Templeport aim to extend their stay in bonus territory

By Damian McCarney

Damian McCarney

Whether they can strike the right balance between youth and experience may ultimately determine how far they will progress. That was the take away line from this newspaper's preview of Junior Championship when it came to Templeport's prospects.

With St Aidan's due to face Kill Shamrocks at Kingspan Breffni on Saturday's Junior Championship semi-final it looks like they struck that balance. For team captain, James Murphy, however it's not so much getting the balance right, more so having the opportunity to get youth and experience together for a sustained run.

A forgettable league campaign saw Templeport amass as many defeats as wins in Division 4, leaving them marooned midtable. Registering a scoring average of less than 17 points (Drung won the league with a scoring average of almost 24 points per game) St Aidan's weren't mentioned in the same breath as Lacken, or even Swanlinbar, as genuine contenders.

“League was very disappointing,” admits Murphy to the Celt. “Most of the teams in Division 4 would have ambitions of getting out of it, so it definitely didn't go as we had planned or expected, so coming into to the Championship was a bit of a strange one. We didn't really know where we were, because we knew that the league probably wasn't a true reflection of our ability.”

If they were to find form to reflect that ability in the race for the Sean Leddy Cup, something needed to click for Templeport. However, the roars of the Shannon Gaels faithful as they overcame their neighbours in dramatic fashion in the championship opener suggested the Templeport click remained stubbornly unclucked.

A closer read shows that game was in the balance until injury time smash and grab as Shane Walsh conjured a goal finish to do justice to Caoimhin McGovern's precise pass that set him through. Twelve wides suggested Templeport were making chances, just not taking them.

It wasn't until their clash with another neighbour, Kildallan that they found a measure of form, beating them by over double figures. Round three saw them draw with Belturbet, although they had squandered a decent lead, before captain James Murphy had to rescue a point with a last gasp free.

Against Drung (who topped Division 4) they brought along their shooting boots to cruise to an 11 point win and kept them laced up as they trampled over Killeshandra's (second in Division 4) ambitions, this time winning by 12.

Since they clicked against Kildallan their scoring average across the four championship matches has jumped to almost 23. Murphy surmises that the lift in form has been sparked by their graduates from talented minor ranks. Exciting talents Sam Maguire, Conor Fahy and Rory Dolan are starters, while the likes of Fionán McIntyre has contributed manfully when coming off the bench.

“We would have played a few of the league games without some of the minor lads – they were obviously competing in Division 1 and they had a few important games that were running along the same time as some of our games. They were prioritising the minor competition, whereas that's over and they have been available for all of our championship games. That has definitely boosted us. We've been playing better.

“They have been a more consistent inclusion in our team – because part of the problem was that we had them, and then we didn't have them. When the team was changing so much, it felt like we could never get a run of games with the same 15 to 20 lads that were starting or coming on, whereas now we have been able to do that, we are understanding each other a little bit better,” says Murphy.

He notes that it's not just their inclusion for matches, but also training, that's significant.

“You could be training with 20 lads, then showing up [for a game] with a panel of 30. So I think it's definitely helped and been a big part of the reason why we have progressed a little more since the league.”

Donal Maguire's return to nets this spring has also helped to marshal the defence.

“Donal's been a big boost. He was the captain the last time we won Junior, so he's been around. He's got two junior medals now, and he has the experience.

He's a good communicator, he's good at organising the lads and telling everyone where they need to be in defence. That's definitely helped – his kick outs have bene good too, so that's been another factor that's helped us come on since the league.”

Aside from Maguire, and a few other stalwarts, the age profile suggests Templeport has a good. Murphy's one of a clutch of players in the 24-26 year old bracket and the addition of the young blood doesn't dilute the quality.

“Some of the minors have played county minor and division 1 football – they might be young, but they still do have good quality experience and are well fit for this.”

Murphy cautiously agrees that Templeport's future looks bright.

“It is but we have been in this position before as a club and it hasn't really worked out. So we are hoping that this time we can keep the lads around and we can kick on a little bit and progress up the ranks.”

While they have done well to raise their performance against teams in and around their league standing, Kill pose a tougher challenge. The midtable Division 3 Shamrocks team finished some 11 positions above Templeport.

Kill also have the old adage - you need to one lose to win one – standing in their favour from being narrowly defeated in last year's final by Munterconnaught (The Munchies had by Murphy's own admission “hammered” Templeport in the quarterfinals on their way to the Junior title).

Kill finished the league phase of championship perched nicely in second place with a draw against Redhills their only blip.

They had a reprise with the border club in the quarterfinal last time out, overcoming them by three in a low scoring game, where substitute Séamus Clerkin came up with the answers.

They have routinely dished out heavy defeats to almost all comers, with their smashing of Swanlinbar 6-19 to 2-13 the stand out where Ben McIntyre accrued a personal tally of 3-1.

“It does feel like bonus territory in a sense. Kill were obviously the finalists last year – I think they were beaten by a point in the final - so we know they are experienced in this stage of the championship, and we know that they are a good side.

“We will come in with the underdogs tag again, and that probably suits us. We'll give it a shot – it does still feel like bonus territory, but I feel that the last four teams are on a fairly even keel, and it should be a good match.”