Kildare and Wexford will battle for their date with destiny in All-Ireland final

Kildare and Wexford meet again and like two old sluggers they are putting their fists up for another round of action as they meet in the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate semi-finals.

Unlike Tyrone in the quarters, where the sides hadn’t met since 2017, we have plenty of recent data on these two, including a couple of huge clashes in this year’s Leinster Championship.

Kildare were victorious on both occasions, but they now face a team with something to prove and plenty of potential to cause an upset.

Analysis

Perhaps in the same vein as other sides that are about to face Kildare refer to Lilywhites taliswoman Róisín Byrne, Wexford have a similar reference point in the form of Chloe Fox who is a standout forward of the utmost quality.

In the last two meetings of these sides, the Leinster Championship group stage and final, Fox has hit 1-10, with just four frees included in that tally. Those numbers don’t lie and demonstrate the danger of such a potent forward.

Wexford will attempt to carve out chances for their chief scorer but she comes up against, for my money, the best defensive unit in the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship.

Kildare’s defensive six have been excellent throughout this year and it was one of them which truly stood up on Leinster final day as Lauren Burke put in a defensive showing for the ages.

The defence encompasses more than the back six and Mary Hulgraine however, alongside them, wing-forwards Trina Duggan and Claire Sullivan get through an enormous amount of work across 60 minutes.

Kildare defend diligently and as a team and the interceptions and turnovers won by each player is invaluable and raises the crowd almost as much as a score would.

Kildare’s defensive job on Wexford’s aforementioned star looks even better when compared to how The Yellowbellies have attempted to deal with Kildare’s top scorer, Róisín Byrne.

Byrne has battered Wexford in their last two meetings, and in many before, the sight of the Sarsfields woman can only inspire dread into the members of the opposing backline who face her. Byrne hit a staggering 3-11 between those two Leinster Championship games and it goes without saying that she is a player for the big occasion.

Stats in Gaelic football do a disservice to Róisín Byrne, if assists were tracked as closely as they are in other sports, Byrne would be even more lauded than she already is. There will be no bigger occasion than Sunday for these players and Byrne’s presence will undoubtedly be imperative to everything good that Kildare do.

Byrne was subbed near the end of the win over Tyrone having taken a knock on her knee but she is confident of being fit for Sunday nevertheless.

Kildare’s advantage in this attacking battle that is headlined by Byrne v Fox is clear and it has nothing to do with either of the players concerned. Where the magic lies for Kildare is in the other forwards around the Sarsfields star.

Neasa Dooley is nothing short of exceptional, with her pace, ability off both sides and an eye for goal that few in the country can match. Added to that, Lara Curran has stepped up when needed on the scoreboard this year, and that is just to name two, there are many more attackers that have come off the bench to strut their stuff.

Wexford motivation

Now we come to the intangibles.

Wexford will feel aggrieved, as much as any team in Ireland over these last few years, perhaps not even due to a sense of injustice but The Yellowbellies have come so close to so much in recent years. Losing Leinster finalists to Kildare two years running, 2023 included, and losing All-Ireland finalists in '22 and '21.

Will 2023 be their year for the biggest prize of all?

Third time lucky is too simple, it would be akin to when Di Caprio finally won his oscar, even if it was for a movie where he just grunted for two and a half hours.

Wexford wouldn’t care less if they got over the line with a performance that was below previous years standards, they just want that oscar.

The previous years' pains makes Kildare’s opponents all the more dangerous, the burning desire not to watch another trophy presentation from below.

All that being said, Kildare won’t lack motivation themselves, there is a buzz around this team that something is clearly happening.

There are too many signs of a special team to ignore at this late stage of the season.

Their blip of conceding 4-8 against Leitrim was rectified emphatically in consecutive weeks with the concession of just 0-8 in their next two games against Louth and Tyrone.

Every challenge they have faced or change needed, they have overcome, demonstrated by the two trophies already in the cabinet for this year’s efforts.

But they all want the big one.

The TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship is the coveted jewel in the crown of their season of success.

This is the next step on that road and if they play to their best, they will have a date with destiny and a chance at a legendary treble-winning season on August 13.

Kildare have shown that they are the better of these two teams when it has come down to it this year and I expect them to remind everyone of that fact once more come Sunday.

Sunday July 23, Parnell Park, TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Football semi-final, Kildare v Wexford, throw-in 4 pm.