Premier A
Killarney Celtic v Killarney Athletic
Sunday at 11.30am
Celtic Park

The Killarney Derby has thrown up some real classics over the past few years (league finals aside) so anticipation is high ahead of the latest instalment on Sunday.

League leaders Celtic will host near neighbours Athletic at Celtic Park and anything other than a full-blooded, high-intensity encounter would be a major surprise. Derbies are always tough to call but this season things are even more unpredictable as both teams are markedly different from the ones who duked it out for league and cup silverware between 2016 and 2018.

In their quest for continued domestic and national success, Celtic have enlisted the services of a number of players, perhaps most notably Stevie O’Mahony and Seán Moloney from Tralee. Both are expected to play on Sunday.

It’s difficult to guess how they’ll line out besides that and there are certainly no clues forthcoming from within the camp; Celtic’s management chose not to release a player for interview ahead of the big game.

One thing we know for sure is that tough-tackling full-back Chris O’Leary and creative midfielder Matt Keane will be unavailable for selection as they will both be in action for Kilcummin in the All-Ireland Intermediate semi-final, which takes place in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick at 2pm. On the injury front, key players John McDonagh and Gary Keane have been out of action in recent weeks and may not be ready to feature.

The player turnover has been even more noticeable in the blue half of Killarney. In a recent game against Mitchels Avenue, just three of the starting 11 were regulars last season (Seán Cournane, Cillian O’Regan and Will Courtney). Older heads like Paudie O’Connor and Éanna Kavanagh have stepped away from the set-up, keeper Brian O’Connor has relocated to Limerick, Shane Lynch is recovering from a cruciate injury, and others are focussing on football.

Manager Stuart Templeman has been forced to inject a lot of youth into the team and you’d have to say that he has managed a difficult situation quite well. Some of the club’s young stars have impressed in their debut seasons and Athletic are currently joint second with Castleisland on 17 points. As always, first and second will qualify for the league final at the end of the campaign.

Athletic may be a team in transition but captain Cillian O’Regan says the aim remains the same: to finish in the top two and reclaim the title the club won for the first time in 2017.

“At the start of the season, a few of us came together and put down some goals for the year and trying to be up there challenging for a spot in the league final was number one our list” O’Regan said. “It has been difficult at times because some of our younger guys are still learning, but we’re playing decent ball and things are looking good.

“Tadhg Doolan is playing great, Eoin Moynihan is super and we had Owen Benson for a couple games and he has been fantastic as well. Darren Mulcahy has been around for the last couple of years but he has really stepped up for us this season as well.”

Celtic are currently well out in front but the Athletic skipper knows that if they get there, anything can happen in a final

“In a once off game you’d never know who might win,” he said. “We’re just aiming for second at the moment. Celtic are still a bit ahead but we’ll take each game as it comes. A win on Sunday would be massive for us.”

Athletic will undoubtedly be underdogs against the runaway leaders but as we’ve seen in the past, anything can happen in the Killarney Derby.

Pic: Konrad Paprocki.