Kilmoyley boss Daly ready for Douglas challenge

IT’S another tough ask for Kerry senior hurling champions Kilmoyley this year, as once again they face the Cork champions in the first round of the Munster intermediate club championship (like several counties in other provinces, the Kerry senior champions are allowed compete at the lower grade).

Last year they came up against a rampant Blarney team which was celebrating its first title at that grade in 70 years, and which went on to capture Munster and All-Ireland honours. This year they meet Douglas, conquerors of Ballymartle in a high-quality Cork final, and confirming that form by winning the Cork intermediate league last weekend.

In Cork senior star Eoin Cadogan at centre-back and Cork intermediate All-Ireland winner Stephen Moylan at wing-forward, Douglas have two instantly recognisable names, but the strength of the Cork city side goes well beyond those two.

With the likes of keeper Brian Boyle, defenders Alan Barry and Cormac Dineen, midfielders Colin O’Mahony and Barry Fitzgerald, and a forward spine of the powerful Odhran Mulrooney and Mark Harrington, they have proven themselves supreme in a hugely competitive grade in Cork.

It represents another massive challenge then for Kilmoyley, who are coached by current Dublin boss Anthony Daly.

He said: “We were very disappointed after our loss to Blarney last year. We felt we didn’t do ourselves justice. Our lead-up to the game wasn’t hectic but, no excuses, Blarney were a good team and they proved that afterwards. You can’t argue with an All-Ireland title. On the day, though, we made an awful lot of mistakes, gave away soft goals, missed a lot of frees, so we didn’t do our own chances much good either.”

The problem for Kilmoyley now, however, is that strong and all as they’ve proven themselves in Kerry, they are meeting another side battle-hardened after a really competitive championship.

He agreed: “I would say, without fear of contradiction, the Cork premier intermediate championship is the strongest intermediate championship in the country.

“Douglas were actually senior up to 2007, when they were relegated, and they got a great run in the senior football championship too (Cork finalists last year), so effectively we’re meeting a senior team. It’s not Newtownshandrum, I know, but they are still very strong.”

Kilmoyley themselves featured in the Munster senior club championship until a couple of years ago, and acquitted themselves honourably on a number of occasions.

“That was before my time but they gave Blackrock a great game one year and did well against Toomevara another year too before fading, and of course they won the Munster senior league in 2003 when beating Na Piarsaigh in the final.

“The nucleus of that great four-in-a-row team, which was coached by John Meyler, is still there, the likes of Ian Brick at corner-back, James McCarthy full-forward, Michael O’Regan the captain, Maurice Murnane, and Shane Brick, who is still only 26.

“The big target last year was the county title, after a few years out in the cold, and we won that. This year now we’ve had five weeks to prepare for the Munster club so we’ve had a bit of time. We’ve played three good challenge matches, we’re as ready as we’re going to be.”