Intermediate Final too close to call as precious little to separate Aughnasheelin and rising Annaduff

Just how do you pick a favourite for next Sunday’s Smith Monumentals Intermediate Championship Final because both Aughnasheelin and Annaduff have set down very good arguments for why they are the best team in this year’s grade.

These teams have similarities that are easy to spot - young emerging footballers, a ferocious desire and workrate on the field and two impressive managers who are preaching positive football. There are differences too - Aughnasheelin are that bit more experienced with a core of long serving players while Annaduff have been transformed over the last two years and rival anyone for youth in their ranks.

Wild celebrations as St Mary's Kiltoghert claim Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC title - GALLERY

St Mary's Kiltoghert produced a stunning comeback as they recovered from a five point deficit to claim the Connacht Gold Leitrim Senior Championship title in dramatic fashion on Sunday, their 0-11 to 1-7 victory over Mohill seeing them lift the Fenagh Cup for the first time since 2013 and Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there to capture the wild celebrations that followed .... see who you can spot!

Aughnasheelin won this year’s Division 2 league, have consistently delivered big displays, defying an injury crisis that would make most managers want to ball up and cry. For most neutrals, they look the favourites but Annaduff’s semi-final performance shattered a lot of preconceptions.

Annaduff actually finished top of the group stages - they lost one game to Allen Gaels in the group stages, as did Aughnasheelin intriguingly, but their semi-final destruction of the Drumshanbo outfit has caused more than one observer to reassess their appraisal of this final.

Given the loss of Conor Cullen and Philip Dolan, the prolonged absence of Cian Sammon, now happily back on the field, and injury worries for Fintan Fitzpatrick, it is a miracle Aughnasheelin have performed as they have but Terence Reynolds seems to have imbue a defiance and self-belief in his team that is mightily impressive.

We know Aughnasheelin’s strength - Ciaran Cullen is the driving heart of this team, both instigator and destructor as his searing pace and thunderous solo runs punch holes in the opposition defence to create scores for his teammates while his man-marking has blotted out the danger man of several teams.

Aaron Hoare physical strength and immense fitness around the middle of the field is a foundational stone for Aughnasheelin while in defence, Sean McWeeney & Wayne Gilgunn lend vital knowledge to a mainly young team.

Cox stresses Annaduff have won nothing yet after superb semi-final display

If there is a slight worry, it concerns Fintan Fitzpatrick - the full-forward is his team’s cutting edge and the times Aughnasheelin struggle coincide when he battles with injury. He has been managing a hamstring injury for most of this championship but he is that bit of class, pace, strength and accuracy that gives Aughnasheelin a real cutting edge.

It’s not hard to find stand out players in Annaduff - rather the problem is in picking out who not to highlight. Conor Reynolds immediately stands out but Hugh Moylan, Dillon Keane and Eoin Gill have been just as impressive in defence and their sorties from deep into attack has been a potent weapon for Joe Cox’s team.

There is a feeling out there that Annaduff’s Aaron Duignan and Daniel Bosquette will struggle to match the power of Aughnasheelin's Aaron Hoare but I don’t see that happening. What you get from the Annaduff pair is a midfield that covers the ground, makes the tackles and moves the ball quickly and the way they overcame Radek Oberwan and Jake Tobin in the semi-final suggests that this midfield battle may not be quite the one-sided contest many expect.

Upfront, Sean McNabola has assumed the mantle of veteran but it is his leadership and vision in picking out his teammates that really stands out. This Annaduff attack might not have the focal point of some of their rivals but their scores come from everywhere and the fact that they don’t rely on one player suggests they are going to be very hard to tie down.

Conditions may play a part - a heavy pitch might suit an Aughnasheelin team regarded as more physically powerful but the movement, youth and fitness levels of Annaduff suggest they’ll have no problem in adapting to the conditions.

More impressively, Annaduff have been transformed since they lost the delayed 2020 Final to Gortletteragh. They lost players who were the building blocks of their team for years but hardly skipped a beat - reaching last year’s semi-final and marching to a third final in five seasons.

Semi-Finals are there to be won says Aughnasheelin manager Terence Reynolds

That they had a rough year in Division 1 is not in debate but maybe, just maybe, Annaduff have learned well from those harsh lessons and the experience of facing up to the best teams in the county can’t but have brought them on.

There are so many factors in play here that I can’t really pick a winner - Aughnasheelin, to me, have been the team to beat throughout the championship and little has changed that notion but Annaduff offer something different - a focused, motivated outfit that relies on the sum of its parts rather than individuals.

Honestly, I can see both teams winning this game - Aughnasheelin probably have the more explosive players in Ciaran Cullen & Fintan Fitzpatrick in particular but they’ve struggled whenever Fitzpatrick is off the field. Annaduff are just Annaduff - ferociously competitive and with lots of skill too and they never give up. They don't lack quality by any means but their collective effort could see them across the line.

We don't even have a prior meeting between the sides to go on. This one really is too close to call and it all could come down to a piece of luck, an injury or a moment of inspiration so take your pick and choose!