Intermediate Football Championship semi-final: St Colmcille’s (Meath) v Pomeroy Plunketts (Tyrone) (tomorrow, the Athletic Grounds, 2.15pm)
Tyrone v Meath clashes are always tasty affairs, and tomorrow’s All-Ireland Club IFC semi-final between Pomeroy and St Colmcille’s could well follow a long established tradition.
The Plunketts are preparing themselves for their toughest challenge to date against east coast opponents from Bettystown.
It’s been a lengthy nine-week wait since their Ulster title triumph, but the Red Hand representatives are hoping a carefully constructed training schedule during the holiday period and beyond will have served them well, and that they will rediscover their touch and find momentum in the early stages of this eliminator.
The venue should help them achieve that, for the Athletic Grounds was the scene of Pomeroy’s provincial semi-final win over Castledawson, and it will provide them with a measure of familiarity which will be denied to their opponents.
This is Pomeroy’s second foray into the All-Ireland series. Their last Ulster win, back in 2004, was followed by a run to the All-Ireland final, which ended in disappointment.
The semi-final on that occasion was also against Meath opposition, Wolfe Tones, and the decider, against Carbery Rangers of Cork, was played in Portlaoise, just a year before the GAA designated Croke Park as the annual venue for all club finals.
Ollie McCreesh was a member of that losing side 12 years ago, and he’s hoping to finally make it to GAA Headquarters.
“It was a brilliant experience. We were a lot younger that time and you didn’t take it all in,” said McCreesh.
“It would be great to get to Croke Park, after playing for so long. That’s where all players want to play.
“And having not got to play there the last time, I never thought I would get the chance again.
“Now, when you’re a bit older, you appreciate it a bit more, and it’s great that there’s four or five of us still there. we’re all glad we have stuck at it.”
The Pomeroy team is back-boned by emerging Tyrone senior panellists Hugh Pat McGeary, Kieran McGeary and Frank Burns, but they have no-one of the stature of Graham Reilly, one of the Royal county’s modern-day greats, who is the inspirational leader in the St Colmcille’s side.
Reilly was a star performer right through his side’s Meath and Leinster successes, producing towering displays as they saw off Arklow of Wicklow and Round Towers of Kildare, before beating Westmeath champions Rosemount by 0-13 to 1-9 in the provincial final at Pairc Tailteann.
Skipper Barry Brennan, who scored the stoppage time winner in that thrilling decider, is another key figure, while James Conlon is also a man capable of carrying the challenge fearlessly to the Tyrone champions.
“It’s not going to be easy. They’re going to be strong and physical. It will be tough, but we’ll just go at it and do our best,” said Pomeroy centre forward McCreesh
“The spirit is great in the camp, and everybody is up for it. When you have boys like Kieran McGeary, Frank Burns and Hugh Pat McGeary, and then you have Brendan Burns, boys who have played for Tyrone at various levels, it’s great to have that quality.
“And then we have the experience of Denvir Nugent and Ciaran McKenna, who have been around for a long time.”