Form-side Glenflesk can upset the odds

Glenflesk v St Marys Saturday, April 28 JP O’Sullivn Park, Killorglin 6.30pm

IT was the kind of result that gets an entire county to sit up and take notice.

The fact Glenflesk won wasn’t the surprising thing, it was the manner in which they did so. Waterville – nobody’s idea of a soft touch – hammered by twenty points at the Barradubh community pitch. Now that’s eye-catching.

It underlined the progress that’s been made by the club on the outskirts of Killarney and, indeed, the quality of footballer (and the firepower) they have at their disposal at the moment.

For Glenflesk boss Denis Reen the experience – three games over three weekends with some very impressive performances along the way – has been a hugely encouraging one.

“It’s something new,” he says. “In the three months since we got together it’s probably exceeded our expectations really to get to the semi-final in our first year together, but look we’re there on merit and we’ve done really well in the last three games so hopefully now we can put up a good performance against a strong St Marys team.

“They won the All Ireland three years ago I think I’m right in saying so they have experience. They have played in big games and they know how to win tight games and we’re really up against it on Saturday night and we know that and hopefully we can just give a good account of ourselves.”

The one concern Reen has is injuries. The heavy onslaught of games always had the potential to take their toll.

“At the moment we’ve a few knocks,” he explains.

“It’s been a busy few weeks with county league thrown in there as well. We do have a few injuries, but we do have a big panel and hopefully fellas will come off the panel and step up to the plate for Saturday night.

“We’re worried about Shane Courtney, he tore his hamstring and Chris Donoghue came off Kenmare as well the last day in the league game with ligaments done to his ankle. So that’s probably two big players out for Saturday night.”

It’s a similar story for Kieran Fitzgerald and the St Marys management team.

“We’ve had a tough month,” he outlines.

“We’ve been down Denis Daly, Paulie O’Donoghue, our big men have been missing that kind of way. I think by the time weekend comes around [they should be available]. We couldn’t take a chance, even the last night now.

“Pitches are too heavy and our panel is very tight. We’re down to the bare minimum, but fair play to the lads who’ve come in, they’ve done very well I’ve got to say. The young fellas we’ve kind of blooded.”

St Marys performance in the championship hasn’t been as eye-catching as their opponents this weekend, but it’s been no less impressive given the injury issues they’ve had to overcome.

“It was a tough group, one slip up [would cost you] as you could see yourself,” Fitzgerald notes.

“We’d a cracker of a game against the Mitchels, the game against Dromid was a war of attrition. The ground was desperate, the day was desperate, everything. I keep emphasising it’s a pile of football at this time of the year where pitches are [heavy] and the weather isn’t the best.”

As for Glenflesk, the Marys mentor is full of praise.

“Without a doubt [I’ve been impressed],” he says.

“I know Glenflesk for years, they’re teak-tough and we know we’re going in there and whether we’re Division 1 and they’re Division 2 or whatever it doesn’t matter. They went down to Kenmare last week and they rattled up a big score.

“We’ve been keeping an eye on them of course over the last couple of weeks and they were the first team to qualify for it. They’re a good outfit and we won’t be underestimating them by any manner of means.”

So who’s going to win this? Pre-championship we’d have St Marys down as strong favourites, but now... well now Glenflesk have shown what they can do. They’re the form team in this championship at the moment, you can’t ignore that. Nor can you ignore Marys experience.

This one is going to be a toss-up we suspect.

Verdict: Glenflesk