K-K aim to continue success story by sealing Leinster final place

By Kevin Egan

Whether or not Castletown Geoghegan are the best team to come up against Kilcormac-Killoughey so far this year remains to be seen. A clearer picture will emerge when the two sides meet in this Sunday's Leinster senior club hurling semi-final at TEG Cusack Park (1.15pm).

An argument could be made for Ballinamere, who pushed the county champions right to the wire in an excellent county final, or an argument could be made for Carlow champions St Mullin’s, who probably would have gone even closer to knocking over Shane Hand’s charges last Sunday if they hadn’t had such a long layoff since their own August county final.

Castletown Geoghegan are certainly in the mix. Their landslide win over Thomastown of Kilkenny last Sunday was the first win for any Westmeath club in the Leinster SHC for nine years, and while Jonjo Farrell’s red card in the first minute of the second half was undoubtedly a factor, an 11-point margin of victory would suggest that the home side was in a better place and destined to win that game either way.

What will be different about Sunday’s game from a Kilcormac-Killoughey perspective is that it will probably be the first time all year that they will go into battle with a team that will genuinely believe that they have a great chance of victory.

The bookies still expect K-K to come away with a victory by around three points, but after crushing a Kilkenny opponent, there’s no way that the home side will have any fear of any Offaly team, regardless of the level of underage pedigree or inter-county talent that K-K will bring to TEG Cusack Park.

A fantastic atmosphere is likely around Mullingar for the game too, with both clubs likely to bring a large crowd to the game and the town centre location making it easy for supporters to gather early.

K-K’s body of work over the past couple of seasons is much more robust and impressive than Castletown Geoghegan, who either brought their game to a new level, or else the stars aligned for them on one day last Sunday. On that, the jury remains out.

Playing on one of the smallest county pitches in the country will also favour a side that up front, in particular, has no shortage of experience and physicality. Liam Varley, Aonghus Clarke and Niall O’Brien all have plenty of big games in the county colours behind them, while David O’Reilly is a hugely promising young hurler with the physique to mix it with players much older.

Ter Guinan’s injury is a blow to Kilcormac-Killoughey, but such is the depth of the panel that togs out every time there’s training in Mountbolus that whoever steps into his role will be a very able replacement.

Cillian Kiely, on the other hand, is still the main man for his club and his presence at the heart of the K-K defence would be a game changer. If last Sunday was a one-off for the Westmeath champions, then K-K might be able to advance without him – but if the home side can pick up where they left off after winning the second half of the Thomastown game by 1-13 to 0-4, then Kiely will be needed, as well as a huge showing from every one of the rest of the team.

AIB Leinster Club SHC semi-finals

Sunday, November 24

TEG Cusack Park (1.15pm) Castletown Geoghegan (Westmeath) v Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly), Eamonn Furlong (Wexford), live on TG4.

Parnell Park (3pm) Na Fianna (Dublin) v St Martin's (Wexford), Sean Cleere (Kilkenny).