In a situation which bears testimony to the healthy state of under-age football in the county, two Sligo College teams will be battling it out for Connacht glory in a spectaculr doublebill at Charlestown on Saturday.

Summerhill College, contesting a final at this level for the first time since 1985, take on St. Gerald’s, Castlebar in the ‘A’ decider while St. Attracta’s Community College, Tubbercurry, are up against St. Louis, Kiltimagh, in the ‘B’ final.

The appearance of two Sligo colleges in Provincial finals at the same venue should guarantee massive support from the Yeats County and both teams are entitled to approach their respective assignments in a confident mood.

Summerhill, despite a poor League campaign, clearly reserve something special for Championship football and the thrilling manner in which they’ve negotiated two tough games so far indicates that they have the ability and the temperment to go all the way. Similarly, St. Attracta’s have shaped up as genuine Championship contenders since the start of the campaign and, like Summerhill, have displayed craft and graft in equal measure on their march to the final.

The prospect of a concerted Championship bid by Summerhill gained credence when they toppled old rivals, St. Jarlath’s, in the quarterfinals and any notion that the groundbreaking victory was no more than a flash in the pan was well and truly demolished when the Sligo boys produced a rousing performance to get the better of St. Muredach’s in the semi-final.

On that occasion, Summerhill looked to be heading for the exit door when they trailed by four points as the game ticked into injury time. But they dug deep into their reserves of character and energy to produce a pulsating finish, forcing the game to extra-time and eventually getting over the line with five points to spare.

‘That late surge typified the great character in the team’, said manager, Shane Reynolds. ‘The lads have put in a huge amount of work throughout the Championship and the wins over St. Jarlath’s and St. Muirdeach’s has given us great momentum as we approach the final. While we acknowledge that there’s still a lot we have to work on, we are looking forward to the final in a very positive frame of mind’

Last year’s success in the Junior championship laid the foundations for this year’s squad, providing added depth to a talented 33 man panel. Indeed, Summerhill’s shrewd use of their bench has been one of the outstanding features in their campaign with key players coming on as substitutes to make telling contributions in the two games so far.

And the team’s ability to make the most of goalscoring chances has also been an eye-catching quality – they’ve scored five goals in their two Championship matches to date.

Niall Collery, Niall McManus, Niall Murphy, Paddy Heraghty and Paul Logan are potential matchwinners in a lively attack while Brian Monaghan and team captain, John McGowan, form an industrious midfield unit.

Reliable goalkeeper, Vinny Cadden, lends plenty of confidence to a wellmarshalled defence which includes such talented footballers as Donal Brady, Killian Sweeney, David Burke and Don McCormack.

A powerful St. Gerard’s team, last year’s beaten finalists who are co-managed by former Mayo manager, John Maughan this term, will start as favourites but if Summerhill hit their best form they are well capable of upsetting the odds.

St. Attracta’s, meanwhile, will probably be regarded as favourites for their clash with St. Louis but their experienced manager, Anthony Brennan, who guided the School to All- Ireland success at this level in 2006, will have his team well prepared and there will be no danger of complacency.

After storming through the first two rounds of the ‘B’ Championship, the Tubbercurry College was pushed to the limit in a riveting semi-final against Rice College last Wednesday and had to pull out all the stops to get home by a single point in extra-time.

At one stage, it looked as if their Championship dream had slipped away when a late goal by the Mayo side edged them one point clear in injury time. But the South Sligo boys refused to panic and got back on level termns before showing great resolve to take the spoils in extra-time.

‘It was just the test we needed’, said St. Attracta’s manager, Anthony Brennan. ‘We learned a lot from what was an exceptional game of football and I was delighted at the way the lads responded when the chips were down. They are a very talented group of young lads with a great attitude and they’re ready to give it all they have in Saturday’s final’

This group of players won the Junior League and Championship double last season and the ‘B’ senior Championship was their goal from the start of the current campaign.

‘We’ve been continually in the mix for Connacht titles at all grades over the years but you can never take anything for granted. We have a good solid base to work on but the team still has to go out and perform and these lads have done that. We wouldn’t be over-confident in any way going into Saturday’s game but the final is there to be won and we’re going to give it our best shot’

James Kelly, the team’s captain, will complete a unique family double if Attracta’s bring home the title as his brother, David, the current Sligo star, was captain of the Tubbercurry College when they won the Connacht Championship in 2006.

Kelly is a stalwart in the Attracta’s defence which also includes James Connolly, Cian O’Dowd, Ray Connolly, Enda Kivlehan and goalkeeper, John O’Hora.

Dennis Coffey and Cian Killoran fill the vital midfield berths while a prolfiic attack features Cathal and Ciaran Brennan, Joe Rogers, Brian Egan, Hughie Marren and Christopher Davey.

St. Louis will be quietly confident of taking the title and cannot be underestimated. However, St. Attracta’s have pace and power all over the pitch and are primed for another famous win.