Chronicle Crystal Ball

Clann na nGael v Kildalkey: Anyone who watched Kildalkey dismantle the challenge of Navan O'Mahonys in the opening round of the SHC could not have been but impressed with what they witnessed. O'Mahonys were badly weakened by the absence of at least seven regulars and the dismissal of Shane Crosby early on didn't help yet the manner in which Kildalkey went about their business was impressive. Clann na nGael might have been expected to overcome Longwood in the opening round. Instead they crumbled and lost by 1-10 to 2-13. Sources say Aaron Ennis and Ciaran Fitzsimons have been among their best performers in recent outings yet these are only teenagers and can hardly be expected to show the way against a team of Kildalkey's quality. Jamie Shaw's wedding is on the Friday and he has to be considered a doubt for this encounter which is scheduled for Trim on Wednesday (2nd June). Verdict - Kildalkey. Navan O'Mahonys v Killyon: What do we read into Killyon's shock win over Dunboyne in the opening round? Were Johnny Murray's men just caught out on the day, their performance severely undermined by complacency? Are Killyon much stronger than the displays of recent seasons or their league form this year (they lost to Dunboyne by 30 points) suggests? These are all intriguing questions and we should find out a few answers in this encounter at Kildalkey on Thursday evening (3rd June). Killyon will have gained huge self-belief from their win over Dunboyne and with players like Thomas Raleigh and Mark Gannon in their forward division they are always likely to snatch a goal or two. O'Mahonys are without a number of players who would, in normal circumstances, be considered first-choice selections including Richie Hogan, Sean Kane and Stephen Quirke who are unavailable. Ciaran Dunphy is taking a break, Andrew Snow is injured and Padraig Coone is now working in Wexford and transferred to a club there. Verdict - Killyon. Kiltale v Na Fianna: One of the teams that could go a long way this year is Kiltale. They have a potent combination of youth and experience. They had too much to offer for Gaeil Cholmcille in the opening round when they coasted to an expected 2-15 to 0-7 victory. Any team with players like Padraig Donoghue and David Donoghue in their backline are unlikely to concede much while up front they have one of the sharpest marksmen around in Peter Durnin while Mark O'Sullivan and Philip Garvey are others who can take their scores. Na Fianna also made a bright start to their campaign with a 2-13 to 0-7 win over Rathmolyon. Barry Slevin is the type of player who can inspire his team to victory as he showed with his 12-point haul against Rathmolyon. David Kirby picked up a red card while promising young player Niall Reilly also broke his arm. Na Fianna don't have the resources to compensate for players of that calibre. Verdict: Kiltale. Longwood v Dunboyne: The Dunboyne players will have been looking forward to this game, eager to get the opportunity to erase the memory of their Killyon debacle. Free from their inter-county duties Paul Fagan and Neil Hackett will be able to focus on getting their club back on track. With players such as Enda Dixon and Karl Ennis minding the house Longwood will surely make it difficult for Dunboyne forwards. Longwood will also be bolstered by their opening round victory over Clann na nGael. Their confidence will be robust, but they may need more to overcome Johnny Murray's men on this occasion. Verdict: Dunboyne. Gaeil Cholmcille v Kilmessan: Despite despatching Trim in the opening round on a 3-17 to 1-10 scoreline Kilmessan had to work hard in that game and that will have helped them crank up their formidable scoring machine. Gaeil Cholmcille put themselves in the forefront for a relegation place when they lost to Kiltale and the fact they could only muster seven points suggests there is a lack of real firepower in the forward division. Maybe their problems run deeper? This game will be about retaining some sort of respectability as far as Gaeil Cholmcille are concerned. Verdict: Kilmessan. Trim v Rathmolyon: By all accounts Trim showed considerable spirit and tenacity in their defeat by Kilmessan. They have Joey Toole and on his day he will inflict real pain on any defence. They also have a crop of youngsters such as Damien McGee and Ryan Andrews, staking their claim for a place on the team. It's a work-in-progress and it may take some time before we see the full rewards. Reeling from their surprise defeat by Na Fianna in the opening round, Rathmolyon badly need to win this game. They at least have Mike Cole back after his stint in Chad with the Irish Army. They will need all the help they can get and even Cole's intervention might not be enough. Verdict: Trim.