELAND CLUB JFC FINAL

Beaufort v Easkey

Saturday, February 9 Croke Park, 3pm

THE biggest fear for Beaufort is that they’ll think – if even only subconsciously – that they’ve done the hard part already.

Such was the nature of their battling victory over Dundalk that it’s hard to imagine they’ll have to go through something quite so onerous again in this Croke Park final and, indeed, by all accounts Easkey have a different approach to the game than Dundalk do.

They’re not as gnarly and mean, they’re not as aggressive or defensively minded. The indications are – and Easkey could yet shake things up considerably for the final – that the Sligo and Connacht champions are more of a ball-playing team.

Given how difficult it was for Beaufort to overcome the Wee County and Leinster champions that will probably come as something of a relief. Beaufort will be looking at this more as a game to be enjoyed than endured as the game with Dundalk Young Irelands undoubtedly was.

None of this is to say, by the way, that Éanna O’Malley or his management team or the players will be taking the challenge of Easkey lightly or that they don’t rate or respect their rivals. It’s merely to point out the dangers that await them potentially.

Easkey could lull the Kingdom kingpins into a false sense of security and more pertinently Beaufort could lull themselves into a false sense of security. The hard part may (or may not) be done, but the job still hasn’t been finished. Not by half.

There’s pressure to deliver. This is a final Beaufort should win. They operated all of last year in Division 1 of the County League. Easkey, by contrast, were in Division 3 of the Sligo leagues. They’re not remotely comparable in terms of quality.

Beaufort are big hitters used to playing big hitters. Beaufort spent the season in the same division of their domestic league as Dr Crokes, who are gunning for a second All Ireland senior club title in three seasons. Easkey are the first Sligo club to ever reach an All Ireland club final.

It’s a clash of haves and have nots. Except of course that one must always be cognisant that counties’ relative strengths and traditions count for very little on the club stage.

Before the semi-final with Dundalk plenty of people – not from Beaufort admittedly – thought the Munster champions