Piltown are coming into the county final under the radar.
They won the southern on the second Saturday in November, with a 0-19 to 0-9 win over Kilmacow. Fitness will not be a problem for the southern team as the under-21 squad was training with the junior team up to the county final in October. But the Emeralds have had two hard games in the past two weeks with wins over Tullaroan and Young Irelands as Piltown watched from the sidelines.
How Piltown have coped with the month long break from competitive action will have a big bearing on the outcome of this final.
The Emeralds looked dead and buried in Freshford last Sunday afternoon, when they trailed 1-6 to 0-2 against Young Irelands early in the second half. But they kept plugging away, and with Conor Martin unerring from placed balls they hurled their way back into it to win 0-11 to 1-7.
Captain of the team Shane Norton anchors a solid defence, with Damian Fitzgerald, James Tobin and Anthony Farrell all able lieutenants. Kilkenny minors Brian Troy at midfield and Conor Martin at wing forward along with Eoin Moriarty and the talented Eddie Ryan make the attack tick over.
Piltown have a very solid goalkeeper in David Burchill, with Brendan Norris, Shane Doody and Kevin Walsh sturdy defenders. Nollaig Brophy, Martin Power, Peter McCarthy and Robbie Culleton are the main threats up front.
The team profile of The Emeralds would be similar to Kilmacow – young and skilful for this grade. Piltown saw off Kilmacow after a sluggish start on a wind-dominated day in Carrigeen.
But this is a much more significant challenge for the Piltown club, as many of these lads tasted defeat in the junior final and they haven’t great memories of success in Nowlan Park. All these things add to the mix on Sunday.
The Emeralds will feel that their name is on the cup after their Lazarus-like win over Young Irelands.
The Emeralds are coming into this final with the advantage of two championship games, while Piltown were idle. But if the southern team have the character and the will to avoid another defeat in Nowlan Park this year, they can do it.
