Star-studded Kilmacud on final mission

HARD to know where to start when it comes to GAA action this weekend, with 34 county championship games in the pipeline, 13 finals.

One of the most eagerly-awaited of those deciders will be in Parnell Park tomorrow (4pm), where Ballyboden St Enda’s take on strong favourites and last year’s runners-up Kilmacud Crokes in a rare all-southside final.

Both are the archetypal Dublin superclubs with an array of teams at all levels - ’Boden cater for 75 sides, male and female - and with an immense population from which to pick, yet Kilmacud are overwhelming favourites.

There are a few reasons for that, the first being their unexpected and heavy defeat to St Brigid’s in last year’s final for which they are desperate to make amends. The second is the array of star names - Paul Griffin, Ray Cosgrove, Liam McBarron and the Magee brothers to name a few - they can call upon.

The third, and perhaps the most significant, is that ’Boden are perhaps the great underachievers on the Dublin scene with just one senior football title to their name. A competitive outfit on the senior football and hurling scenes - they lost the hurling final to UCD last Sunday - the club has simply too often fallen between the two stools.

“We’re delighted to be in a final this year,” said joint manager Neill Brennan yesterday. “The last six or seven years haven’t been an accurate reflection of the talent that’s coming through the system here in Ballyboden. For some reason, players haven’t been making the transition from very successful underage teams to the senior panels.

“The club has been very successful in the league the last few years but not the championship. We took a good look at the reasons for that this year and decided other teams were rising to that championship level of extra purpose and commitment but we were staying at the same level. We weren’t matching that extra push.”

The wake-up call came early for ’Boden this year in a league match against St Vincent’s when their opponents stepped up a number of gears with frightening ease to transform a deficit into a comfortable victory. The lesson was well absorbed and, by the time the sides met again at the start of the championship, the homework paid off.

“We were two points up on them near the end when they drew level and when we pulled away to win we knew we were on to something. ’Boden teams of the past would have folded there and then.”

For all that. Crokes are still well worth the favourites tag and have already been posted as second favourites for the All-Ireland crown behind Crossmolina.

Aside from the ‘names’ mentioned above, new blood has reinvigorated the side for this year’s challenge, none more so than last year’s Dublin minor star forward Mark Vaughan and his equally young sidekick Mark Davern.

Vaughan in particular was frightening in the semi-final canter against a fancied Na Fianna side replete with their own billboard stars. It was that performance, when Crokes strangled the life out of Mick Galvin’s side, that justifies their favourite’s tag tomorrow.

“Crokes are genuine favourites for this game but they’re not a very high scoring team,” Brennan pointed out. “They’re a little bit defensive. That said, they do get players up to support their forwards when they need to.

“They have a lot of new guys in this year. It’s basically a new team with a good mix of youth and experience. They’ll be keen to make up for last year’s defeat but we have no control over that.”

Elsewhere, there are six more football finals to be decided up tomorrow. In Laois, Portlaoise will be looking to make it a senior double against Emo after their hurlers stopped Castletown’s six-in-a-row bid last Sunday.

Rathnew will be looking to win a remarkable ninth title in succession when they take on St Patrick’s in the Wicklow SFC final. A win would take them past the record, which they currently share with bitter rivals Baltinglass.

Colm O’Rourke will be looking to plot his old side, Skryne’s downfall as manager of Simonstown Gaels in Meath, while Roscommon Gaels and Kilbride will face off across the Shannon.

There are two titles up for grabs in Ulster with Dromore and Carrickmore the candidates in Tyrone and Mayobridge up against Annaclone in Down.

Meanwhile, in Tipperary, Toomevara will be defending their SHC title against Eire Og Golden. A combination of two keen West intermediate rivals - Eire Og Annacarty and Golden-Kilfeacle - it is the side’s first year playing as a single entity but they will be long odds to deprive the holders of their ninth title in just 13 seasons.

Across the border in Offaly, Coolderry will be trying to deny Birr of a record sixth successive SHC. There are other hurling deciders, in Limerick- where Ahane take on Garyspillane - and in Waterford where once again Mount Sion and Ballygunner are the contestants.