Madden have already had one outing in the senior championship this season and that can be a double-edged sword.
Mickey Grimley’s men are up and running with a win following their fairly straight forward dismissal of Grange.
They’ll carry serious confidence and belief from that game, and they’ve already tasted the buzz and excitement that championship football brings.
Killeavy haven’t experienced that just yet, but they got to sit back and relax and analysis Madden’s performance the last day out.
Edge of the square battle
Wayne Kieran will surely have noted Madden’s weakness under the high ball that resulted in a hat trick for Ethan Rafferty.
Have Killeavy got an Ethan Rafferty type full forward? No, they don’t, but they have a few solid options.
During their two league meetings with Madden, Killeavy bagged five goals. Paul Quinn netted three of those.
He’s a robust full forward that physically could be an issue, while James Donnelly or Caolan McConville are other choices.
The midfield battle will be intriguing as the Grimley cousins Ryan and Conor come up against Callum O’Hare and Cathal Boylan.
Madden dominated the middle third against Grange, with Ryan in particular outstanding in the air.
The pace at which the Raparees break will also be a concern for Killeavy, who must man-make the likes of Niall Smith and Joe Sheridan.
They’ll need to keep an eye on Darragh McMullen along with Ciaran Rafferty and Aron McKenna in the forward line.
Killeavy are minus Ciaron O’Hanlon and Lee Rice, Oisin King and Miceal McNamee, who will all miss the rest of the campaign.
Madden and Killeavy are both seen as teams on the rise and contenders for the championship title.
A win for either will be a massive signal sent out to the rest of the teams but it could require extra time to decide who books their place in the last eight.
