For a thrilling final!

Wayne Doyle would be extremely interesting.

Onwards we go to the Baltinglass full-forward line who will be faced by the very capable and tenacious St Pat’s full-back line.

It’s likely that the waspish Ciaran Doyle will be tasked with curbing the influence of the young but very able Daniel Kelly. Emmet Cullen may pick up the flying Sean O’Brien and should Paul Garigan decide to station Joey Kelly close to goal then Padraig Higgins might be the man sent to marshal that very significant threat.

Other men to play a key role in this final could and probably will be Richard Murphy, Cieran McGettigan, Shane Doyle, Ruairi Marron, and Donie Fitzgerald for Pat’s.

For Baltinglass expect the likes of loyal servants such as Brian Nolan and Declan Jones to answer the call if they’re required while the talented Stephen Quinn, Daviod Gethings and Adam McHugh provide Paul Garrigan with plenty of options.

The St Pat’s odds will have changed considerably with the possibility of Tommy Kelly missing the game through injury. Should he be available then their chances of clinching the Miley increase substantially.

This is a victory that Pat’s badly need. Two defeats on the trot to the neighbours does not sit well in Wicklow Town and the hurt of last year will be a driving force in the dressing room before they take to the field in Aughrim on Sunday afternoon.

Robert Hollingsworth spoke of a “devastated” dressing room this time last year and he, nor his players, will want the horror of returning to such a place on the horizon come the final whistle in the Wicklow Senior county football final.

Paul Garrigan claims this to be bonus territory and perhaps in some alternative reality it is. But Baltinglass is Baltinglass and despite this being a young team and despite them coming off the back of a difficult year last year, the form they have shown and the savage team ethic suggests that they are primed and ready for a serous tilt at the championship and they are ceertainly not here to make up the numbers.

One Senior title in 20 years does not sit well in Baltinglass and Paul Garrigan has proven himself to be one of the most talented young managers out there and in Jason Kennedy he has selected a captain that may well have a dream day this Sunday because a footballer with something to prove and something to fight for is a dangerous animal and after the hurt of last year’s defeat to Rathnew and the pride he feels having been presented with the captaincy of his beloved team, expect a very big day from the Baltinglass midfielder.

The Pat’s captain Paudge McWalter is another man with plenty to play for on Sunday. Last year’s defeat stung the talented footballer and he is completely focused on bringing Miley back to Wicklow town.

Paul Garrigan has said that there are one or two injury concerns in his squad and that Peter Dowling is out with a hamstring injury.

“One or two (injuries), Kevin Murphy is struggling, we’ve lost Peter Dowling, he’s out with a hamstring, John McGrath is training this morning, he’s carrying a shoulder injury,” said the Baltinglass boss.

Robert Hollingsworth is awaiting news on Tommy Kelly but there is a chance that the attacker will play some part in the big game.

No referee had been appointed at the time of going to print. It is believed that a meeting was being held last night (Tuesday) to finally select the man in the middle for this year’s county football final.

For those interested in having a flutter on the finals this weekend you’re looking at the following:

Senior Football - Match Betting: 10/11; Outright Betting: 4/5 for Pat;s; 13/2 for the draw and 11/8 match betting and 5/4 outright for Baltinglass.

Prepare yourselves for an absolutely fascinating county final on Sunday afternoon. And expect a big crowd. This will be epic.