JFC PREVIEW: Will it be Killinkere or Shannon Gaels?

It's 85km from Jim Smith Memorial Park to Pháirc Gaeil na Siónainne but the two areas could be worlds apart. One, in the west, has seen population decline while in the east of the county, it has grown. For one club, members moving to Dublin or further afield for work is necessary; coming back down mid-week for training could mean a five or six-hour round trip. 
For the other, work in the local area is more plentiful and for the few who earn in Dublin, it is only a relatively short trip up the road in the morning and you’re back down the road again that evening in plenty of time for training. Between Blacklion, Dowra and Glangevlin there is a population of less than 600; Killinkere, meanwhile, is home to over 2600 residents.  
The beauty of sport, though, is that it’s a leveller. There are 19 league positions between Killinkere and Shannon Gaels but today is a new day and a new battle with 15 v 15 and anything can happen. 
This year, Shannon Gaels have developed consistency and the ability to stay in games. They showed great resolve in the opening round to remain in the hunt as the championship's surprise package Munterconnaught were denied a number of goals by Liam O’Reilly and ran out two-point winners. 
In round two, last year’s beaten semi-finalists Mountnugent held them to a draw before the first of their meetings with fellow westerners Templeport. With Templeport’s results in the opening two rounds showing they wouldn’t be far off the top teams, this was Shannon Gaels' yardstick. Grabbing a one-point victory meant the Blacklion-based side had qualified for the last eight with a game to spare. Subsequently, Drung, in the final group game, handed them their biggest championship defeat with four points to spare. 
In the quarter-final, the Gaels got the chance to right the wrong against Drung and they made no mistake second time round with a seven-point swing, running out three-point winners. 
Next up, in the semi-final, they faced the toughest of tasks in a Templeport side that they just about got over in the group.  After a mammoth battle that saw the sides level entering injury time, Jason McLoughlin kicked the winner from range, returning his side to the county final for the first time since 2007.
Killinkere’s journey had a few more extremes, beginning their campaign with a 24-point win over Kill. One of two teams that both sides played followed and like Shannon Gaels, Templeport ran last year’s finalists to a point. 
In round three, they faced the fancied Knockbride but comfortably dealt with the challenge in Bailieborough, also ensuring a quarter-final spot with a game to spare. 
Still, they had to face Munterconnaught and despite lining out a strong team, the Munchies dished out a 14-point hammering. As punishment, Killinkere were handed the toughest of the quarter-final draws in Knockbride. 
On the day, Larry Reilly's men were the better team but a wonder strike from an Emmett Fitzsimons free stole victory at the death after Killinkere had just managed to stay in touching distance. 
Like Shannon Gaels, Killinkere were given the chance to right one wrong in their championship campaign in the semi-final and they duly beat Munterconnaught, producing their best performance of the year. 
For Killinkere, it hasn’t been long since their last final and today will see them march behind the band for the fifth time in four seasons including replays. On the other side, Shannon Gaels have enjoyed championship success more recently than their opponents today having lifted the Sean Leddy cup in 1989 while Killinkere have to go back to 1982 for their last championship success. Whichever club wins, they will surely be popular winner.    
So after an incredible Cullys Craft Bakery Junior championship, we’ve arrived at the big day. If Templeport is the marker by which we measure these sides then we should see this one come down to the wire. 
Before the quarter finals we lost Denn, the sixth best team in Division 2, and in the last eight we lost the 11th ranked Division 2 side in Knockbride. The format of the championship will allow for a mistake but will mostly punish you for two. 
Today’s pairing may not have been the sides that people expected to make the final battle but they have both earned their place through a combination of good results, hard-earned ones and a splash of luck along the way.