Milltown target major Meath scalp

After their facile opening round win over Longford’s Mostrim, Milltown face Meath opposition in Duleek/Bellewstown at Cedral St Conleth’s Park this Saturday (1.30pm) as they continue their quest to become the fourth Kildare club in succession to claim the AIB Leinster Club Intermediate Championship. RICHARD COMMINS examines their prospects.

Milltown are competing in this provincial grade for the first time, though they have experienced the junior version three times (2008, 2018 and 2023), famously winning it out with that win of Glyde Rangers three years ago.

They will take confidence from their win over Meath side Kilbride at the Quarter-Final stage during that campaign, the Kildare men, then under the stewardship of Darren O’Shea winning on a 1-11 to 1-7 scoreline.

Experience of the provincial scene will clearly be a factor in Milltown’s favour. Indeed, centre-back Colin O’Shea, Darren’s brother, was in the starting line-up when they played their very first match in Leinster, a losing outing against Rochfortbridge of Westmeath some eighteen years ago in 2008.

Duleek/Bellewstown, for their part, have not been in Leinster since 2005, the last occasion they won the Meath Intermediate title (they fell out of senior in 2017), and that campaign didn’t last long as they exited early to eventual winners Crettyard.

Milltown will do well to give the Meath side every respect, though. After a few false dawns in recent years they went into their county final against fallen giants Navan O’Mahony’s as slight outsiders and it seemed to be panning out that way as they trailed by three points with 20 minutes to go.

But midfielder Robin Clarke led by example with an inspirational performance and substitute Alan Bowden weighed in with some crucial scores as they eventually won pulling up on a 2-17 to 1-10 scoreline.

Another huge contributor to their campaign was former Meath underage star Eamonn Armstrong, who was home from his Australian Rules role with St Kilda, the Melbourne club having allowed him to aid his club during the championship.

But with pre-season training now back in full swing, his club will have to manage without his services during the remainder of their provincial campaign.

The Meath outfit have plenty of other talented individuals though. Shane Crosby, captain and top scorer is one to watch for his two-pointers while Sam O’Leary has weighed in with crucial scores including the crucial goal that turned the county final their way.

Apart from their experience at provincial level, Milltown also carry a consistency of selection and performance into this one from the Kildare championship, though they were pushed to the pin of their collars over those epic two games against surprise team Suncroft in the county decider. Indeed, they were only a Fionn Dowling kick of a ball away from losing out altogether.

But with O’Shea still anchoring the team at centre-back, with Kevin Byrne and Liam Kelly outstanding attacking wing-backs beside him, as strong a midfield as there is in Kildare in Conor Sheerin and Joe Dunne, and forwards of the capability of Alan Dignam, Ben Curran and Paddy Donoghue, Milltown have every base covered as they seek to continue their progress. Home advantage should help.