Chris Magee says high-flying Kilmore are ready for war at the top of 1A as the increasingly unpredictable race to finish top of the pile took another twist at the weekend.
The Robert Adams Park outfit claimed perhaps their most significant win of the season with a ballsy 1-0 defeat of Comber Rec on Saturday, courtesy of a second half goal from skipper Niall McCarthy.
The victory put Michael Carvill’s men within striking distance of their title rivals, cutting Comber’s advantage to six points, but with the league leaders having played two more games than Kilmore.
Back in action just a few weeks after sustaining a broken nose in a pivotal new year win over the previously unbeaten Malachians, Magee has been in the wars himself this season.
But he says that’s the kind of spirit in the camp these days, with Kilmore’s togetherness key to their surge into second place.
“Across the squad, there is a lot of quality,” said Magee, 24, who has been at the club on and off most of his life.
“We have three strong squads here and I think if you want to compete at this level, you need to have a strong second team which we do.
“If there’s a week where we have injuries or suspensions, we are bringing in quality players, and we are all mates too which is a big thing.
“This is the best squad I’ve been a part of and there’s a great buzz around the place.
“We just have to stay focused now after a big result yesterday and keep the head down.”
Ahead of Saturday’s game, Kilmore were looking at a crunch 10-game run-in which will make or break their season.
So it was a massive performance to kickstart that closing stretch, a seventh straight league win to boot, and the perfect riposte after Gareth McKeown’s side had trounced Kilmore 6-0 in the reverse fixture back in September.
“The conditions weren’t great so it was a battle for the whole 90 minutes,” said Magee.
“We’re at the stage of the season where you are playing a team who are either looking to push on or who are fighting to stay up so we just have to treat every game like it’s a cup final now.”
Kilmore are a surprise package this season. The appointment of Michael Carvill over the summer was a huge coup, of course, but few could have foreseen the speed of the turnaround.
Magee agrees they have possibly surpassed expectations, but is equally adamant they’ll not be getting ahead of themselves.
“If you’d said back then the position that we are in now, we’d have bitten your hand off for it,” he said.
“In 1A, it’s such a competitive league and at the start of the season, we just said it was important to stay in the mix at the top half of the table, but I think it’s important we don’t get carried away either coming off the back of that win.”
Magee also had a word of praise for debutant Barry Walsh, who will bring a wealth of experience to Kilmore’s promotion push.
“That was his first game yesterday and he was one of the best players on the pitch,” added his new team-mate.
“It’s great to have him, and especially at this stage of the season.”
