Kildare College are out to end Mater Dei’s recent stranglehold on the Carroll Cup when the Catholic school rivals meet in Monday night's showpiece decider at Robertson Oval.
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Mater Dei have won five of the last six Cups, including the last three years.
The title holders were overrun when the teams met in the opening round of this year’s competition, but that’s cold comfort to Kildare.
They went in to last year’s decider as favourites having enjoyed victory in the preliminary rounds, only to suffer an upset defeat.
And the 2015 grand final was even more painful, beaten by a point and having to endure the chaotic scenes of Mater Dei celebration.
Both sides say the past is barely relevant, and Kildare co-captain Tom Anderson is confident they can end a drought dating back to 2010.
“Definitely, I think we’ve got a really strong side this year,” Anderson said.
“Different group of boys as well (to last year), like Mater Dei, and yeah I think we’re just all about winning.”
Anderson’s Ganmain- Grong Grong-Matong teammate, Riley Corbett (eight goals in the semi-final v Kooringal), could hold the key.
“Height is definitely their strength, I reckon,” Mater Dei co-captain Jake Hodge said. “Corbett, Bucky (Josh Buchanan) and even young (Brad) Ashcroft – they’re pretty good sets of hands and a fair bit of height. So we’ve just got to be better on the day. And a fair bit of pressure towards those blokes.”
Hodge himself is set to play a key role in the midfield and is certain to attract plenty of his own attention, as Kildare prepare to put it all on the line.
“It means everything,” Anderson said. “There’s a few boys that are still at school just to play footy, so it means everything. It’s all we want…
“The message is basically just win the game.”
Carroll Cup Grand Final Teams
Monday 7pm, Robertson Oval
Kildare CC v Mater Dei CC
Kildare Catholic College
B: L. Pleming, J. Weidemann, F. Yates
HB: M. Harmer, J. Sase, R. Allen
C: H. Toole, L. Nilsen, J Mascini
HF: X Lyons, R Corbett, L. Gooden
F: N. Anderson, B. Ashcroft, M. Bloomfield
R: J. Buchanan, A Cumming, T Anderson
Inter: (from) R Green, K. Flack, S Driscoll, T . Morriss, H Gaynor, J Milne
Mater Dei Catholic College
B: Chandler, Foster, Smythe
HB: Mooney, O'Reilly, Carey
C: Burmeister, Myers, Bowyer
HF: Templeton, Wadley, Toole
F: Quade, Burton, Winter
R: Casey, Hoffman, Hodge
Inter: Harris, Bennett, Dean, Cock
Emerg: Connellan, Shaw, Butt