'No stone unturned' as Kilmurry chase IAFC final spot
Kyle Kelleher in action for Kilmurry against Boherbue last year. Picture: Jim Coughlan
Kilmurry midfielder Kyle Kelleher says the four‑week wait for tonight’s McCarthy Insurance Group IAFC semi-final has sharpened the edge inside the camp, with training intensity “biting” again ahead of their 7.30pm clash with Boherbue in Mourneabbey.
Kilmurry qualified directly for the last four after topping their group with three wins from three over Ilen Rovers, Buttevant and Glanworth.
“The last four weeks, the training intensity… there’s a good bit of bite there,” he said.
“It is kind of hard to keep things fresh when there’s a four‑week gap, but it’s about motivating the lads and keeping the needle in the training. Things are looking good for us.”
It’s Kilmurry’s second straight year reaching the semi-finals since coming up, but last season’s defeat to eventual winners Ballinora still lingers. Kelleher feels quarter-final winners often arrive with a sharper edge.
“I think personally the favourites are nearly the teams that come through the quarter-finals because they have a knockout championship game under their belt.
“They might be that bit sharper or hungrier. Hopefully we have learnt from last year. Maybe Ballinora just wanted it a bit more than us that day.
“The winner of the Intermediate A grade this year will have a big say in next year’s Premier Intermediate grade. There’s fierce competition there — no team is going to run away with this. It’ll be hard-fought, and it will come down to whoever wants it the most on the day.”
Kelleher admits Kilmurry have developed a habit of slow starts, something they have targeted heavily during the long break.
“We’ve kind of got into a habit of giving teams a small bit of a head start,” he says.
“At this level you can’t be playing for just 30 or 40 minutes — you need to be playing for the full 60. You literally need to be on it for the full 60 minutes in these games.”
Boherbue, he says, will bring exactly the type of physical, uncompromising challenge that demands that complete performance.
“With Boherbue, you always know what you’re going to get. We’re familiar with each other — we’ve played them quite a bit through the years.
“They’re a big, tough, solid team. They’ll give you a thump, and hopefully we can just match their physicality and come out the other end.
“It’s just up to us now to be raring to go for Boherbue and leave no stone unturned.”
Kilmurry v Boherbue, Mourneabbey, 7.30pm.
Adrigole v Buttevant, Kilmichael, 3pm; Kildorrery v Glanworth (relegation play-off replay), Shanballymore, 3pm.
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