No stranger to McHale Park Nearest the church, furthest from God - that maxim scarcely applies to Brian Kilkelly who, as the cliche goes, grew up just a good kick of an O'Neill's All-Ireland from McHale Park, where next Sunday he will line out at top of the right for Mayo in the Connacht Senior Championship Final, writes Liam Horan. Kilkelly's earliest footballing education came on McHale Road and across in the park, and he has nothing but sweet memories of kick around with neighbours like the Redmonds, the Byrnes, the Ruanes and many, many more. The town leagues were the big thing at that time, and Brian enjoyed many successes with the McHales. "I suppose it's not surprising that one of my ambitions has always been to play in a Connacht Senior Final in McHale Park. Down the years, Connacht Final day was a huge day for everybody on McHale Road. Flags out windows, bunting, even pictures of the Mayo team - it was the highlight of the year. In later years, I worked as an official with Castlebar Mitchels at Connacht Finals, and now at last I'm faced with the prospect of playing in one. I'm really looking forward to it," says the 28 year old Belmullet-based Garda. Brian ate, drank and slept football as a youngster. Underage football in Mayo had not reached the standards of organisation it now enjoys, but Brian and his cohorts devoted all their spare time to sport. He also liked soccer, but the passage of time saw him concentrate on football to the virtual exclusion of all other sports. By the time he reached 18, Brian was the talk of the county. Castlebar Vocational School, under the guidance of current Mayo selector Tommy O'Malley, were on a winning roll, and for weeks on end the Castlebar paper, The Connacht Telegraph, was peppered with tales of scoring exploits. In 1982, he featured at right corner forward on the Mayo team which beat Kerry in the All-Ireland Vocational Schools Final in Killarney. "That has been the highlight of my career. The atmosphere was exceptional; the game was a curtainraiser to the Kerry/Cork National League Final," recalls Brian. At the time, it was hailed as an audacious entry into the lion's den. Gabriel Irwin and Anthony McGarry, both of whom played along with Brian in this year's Connacht senior semi final victory over Sligo, were also on the team. It was but one of a series of achievements which set out 1982 as Brian's best ever year on the football field. Castlebar Mitchels won the west Mayo and county minor titles; ditto at under 21 level, and the west Mayo junior championship. These successes owed much to the commitment of stalwart clubmen Patsy Noone (brother of former Mayo half back Frank); Donie Murphy (a wearer of the Kerry colours during his own playing days) and Ger Murphy. The omens were good for Brian, and sure enough graduation to the county senior team followed. The inter-county debut came on June 12th, 1983 when he came on as half time sub for Jimmy Maughan against Roscommon in McHale Park. Mayo won but for Brian it wasn't to be the herald of a long and distinguished career in the colours. "For a few years there, I was always coming on and off for minutes in games, and it was very hard to establish a place. I felt I should have been given a better chance to make a position my own. I remember one National League game in Monaghan where I seemed to be warming up for ten minutes, and when I eventually came on it was into injury time. I'm delighted this year that the selectors are showing some confidence in me, and I can feel that. It makes me want to prove them right," says Brian. The year of '83 did provide another good moment for Brian and his young Mayo colleagues. He was at number 13 once again in an unforgettable All-Ireland under 21 final victory over Derry in a replay at Irvinestown. "That was a magnificent feeling. There was something special about that Mayo team, and the people of the county really got behind us. A lot of those players have since come through to the Mayo senior team and played in the 1989 All-Ireland Final." The famed Mitchels, with Kilkelly in free scoring form at corner forward, added another county under 21 medal to their collection that year also, beating Charlestown in the final. But Brian's inter county career took something of a nosedive then. He wasn't to make a big impact at county senior level again until 1989. Fortunately, there was ample compensation in the shape of a profitable period for Castlebar Mitchels, winning two county senior medals in 1986 and 1988. He was captain in 1988 and top scorer in the championship. After a few absent years, he was conscious of the second chance offered to him in 1989. He grabbed his opportunity with both hands; setting up vital scores in the replayed Connacht Final against Roscommon, and making a valuable contribution when introduced as a sub in the All-Ireland semi final against Tyrone. "I played for almost a half against Tyrone, and felt I played well. I suppose the greatest disappointment in my career was not to get more than just two minutes in the All-Ireland Final against Cork. I had shown good form trough the year, and felt I deserved a better crack," he states. That was a consideration in his subsequent decision to quit the county senior panel, though he had also wed Helen Molloy, Cappagh, Castlebar during that busy year and felt he needed a break from football. Helen and Brian have a daughter Emma, who was born on St. Patricks Day, 1991. This year he has returned. "I would like to be scoring a bit more in games, but I am delighted that teh selectors are giving me an even chance. I have also concentrated on blocking down kicks out of defence by backs, and I just hope that on Sunday it can all go right for me. We have to raise our game after playing so badly against Sligo, but I feel we can do it. Roscommon always bring out the best in us," he adds. It's a big day for Brian. Wife Helen has "kept me going all year - washing the dirty gear, being very positive about the whole thing" and he is anxious to pay back the faith shown in him down through the years by so many people. The home where Brian grew up, and where parents Michael and Emily still reside, is not one of those where a full view of a game in McHale Park can be obtained from an upstairs window. The gasur who kicked a leather around McHale Road with teh Byrnes and the Ruanes and the Redmonds (Caution: Children at play) finally gets to the centre stage. Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 24th July 1992 Tweet

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