Newly-crowned Kilkenny Intermediate hurling champions Danesfort head off on the long journey to Navan to take on Meath Senior hurling champions Kildalkey in Páirc Tailteann.
Kildalkey completed a league and championship double in the Royal County and also won their third senior title in a row when they defeated Navan O’Mahony’s two weeks ago, 3-11 to 0-10, Kildalkey hitting two early goals to take control of the game.
This is a tricky assignment for Danesfort, as the Meath champions have a lot of Leinster championship experience. The loss of the outstanding Patrick Hogan will be felt by the Kilkenny champions, but Paul Murphy should take the number six jersey in a defence that has conceded only one goal from a free and nine points from play in the championship.
The ‘Fort men have further complications for this game with midfielder Martin McMahon emigrating to Australia on Friday and corner forward Cillian Treacy involved in a minor county final on Saturday afternoon.
Kildalkey lost heavily to Dicksboro in Nowlan Park last year, 8-7 to 1-14. But the final score is misleading as Kildalkey only trailed by one point at half time (2-4 to 1-6 ) and by four points (4-6 to 1-11 ) going into the final quarter.
This year, they have kept clean sheets in the county final, and only conceded one goal from a 20-metre free when winning the league final.
Kildalkey on home soil will be formidable opposition for Danesfort on their own turf. It’s a banana skin for the Kilkenny champions.
