SAFC: Kilshannig look to take another big step forward against Éire Óg

Kilshannig would have taken this scenario heading into their final group game in the McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC this weekend.

Last year’s PIFC winners take on Éire Óg on Sunday in Donoughmore with throw-in at 2pm. It’s quite simple, the winners will qualify for the knockout stages with both teams on two points.

The other two sides in Group 1 are also on two points as Duhallow rivals Kanturk and Newmarket go head-to-head.

It would be a big step forward though for Kilshannig if they were to get over the line this weekend. Three years ago, themselves and Éire Óg were three championship grades apart. Now, they are on an even keel.

“When the groups were drawn last December, we knew it was going to be very tough,” Kilshannig selector Colm O'Dea says to The Echo.

“We were hoping to get off to a good start, which we did against Newmarket. We worked hard and got over the line. We then went into the Kanturk game eager to keep the ball rolling. We just hit a roadblock that we just couldn’t get over on the day.

“Look, we are very happy with the position we are in at the moment. It’s still in our hands in terms of qualification. We aren’t relying on the other game in the group. There are other teams who have no points and are out, we still have a chance of going through.” 

Recent winners of the Premier Intermediate grade have adapted well to the Senior A level. Kilshannig will be keen to make the business end and continue their upward trajectory.

They will face stiff opposition against an Éire Óg team who will be desperate to make up for last year’s relegation from the top-tier.

“Éire Óg are a very established team, they will be the favourites coming into this one,” the Kilshannig selector said.

“We will be the underdogs, but hopefully we will be able to match them and hopefully we might eke out a win by a couple of points.

“We never really set a target at the start of the year considering we just came up. If we were to qualify out of the group, I would consider that to be a good achievement. All we have to do is focus on our own performance.

“We will have a plan and please God it will be enough to come out on the right side. If we could progress, it would keep things rolling for another few weeks.” 

Kilshannig were a Junior A football side back in 2019, it has been some rise since then. Overcoming Éire Óg would be a feather in their cap.

“We have won three counties in the last six years, at some stage you're going to get to a point where you can’t progress anymore. I don’t think we are at that level yet. I feel we have another bit to go on our journey.

“The first step is trying to establish ourselves at Senior A level. After that, it would be to qualify out of the group. If we were able to do that on Sunday, we would be content with that and take it from there.”