O'Sullivan and Kilmacud braced for massive test

ALL-IRELAND CLUB SFC SEMI-FINAL:THIS WEEKEND'S AIB All-Ireland club football semi-finals could be viewed as potentially one-sided – if one was to judge by the clubs' respective semi-final records.

Dublin champions Kilmacud Crokes have only played at this stage three times before, winning twice, while famed opponents Crossmaglen have already played seven semi-finals, and won five.

Likewise, with the meeting of Nemo Rangers and St Brigid’s – the Cork champions have played an amazing 15 All-Ireland semi-finals before, winning 11, while the Roscommon champions have played just one, and lost it (to Crossmaglen, coincidentally).

But as far as Kilmacud Crokes are concerned, recent history is more important, and having beaten Crossmaglen to claim the 2009 All-Ireland title they have reason to be confident.

As Kilmacud defender Cian O’Sullivan points out, Crossmaglen are always difficult to beat.

“They are one of the top clubs in history,” he says, “and anytime you play them you have your work cut out. The fact that we did beat them in the final two years ago might well act as an added incentive for them. But when it comes down to it it’s an All-Ireland semi-final, and I don’t know if you need that added incentive to win.

“And there is an underlying confidence in this team, that even if we do go five or six points down we’re able to pull it out of the bag, in the dying minutes. It’s a great mentality to have.”

Kilmacud’s progress to Sunday’s semi-final in Navan has been achieved without several first-choice players. “At the start of the year not having those players was a big factor,” says O’Sullivan.

“Lads were thinking how can we do this? Without the likes of Paul Griffin, Darren Magee? But as the season progresses and you win big games you start to forget you’re missing those players, with players like Paddy Duggan, Craig Dias, Ronan Ryan, all doing fantastic jobs. . . .

“It’s just such a great feeling to win with the lads you’ve grown up with. I was in junior infants with some of them. To go on and win another All-Ireland is something you’d never imagine. It’s special, and would be great to replicate.”