SFC Final Preview: Reilly accepts there are high expectations at Ratoath

Ratoath v Summerhill SFC Final, Sunday 2.15pm, Pairc Tailteann (Extra-Time/Penalties if needed)

There were certainly a few raised eyebrows when Kevin Reilly called time on his hugely successful spell as Trim manager at the end of last year, but when the news broke that David Brady was stepping away as Ratoath boss after guiding them to the Keegan Cup the former Meath full-back seemed like the natural successor.

Leaving one dual club for another saw a continuation of challenges for Reilly and maybe that experience was a key factor in appointing the Navan O'Mahonys man to replace Brady at the champions.

Reilly accepts that there are challenges that come with managing within a successful dual club, but he is happy with the pressures that come along with the weight of expectations at a club like Ratoath.

"No more than it was when I was with Trim, it is the dual players that keep both squads going and without them neither squad would thrive," Reilly told the Meath Chronicle ahead of next Sunday's SFC final against Summerhill.

"It is a reality that we have to face that in that dual dynamic and the structure of both championships you have to go with it week to week.

"You don't see some of the lads from one week until the next, but we have to run with that. That is the reality, it's not going away so we just have to make the best of it.

"Momentum is a great thing and when both codes are doing well it is great. Those dual players are riding the crest of a wave from week to week and success definitely breeds success and those lads want to challenge for the hurling and they are going about it the right way so far.

"We want to be in these kind of environments where the expectations are sky-high and you want to be working with these players. These are a fabulous group of players, really committed, really hungry and driven. They are the calibre of players you want to be working with."

From the outset the expectations at Ratoath are enormous. After winning three of the last four Keegan Cups under three different managers (Davy Byrne, Brian Farrell and David Brady), nothing less than another county title will suffice for Reilly.

The new manager has already claimed a first A FL Div 1A title for the club, but such is the weight of expectation that will pale into insignificance if the Keegan Cup isn't retained and in reality the club are already eyeing up a run in the provincial club campaign.

Despite those clear goals it hasn't all been plain sailing for Ratoath and their struggles in their last three games have been obvious.

They lost to St Colmcille's in their final group game and were knocked off top spot. They needed a late, late goal to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in the quarter-final against Dunshaughlin and then failed to score in the second-half of their 0-7 to 0-6 semi-final win over Wolfe Tones.

So why the indifferent form?

"The expectation within the county was probably that it would finish out with Ratoath and Summerhill in the final, but it wasn't smooth sailing for us over the last couple of games because of a number of factors," admitted Reilly.

"Leading into that period we had a very consistent league finishing out with winning it and the first couple of games of the championship were good, but since then a multitude of factors and injuries at the wrong time probably lead to the performances against St Colmcille's and Dunshaughlin.

"Thankfully those injuries have now cleared up, but those injuries earlier gave an opportunity for others to stand up. We have had a huge turnover of players in both league and championship and they have all played a part.

"The squad we have is very strong, we always rely on 20 men in every game we have played so far. That is a great complaint to have.

"Over the next couple of weeks lads will be putting their hand up in training and we are reassured that we could have two men for every position and they are all fighting for places.

"There is fierce competition. There are lads there with county experience who are not guaranteed to play. Someone like Liam Kelly in particular has been very unfortunate over the last couple of games to lose out to Ben (Wyer), Ciaran (O Fearraigh) and Conor (McGill), but that is testament to the quality of player and the depth within the squad.

"You have to look at some other factors in those games (against Dunshaughlin and Wolfe Tones where Ratoath managed just one point in two halves of football).

"We actually played really good football in the first-half against Dunshaughlin, we created 23 scoring opportunities in the first-half, took 10 shots, but managed just one score. Every other aspect of our play against Dunshaughlin, bar the final execution, was really good. "We were compact defensively, we kept them to one point and put some really good moves together, just lacked the execution.

"Against Wolfe Tones the wind picked up and the rain was driving down in the second-half. The lads explained afterwards that anything outside 20 metres wasn't on in those conditions.

"Add in 15 Wolfe Tones lads inside the D as well and that creates its own difficulties. We did create some chances. We got in for a goal chance, we had two or three shots at the post and a couple of frees, but just that final execution may have let us down.

"The lads defended really well with some heroic displays to keep the Tones out."

Now attentions turn to the particular set of challenges Summerhill will pose in next Sunday's final and Reilly understands it will be another tough challenge.

"Conor (Gillespie) has done great work with that squad over the last couple of years," he said.

"They have quality all over the pitch. The two Ryans, the Fraynes, Larkin is going well, the midfielders are colossal with Adam Flanagan fetching ball after ball. They have quality all over, Barry Dardis at full-forward as well.

"We absolutely know the test that awaits us because Summerhill are going really well," concluded the Ratoath manager.