A Draw Looks A Safe Bet In Galbally/Kildress Clash.

Friday 14.10.2011

Club

Before a ball was kicked in anger this year there was a belief among most people that both Galbally and Kildress would feature prominently in Intermediate Football. Surprisingly it took both teams a while to get to the pace of Division Two league football but once they did their obvious quality, experience and strength in depth shone through. Indeed had they settled a bit sooner who knows they might also have finished in the top two places in the league table.

However the fact that the championship was delayed actually worked in their favour as the confidence built up after a consistent run of games meant they were able to cope when things got rocky. Kildress showed their best form in the opening round against Edendork when reduced to fourteen men and playing against the wind in the second half. That victory was a real statement of intent as they fought for every ball as if their lives depended on it. They have not been just as impressive since but then again they have not needed to be as they made the final without ever being really pushed. They now have a nice blend of youth and experience with Fran Loughran, Des Treacy, Damien Kelly and Frank Mc Gurk showing Conor Mc Aleer and Matthew Heagney what it means to win with the Wolfe Tones.

Galbally have had one or two close shaves and in their last two championship games against Rock and Stewartstown they were hanging on towards the end in both. But wins like these are what makes winners out of teams and a victory in adversity is the best of all. They enjoyed something of another victory in adversity this week with the news that key man Micky Murphy won his appeal and is now free to play on Sunday. He is central to so much of the possession Galbally wins around the middle third but he does much more than just secure ball. His constant forays forward add another dimension to the Galbally attack where Paul Rafferty and Declan Murphy have been superb all year.

Both these sides are packed with talent and experience but neither would be renowned as championship teams. Kildress have come close a few times making the senior semi finals but losing out each time while Galbally have not won a championship for a number of decades. Whatever happens on Sunday one of these teams will be county champions, barring a draw and that result is a distinct possibility. On paper there is so little between them that it might need another game to separate them but if it is a real championship battle nobody will mind.