Hurlers take on Kerry in bid to capture All Ireland U21 ‘B’ title
BY DAIRE WALSH
Kildare will aim to make amends for their 2012 defeat against Roscommon when they return to Semple Stadium, Thurles on Saturday (September 14) for their second consecutive All-Ireland Under-21 ‘B’ Hurling Championship Final.
Their opponents for this year’s decider will be Kerry, who will, incredibly, be playing their very first game in the 2013 competition.
They had been due to face Tyrone in the curtain-raiser to Kildare’s semi-final against Roscommon in Ballinasloe on August 24th, but when their Ulster counterparts withdrew from the encounter, their safe passage to the finale was secured.
The Lilywhites had lost to the Connacht Champions in last year’s final by the narrowest of margins (3-17 to 3-16), but the tables were turned this year when they produced a magnificent final-quarter comeback to emerge victorious on a scoreline of 2-11 to 2-10.
The Seamus Qualter-managed Rossies were in an excellent position to once again overcome their Leinster rivals when they led 1-6 to 0-3 at the mid-way point, and after pushing into an eight-point advantage (2-7 to 0-5) with just 20 minutes left to play, it seemed like there was only going to be one winner of this penultimate round fixture.
However, Noel McMahon’s charges displayed tremendous character and mental resolve during the closing stages, and having drawn level with nine minutes remaining thanks to a brace of fine majors, they had enough momentum on their side to see off the challenge of Roscommon in the most dramatic of circumstances.
A number of the Kildare team will be familiar with their Kerry opponents, as seven of them played in an agonising extra-time defeat to The Kingdom in an All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship ‘B’ quarter-final three years ago. The Munster men also ended the 2010 calendar year as Under-21 ‘B’ Champions, before sealing an historic three in-a-row triumph the following year, which gives an indication of just how strong the county are in this competition.
One of the major drawbacks for Kildare heading into this game is that their top scorer in that clash against Kerry (and also in last year’s decider against Roscommon, when he contributed 1-7), Conor Kenny, is no longer a part of the panel, having transferred to Borris-Ileigh in Tipperary during the winter months.
Kenny’s old club continue to be well represented on the current team, though, as Shane O’Flynn, Kevin Murphy, Niall Kenny, Fergal Conway and Gerry Keegan all started against Roscommon. Another five from the Hazelhatch outfit (Eoghan Doddy, Liam McDonagh, Ronan Byrne, Paul Kelly and Shane Ryan) were included in the substitutes list for their semi-final tie, but with a total of six starters – including defensive lynchpins Cian Farrell and Declan Flaherty – Coill Dubh had the strongest contingent on show.
With O’Flynn, Flaherty, Conway, McDonagh, Keegan and Mark Delaney all being mainstays from last year’s final defeat, Kildare will certainly not be lacking motivation on the day.
They will, of course, be acutely aware of just how comfortable Kerry are once they take to the field in Under-21 ‘B’ Hurling showdowns.
The idleness of Kerry thus far in the 2013 Championship makes it extremely difficult if not impossible for Clare native McMahon (and his selector Paul Dermody) to have a true sense of what they will face in Thurles on Saturday and it is hardly ideal preparation for Kingdom boss Joe Walsh during his first year in charge.
However, following a successful Leinster campaign (where they recorded fine victories against Meath and Wicklow) to retain their Leinster crown, along with their morale-boosting Roscommon triumph, they will be primed for action come 3pm on Saturday.