FEATURE GAME - Kilmessan v Navan Cosmos
Two of the founding clubs of the Mid-Meath League and the first Challenge Cup finalists - Kilmessan and Navan Cosmos - will ge head-to-head in the feature game this week reports JUSTIN BURKE.
Kilmessan will host Cosmos at the MDL in the KIlmessan Shield on Sunday at 11.15am.
Both these teams are having different seasons so far with Kilmessan coming up to Div 3 as Div 4 champions and having a relatively good start while Navan Cosmos are only back as a senior club having taken the decision not to compete last season due to shortage of players so this half season is for rebuilding.
Kilmessan haven't won in three matches, Robinstown claimed a 1-1 draw at Kilmessan with a 96th minute equaliser to gain a point, then Kilmessan lost to Premier side Newfoundwell in the Challenge Cup while last Monday they were beaten by Kells Celtic.
Cosmos can be encouraged of late as they drew with Bailieboro Celtic 3-3 followed by a loss to Oldcastle United 3-4 and then last time out losing to high flyers Woodview Celtic 0-4.
Gerry Keoghan's Kilmessan side has a couple of injury worries ahead of this fixture with captain Paddy Maguire struggling with a hamstring problem while they await news to see if top scorer Dermot Maguire will be fit as he has a knee injury.
John Conaty's Navan Cosmos team has just heard that TJ Mackey will be out for up to four weeks with a hamstring injury while they also wait on news on a few players who are struggling but will know more after they train.
Kilmessan's main goal threats will be the partnership of brothers Dermot and Robbie Maguire and they can now add Colin O'Hara to that list as he has just came back from a long term injury.
Navan Cosmos goal threats are former Johnstown player Alan Burke who has settled into his new team very well and also futsal star Kamil Rudzik who knows how to score fantastic goals.
Key players to watch out for in the Kilmessan side will be Scott McGowan in midfield and Declan McGovern who started the season outfield but realised his calling when jumping between the sticks as the new 'keeper.
Cosmos key players are new signing Alan Burke and Mark Nicholls in midfield who controls the play.
Kilmessan brought in a few new signings for the NEFL campaign, Daniel Bannon slotting in at midfield, Daniel Taylor coming in as a right back and Gary Scully is the Usain Bolt of the club in the right side of midfield.
Cosmos new signings saw the management promoting the youth side of the club, bringing in under-age stars Aaron Walsh, Tadhg Donnelly and Carl Maguire while also adding experience of Alan Burke and Alan Hughes.
Gerry Keoghan said this week that he knows Navan Cosmos will give you a good game even though they find themselves bottom of their division.
He would see his side as the underdogs in this match and hopes to bounce back with a good result.
John Conaty was away this week so Mark Walsh stood in to do interview and he said they hope to get a good result against Kilmessan at the weekend, they are still looking for a first win of the season but they have spent this season rebuilding the club.
VERDICT
Although Kilmessan have only scored one goal in last three games compared to Navan Cosmos (six), they have scored 15 in five league matches compared to Cosmos six in five games so it might go all the way to penalties but Kilmessan to progress.