My Final Preview really looking forward to this game.
First of all, once again the intermediate championship has proved it is the toughest championship to win. Just ask the Joes! A titanic 3 game semi final with the reward only being a place in the Final!
That 3 game semi is going to be a huge factor on both teams:How the Fechins deal with the delay and how the O’Mahonys deal with their recovery.
For me the three game semi is more of an advantage to the Fechins, they have had the extra time to clear up an injuries and use that time to prepare, look at the opposition and then plan a strategy to stop them.
They’ll also have that wee bit of freshness as opposed to SOM’s match practice which could be vital in the opening exchanges.
Why I say that the opening exchanges will be so vital is because both teams like to defend in numbers so whoever gets the lead early on could set themselves up for victory.
Much like the Kerry Donegal final Kerry got the lesad early on and Donegal had to change their system and were forces to come out and play.
Who will look to give the sides the early lead?
For the Fechins, ‘Chinky’ Holcroft is 7 points from finishing top scorer in the intermediate grade he’s well used to taking the free’s and the pressure of being the Fechins main score getter.
Where as the Dundalk men will look to Stephen ‘Killer’ Kilcoyne, who’s name popped up over and over during the week as a seen match winner. I’ll look forward to seeing the corner forward in action who has been blighted with injury earlier in the season but his timing of form couldn’t be better for the Sean O’Mahony’s.
In the middle of the field, a mouthwatering clash of Bevan Duffy and Peter Nixon will be worth the entrance fee alone. They very well could cancel each other out. Duffy is the real leader in this Fechins side if Nixon goes with him on the ground it could turn the game for the O’Mahony’s.
Also a mention to the two management teams I’m a long time admirer of Thomas McNamee and when he got the Fechins job he was a big factor in the Fechins being LouthandProud’s tip for the intermediate championship. Brendan Nordone for the O’Mahony’s is the O’Mahony’s through and through, and that passion for the point road shows in his intelligent management of this group. He’s bright young manager with the potential for something bigger in the future also.
I keep looking at both team sheets and for me the SOM’s have the best individuals, JOBser and Keith McLaughlin county men driving from the halfback line ably assisted by Conor Martin and the evergreen David Dowling. However the Fechins as a unit and team seem tighter knit bunch to me they have the experience of winning a junior final recently too.
In a tight final that could go either way I’m sticking to my pick from the start of the year. St Fechins
Best of Luck to
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
SOM deserved their victory, should have lead by 6 to 8 points at 1/2 time. But fair play to Fechins they came from 8 pts behing after 10 mins of 2nd half to draw level and threat us neutrals to a grandstand finish. Fechins should have had a 2nd penalty, it was the only mistake the referee made in a good game for him, Finneagn deserved MOM for his free taking and his good contribution in open play. Nixon and Brennan won midfield battle and Crawley was always gone to get a fist to one of those high balls in.
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