The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Champions have what it takes to win a battle
COUNTY SHC SEMI-FINAL
IN much the same way as we discuss above, there’s a certain amount of inequality at play here.
Like Causeway, Ballyduff have had to wait six weeks for a game. Like Lixnaw, Kilmoyley have the huge benefit of having a game a fortnight ago to prepare them for this weekend’s clash of the titans.
That’s going to be a huge factor in how this game plays out. It’s going to boost Kilmoyley and hamper Ballyduff. Obviously the Ballyduff management team will have done everything in their power to ensure they’re sharp and fit for the game.
They’ll have played challenge games if and where possible. They played a county hurling league semi-final with Kilmoyley in the middle of last month, but nothing quite replicates championship hurling.
The way Kilmoyley saw off Crotta O’Neills the weekend before last will have done wonders for Shane Brick’s side. After that game Brick suggested that he – or his players – weren’t satisfied with how they performed in the first half against the O’Neills.
What better time to get a reality check. Kilmoyley came out for that second half a side renewed, a side with a clearer sense of what it was and what it was trying to do. Of course it helped that he got a tonic goal before the half time break through Seán Maunsell, of course it helped that they had the breeze at the backs for the second half.
All the same that half an hour of being under the cosh from Crotta will stand to Kilmoyley in spades. Their confidence will be up. Questions we may have had over their forward unit are being answered.
Jordan Brick has emerged as a real leader on that team. The aforementioned Maunsell is delivering game after game. Maurice O’Connor and Joe McElligott are getting better all the time. Kilmoyley have options and against Ballyduff that’s precisely what you need.
It’ll be really interesting to see how these Kilmoyley forwards fare against possibly the meanest rearguard in the competition. The Ballyduff half-back line in particular looks formidable, while at full-back they’ve got one of the top defenders in the county – Paud Costello.
Ballyduff’s strikeforce, of course, remains out on its own. They’ve got a potential inside forward line for this weekend – injury dependant – of Jack Goulding, Aidan Boyle and Pádraig Boyle.
Of that trio Goulding has been the main man to date, but if you were an opposing manager would you be feeling comfortable with the notion that Aidan and Podge Boyle have yet to really take off in the competition? As ever Ballyduff have an unrivalled capacity for goals and goals are what win games.
Ballyduff’s half back line is full of promise too with Jack O’Sullivan, Daniel and Paul O’Carroll. That said they’ll have their work cut out for them against Kilmoyley’s half-back line if Robert Collins, Tom Murnane and Dougie Fitzell.
We wouldn’t be hugely surprised if Ballyduff boss Ger Manley placed any of the Boyle brothers on Murnane for some or all of the game. Could he be tempted to move Mikey Boyle from midfield for the job? It’s possible for sure – Daniel O’Carroll was named at eleven in the last round, but he’s more than comfortable operating in a more orthodox midfield role if needs be and he may well be detailed to track Daniel Collins.
A few weeks ago we’d have probably given Ballyduff the nod without much hesitation, but now, for a lot of reasons, Kilmoyley are looking more dangerous, more assured and composed.
Brick’s side will relish the chance to down the reigning champions. They wouldn’t have for one minute have enjoyed seeing Ballyduff go clear at the top of the roll of honour after last year’s championship.
Still though it’s hard to look past the sheer-bloodymindedness of Ballyduff. They’ve got the strength to live with what Kilmoyley bring to the table and the firepower to get over the line after a battle.