This coming Sunday Kiltane are due to play the most important match in their club’s history. Local boy Roger Milla returns to the guest spot to set the scene on this huge day for the Erris club.
Photo: Roger Milla
On Sunday Kiltane, a small Parish in Erris in County Mayo, take on Truagh Gaels of Monaghan in the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Final in Croke Park.
Kiltane are no different to every other parish in the country in that there are familial ties running through the club. But to paraphrase Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, Kiltane are like any other parish, only more so.
There are seven sets of brothers on the Kiltane panel, most of whom will expect to feature on the day. The Sweeney brothers from Briska will start, likewise the Corrigans from Shragraddy and the Gaughans from Cloontakilla.
Darragh Carey will start and his twin brother Cathal can expect to play a part before the day is out. The Deane brothers and David Conroy could possibly expect to feature and James Conroy along with the Carey brothers from Geesala will be the future standard bearers.
The Corrigans, Gaughans and Sweeneys are also cousins. David Conroy is the first cousin of Tommy “goals” Conroy. Shane Lindsay and Jason Healy are cousins and Martin Gallagher is the cousin of former Mayo and Armagh player Billy Joe Padden.
Amongst the proud fathers watching on from the Cusack stand will be Paddy Corrigan, former Mayo and Kiltane player and underage trainer and Seamus Barrett, former underage trainer and father of Edmond ( you can check out Edmond’s art work here). Paddy Joe Carey, who played all levels for Kiltane, will be watching his twin sons and Big John Reilly will be cheered by Gerry and Paddy, his father and uncle respectively, both of whom played for Kiltane. Oliver Munnelly Jnr. will have his father and his uncle John in the dugout beside him and he will be ready to go on when he gets the call.
Kiltane, needless to say, have never reached a national final before. The senior county final in 1989 was the furthest the club ever progressed. Relegation from the senior ranks last year was a catalyst for the club and judging by the 50-man panel in the county final there are plenty of young hungry players looking to stake a claim. Regardless of Sunday’s result in Croke Park don’t be surprised if Kiltane break even more new ground over the next few years.
great piece, but there are 7 sets of brothers, you forgot James Conroy, brother of David Conroy, and cousin of Tommy Conroy….
apologies Eddie, how did i let that one go ! i have a feeling there are a few more cousins in the side that I have missed out on as well. I hope it gives a flavour of how tight these lads are anyway.
Wishing the best of luck to kiltane team .erris and the whole of mayo are very proud of ye all!!.
See you there on sunday.
Roger, if I recall correctly, Kiltane actually played a Connacht senior club championship game, I think that we played Corofin and lost after a replay, Mayo championship was running late.
Just after reading the Western, (did you feature there as well!!) confident that We will see a second Mayo team, in 6 months, win an All Ireland in Croker this Sunday.
Was thinking of heading to Omagh on Sunday, but after reading all that brotherly stuff about Kiltane, I’m definitely now heading across town to Croke Park and hopefully witness a small north Mayo Parish make history…..
Good man
I’d be there too ahead of a league game if it was possible
The more mayo heads roaring and shouting in the stands the better. It’s great that we have clubs and intercounty teams at the cutting edge, and I’m really hoping these guys can set the tone for the others in 2014 with a good performance and a win.
Good on you for doing your part.
Come on Kiltaine, you are a great club and a credit to Mayo. Don’t take your eye of the prize until the cup is yours.
Very best of luck to Kiltane on Sunday. We’ll be willing you on from Omagh.
Sound advice there Ceideboy, sound advice….
You really feel that Mayo football is at a crossroads at the moment, can we follow that new route to success, like our Minor team did last September and forget about the past routes of failure that Mayo teams have taken! …….. The whole county is 100% behind you Kiltane. The very best of luck to all that are involved. You have done your families, friends, parish and county proud so far. Your well capable of winning too! Best wishes from everyone in Mayo and from people of Mayo dissent from all over the world!
Best of luck to Kiltane on Sunday.
The very best of luck and good wishes to our neighbours Kiltane in Sunday’s All-Ireland Intermediate club final. All involved with the team have done Erris proud. Finish the job off on Sunday and bring it home.
No worries just said id let you know!! Best of luck to the Kiltane side Sunday, massive achievement either way.
Good luck lads, give ’em hell !
I dont rememeber that corofin game at all Mikey, when was it ?
It was 1995 roger. Kiltane drew with corofin in Bangor, lost the replay. The county final was delayed til dec that year and crossmolina beat kiltane, but kiltane represented mayo in Connaught.
Jez, you’ve brought back a memory there, and a very interesting story.
As I recall Garrymore put in an objection against Crossmolina over PJ Loftus and that developed in to a drawn out saga. As Kiltane had won the other County Semi, they were nominated to represent Mayo.
The match v Corofin in Bangor ended in a draw and you know Kiltane should have won it. And as I think, because it was too dark to play extra time, the Connacht Council insisted on a replay the following day in Corofin. Have I that right?
Anyway, I was there again and I think we lost by a point. And didn’t Corofin go on to win the All-Ireland that year.
Yet, lost to Crossmolina in the delayed Conty Final after by 4 pts.
Just shows you the standard of club football in Mayo!
Kiltane to win on Sunday and Mikey Sweeney and Tommy Conroy to light up Croker after quietish games by their standards in the semi.
I’m really looking forward to it and also supporting Fuerty of Roscommon in the Junior Final beforehand!
Cill Tseadna Abu.
Your dead right cloud 9. I remember it well the match in Bangor against corofin, I was sitting on the dug out!! Never seen a bigger crowd in my life at a game in Bangor than that day, there was thousands there. Great memories!
Best of luck to Kiltane on sunday. All Mayo people willing you on to success.