O'Mahonys will pose too many questions

Navan O'Mahonys and Summerhill met in the 2008 decider in what was expected to be the most eagerly awaited Keegan Cup final for years. However, it turned out to be a cakewalk for Navan O'Mahonys as they ended an 11-year wait to recapture the Meath SFC title at the expense of a desperately disappointing Summerhill. With typical character, Summerhill regrouped and played some of the most outstanding football in 2009, but again were edged out by the eventual champions Seneschalstown in a thrilling semi-final. Going so close, but finishing so far away has taken its toll on Summerhill. Last year they failed to qualify from what was deemed to be a relatively easy group and needed a final round win over Oldcastle to avoid a relegation tussle. They managed to avoid a similar fate this year and at times it looked as if the old swagger was back. New manager Declan McCabe restored some lost belief and in the early rounds of the SFC Summerhill looked like the team to beat. A 17-point win over neighbours Trim indicated they were back with a bang and a two-point victory over a Blackhall Gaels side that had demolished Simonstown in round one backed up that assumption. Their place in the knock-out stages was secured with another comfortable win over Oldcastle, but then the form dipped alarmingly with losses to Simonstown and Wolfe Tones as Summerhill slipped back into third in the group and left themselves with the difficult task of facing favourites O'Mahonys in the last eight. Summerhill still possess an amazingly talented bunch of young players and if they can find their top form then they will push O'Mahonys all the way. However, Mark O'Reilly's retirement, Stephen Kennedy's absense and long term injuries to Maurice Kennedy and Damien Byrne has deprived them of four key players. Others have stepped up with Adrian Kenny taking on greater scoring responsibility and Davy Dalton (pictured), Caolan Young and Willie Ryan have impressed in defence, but against O'Mahonys they will need to be at the peak of their powers. Maurice Kennedy has returned to the fold and could feature, but they will need big games from Brian Ennis, Paul Rispin and Michéal Byrne if they are to upset the formbook. Despite all the years of producing false dawns there is still the sense that O'Mahonys have the class throughout to go all the way. They did have one minor hiccup this year when losing to Seneschalstown in round four, but their passage was safe to the quarter-finals and their focus was elsewhere. Davy Nelson's charges bounced back well to hammer Dunshaughlin and a quick look through their team sheet offers all the encourgament needed to suggest that they will once again be too strong for Summerhill. These two also met in the second round of last years campaign with O'Mahonys coasting to a 3-8 to 1-4 win in Dunsany. If Stephen Bray, Darragh Smith and Alan Forde can exploit space up front they will romp to the semi-finals especially with the tidy defensive unit of Cormac McGuinness, Gary O'Brien, Mark Ward and Stephen MacGabhann behind them.