Simonstown fancied to see off near neighbours
SFC PREVIEW
Separated by little more than one huge Robbie Burlingham or Ciaran O Gallachoir kick-out Simonstown and Wolfe Tones will renew rivalries at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday (3pm) in the SFC quarter-finals for the second successive year.
Last year it was Wolfe Tones who eased to a surprisingly easy 2-11 to 1-5 win over their near neighbours, but it is unlikely to be as straightforward this time around.
This time last year Simonstown advanced to the knockout stages as group winners and they repeated that feat this time around, but in very different style.
Last year an ultra-defensive Simonstown smothered teams into submission, but this year they have been playing a little more swashbuckling kind of football and that suits them.
With players of the calibre of Podge McKeever, Sean Tobin, Ben Hoey and aaron FArrelly it suits them to trust their attacking unit to do what they do best and their results have backed that up.
Despite a poor league campaign that saw them relegated from Div 1 and transition with a change of management midway through the year Simonstown have adapted to their new way of doing things very well.
In their three group C games against Na Fianna, Seneschalstown and St Colmcille's Simons scored 1-15, 2-11 and 1-14 respectively.
Contrast that to last year's returns of 1-7, 1-10 and 2-13 in their final game when everything was already decided and the paltry 1-5 in the quarter-final and it is clear to see how Simonstown have improved.
Can the same be said for Wolfe Tones?
They might not have improved, but they certainly haven't regressed too far and if they can maintain the same form that brought them to within a point of defeating Ratoath in last year's semi-final then they will be hard stopped.
In the three years since they last won the Keegan Cup it has been suggested that Wolfe Tones had reached their peak in 2021 and they won't be in the shake up again, but in 2022 and 2023 they reached the semi-finals and are now just one step away from doing so again - it would be a foolish man to count against them.
Form is temporary, but class is permanent and it Wolfe Tones case it seems that both form and class are permanent, because their level of consistency is matched only by Summerhill and Ratoath.
Much of that is down to class acts like the Wards, the O'Reillys and the O'Neills, but while those players are huge factors in Wolfe Tones threat they also have sparks all over the field to light significant fires.
Like all the quarter-finals next weekend this one is on a knife's edge and could go either way.
Only a fool would go against Wolfe Tones! However, we have been called much worse and because of their new-found attacking freedom and the confidence that that brings Simonstown are fancied to shade this one.