Clash of two good
IT’S a clash of two footballing sides and it’s one that promises to be an intriguing and fascinating battle as Mark King and Jonathan Daniels try to outwit each other when they send out their Kilmacanogue and Dunlavin teams to do battle in the Darcy Sand Intermediate Football Championship final this Sunday at 1.30pm in the county grounds in Aughrim.
Two youthful sides will take up positions for this battle, Kilmacanogue having accounted for Carnew Emmets in their semi-final, Dunlavin powering past Kilcoole in theirs, both playing some very useful football, both approaching their games with intelligence and purpose, both trying to allow their key men make major contributions. The fact that Jonathan Daniels managed the Sugarloaf side for three years only adds to the spice and intrigue of this fixture and the fact that he guided them to Junior ‘A’ success during his time there will forever ensure that his name will be regarded with the utmost respect but for 60-odd minutes on Sunday afternoon all that fondness and memories shared will be a distant memory as both sides go to footballing war to try and secure a seat at the top table of Wicklow club football.
Both sides emerged unbeaten from their groups, securing the semi-final berths after fine performances in what is always a very difficult championship to compete in.
Dunlavin opened up with a clash with Rathnew which never became the battle many would have imagine with a comfortable 1-18 to 1-4 win against a side since relegated to Junior ‘A’ for 2020.
Wins over Carnew (4-14 to 3-6), Kilcoole (1-15 to 1-13), Donard-The Glen (1-12 to 1-9) and Stratford-Grangecon (3-14 to 1-9) paved the way for their progress to the county semi-final and shows a side who can score heavily when they are given time and space and who can shut down attacks on any given day. They’ve conceded seven goals over the course of the champions, three against Carnew and in Tom Mcguirk they have a very capable goalkeeper who benefits from a sturdy line of Padraig Carmody, Sean Phelan and Daryl Huntley in front to mind the house.
Kilmacanogue kicked off their campaign after a difficult league