Moorefield marksman Kelly putting friendships to one side as they renew their rivalry with the Sash
When two clubs from the same town meet on such a regular basis there are always likely to be friendships that are tested. Moorefield and Sarsfields are among a unique bracket of clubs in Ireland in the sense that not many towns can boast two teams that are undoubtedly the strongest club sides in the county. Such a scenario means that men who live just miles from each other and grew up together by going to the same school will eventually face other on the football field, and in Newbridge that has culminated in both Moorefield and Sarsfields having plenty of players that are friends off the pitch, but fierce rivals inside the four white lines.
Moorefield captain Ciaran Kelly knows that scenario all too well, and although he concedes that he doesn’t know that many of the current Sarsfields side off the pitch, there are still bonds that have been kept over the years. Kelly went to school with Gary White and Alan Smith, two of the men who will be attempting to deny the Moorefield stalwart from lifting the Dermot Bourke Cup this Sunday.
“The three of us would be good friends,” says Kelly about his relationship with the pair. “We played a lot of school football together and we would have played up through Kildare teams together, so I’d be quite friendly with the two. Some of the younger lads, I wouldn’t know them as well, but I’m living out of the town now so I wouldn’t see as many of them.”
You always hear of players on opposing teams who know each other swapping texts in the build up to big games in the aid of ‘banter’, but Kelly insists that the only conversation he might have with Kelly or White will be over a quiet pint on the Monday after.
The days leading up to the game will be full of excitement for everyone around Newbridge who has even an inkling about the rivalry, and while Kelly concedes it’s a great aspect of this year’s county final, he and his teammates won’t be getting caught up in the hype. He has been in this position on numerous occasions before and is now at the stage where he wants to enjoy the final as much as he can.
“It’s always exciting when there are two teams from Newbridge in the final. We’ve gotten used to each other over the last few years. Obviously it’s good for the supporters, but as players we try and avoid the media talk, but it’s good for the fans and good for the town.
“It exciting, and as the years go on you start to think that one of these days it’ll be your last final so you really try and enjoy it as much as you can.”
The last championship meeting between the sides ended with Sarsfields coming out on top in a one-sided affair in the third round of the 2015 championship, a win that would ultimately propel them towards a county title. Revenge is not something the Moorefield players have in their minds, but doing themselves justice is the primary objective.
“I think from our point of view you just want to do yourself justice. We felt last year, regardless of who we were playing, we never really got a gallop going. We lost to Celbridge and we lost to Sarsfields. We just want to go out and know that we’ve trained to our best so we play to our best. If that results in a victory, or whoever it manifests itself on the scoreline then so be it. It’s a long winter when you know you haven’t done yourself justice and I think that’s probably our main goal.”
“I got a few text messages and tweets off people from college and around the country saying ‘I never knew you could put the ball in the back of the net’. I’m as surprised as anyone to be honest with you, I haven’t scored a huge amount of goals over the years but I’m probably playing a bit closer to goal than I have previously. It’s one of those things like a striker when he gets into form or when he’s out of form, the ball tends to drop nicely for you.
“Jason is a good foil there too, he tends to attract a few men around him. Jason likes it in low, rather than in high actually, even though we like to give it in to him high.
“He has improved in every game. He hasn’t played a lot of football because he was away for a couple of years and he had a couple of bad injuries but you can see that he is improving in every game. He’s a great foil to play off because the two of us have played together for a lot of years and we kind of know each other’s games well at this stage.”
As reigning county champions Sarsfields obviously pose a considerable threat, and it is interesting to hear Kelly’s thoughts on where they are strongest. The veteran forward reckons the Sash are a powerful running side, and shutting them down out wide could be the key to winning the game.
“They have a lot of pace in their team, and they have a lot of skilful footballers so they’re going to use the full width of the pitch and spread us out. They’ve got players who can punish you inside, so from our point of view we have to try and keep up with them and try keep as tight as we can against them.”
The last time the two sides met was in a league game earlier this year, and if this game has an ending that matches the drama that unfolded in Pollardstown in the summer, few people will leave St Conleth’s Park without value for money. On that day Kelly scored a last minute goal to nab a win for Moorefield, and while he wouldn’t mind repeating the trick, he’d much rather not to see the game come down to a last gasp shot for glory.
“We probably stole one off them with that last minute goal. I’d take it again; I think we all would, but whatever way it comes, I won’t mind. Hopefully less pressure than that,” he concluded.