BUILD UP - SHC final Kiltale or Kildalkey
Kiltale got the defence of the Jubilee Cup off to a winning start at Pairc Tailteann at the end of May against Kildalkey but can they do it again on Saturday?
View the video clip below of the post-match interview with both managers
Last May Kiltale recorded a 1-19 to 2-10 first round victory against Kildalkey despite collecting a red card with 12 minutes remaining.
It was an unusual sort of a game in the sense that Kiltale were ahead and almost out of sight at half-time with a 1-11 to 0-4 advantage that was stretched to 1-17 to 0-6 by the end of the third-quarter.
Then Kildalkey's top scorer Conor Kearney got through for a goal and Kiltale lost Mark O'Sullivan to a red card.
That gave Kildalkey an extra boost and they bossed the closing stages with Kearney adding another goal, with the help of a deflection, and it put the three in-a-row champions on the backfoot.
Fortunately for Kiltale, they had built the platform for victory with that impressive first-half performance.
Jack Regan contributed 1-5 along with a point each from Peter Durnin, O'Sullivan, Cathal McCabe, Padraig Kelly, Anthony Forde and returning-to-action after a long absence, Philip Garvey, who lined out at full-back.
All Kildalkey could muster in the opening 30 minutes was three Kearney points (two frees) and a superb effort from Evan Fitzgerald. It also took a couple of smart saves from goalkeeper Paul Fagan to deny Kiltale more that that one goal that arrived in the 18th minute.
Kiltale's long-range passing was excellent, but they were off the mark with a number of early second-half chances as Kearney and Sean Heavey sent over while at the other end, Fagan once again made a good save from Cathal McCabe.
Kiltale settled again and added points from Regan (three), Durnin (two) and James Kelly for that 1-17 to 0-6 advantage by the end of the third-quarter.
All they managed for the remainder was a point each from James Kelly and Regan as Kildalkey sparked into life, but not soon enough for a recovery on this occasion.
STARTING TEAMS
Kiltale - Shane McGann; Anto Donnelly, Philip Garvey, Ciaran Ennis; Ronan Ryan, Stephen Donoghue, Conor Shirren; Anthony Forde, Padraig Kelly; James Kelly, Cathal McCabe, Mark O'Sullivan; Peter Durnin, Jack Regan, Ross Ryan.
Kildalkey - Paul Fagan; David Conneely, Padraig Geoghegan, Brin Kelly; Andrew Fagan, David Harmon, Mairtin Doran; Paddy Potterton, Mark Healy; Evan Fitzgerald, Gary Kelly, Sean Heavey; Paddy Conneely, Martin Healy, Conor Kearney.
First round - Kiltale 1-19, Kildalkey 2-10.
Second round - Kiltale 1-19, Killyon 0-14; Kildalkey 3-23, Dunderry 0-3.
Third round - Kiltale 8-16, Blackhall Gaels 0-10; Kildalkey 0-21, Boardsmill 1-11.
Fourth round - Kiltale 3-26, Boardsmill 0-7; Kildalkey 1-16 Killyon 2-12.
Fifth round - Kiltale w/o Dunderry scr; Kildalkey 0-20, Blackhall Gaels 1-12.
Quarter-final - Kildalkey 2-14, Ratoath 0-11.
Semi-finals - Kiltale 2-17, Kilmessan 0-15; Kildalkey 1-12, Dunboyne 0-14.
FINAL - Kiltale v Kildalkey (predict the score)
WHAT THE MANAGER'S SAID