It will be over two months since Kinawley won their Ulster Club Intermediate title when they face Leinster champions St. Sylvester’s of Dublin on Sunday.

For the Fermanagh side, it is another historic step following their final victory over Steelstown as they look to book their place in a first ever All-Ireland Final.

With the celebrations out of the way, Kinawley manager, Adrian Diver, has seen the intensity in training lift in the last couple of weeks as players try to put their name on the starting 15.

With full back, Erin Murphy, a definite absentee for the game, there is at least one place up for grabs.

“The tempo has been raised in particular the last week people are really fighting for a spot on the team,” said Diver.

“The girls know there is at least on space that is available and if not two or three.

“You can see there a certainly putting in the shift and putting themselves forward for a place in the first 15.”

Big Challenge

Whatever team Kinawley field on Sunday, they have a big challenge in the shape St. Sylvester’s.

The Malahide club is littered with inter county players, including Dublin All-Ireland winners like Sinead Aherne, Nicole Owens, Niamh McEvoy and Kate Sullivan, while Down full back Kim White also plays her football with the club.

“A very good team there’s no doubt about that. They kind of breezed through their Dublin championship, they were fairly comfortable in their Leinster championship and they had a quarter final against the British champions which was very comfortable as well.

“In an awful lot of their games the game has been over by half time and they have been able to put on a lot of subs and sit back in the second half.

“We are conscious we are going up to their patch and they are a top quality side but look you are into the All-Ireland series, you’re not going to get anything easy.

“For me that is type of team you want to be playing, you want to test yourself against the best and it’s certainly a challenge and the girls love a challenge.”

Kinawley are not without inter county experience of their own in the likes of Joanne Doonan, Róisín O’Reilly, Courteney Murphy and Aine McGovern and along with the experience of coming through Ulster, Diver believes it sets the game up nicely.

The Kinawley boss is looking forward to the middle battle: “We have Aine McGovern, who is vastly experienced and having a brilliant season. We have got Róisín O’Reilly again vastly experienced and another person having a brilliant season.

“They are up against Niamh McEvoy and Nicole Owens, All-Ireland winners.

“Róisín and Aine don’t lie down for anybody. That is going to be a brilliant battle.”

Pressure

Going into Sunday’s encounter, Diver believes that the Dublin side will have more pressure on them than his side.

“It’s going to be a close battle. I feel there is going to be a wee bit of pressure on them. It is in their home park, they are probably expected to go on and win the whole thing.

“For us the pressure is off having won Ulster, having accomplished what we had set out to do.

“I’m not saying we are not taking this as seriously as Ulster because we are but I feel like it is a game where we are going up there probably for the first time ever with no real pressure, no real expectations and maybe show the rest of the country what we are all about.”

But while the pressure may be off, Diver knows that there is still a job to do: “We are conscious we are the only club left representing Fermanagh and we are proud of that opportunity and we are not up there just to make up the numbers.

“We are up there to give it our best shot and I genuinely do believe if we can get up to the levels we were operating on in the semi final and final of Ulster we will come away with a victory.”