Derby Fresh Today Junior A Final finely balanced

Derby finals seem to be all the rage this year and it definitely adds a bit of spice to next Sunday’s Fresh Today Junior A Championship decider in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada as Aughnasheelin and Kiltubrid do battle to lift the title (2.30 pm throw-in).

Similar to the Senior clash of Ballinamore and Fenagh, these sides met in the group stages with Kiltubrid, promoted to Division 1 league football in 2027, getting the better of the 2026 Division 3 champions Aughnasheelin, the victors getting the best of their neighbours 1-17 to 2-11 in a thunderous and fast flowing contest played in August sunshine on a Friday evening.

What can we read into that game? Hard to tell because Aughnasheelin went on to top the group on scoring difference after Kiltubrid were unexpectedly pipped by St Mary’s Kiltoghert in the final group game so does that mean that advantage has swung back Aughnasheelin’s way? Or was it the exact wake-up call that Kiltubrid needed after their imperious campaign up to that point?

Looking back on that Group stages game, it was obvious, even at that early point that these were the two top teams in the Junior grade as the Observer report opened with “​If this was a dress rehearsal of a potential meeting later in the Fresh Today Junior A Championship, then fans will be more than happy to see another instalment after Kiltubrid edged Aughnasheelin after a high quality encounter’ – and here we are, two months later with both in the final.

Later in the same report, which detailed the absence of some of Aughnasheelin’s key players and their imminent return along with Kiltubrid’s strength in depth, we said “Aughnasheelin will take quite a bit of heart from this performance, despite the defeat, as they have quite a few players to come back in but Kiltubrid showed enough resolve and quality, despite some bad misses over the hour, to suggest they will take quite a bit of stopping.”

That probably sums up where Sunday’s Final stands – Kiltubrid’s scoring power has only got better thanks to their demolition of Cloone and Drumreilly in the knockout stages while the smooth return of Cormac Moran, the Cullens and, hopefully for Aughnasheelin, the sight of Sean McWeeney coming off the bench late in the semi-final against St Mary’s means Aughnasheelin are a much difference proposition.

That’s what is gaining most attention right now – Conor Cullen was a key figure against St Mary’s but Aughnasheelin need to find a way to get quick ball into him, the former Leitrim underage star a handful if he gets the right supply in while around the middle of the field, Aughnasheelin’s ball winning ability is definitely much better with the return of Cormac Moran and Darragh Gunn.

So the smart money is on Aughnasheelin? Not so sure about that – Stephen McLoughlin didn’t play in the group stage clash between the counties and he fills the same emotional heart and leadership role that Sean McWeeney does for Aughnasheelin so having him back in situ adds to Kiltubrid’s chances while Michael McCormack and the O’Brien brothers are great ball winners in the middle.

Interestingly, St Mary’s one-point win over Kiltubrid seems to have provoked a fairly robust internal review of where they were going and how they might get there with a shake-up in their starting line-up against Cloone, one that produced a fairly potent response against an admittedly struggling Cloone, but it has appeared to have reinvigorated Kiltubrid.

​Match stats don’t appear to tell us much – in the group stages, Aughnasheelin’s plus 23 scoring difference was marginally better than Kiltubrid’s plus 20 with Aughnasheelin both scoring and conceding more than their neighbours. That gave them a direct path to the semi-finals but they struggled to impose themselves on a St Mary’s team that could have troubled them more if they weren’t quite so cautious.

League form is equally mysterious – Kiltubrid would appear to have an advantage having beating Intermediate finalists Dromahair and running Annaduff to two points with wins over Melvin Gaels and Gortletteragh, losing the final by four points to Gortletteragh. The only big beating they suffered was against Glencar Manorhamilton, a Senior championship side, but they avenged that defeat in phase two.

On paper, Aughnasheelin are at a big disadvantage until you consider that they beat Bornacoola, a team that reached the Intermediate quarter-finals, after extra time in the Division 3 Final and they are undoubtedly a much stronger team than they were back in July so the guidebook is somewhat mixed, added to the fact that Aughnasheelin struggled in a dour game to get by St Mary’s second string, a team that beat Kiltubrid in the group, and Kiltubrid were far too strong for an overwhelmed Drumreilly.

Drumreilly may have a bearing on the contest, however, as they plundered three goals – Kiltubrid conceded two each to Aughnasheelin and St Mary’s in the group stages and one more in the semi-final, otherwise their defence has proven solid and Aughnasheelin may see goals as the quickest path to victory next Sunday.

Two pointers could be crucial – Aughnasheelin have in captain Fintan Fitzpatrick, Conor Cullen and Cormac Moran three excellent long range shooters but Kiltubrid probably have the more consistent route with Jack Moolick, still an U20, capable of racking up three or four twos if allowed and his accuracy from long range placed balls saw him notch three twos in the group game.

Verdict wise, this is tough and it may simply come down to who edges the midfield battle – Michael McCormack edged it in the group game and he was up against some big bodies then. Kiltubrid probably have a more varied attacker, Aughnasheelin look a more physically imposing team, Kiltubrid might have more pace, Aughnasheelin more experience.

Truth be told, the head says Kiltubrid, the gut is telling me Aughnasheelin – who adapts better to the occasion, and Aughnasheelin probably have more recent experience of the big day, and the weather conditions, whatever they will be, could be vital. All I know is that it will go down to the wire and either could win it!