Gowna are deserved favourites but the Stars can’t be ruled out
SFC final preview
When Gowna broke through to win the Senior Championship in 2022, it felt like the start of a new era but some seasoned watchers understandably urged caution.
Other youthful sides had claimed senior titles but the expected riches did not materalise afterwards; in fact, that is the more common story. It was when Gowna retained the title that they truly confirmed themselves as the real deal; no group as young as they were in 2023 had put together back-to-back senior titles in modern times. It seemed they could reign for the foreseeable future.
Not even the first great Gowna side, however, managed a three-in-a-row and their season fell apart with a poor performance in the semi-final against Ramor last year.
Football followers are notoriously fickle and there were suggestions that Gowna could slip back into the pack, certainly for a year or two. We never bought that notion; this team’s best years are ahead of them – age-wise, they should peak in the next couple of seasons - and they are a motivated and ambitious group. They were always going to make a very bold bid this season.
The general consensus, however, was that if they were to be stopped, it would be Ramor or defending champions Crosserlough doing the stopping. That made perfect sense; we’re at the tail end of 2025 now and no club outside of the Big Three has won a Senior League or Championship this decade.
But Kingscourt are no ordinary club either. In our championship preview, we noted that their outright price of 16/1 was nuts and so it has proven; as we write, the Stars are as short as 15/8 to lift the cup.
That seems short considering Gowna embarrassed the Stars in the final two years ago and that Kingscourt found themselves in the relegation play-offs last season.
But there is no doubt that the Stars have been re-invigorated this time round. Their early league form was dire but they have slowly built up a head of steam and they reach the final in the happy position of having a good body of work under their belts – they’ve faced Cavan Gaels, Crosserlough, Ramor and Ballyhaise (twice) and none could beat them – and yet knowing there is more in them. They haven’t yet delivered that signature performance.
That – a stellar showing – is what will be needed to beat Gowna. How much of a chance do the Stars have? A decent one but a lot needs to go right, as is always the case for the underdogs.
Kingscourt’s physicality in the middle is such that they should be able to compete strongly with anyone; nobody will push them around. Padraig Faulkner was at his indomitable best last time out, Aaron Shekleton looks like the heir to iconic number six Alan Clarke (but ‘Shek’ is a better passer, as Barry Tully jokingly pointed out).
Joe Dillon is playing his best football for about 10 years; Ciaran Dermody, Paddy Meade and reliable soldier Peter Corrigan also bring physicality to this sector.
It will all be needed. Gowna are exceptionally strong in the middle and have more ball-players than Kingscourt, with Conor Casey, Conor Brady, Ryan Donohoe, Cian and Tiarnan Madden et al.
That war in the middle will be key; both goalies are relatively new and have enjoyed good seasons. Both sets of forwards are dangerous, with Cian Shekleton – although quiet last time – in the form of his life and Jordan Morris having brought his game to another level with club and county in 2025. On the Gowna side, it’s whack-a-mole – Conor Madden, Oisin Pierson, Robbie Fitzpatrick are all match-winners and Daire Madden, freed from the short-lived goalkeeping experiment last year, is playing out of his skin.
Will there be scar tissue from two years ago? Kingscourt had lost but never flopped in a county final before 2023 and it certainly tarnished their aura to some degree. Then again, maybe they will be doubly determined now to exact revenge.
It’s sometimes forgotten that Kingscourt were 0-6 to 0-2 up and moving well in that game but that is not unusual.
One of the quirks of this outstanding Gowna team is that they do not have a high cruising speed, either within matches or seasons – but when they accelerate, nobody can stay with them. They have become expert at negotiating Cavan’s stale championship system. Everyone knows that the quarter-final draw is a lottery yet Gowna stand alone among the big guns in investing little energy into the group stages. They get through it – even if it’s hairy at times – and, by accident or design, save their best stuff for when it matters.
Gowna were superb in beating Crosserlough but there is another level in them, too – they let in two very soft goals and kicked 10 wides, dropping four shots short. A repeat of that performance and an improvement from Kingscourt – both possible - and this would be very close.
But, in the overall analysis, Gowna do look that bit more athletic at the back, even though the return from injury of Cormac McAvinney is a help for Kingscourt. They might find themselves over-matched for pace and that could be fatal.
At the other end of the field, Gowna have welcomed back Ryan McGahern and Cormac Brady from injury, which gives them deep cover at the back.
It’s an interesting final between two well-coached sides, guided by experienced and successful outside managers (as were the beaten semi-finalists). Kingscourt’s need is possibly greater given that it’s 10 years since they won it and there aren’t many survivors.
But Gowna are formidable and have such depth that they could win it without playing their best; the same cannot be said for the Stars.
An upset is possible but Gowna are the safer bet.
Verdict: Gowna narrowly