Galway Intermediate county champions Killanin will face Calry/St Joseph’s (Sligo ) next Sunday in Tuam Stadium (2pm ) in the Connacht Intermediate semi-final.
The Killanin men, who had a famous win over near neighbours Moycullen in the county final a few weeks ago, are hopeful of building on that win in the provincial championship.
Team manager Pat Quealey knows his panel are very ambitious and that there is a real desire in the squad to try to add a Connacht medal to their county success.
“All our lads have been working very hard at training, collectively and individually, over the past few weeks and there is a real buzz in the squad ahead of Sunday’s challenge,” he said.
Quealey is happy that the Killanin management team have no real injuries to contend with before Sunday’s throw-in.
However the loss of the livewire, and hugely influential wing-back, Ronan Caldwell, who has emigrated to Australia, will mean that there will be at least one change in personnel from the side that started the county final.
However, Quealey is unfazed by that fact.
“While Ronan is a very big loss to the panel and has had a fantastic season, we have a good squad and whoever comes in for Ronan at wing-back will have our full confidence and will be well up to the job.
“There are lots of leaders in the squad and our older players like PJ Gorham and Peter O’Halloran who are both very experienced players have been setting a magnificent example for the entire panel over the past season, and that has continued over the past few weeks too — and we have left no stone unturned to try and build on our county final success.
“Calry/St Joseph’s are a good side and we will need big performances all over the field if we are to get past them, and get to a Connacht final. Hopefully our lads will play to their best and if they do that, then we believe that we will be good enough to win.”
Assuming that Patrick Sweeney, Cathal Sweeney, and Niall Walsh can maintain their scoring form from the county final, allied to home advantage, should give Killanin a good chance of advancing.
Sunday’s game will be refereed by Liam Devenney (Mayo ).
The winners on Sunday will face either Ballyhaunis (Mayo ) or St Croan’s (Roscommon ) in the Connacht final.
