Kilmeena can keep Ballinrobe waiting

THE words decorate and dance and gently make their way around it, but when John Reilly and Peter Ford talk about Saturday's intermediate final there's only one thing on their mind – victory.
The chance to bring the Sweeney Cup back to the homeland in a sea of noise, light and emotion is just one good performance away and the men who manage Kilmeena and Ballinrobe are well aware of it.
“At the start of the championship there were seven or eight teams mentioned as potential winners but one by one they fell away. Now, it's down to two and we're delighted to be one of them,” Ballinrobe manager Ford explained at last week’s pre-final press conference.
“I managed the club to an intermediate title in 2000 and Tommy O'Malley did the same thing in 2002, but we haven't won a lot since. It's a long time to be in the doldrums. There's a great sense of excitement around the town and the players are delighted to be in contention again,” the former Mayo full-back added.
Across the room, Reilly is equally delighted to be looking forward to another county final, his club's fourth in as many seasons.
Kilmaine edged them out by a point in the 2020 junior final before they roared back to beat Cill Chomain a year later on their way to the All-Ireland title. They continued their upward curve last year only to be edged out by Ballyhaunis in the intermediate decider, but they're back again, looking for one last push to take them to senior football for the first time.
“Ballinrobe and ourselves both want senior football, but we want to be there ahead of them,” Reilly explained before being asked about the learnings picked up in last year's decider.
“That game came down to the wire. If one of our goal chances had gone in we'd have won it. “We knew we had to build a bigger squad and every one of us had to improve and now we're back in the final again, but we know the mountain we have to climb if we're to win it.”
Kilmeena and Ballinrobe know each other quite well.
They met in last year's quarter-final which Kilmeena won. They met in this year's Michael Walsh final which Ballinrobe won and on Saturday they'll meet on the biggest stage yet.
Both squads are almost at full-strength, but doubts over the availability of Kilmeena's John Keane and Ballinrobe's Ewan Duffy remain. Apart from that, everyone is reported to be fit.
In the dugouts, Reilly and Ford are supported by top-quality backroom teams.
Peter Carney, Eoin Sweeney and John Doherty help drive the Kilmeena ship while Colm Jennings, John Gilrane, David McDonnell, Davy Walsh, Billy Burke and Evan Gannon are the men behind Ford.
“I might be on the phone to them first thing in the morning and last thing at night,” John Reilly told The Mayo News and it's the same story on Robeside.
Both sides arrive in the final with great momentum.
Ballinrobe have won five games on the spin and were largely untroubled against Islandeady and Castlebar Mitchels B in the knock-out stages. Kilmeena were beaten by Louisburgh in the groups stages, but memorable victories over Parke and Moy Davitts in their last two outings have them on top of the ground at present.
It promises to be a hugely enjoyable final for neutral viewers, but one full of nervous tension for those who follow the fortunes of either of the competing teams.
Ballinrobe haven't won the intermediate title for 21 years, Kilmeena have never win it.
On Saturday evening one of those long waits will come to an end.

VERDICT: Kilmeena