THERE seems to be a feeling abroad that maybe Athy aren’t quite as good as they’ve been made out to be in recent weeks.
It’s easy to talk a team up or down but in the aftermath of their first senior championship win in over 20 years, there was a huge sense of euphoria around the side. Their elevation as county champions was no major surprise but maybe 2011 wasn’t the year that people expected them to achieve what their underage success had suggested over the last few seasons.
The team for the future seized their moment ahead of expectations.
What some people forget is that the team have huge expectations and anything less than victory is a disappointment. The team is full of serial winners and each success seems to liberate them a little more. It’s for that reason I expect them to beat Edenderry on Sunday.
Since winning the county title, most of the side have been ticking over nicely in the under-21 championship and they’ve been winning games at their leisure. To beat a highlyregarded Sarsfields side by seven points was a clear indication that winning a county title hasn’t diminished their appetite.
What is a major plus for Athy going into Leinster is the fact that their minor-winning teams of the last three years have all been very competitive in the Leinster minor club tournament hosted by Carlow’s Éire Óg.
There is a major negative for them as well though. How they cope without Mick Foley is the big question.
Foley’s decision to head off after picking up his all-star might not have gone down well with some old-school football men but it goes to show how intense it has become for modern footballers that they feel the need to take an extended break at some point in their careers. Even for a relatively young man, Foley has travelled a lot of road and if he feels this is the right thing for him then more luck to him. Goodness knows he doesn’t owe much to his club or his county at this stage having soldiered through some rough times and come out the far side a much better footballer. For all his qualities in 2011, his leadership has been the most impressive characteristic.
That’s what Athy will miss most in a Leinster campaign. His was the major influence in the county final and you know that when the waters get choppy, he’ll be a calming presence.
He was dominant from the first whistle against Carbury and he set the tone for Athy with a measured performance. Even when Carbury got a run at them, Foley ensured there was no sense of panic.
More practically, he provides essential cover to the full-back line, an area that continues to be of concern. Lest any complacency set in ahead of Sunday’s game, a video of the county semi-final against St Laurence’s would be a timely reminder of how easily their neighbours could be the ones togging out against Edenderry.
The reason it’s Athy and not Larries flying the flag for Kildare is because of what the county champions do at the other end of the pitch.
Their attack is full of scoring forwards, which means Edenderry’s defence has to perform extremely well as a unit to stop them. Mulhall and Eaton are liable to score from anywhere but if there is a key man, it’s Cian Reynolds in the half-forward line. Curtailing him has to be item number one on the Edenderry gameplan.
Reynolds’ display in the county final would suggest a call-up to the county seniors can’t be far away. His dead-ball accuracy is enough of an asset to consider him for Kildare but when you add in his vision and score-taking from general play, you’ve got a player with a rare talent. At least for a Kildare forward.
Getting him on the ball will be crucial for Athy and that’s why they’ll need to be on top at midfield. Luckily, this is where they’re also blessed with a man destined for a Kildare jersey.
Provided soccer doesn’t lure him away from GAA, Kevin Feely is probably the most exciting talent in the county at the moment. Like Reynolds, he has a combination of skills that makes him un-markable when he’s on form. His ice-cool temperament makes him so formidable that you can be sure he will always deliver. His midfield partner Paddy Dunne is no lightweight either and together they will be hard to stop. How far Athy can go in Leinster is hard to know but there’s no reason they couldn’t get to a semi-final this year although, ultimately, Foley’s absence may prevent them progressing any further.
In the overall scheme of things, a provincial title is an ambition for the future but they could lay a lot of the ground work for that kind of success in the weeks ahead.