Semi-final previews Na Gaeil won’t want to leave another chance slip them by

SATURDAY, APRIL 20 Gneeveguilla v Na Gaeil Castleisland 18:30

Na Gaeil, one gets the feeling, are ready. Ready to win this championship. Ready to make the step up to the next level. It doesn’t mean necessarily that they will, of course. This championship, as they know all too well themselves, is damned hard to win.

Still thought you’ve got to think that their experience of competing at the sharp end now for the last three or four seasons will stand to them. They’re an evolving side and, despite the loss of Stefan Okunbor to the AFL, arguably an improving one with it.

The way they went about their business in Group 1 was very impressive, very business like. They despatched Firies and Skellig Rangers with the minimum of fuss before seeing off a much improved Ballymacelligott side last weekend in an unflustered fashion. Eyes on the prize boys, eyes on the prize.

You look at their team and you see very few weaklinks. They’ve done well defensively with Andrew Barry at number six holding down the for t. They’ve clearly got the best midfield in the championship – or any of the championships really by definition – with the first choice Kerry partnership, Jack Barry and Diarmuid O’Connor.

Up front they’re not really heralded, but there’s plenty of talent up there too and plenty of scores from Mike Griffin, Dara Devine, Jamie Lowham and Diarmuid Herlihy. No superstar for sure, but all very fine players.

It’s a similar story for Gneeveguilla. Lots of talent but no superstar necessarily, although that said Pádraig Doyle was really excellent against Finuge in O’Sullivan Park on Sunday afternoon.

So too was Gneeveguilla’s midfield of Seán O’Keeffe and Michael Murphy (credit must go too to their halfback and half-forwards who were ravenous for breaking ball in the second half). It’ll be interesting to see how they fare against Barry and O’Connor.

You’ve got to imagine that battle will go Na Gaeil’s way and with it Gneeveguilla’s best path to victory. Supplied with enough ball you’d have to imagine Na Gaeil’s forwards can get the job done, even against a rearguard as impressive as Gneeveguilla’s looked in Finuge.

Yes there was the mix-up for Michael Conway’s goal, but overall they snuffed out the Finuge threat quite diligently. Former Kerry minors Owen Fitzgerald and Pa Warren are the two to watch back there.

Warren was a driving force for Gneeveguilla at times against Finuge on Sunday afternoon and he will probably be required to perform a similar role in Castleisland on Saturday evening if the East Kerry men are to upset Na Gaeil’s rhythm.

We can’t ignore Gneeveguilla’s experience at intermediate level either. That experience should stand to them here, but still we come back to the notion that this is Na Gaeil’s time, their chance to do what they feel they should have done last year.

Every year that passes the hill will feel that bit steeper for them. The way they’ve been going about this championship suggests they know as much themselves. They’re cool-eyed, steely and determined.

It’s not a foregone conclusion this weekend or anything like it, still though we do feel they’ve got the right stuff and, most crucially, the right motivation to get over the line. Gneeveguilla will battle all the way, but Na Gaeil should still get the job done if only by the bare minimum. Verdict: Na Gaeil