Close final in store between Denn and Templeport

Junior Championship final preview

By the time referee Kieran McCarvile hoists the O’Neill’s Size 5 in the air this Saturday evening to get the delayed 2020 Junior Football Championship final underway, 321 days will have passed since the fixture was originally down for decision.

Back then, it was postponed on the eve of the game after confirmation of positive Covid-19 cases in one of the clubs. In the interim, there had been informal discussions about promoting both sides and talk, at one brief point, that the game may even be declared null and void but the county board have been adamant that they would do all in their power to play it – and here we are.

A match preview, in terms of the actual action, is probably moot. There are no real lines of recent form to go on.

Templeport parted company with manager Martin Smith during the lay-off and into his place have come Gowna man Gary Donohoe and former club player Declan Farrell. Denn, meanwhile, remain under the guidance of Stephen Baxter, who has experience of winning this title before with home club Ballymachugh.

Denn’s experienced full-back Mossie Corr has played in two Senior Championship finals while attackers Ben Conaty and Thomas Edward Donohoe were on the St Pat’s team which won the MacRory Cup six years ago, with Donohoe also boasting a Sigerson Cup medal.

However, in terms of winning county finals, Templeport have the edge by dint of their junior success six years ago. The likes of Benjamin Kelly (about whom there are injury rumours this weekend), Brendan McGoldrick, Donal Maguire, Sean Dolan, Eoghan Martin, Liam Galligan, Liam McAweeney, Eoin Doonan, Oran Duffy and Dillon Raythorne all featured on that side and will be key men again on Saturday.

Scoring forwards are always priceless commodities and considering this is a junior final, both of these attacks are stacked with talented marksmen. On the Templeport side, Liam Galligan is outstanding, U20 county player Eoin McCaffrey is a superb goal poacher and Doonan and former Cavan minor player Raythorne are always good for a few scores.

On the Denn side, Thomas Edward Donohoe is the go-to man, with Cavell Keogan on the 40 also capable of racking up big tallies along with Conaty and Donohoe’s younger brother, Sean.

Denn have a super goalkeeper in Mark Fegan but much will come down to the midfield battle as usual. Oisin Kiernan is a powerful presence there for Denn while Templeport will be depleted if Kelly is not fit to line out but are certainly not weak either, with Eoghan Martin having shown good form prior to the competition being paused.

Denn will be without Conor O’Reilly, an exceptional talent, who has been in the United States in recent months which means that neither side will be at full strength. It would be foolish to read too much into league results – neither side fielded in their last couple of matches, understandably – and given the long lay-off, there is an element of lottery about this match.

Had they met 10 months ago as scheduled, it was going to be a very hard game to call and that hasn’t changed, with Denn going in as slight favourites. A kind – or unkind - break here or there will likely settle it.