PREVIEW: Kilmeena carry Mayo hopes into clash with Galway kings

ON a dreary November evening in 2023, hordes of disappointed Kilmeena supporters left St Jarlath's Stadium in Tuam with sorrowful hearts.

They had been beaten by a single point in a throbbing provincial intermediate semi-final, and Galway's Monivea Abbey were on their way to the Connacht final.

On Saturday next, the men from St Brendan's Park will return to the scene of the crime to take on Caltra, this year's Galway standard-bearers, and it promises to be another block-buster.

Caltra, the club with the 2004 All-Ireland senior title in their trophy cabinet, have a young, talented and exciting team – very similar to their Mayo opponents.

They're coming into Sunday's clash on the back of an impressive campaign in Galway.

Inside forward Alan Naughton has lit up the season so far for the men in green. The free-scoring attacker kicked 12 points against An Spidéal in the county final, bringing his championship tally to 3-50 and he will take a lot of minding by the Kilmeena men.

However, Naughton is far from a one-man-show. Galway U-20 attacker Mikey Mulryan has been equally impressive at centre-half-forward and picked up the Man of the Match award against An Spidéal.

The North Galway side have a young squad with at least 15 players under the age of 23 playing their part in the championship run so far this season.

That said, they're hugely experienced, having narrowly lost last year's county intermediate final replay to St Michael's after extra-time.

They put that disappointment behind them to bounce back to win the title this year and now go in search of the provincial title.

Kilmeena are well aware of the task facing them in Tuam but will relish the challenge. To win the county intermediate title twice in three years is a huge achievement, but to win this year's crown with a team much-changed from the 2023 edition is even more impressive.

Injuries and foreign travel meant that a number of young guns were required to fill the jerseys when the championship campaign began, and these young players have excelled.

Liam Moore, Conor Kelly, Daniel Kelly, Darragh Slattery, and Jack Mulchrone have established themselves in the starting team, while the likes of Cormac O'Malley and Aaron Murray have made great impacts off the bench.

Damien Egan has a well-balanced team at his disposal with Paul Groden, Stephen Staunton, Darragh Keaveney, John McGlynn, and Caolach Halligan full of talent and experience, but the foundation of Kilmeena's success comes from midfield.

Jack Carney has been crucial to Kilmeena's progress in the latter stages of the Mayo campaign, and his partner in crime, Kevin Ryder, has been one of the most impressive performers of the entire championship and it will take a big effort from Caltra to dull their influence.

Sunday's match promises to be a thriller as both sides are packed with exciting attacking power. However, if Kilmeena play to their potential, they're capable of beating any team in the country and they'll be hoping to get the better of the Galway king-pins on Sunday afternoon.