Simonstown ready for tough test in Wexford

Simonstown Gaels will start their bid to become the first Keegan Cup champion in 13 years years to reach a Leinster Club SFC final when they take on hosts Wexford's Starlights next Sunday, 2pm.

Skryne were the last Meath team to make it to the Leinster Club SFC final where they lost out to Portlaoise in the 2004 decider and in recent years Meath sides have struggled to even get a win in the competition.

Last year Simonstown’s brief flirtation with the Leinster Club SFC ended in disappointment in Tullamore following a three-point (1-9 to 1-12) loss to Offaly champions Rhode.

Since Skryne reached the Leinster Club SFC semi-finals in 2010 the Meath champions have won just one game in the province when Summerhill got the better of Newtown Blues in 2013 before they lost out to Dublin side St Vincent’s.

Since Skryne’s two wins in 2010, O’Mahonys lost out to Emmet Og of Longford twice (2012 and 2015) and Offaly's Rhode in 2014, Summerhill have lost to Dublin sides St Brigid’s (2011) and St Vincent’s (2013), while Rhode, who also ended Skryne’s run in 2010, defeated Simonstown last year.

Dunshaughlin were the last Meath side to taste glory in the Leinster Club SFC when they won the title in 2002, while only two other clubs from the Royal County have won the provincial crown - Summerhill in 1977 and Walterstown (1980 and 1983).

So can Simonstown add their name to that illustrious list?

First things first and the recently recrowned Meath SFC champions will have to do what no team from the county has done in their last three attempts - win their first game of the campaign and that might be easier said than done.

While Wexford football might not be regarded as being at the same level as in Meath any side who wins their county championship must be respected and Starlights certainly fit that bill following their shock 0-17 to 1-8 win over St Martin's at Wexford Park last Sunday week.

Inspired by Liam Ryan, Enniscorthy-based Starlights dominated the double-chasing St Martin's and took full advantage of their opponents failure to turn some early chances into scores, as they managed to build a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the 12th minute.

While a superb 21st minute Ciaran Lyng goal gave St Martin's hope they trailed Starlights 1-2 to 0-9 at the break.

Starlights had the perfect start to the second-half with two Dylan Redmond pointed frees and it was the Enniscorthy men who controlled the closing quarter showing their defensive qualities and quick counter attacks they led to the crucial scores with some excellent point taking.

Simonstown will have to be particularly wary of that counter-attacking style and without the services of Conor Nash they will have to rejig their gameplan to get the better of the Wexford side.

After the win over Summerhill in the Meath SFC final manager Colm O'Rourke hinted that his side might be a bit more focused for Leinster glory this year.
“I think we’ll take a bit more interest in it. Second time around I suppose there is a different feel to the whole thing and maybe now we’ll take it a bit more seriously,” O’Rourke said.

“We came up against Rhode last year so it was a hard opening game for us maybe if we had a game earlier we might have been able to manage them a bit better.”

There is no doubting that Simonstown have the ability to make a sustained impression on the provincial championship, but they cannot afford to take anything for granted, starting with their trip to Wexford Park next Sunday.