‘It means so much to the Milltown people’ - Murtagh

History beckons for Milltown on Sunday. The club has never won the Peter Geraghty Memorial Cup, but captain Dylan Murtagh is relishing the prospect of leading his side into Sunday’s Westmeath Intermediate Football Championship final against neighbours Shandonagh.

It's an opportunity to carve their names in the annals of the club. The midfielder, who is captain for the first time, believes Milltown have every reason to be confident after an unbeaten run through the championship, although he knows they will face a stern test against a Shandonagh side with senior experience.

Dylan's brother Jack has returned having missed a considerable chunk of the season. The towering presence of the pair at midfield in recent years has been to Milltown's advantage and it may well come into play in Sunday's decider.

Milltown drew with Shandonagh on the opening night of the championship in Kinnegad before winning their remaining group games to secure direct passage to the semi-final, where they overcame Rosemount to book their place in the decider.

“We’re unbeaten so far. We drew with Shandonagh in the first round and then beat all the other teams. Getting straight through to the semi-final was great for us, although it has been a bit of a wait for the final,” he observed.

The extended gap between the semi-final and the decider has given players time to recover from knocks, but it has also meant maintaining focus over several weeks. Murtagh, however, says the squad have been working harder than ever in preparation for the big occasion.

“We’re training better than ever. That’s our way of preparing, and at least we’ve been able to keep that going. We’ve been lucky enough not to have too many problems with knocks or injuries, so we’re in a good position coming into the final," he remarked.

At 22, Murtagh has already spent five years playing intermediate football with Milltown and has experienced the challenges of trying to get through what he considers one of the toughest grades in the county.

“It’s the toughest competition to try to win. We were there a couple of years ago and got to a replay, but you never know how things are going to go. Every year is different, and it’s a tough championship to get through. We’re going well so far, though, and hopefully we can keep that going," he said.

Milltown reached the final against Garrycastle two years ago, drawing at TEG Cusack Park before losing the replay. They also reached the semi-final last year, where they were beaten by Shandonagh, making Sunday’s final another opportunity to build on their recent progress.

Murtagh believes those experiences, along with the team’s success in the Leinster League, have helped Milltown develop and given the players confidence that they can compete at a high level.

“We played in the Leinster League and won it. It might not be as competitive as an intermediate championship, but it was still a good standard, playing teams from different counties. We beat Clonguish in Pearse Park in Longford before winning the final in Tullamore," he recalled.

“You can see that we’re going in the right direction all the time, and we can take positives from that experience.”

Milltown will need to draw on all that experience against Shandonagh, with the local rivalry adding another dimension to what promises to be a closely contested final. The sides were unable to be separated when they met in the first round, and Murtagh expects another hard-fought encounter.

“There’s not much between us. It’s going to be a tough game, as it always is against Shandonagh. There’s a bit of rivalry because we’re neighbours, but the games are always competitive. We’re really looking forward to it, and I can’t wait for Sunday,” he said.

Milltown also have players who have gained valuable experience with Westmeath this year, including Conor Dillon and Jack Duncan, while Henry Duncan and Sean Dillon have also been involved at underage inter-county level. Murtagh believes that experience has had a positive impact on the squad.

“Jack and Conor have come on a lot through their involvement with Westmeath this year. When they come back to training, you notice a big difference. They bring an extra bit of intensity, and that brings everyone else on as well," he remarked.

“It’s a big help to have lads with that experience in the team. When they speak up and lead, it makes a difference to the whole group.”

Murtagh acknowledges that Shandonagh’s senior experience and their appearance in last year’s intermediate final against Tubberclair make them formidable opponents. However, he believes the teams are evenly matched and that the opening-round draw underlined how little separates them.

“They probably deserve to be favourites because they have that bit of senior experience and played in the final last year. But there’s very little between the two teams, especially when you think of the draw in the first round. They’re a good team, and we’re a good team, so it should be an exciting final,” he said.

There is a growing sense of excitement around Milltown in the build-up to Sunday, with flags appearing around Rathconrath and the local area. Murtagh says the enthusiasm of the local community has been clear for some time, and he knows what winning the championship would mean to the people who have supported the club.

“There’s a serious buzz around the place. You see all the flags, and we even painted a car that’s out in Rathconrath It’s always great craic in the build-up to a final, and people love talking to you about the matches. There are passionate people here who just want to win. It means so much to so many people around the area. We’ve never won an intermediate championship, so there are a lot of people hoping we can do it. It means a hell of a lot to them,” he remarked.